Surah Al-Baqarah — Verse 126

Remember, O Prophet, when Abraham prayed to his Lord, asking Him to make Makkah a safe place, where no one would be faced with evil; and to provide the people who live there with all types of crops, and a special provision for those who have faith in Allah. Allah said that He would give some enjoyment to the disbelievers by giving them provision in this life; but in the next life they will be forced into the torment of the fire of Hell – a miserable place to which they return on the Day of Judgement.

(cont.) And We commanded Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma'il (Ishmael) that they should purify My House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I'tikaf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer)(125)And (remember) when Ibrahim said, "My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day." He (Allah) answered: "As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the torment of the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination! (126)And (remember) when Ibrahim and (his son) Isma'il were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah), (saying), "Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily, You are the Hearer, the Knower. (127)"Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manasik, and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful (128)

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said that,

وَعَهِدْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ

(And We gave Our 'Ahd (command) to Ibrahim and Isma'il) means, "Allah ordered them to purify it from all filth and impurities, of which none should ever touch it." Also, Ibn Jurayj said, "I said to 'Ata', 'What is Allah's 'Ahd?' He said, 'His command.'" Also, Sa'id bin Jubayr said that Ibn 'Abbas commented on the Ayah,

أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْعَاكِفِينَ

(that they should purify My House (the Ka'bah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I'tikaf)) "Purify it from the idols." Further, Mujahid and Sa'id bin Jubayr said that,

طَهِّرَا بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ

(purify My House for those who are circumambulating it) means, "From the idols, sexual activity, false witness and sins of all kinds."

Allah said,

لِلطَّآئِفِينَ

(for those who are performing Tawaf (circumambulating) it).

The Tawaf around the House is a well-established ritual, Sa'id bin Jubayr said that,

لِلطَّآئِفِينَ

(for those who are circumambulating it) means, strangers (he means who do not live in Makkah), while;

وَالْعَاكِفِينَ

(or staying (I'tikaf)) is about those who live in the area of the Sacred House. Also, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi' bin Anas said that I'tikaf is in reference to those who live in the area of the House, just as Sa'id bin Jubayr stated. Allah said,

 وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ

(or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer))

Ibn 'Abbas said, when it is a place of prayer it includes those who are described as bowing and prostrating themselves. Also, 'Ata' and Qatadah offered the same Tafsir.

Purifying all Masjids is required according to this Ayah and according to Allah's statement,

فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَن تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ

(In houses (mosques) which Allah has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be honored), in them His Name is remembered (i.e. Adhan, Iqamah, Salah, invocations, recitation of the Qur'an). Therein glorify Him (Allah) in the mornings and in the (late) afternoons)(24:36).

There are many Hadiths that give a general order for purifying the Masjids and keeping filth and impurities away from them. This is why the Prophet ﷺ said,

إِنَّمَا بُنِيَتِ الْمَسَاجِدُ لِمَا بُنِيَتْ لَهُ

(The Masjids are established for the purpose that they were built for (i. e. worshipping Allah alone).)

I have collected a book on this subject, and all praise is due to Allah.

Allah said,

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا بَلَدًا آمِنًا وَارْزُقْ أَهْلَهُ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ مَنْ آمَنَ مِنْهُم بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ

(And (remember) when Ibrahim said, "My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day.")

Imam Abu Ja'far bin Jarir At-Tabari narrated that Jabir bin 'Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَرَّمَ بَيْتَ اللهِ وَأَمَّنَهُ وَإِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ مَا بَيْنَ لَابَتَيْهَا، فَلَا يُصَادُ صَيْدُهَا وَلَا يُقْطَعُ عِضَاهُهَا

(Ibrahim made Allah's House a Sacred Area and a safe refuge. I have made what is between the two sides of Al-Madinah a Sacred Area. Therefore, its game should not be hunted, and its trees should not be cut.) An-Nasa'i and Muslim also recorded this Hadith.

There are several other Hadiths that indicate that Allah made Makkah a sacred area before He created the heavens and earth. The Two Sahihs recorded 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas saying that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

إِنَّ هَذَا الْبَلَدَ حَرَّمَهُ اللهُ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ، فَهُوَ حَرَامٌ بِحُرْمَةِ اللهِ إِلى يَومِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَحِلَّ الْقِتَالُ فِيهِ لِأَحَدٍ قَبْلِي وَلَمْ يَحِلَّ لِي إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِنْ نَهَارٍ، فَهُوَ حَرَامٌ بِحُرْمَةِ اللهِ إِلى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا يُعْضَدُ شَوْكُهُ وَلَا يُنَفَّرُ صَيْدُهُ، وَلَا يَلْتَقِطُ لُقَطَتَهُ إِلَّا مَنْ عَرَّفَهَا وَلَا يُخْتَلى خَلَاهَا

