Tafsir of Al-Quraish 106:1-4

Meccan. It contains 4 verses. (Revealed after al-Tīn).

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

{ For the accustomed security of the Quraysh * Their accustomed security in the winter and summer caravans * Let them worship the Lord of this House * Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger, and made them safe, [saving them] from fear }

{لِإِيلَافِ قُرَيْشٍ} (For the accustomed security of the Quraish) This is connected to the command: {فَلْيَعْبُدُوا} (Let them worship). He commanded them to worship Him because of their accustomed security in the two journeys.

If you ask: Why was the fa (ف) introduced? I reply: Because the speech contains the meaning of a condition. The meaning is: "If they do not worship Him for other blessings, then let them worship Him for this one, which is a manifest blessing."

Other interpretations:

• It means: "They were amazed at the accustomed security of the Quraish."
• It is connected to the preceding surah (Al-Fil): "He made them like eaten straw for the sake of the accustomed security of the Quraish." This is like tadmin (enjambment) in poetry, where the meaning of one verse is dependent on the next. In Ubayy’s codex, they are one surah without separation. Umar once recited them together in the second rak'ah of Maghrib, having recited At-Tin in the first.

The meaning: He destroyed the Abyssinians who intended to harm them so that people would hear of it, fear them more, and respect them further, ensuring their safety during their travels so no one would dare attack them.

The two journeys: The Quraish had two journeys: winter to Yemen and summer to Syria, for trade and provisioning. They were safe because they were the people of Allah’s Sanctuary and the guardians of His House. Others were raided and plundered, but they were not.

Linguistic notes:

• Ilaf (إيلاف) comes from aliftu al-makan (I became accustomed to a place).
• Variants: Li'laf (لئلاف) means "for the familiarization of Quraish." Abu Ja'far read it as Li-ilf (لإلف).
• Quraish: The descendants of An-Nadr ibn Kinana. Named after the diminutive of qirsh—a great sea beast that plays with ships and can only be repelled by fire. Mu'awiya asked Ibn Abbas why they were named Quraish, and he replied: "A beast in the sea that eats but is not eaten, and rises but is not risen above." The diminutive here denotes magnification. Others say it comes from qirsh (earning), as they were traders.

{إِيلَافِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاءِ وَالصَّيْفِ} (Their accustomed security in the winter and summer journeys) He mentions Ilaf generally, then specifies it with the two journeys to emphasize the blessing. Rihla (journey) is the object of Ilaf, just as yatiman (orphan) is the object of it'am (feeding). He used the singular rihla to avoid confusion, similar to the poet's phrase: "Eat in some of your belly." Some read ruhla (with a damma), meaning the destination.

{جُوعٍ} (Hunger) and {خَوْفٍ} (Fear) The indefiniteness denotes intensity. He fed them through these journeys from a severe hunger they previously suffered, and secured them from great fear—either the fear of the People of the Elephant or the fear of being plundered.

• Some say: They suffered such hardship they ate carcasses and burnt bones, and He secured them from the fear of leprosy.
• Some say: This is all due to the prayer of Abraham (peace be upon him).
• Among the strange interpretations: "Secured them from fear" means the Caliphate would not be held by others.

Hadith: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever recites the Surah 'For the accustomed security of the Quraish,' Allah will give him ten good deeds for every person who performed Tawaf around the Ka'bah or performed I'tikaf therein."