Al-Baqarah: (125) And [recall] when We made the House...

We begin by noting that the Almighty has clarified the state of Abraham (peace be upon him) when he was commissioned with the Imamate (leadership). This verse explains the second commission, which is the command to purify the Sacred House.

The Meaning of "The House" (Al-Bayt)

The term "The House" refers to the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Haram). It is mentioned simply because the definite article al- (the) is used, which can denote either a specific known object or the entire genus. Since the audience knows it does not refer to the genus (as it is not meant to be any house), it defaults to the specific, known object: the Ka'bah.

However, the intent is not just the physical structure of the Ka'bah, because the Almighty describes it as "a place of security" (Aaminan), which is a characteristic of the entire Sanctuary (Haram), not just the Ka'bah structure itself.

Evidence that "The House" can refer to the entire Sanctuary:

1. The verse: {Hadyan balighan al-Ka'bah} (an offering reaching the Ka'bah) (Al-Ma'idah: 95). The intent here is the entire Sanctuary, as sacrifices are not performed inside the Ka'bah or the Sacred Mosque itself.
2. The verse: {Fa-la yaqrabu al-Masjid al-Haram ba'da 'aamihim hadha} (So let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this, their year) (At-Tawbah: 28). This means preventing them from attending the sites of the rites of Hajj.
3. The verse: {Awalam yaraw an-na ja'alna haraman 'aaminan} (Have they not seen that We made a sacred precinct secure?) (Al-'Ankabut: 67).
4. Abraham's supplication: {Rabbi ij'al hadha al-balada 'aaminan} (My Lord, make this a secure city) (Ibrahim: 35).

This shows that the attribute of security was applied to the House, necessitating the inclusion of the entire Sanctuary. The reason the term "The House" was used to signify the whole Sanctuary is that the sanctity of the Sanctuary is intrinsically linked to the House itself.

Regarding the Almighty's Statement: {Mathabatan li-n-Nas} (A place of return for people)

This phrase involves several issues:

Linguistically, the root is thāba, yathūbu, mathābatun or thawbun, meaning to return or come back.

• Water is said to thāba when it returns to the river after drying up.
• Sanity is said to thāba to someone when it returns to him.
• If people disperse and then thābu, it means they gathered again.
• The reward (ath-thawāb) is derived from this, as if what was spent (wealth or otherwise) returns to the spender.
• Al-Mathāb from a well is the accumulated water at its bottom.

Al-Qaffal stated that mathāban and mathābah are two variants of the same word, like maqāmun and maqāmah (according to Al-Farrā' and Al-Zajjāj). Others suggest the tā' (in mathābah) is added for emphasis, like in nassāb (great genealogist) or ʿallāmah (great scholar). The original form of mathābah is likely mathūbah (on the pattern of mafʿalah).

1. Al-Hasan said it means they return to it every year.
2. Ibn 'Abbas and Mujahid said that no one leaves it except wishing to return. This is supported by: {Fa-j'al af'idatan min an-nāsi tahwā ilayh} (So make the hearts of people incline toward them) (Ibrahim: 37).
3. It is also said that they perform Hajj (yahujjūna), and thus they are rewarded (yuthābūn) for it.

Inquiry: If being a place of return (mathābah) is achieved merely by their return, which is an act of the servant, why is it attributed to God: {And when We made the House a place of return for people}?

Response:

• According to our view (Ash'ari): Since the servant's action is created by God, this verse serves as proof for our position on this matter (Divine decree over human action).
• According to the Mu'tazilah: It means God cast its veneration into their hearts, prompting them to return again and again. God did this because of the benefits it contains for this world and the Hereafter.
  • Worldly benefits: People from East and West gather there, leading to trade and various means of livelihood, maximizing benefit. Travel for Hajj also leads to the development of roads and regions, and witnessing diverse worldly conditions.
  • Religious benefits: Whoever intends the House seeking rites (nusuk), drawing near to God, showing servitude, persevering in tawaf (circumambulation) and ʿumrah, and establishing prayer in that honored mosque and performing i'tikāf there, earns immense reward from God.

