Al-Anfal: (35) And their prayer at the House...

Know that when the Almighty stated concerning the disbelievers that they were not the guardians of the Sacred House, and said: {Indeed, the rightful guardians of it are none but the righteous} (Al-Anfal: 34), He then clarified the reason why they were excluded from being guardians of the House. This reason is that their Salat (prayer/ritual observance) at the House, their drawing near, and their worship consisted only of Makā’ (whistling) and Taṣdiyah (clapping).

The author of Al-Kashshāf said: Al-Makā’ is a fa‘āl pattern, like naghā’ and raghā’, derived from makā yamkū (to whistle). Al-Makā’ is whistling. From this is al-makā’, which is a bird that frequents cultivated areas, and its plural is al-makākī, named so because of its frequent whistling.

As for Al-Taṣdiyah, it is clapping. It is said: ṣaddā yaṣdī taṣdiyah if one claps their hands. There are two opinions regarding its origin:

1. It is derived from al-ṣadā (echo), which is the sound that returns from a mountain.
2. Abu ‘Ubaydah said its origin is taṣaddudah, and the yā’ was substituted for the dāl. This is supported by His saying: {When your people turn away from him} (Az-Zukhruf: 57), meaning they become incapable. Some scholars rejected this explanation, but Al-Azhari confirmed Abu ‘Ubaydah’s view, stating that the origin was ṣadā, and since the dāls indicating recurrence became numerous, one of them was changed to a yā’.

Having established this, we say: Ibn ‘Abbas narrated that Quraysh used to circumambulate the House naked, whistling and clapping. Mujahid said they used to confront the Prophet (peace be upon him) during the circumambulation, mock him, whistle, and disrupt his circumambulation and prayer. Muqātil said that when the Messenger prayed in the Mosque, they would stand to his right and left whistling and clapping to confuse his prayer.

Based on Ibn ‘Abbas’s view, Makā’ and Taṣdiyah were a form of worship for them. Based on Mujahid’s and Muqātil’s views, it was an act of harming the Prophet (peace be upon him). The former interpretation is closer to the Almighty’s saying: {And their prayer at the House was nothing but whistling and clapping}.

If it is asked: Since Makā’ and Taṣdiyah were not of the same genus as Salat (formal prayer), how is it permissible to exclude them from Salat?

We answer: There are several interpretations:

1. They believed that Makā’ and Taṣdiyah were a form of Salat, so this exception is framed according to their belief.
2. This is like saying, "I showed affection to the prince, and he made my harshness my gift (ṣilah)." Meaning, the harshness took the place of the gift. Similarly here.
3. The purpose is to state that whoever’s Salat is Makā’ and Taṣdiyah, then he has no Salat at all. This is like what the Arabs say: "So-and-so has no fault except generosity." Meaning, whoever’s fault is generosity, then he has no fault.

Then the Almighty said: {So taste the punishment for what you used to disbelieve}. This refers to the punishment of the sword on the Day of Badr. It is also said that they will be told in the Hereafter: {So taste the punishment for what you used to disbelieve}.

{Indeed, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to avert [people] from the way of Allah. So they will spend it; then it will be for them a source of regret, and then they will be overcome. And those who disbelieve will be gathered [unto Hell.} (Al-Anfal: 36)

{That Allah may distinguish the wicked from the good and make the wicked parts one upon another and pile them up, and put them all into Hell. Those are the losers.} (Al-Anfal: 37)