فَلْيَعْبُدُوا۟ رَبَّ هَـٰذَا ٱلْبَيْتِ 3
Translations
Let them worship the Lord of this House,
Transliteration
Falya'budoo Rabba haadhaa al-bayt
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the Quraysh to worship the Lord of the House (the Kaaba), emphasizing their obligation to recognize Allah's oneness and authority over the most sacred sanctuary in their midst. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that this ayah serves as a direct exhortation to the tribe of Quraysh, who were custodians of the Kaaba, to transform their outward guardianship into sincere inner devotion to Allah alone, rejecting their polytheistic practices.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah al-Quraysh, which was revealed in Mecca and addresses the Quraysh's historical dependence on Allah's protection and provision during their trading journeys (through the winter and summer caravan routes). The surah reminds them of Allah's favors and calls them to reciprocate with sincere worship rather than idolatry, making this ayah both a reminder and an urgent call to monotheism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said regarding the Kaaba: 'Verily, the House (Kaaba) has sanctity from Allah greater than the sanctity of any person' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari about the virtues of the Kaaba and its spiritual significance reinforces the importance of directing worship exclusively to its Lord.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that proximity to sacred spaces or material blessings should deepen our spiritual commitment and direct worship exclusively to Allah, not foster complacency or false security. For modern readers, it reminds us that acknowledging Allah's blessings calls for sincere devotion and obedience, transforming external rituals into meaningful internal faith.
Related Ayahs
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُۥ ظَـٰهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً ۗ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَـٰدِلُ فِى ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَـٰبٍ مُّنِيرٍ
Do you not see that Allāh has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and unapparent? But of the people is he who disputes about Allāh without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book [from Him].
ذَٰلِكَ مِمَّآ أَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ رَبُّكَ مِنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةِ ۗ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتُلْقَىٰ فِى جَهَنَّمَ مَلُومًا مَّدْحُورًا
That is from what your Lord has revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], of wisdom. And, [O mankind], do not make [as equal] with Allāh another deity, lest you be thrown into Hell, blamed and banished.
مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ كَمَثَلِ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ٱتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا ۖ وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ ٱلْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ۖ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ
The example of those who take allies other than Allāh is like that of the spider who takes [i.e., constructs] a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider, if they only knew.
قُلْ إِن كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْعَـٰبِدِينَ
Say, [O Muḥammad], "If the Most Merciful had a son, then I would be the first of [his] worshippers."