Some of our scholars use this verse to argue for the obligation (wujūb) of ʿumrah. Argument: God informs us that He made the House a place of return. Since being a place of return is a quality dependent on human choice, it cannot be achieved through compulsion (jabr). If the verse cannot be taken literally (as a description of a naturally occurring state), it must be interpreted as a command (wujūb). If interpreted as an obligation, it is more likely to result in the desired state than if interpreted as a recommendation (nadb). Thus, God obligated us to return to it repeatedly. Since we agree this obligation is not fulfilled by anything other than tawaf (circumambulation), it must be fulfilled through tawaf.

Many scholars of Ahkām al-Qur'ān have criticized this verse's use as proof for this requirement. However, we have demonstrated its potential relevance through this line of reasoning.

Regarding the Almighty's Statement: {Wa Aaminan} (And a place of security)

This means a place of safety. Since {We made the House a place of return for people and a place of security} is a statement (khabar), we can either leave it as a statement of fact or interpret it as a command (amr) through ta'wīl (figurative interpretation).

It means God made the inhabitants of the Sanctuary safe from drought and barrenness, as in: {Awalam yaraw an-na ja'alna haraman 'aaminan} (Have they not seen that We made a sacred precinct secure?) (Al-'Ankabut: 67) and {Awalam numakkin lahum haraman 'aaminan yujba ilayhi thamarātu kulli shay'} (Have We not established for them a sacred sanctuary, to which are brought the fruits of all things?) (Al-Qasas: 57).

It cannot mean the cessation of killing, because we witness unlawful killing occurring there, and even permissible killing happens, as God says: {Wa la tuqatilūhum 'inda al-Masjid al-Haram hattā yuqātilūkum fīhi, fa-in qātalūkum fa-qtulūhum} (And do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them) (Al-Baqarah: 191), indicating killing occurs there.

This means God commanded people to make that place secure from raids and killing. Thus, the House was respected by God's decree, and the Jahiliyyah people adhered to its sanctity, not attacking anyone who sought refuge there. They called Quraysh "the people of God" out of reverence. This sanctity also extended to hunting, such that if a dog chased a gazelle outside the Sanctuary, the gazelle would be safe once it entered, and the dog would not follow.

The Prophet (PBUH) said: "God has made Mecca sacred, and it was not lawful for anyone before me, nor will it be lawful for anyone after me, except for me for an hour of a day. Its sanctity has returned as it was."

Al-Shafi'i's view: The meaning is that it was not lawful for anyone to wage war against it, which was permissible for the Prophet (PBUH). If someone subject to legal punishment (hudūd) entered the House, Al-Shafi'i held that the ruler should restrict him until he leaves the Sanctuary, whereupon the punishment is executed in the Hill (outside area). If he is killed inside while fighting, that is permissible.

Abu Hanifah's view: Killing is not permissible inside.

Al-Shafi'i's evidence: The Prophet (PBUH) ordered the assassination of Abu Sufyan in his house in Mecca (in retaliation for 'Asim ibn Thabit and Khubayb), even though Mecca was sacred at that time. This proves the sanctity does not prevent necessary retribution, only the initiation of general warfare against the city.

Abu Hanifah's evidence: This verse.

Rebuttal to Abu Hanifah: The phrase {Wa Aaminan} does not specify what it is a security from. It could be security from drought, from the initiation of wars, or from the execution of hudūd. The wording is not general enough to cover all possibilities. Interpreting it as security from drought and calamities is preferable because it allows us to maintain the literal meaning of the statement (khabar) without resorting to interpreting it as a command (amr), which is necessary in the other interpretations. Therefore, Al-Shafi'i's view is stronger.

Regarding the Almighty's Statement: {Wa ittakhidhū min maqāmi Ibrāhīma musallā} (And take as a place of prayer the station of Abraham)

This involves several issues:

1. Command Form (Imperative): Ibn Kathir, Abu 'Amr, Hamzah, 'Asim, and Al-Kisā'ī read {Wa-ttakhidhū} (with a kasrah on the khā').
2. Past Tense (Declarative): Nafi' and Ibn 'Amir read {Wa-ttakhadhū} (with a fatḥah on the khā').

