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
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى خَـٰلِقٌۢ بَشَرًا مِّن صَلْصَـٰلٍ مِّنْ حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud.
إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِّلَّهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Indeed, Abraham was a [comprehensive] leader, devoutly obedient to Allāh, inclining toward truth, and he was not of those who associate others with Allāh.
وَجَعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ ٱلْجِنَّ وَخَلَقَهُمْ ۖ وَخَرَقُوا۟ لَهُۥ بَنِينَ وَبَنَـٰتٍۭ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
But they have attributed to Allāh partners - the jinn, while He has created them - and have fabricated for Him sons and daughters without knowledge. Exalted is He and high above what they describe.
فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا ۚ فِطْرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِى فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
So direct your face [i.e., self] toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fiṭrah of Allāh upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allāh. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.