وَإِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لِإِبْرَٰهِيمَ مَكَانَ ٱلْبَيْتِ أَن لَّا تُشْرِكْ بِى شَيْـًٔا وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلْقَآئِمِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ 26
Translations
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when We designated for Abraham the site of the House, [saying], "Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform ṭawāf and those who stand [in prayer] and those who bow and prostrate.
Transliteration
Wa-idh bawwa'na li-Ibrahim makana al-bayti an la tushrик bi-ya shay'an wa-tahhir bayti li-al-ta'ifin wa-al-qa'imin wa-al-rukka' al-sujud
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how Allah established the location of the Ka'bah for Prophet Ibrahim and commanded him to keep it free from polytheism and to purify it for those who circumambulate it, stand in prayer, bow, and prostrate. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this verse establishes the Ka'bah as a sanctuary dedicated exclusively to the worship of Allah alone, with Ibrahim entrusted as the builder and custodian of this sacred House. The purification mentioned encompasses both physical cleanliness and spiritual purity from shirk (associating partners with Allah).
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Hajj (a Medinan surah) and appears within a passage discussing the virtues and sanctity of the Ka'bah and the pilgrimage. It recalls the historical moment when Allah commanded Ibrahim to construct the House of Allah and establish the rites of Hajj, connecting the ancient prophetic legacy to the religious obligations of the Muslim community.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said regarding the Ka'bah: 'Verily, this House is the House of Allah' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet forbade certain acts inside the Ka'bah to maintain its sanctity and purity (Sahih Bukhari).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that places of worship must be preserved with utmost sanctity and dedication to Allah alone, free from any form of shirk, and that both physical and spiritual purity are essential in approaching the Divine. For modern readers, it emphasizes that sincere devotion requires complete commitment to monotheism and conscious purification of the heart and actions.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ زَلْزَلَةَ ٱلسَّاعَةِ شَىْءٌ عَظِيمٌ
O mankind, fear your Lord. Indeed, the convulsion of the [final] Hour is a terrible thing.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَعْبُدُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ حَرْفٍ ۖ فَإِنْ أَصَابَهُۥ خَيْرٌ ٱطْمَأَنَّ بِهِۦ ۖ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ فِتْنَةٌ ٱنقَلَبَ عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِۦ خَسِرَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْخُسْرَانُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
And of the people is he who worships Allāh on an edge. If he is touched by good, he is reassured by it; but if he is struck by trial, he turns on his face [to unbelief]. He has lost [this] world and the Hereafter. That is what is the manifest loss.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَسْجُدُ لَهُۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱلشَّمْسُ وَٱلْقَمَرُ وَٱلنُّجُومُ وَٱلْجِبَالُ وَٱلشَّجَرُ وَٱلدَّوَآبُّ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۗ وَمَن يُهِنِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن مُّكْرِمٍ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۩
Do you not see [i.e., know] that to Allāh prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth and the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the moving creatures and many of the people? But upon many the punishment has been justified. And he whom Allāh humiliates - for him there is no bestower of honor. Indeed, Allāh does what He wills.
فَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهَا وَهِىَ ظَالِمَةٌ فَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَبِئْرٍ مُّعَطَّلَةٍ وَقَصْرٍ مَّشِيدٍ
And how many a city did We destroy while it was committing wrong - so it is [now] fallen into ruin - and [how many] an abandoned well and [how many] a lofty palace.