Analysis of the Command Reading ({Wa-ttakhidhū}): What is it connected to?

1. It is connected to the previous command: {Udhkurū niʿmatī allatī anʿamtu ʿalaykum} (Remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you).
2. It is connected to the statement: {Innī jāʿiluka li-n-nāsi imāman} (Indeed, I will make you a leader for mankind) (v. 124). The meaning is: Since God tested him and completed the words, He rewarded him with the Imamate and commanded: {Wa-ttakhidhū...}. It could also be a command to his descendants, with the implied phrase "and He said." (Similar to Q. 7:171: "...take what We have given you with strength.")
3. It is a command from God to the Ummah of Muhammad (PBUH) to take the Station of Abraham as a place of prayer. This is an inserted statement within the narrative of Abraham. The logic is: Since We honored the House and described it as a place of return and security, {Wa-ttakhidhū} (you all take) the Station of Abraham as a qiblah (direction of prayer) for yourselves. The wāw (and) here functions similarly to the fā' (then), though fā' would be clearer.

Analysis of the Declarative Reading ({Wa-ttakhadhū}): It is a statement that Abraham's descendants took the Station of Abraham as a place of prayer. This connects to {We made the House...}—"We made the House [a sanctuary], and they took his station as a place of prayer."

1. The Stone upon which he stood:
   • Variant A: It is the stone upon which the wife of Ishmael placed it under Abraham's foot while washing his head. When Abraham stood on it, his foot sank in. When she moved it under the other foot, it sank there too. This became one of his miracles (Hasan, Qatadah, Al-Rabi' ibn Anas).
   • Variant B: While Abraham was building the House and Ishmael handed him stones (reciting: {Rabbanā taqabbal minnā...}), when the structure rose high and Abraham grew weak, he stood on a stone (Ibn 'Abbas via Sa'id ibn Jubayr).

2. The Entire Sanctuary (Haram): (Mujahid).

3. Mounts 'Arafah, Muzdalifah, and the Jamarāt: ('Ata').

4. The entire Hajj ritual: (Ibn 'Abbas).

Scholarly Consensus: The first view (the stone) is the strongest, supported by several points:

1. Jābir's narration: When the Prophet (PBUH) finished tawaf, he came to the Station and recited this verse, indicating the word refers specifically to that place.
2. Common Usage: In common parlance among the people of Mecca, asking about the Maqām refers only to this specific stone.
3. Narration involving 'Umar: 'Umar asked the Prophet (PBUH) if this was the station of Abraham, and the Prophet confirmed. 'Umar asked if they should take it as a place of prayer, and the Prophet replied he was not commanded to. Before sunset that day, the verse was revealed.
4. Miracle: The stone sinking under his foot while the clay was wet is a clear miracle, making its specific association with Abraham more fitting than other places.
5. Connection to Prayer: The command is to take it as a place of prayer. Prayer has no specific connection to the entire Sanctuary or other sites except this one.
6. Place of Standing: Maqām means place of standing. Reports confirm he stood on this stone near the washing place, but not on others.

Al-Qaffal's Note: Those who interpret Maqām as the stone interpret the preposition min (from) metaphorically, as in saying, "I took X as a friend," even if X is the entirety of the friendship. The min here serves to specify the object being taken as a prayer place and distinguish it.

1. Place of Supplication (Du'a): Based on the verse commanding prayer/blessing upon the Prophet (PBUH) (Al-Ahzab: 56). (Mujahid held this view to support his claim that the entire Sanctuary is the Maqām).
2. A Qiblah (Direction): (Al-Hasan).
3. A place where they should pray (ritual prayer): (Qatadah and Al-Suddi).

Scholarly Preference: The third view is strongest. When the word Salāh (prayer) is used generally, it implies the ritual prayer involving bowing and prostration. (E.g., Musallā al-ʿĪd is the place where the Eid prayer is performed). The Prophet (PBUH) also performed the ritual prayer there after reciting the verse. This interpretation encompasses the other meanings as well.

Jurisprudential Note: Are the two rak'ahs after tawaf obligatory or recommended?

• If tawaf is obligatory, Al-Shafi'i has two opinions: Obligatory (based on the command in this verse) or Recommended (based on the Prophet's response to the Bedouin: "Is there anything else?" "No, unless you volunteer").
• If tawaf is voluntary (like tawaf al-qudūm), the two rak'ahs are recommended. Abu Hanifah's view on this is also varied.

• Al-Bayhaqi narrated from Abu Dharr: "Which mosque was established on earth first?" He replied: "The Sacred Mosque." "Then which?" "Then Al-Aqsa Mosque." "How long between them?" "Forty years." "Wherever you are overtaken by prayer, pray there." (Agreed upon in Sahihayn).
• 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar: The House was created 2,000 years before the Earth, and the Earth was spread out from it.
• Ibn 'Abbas: The first spot placed on Earth was the location of the House, and the mountains spread out from Mount Abu Qubays.
• Wahb ibn Munabbih: When Adam was sent down, he felt lonely. God promised him descendants who would glorify Him and promised him a House chosen for Him, made secure, and honored above all others. This House would be the first established for people, visited by them in dusty, disheveled states, calling out the Takbīr and Talbiyah. God promised to honor the visitor. This House would be built by Adam, then rebuilt by generations and prophets until it culminates with Muhammad (PBUH), who will be its guardian. Abraham, his ancestor, would raise its foundations and be made the Imam of that House and its law for all Jinn and humans present.
• 'Ata': Adam was sent to India and missed hearing the angels. God told him to go to Mecca and build a House to circumambulate. Adam حج from India for forty years.
• 'Umar asked Ka'b: The House was sent down from heaven as a hollow ruby with Adam. God told Adam: "This is My House; circumambulate it and pray around it as you saw My angels circumambulate My Throne." Angels raised its foundations from stones. When Noah's flood came, God raised the House, leaving only the foundations.
• 'Ali: The Bayt al-Ma'mur (The much-frequented House) is in heaven, directly above the Ka'bah, with equal sanctity. Seventy thousand angels pray in it daily, never returning. The Ka'bah was rebuilt by the 'Amaliqah after Abraham, then by Jurhum, and finally by Quraysh when the Prophet (PBUH) was young. They disputed over placing the Black Stone, agreeing to let the first person entering the street judge. The Prophet (PBUH) was first, and he decreed that all tribes lift the stone together on a cloak, and he placed it himself.
• Al-Zuhri: It is reported that three tablets were found in the Station of Abraham, each containing writing:
  1. "I am God, the Lord of the Dabakah (a measure/act). I created it when I created the sun and moon, surrounded it with seven angels, and blessed its people in meat and milk."
  2. "I am God, the Lord of the Dabakah. I created the womb and derived its name from My name. Whoever connects it, I connect him; whoever severs it, I sever him."
  3. "I am God, the Lord of the Dabakah. I created good and evil. Blessed is he whose hands bring forth good, and woe to him whose hands bring forth evil."

• 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar: The Corner Stone (Rukn) and the Station are two rubies from the rubies of Paradise. God extinguished their light; otherwise, they would illuminate the East and West. No afflicted or sick person touches them without being healed.
• Ibn 'Abbas: The Stone was whiter than snow, but the sins of the polytheists blackened it.
• Ibn 'Abbas: This Stone will come on the Day of Resurrection with two eyes to see with and a tongue to speak with, testifying for those who kissed it rightfully.
• 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab: "I kiss you, knowing you are but a stone, unable to harm or benefit. If I had not seen the Messenger of God (PBUH) kissing you, I would not have kissed you." (Agreed upon in Sahihayn).

Regarding the Almighty's Statement: {Wa ʿahadnā ilā Ibrāhīma wa-Ismāʿīla} (And We enjoined Abraham and Ishmael)

The best interpretation is that God obligated them strongly to this duty, confirming the meaning of the covenant (ʿahd) mentioned previously.

Regarding the Almighty's Statement: {An ṭahhirā baytiy} (To purify My House)

This must mean purification from everything unsuitable for the House.

1. Since it is a place of prayer and sincere worship of God, it must be purified from polytheism and the worship of others besides God.
2. Since it is the place of the House and its surroundings, it must be purified from physical impurities and filth.

The commentators offered several interpretations:

1. Build it and purify it from polytheism, establishing it upon piety, like: {Afaman assasa bunyānahu ʿalā taqwā min Allāh} (Is he who founded his building on piety toward Allah...) (At-Tawbah: 109).
2. Make the people aware that the House is a purification for them when they perform Hajj, visit, and reside there. (Metaphorically: "So-and-so purifies this place," meaning he makes it pure in the perception of people).
3. Build it and do not allow any people of doubt or polytheism to interfere with the circumambulators, thus preserving its purity from disbelievers and doubters (similar to saying: "May God cleanse the earth of so-and-so"). These interpretations assume there was no existing polytheism requiring removal. This is like {Wa lahum fīhā azwājun muṭahharah} (And they will have therein purified spouses) (Al-Baqarah: 25)—they were created pure, not purified from impurity. Similarly, the House was created pure, and the command was for maintenance.
4. Cleanse My House from idols, polytheism, and sins, so that people may emulate you in this.
5. Some said the site of the House was used for throwing carcasses and filth before construction, so Abraham was commanded to remove these impurities and build the House there. This is weak because the House did not exist yet, so removing filth from the plot is not purifying the House itself. (A response could be that it was called "House" metaphorically, as it was destined to become one).

Regarding the Almighty's Statement: {Li-ṭ-ṭā’ifīna wa-l-ʿākifīna wa-r-rukkaʿi s-sujjūd} (For those who perform Tawaf, those who are in seclusion, and those who bow and prostrate)

• ʿAkf (seclusion/devotion) is the maṣdar of ʿakafa, yaʿkufu (with ḍammah or kasrah on the kāf). It means adhering to something and remaining steadfast, or turning toward it without looking away.

1. The Stronger View (Three distinct groups): Since the conjunction wāw (and) implies difference, the three groups must be distinct:
   • Those performing Tawaf: Those who intend the House for Hajj or 'Umrah and circumambulate it.
   • Those in Seclusion (ʿĀkifīn): Those who reside there and remain devoted.
   • Those who bow and prostrate (Rukkāʿ Sujjūd): Those who perform ritual prayer there.

2. The Second View ('Ata'): These are descriptions of one person in different states: If he is circumambulating, he is among the ṭā’ifīn; if he is sitting, he is among the ʿākifīn; if he is praying, he is among the rukkāʿ sujjūd.

1. If we interpret ṭā’ifīn as referring to non-residents (ghurabā’), the verse implies that Tawaf for non-residents is superior to prayer, as God specifically mentioned it for them, indicating a special status. Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, and 'Ata' held that Tawaf is better for the people of the cities (amṣār), while prayer is better for the people of Mecca.
2. It indicates the permissibility of I'tikāf (seclusion) in the House.
3. It indicates the permissibility of performing ritual prayer (obligatory or voluntary) inside the House, as the verse does not differentiate. This contradicts Mālik's view that obligatory prayer is forbidden inside the House.

Objection to Point 3: The verse does not say "and those who bow and prostrate in the House." Just as it doesn't imply Tawaf inside the Ka'bah (but rather around it, as per {Wa li-yaṭṭawwafū bi-l-Bayt al-ʿAtīq} [And circumambulate the Ancient House] (Al-Hajj: 29)), it only implies facing the House for prayer.

Response: The literal meaning covers bowing and prostrating toward the House, whether inside or outside. We mandate Tawaf outside because Tawaf around the House is not called Tawaf in the House. Furthermore, if the command for prayer was merely facing it, the command to purify the House for the rukkāʿ sujjūd would be pointless, as both those inside and outside are equally commanded to face it.

Mālik's Evidence: {Fa-walli wajhaka shatral-Masjid al-Ḥarām} (So turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque). Someone inside the Mosque is not facing the Mosque itself, but a part of it.

Rebuttal: It is impossible for a single direction to face the entire Mosque; one must necessarily face a part of it. Therefore, someone inside the House is also facing a part of it, meaning they fall under the verse's scope.

4. The term {li-ṭ-ṭā’ifīn} covers all forms of Tawaf, whether explicitly mandated in the Qur'an (like the Tawaf al-'Atīq), established by the Sunnah, or merely recommended.

{And when Abraham said, "My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits, [some] of those who believe among them in Allah and the Last Day." [Allah] said, "And whoever disbelieves - I will grant him enjoyment for a short while; then I will compel him to the punishment of the Fire, and wretched is the destination."} (2:126)

This verse contains Abraham's supplication after the command to purify the House.

Abraham supplicated for two things for the city: security and sustenance from fruits for the believers among its inhabitants.

Regarding Security: This confirms the previous discussion that security was a divine attribute bestowed upon the Sanctuary.

Regarding Sustenance: Abraham specifically requested sustenance for the believers among its people.

The Divine Response: God answered by saying He would grant enjoyment (tamattūʿ) even to the disbelievers for a short time, after which they would be forced into the Fire.

Points of Discussion:

1. Why did Abraham specify believers?
   • First View: He knew that the ultimate reward and true benefit belong only to the believers, so he focused his request on what truly matters eternally.
   • Second View: He asked for sustenance for the believers, and God added the provision for the disbelievers as a grace, showing that God's bounty encompasses all creation, even if the ultimate reward is reserved for the faithful.
   • Third View: Abraham was aware that the city would contain both groups, and he sought provision for the believers while acknowledging that the disbelievers would receive temporary worldly enjoyment before their final reckoning.

2. The meaning of "enjoyment for a short while" (amattaʿuhu qalīlan): This refers to their lifespan in this world, which is brief compared to the eternity of the Hereafter.

3. The meaning of "then I will compel him to the punishment of the Fire" (thumma aḍṭarruhu ilā ʿadhāb an-nār): This signifies that after their temporary enjoyment, they will be forcibly driven to the Fire, as they will have no means of escape or refuge.

4. "Wretched is the destination" (wa bi’sa l-maṣīr): This emphasizes the terrible end awaiting those who reject faith despite receiving worldly blessings.

The command {An ṭahhirā baytiy} (To purify My House) is connected to the previous context where God commissioned Abraham and Ishmael.

Interpretations of Purification:

1. Building upon Piety: Building the structure upon the foundation of God-consciousness, as mentioned earlier.
2. Making it Pure in Perception: Making the people perceive it as pure when they visit for Hajj.
3. Excluding the Impure: Building it such that no people of doubt or polytheism could interfere with the worshippers, preserving its purity from them.
4. Physical Cleansing (Weak View): Removing filth from the site before building. This is weak because the House did not yet exist, but it could be argued metaphorically as purifying the destined site.
5. Cleansing from Idols and Sins: They were commanded to cleanse it from idols and sins so that the people would emulate them. This implies that even if the site was initially pure, the command was to maintain that purity against future corruption.

The verse specifies the House is {Li-ṭ-ṭā’ifīna wa-l-ʿākifīna wa-r-rukkaʿi s-sujjūd} (For those who perform Tawaf, those in seclusion, and those who bow and prostrate).

Distinction between Groups:

• The strongest view holds these are three distinct groups, giving meaning to the conjunction wāw.
• Tawaf is for those circling the Ka'bah (pilgrims).
• I'tikāf is for those residing and devoting themselves there.
• Rukūʿ and Sujūd (Prayer) is for those performing ritual prayer.

Implications:

• The verse highlights the special status of Tawaf for non-residents, while prayer might be more emphasized for residents (Meccans).
• It permits I'tikāf and prayer (obligatory or voluntary) inside the Mosque.
• The command to purify the House is specifically for the benefit of these worshippers, reinforcing that the sanctity is tied to the acts of worship performed there.