فَقَالَ الْعَبَّاسُ:

يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ: إِلّا الْإذْخِرَ فَإِنَّهُ لِقَيْنِهِمْ وَلِبُيُوتِهِمْ

فَقَالَ: إِلَّا الْإِذْخِرَ

(Allah has made this city a sanctuary (sacred place) the Day He created the heavens and earth. Therefore, it is a sanctuary until the Day of Resurrection because Allah made it a sanctuary. It was not legal for anyone to fight in it before me, and it was legal for me for a few hours of one day. Therefore, it is a sanctuary until the Day of Resurrection, because Allah made it a sanctuary. None is allowed to uproot its thorny shrubs, or to chase its game, or to pick up something that has fallen, except by a person who announces it publicly, nor should any of its trees be cut.) Al-'Abbas said, 'O Messenger of Allah! Except the lemon-grass, for our goldsmiths and for our graves.' The Prophet added, (Except lemon-grass.)

This is the wording of Muslim. The Two Sahihs also recorded Abu Hurayrah narrating a similar Hadith, while Al-Bukhari recorded a similar Hadith from Safiyyah bint Shaybah who narrated it from the Prophet ﷺ.

Abu Shurayh Al-'Adawi said that he said to 'Amr bin Sa'id while he was sending armies to Makkah, "O Commander! Let me narrate a Hadith that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said the day that followed the victory of Makkah. My ears heard the Hadith, my heart comprehended it, and my eyes saw the Prophet ﷺ when he said it. He thanked Allah and praised him and then said,

إِنَّ مَكَّةَ حَرَّمَهَا اللهُ وَلَمْ يُحَرِّمْهَا النَّاسُ فَلَا يَحِلُّ لِامْرِىءٍ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللهِ وَالْيَومِ الْآخِرِ أَنْ يَسْفِكَ بِهَا دَمًا وَلَا يَعْضِدَ بِهَا شَجَرَةً، فَإِنْ أَحَدٌ تَرَخَّصَ بِقِتَالِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلّى الله عليه وسلّم فَقُولُوا: إِنَّ اللهَ أَذِنَ لِرَسُولِهِ وَلَمْ يَأْذَنْ لَكُمْ، وَإِنَّمَا أَذِنَ لِي فِيهَا سَاعَةً مِنْ نَهَارٍ وَقَدْ عَادَتْ حُرْمَتُهَا الْيَومَ كَحُرْمَتِهَا بِالْأَمْسِ فَلْيُبَلِّغِ الشَّاهِدُ الْغَائِبَ

(Allah, not the people, made Makkah a sanctuary, so any person who has belief in Allah and the Last Day, should neither shed blood in it nor should he cut down its trees. If anybody argues that fighting in it is permissible on the basis that Allah's Messenger fought in Makkah, say to him, 'Allah allowed His Messenger and did not allow you.' Allah allowed me only for a few hours on that day (of the Conquest), and today its sanctity is valid as it was before. So, those who are present should inform those who are absent (concerning this fact).)

Abu Shurayh was asked, 'What did 'Amr reply?' He said, ('Amr said) 'O Abu Shurayh! I know better than you about this, the Sacred House does not give protection to a sinner, a murderer or a thief.' This Hadith was collected by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

After this, there is no contradiction between the Hadiths that stated that Allah made Makkah a sanctuary when He created the heavens and earth and the Hadiths that Ibrahim made it a sanctuary, since Ibrahim conveyed Allah's decree that Makkah is a sanctuary, before he built the House. Similarly, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was written as the Final Prophet when Adam was still clay. Yet, Ibrahim said,

رَبَّنَا وَابْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ

(Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own)(2: 129).

Allah accepted Ibrahim's supplication, although He had full knowledge beforehand that it will occur by His decree. To further elaborate on this subject, we should mention the Hadith about what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said when he was asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Tell us about how your prophethood started." He ﷺ said,

دَعْوَةُ أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَبُشْرَى عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ، وَرَأَتْ أُمِّي كَأَنَّهُ خَرَجَ مِنْهَا نُورٌ أَضَاءَتْ لَهُ قُصُورُ الشَّامِ

(I am the supplication of my father Ibrahim, the good news of Jesus, the son of Mary, and my mother saw a light that radiated from her which illuminated the castles of Ash-Sham (Syria).)

In this Hadith, the Companions asked the Messenger ﷺ about the beginning of his prophethood. We will explain this matter later, if Allah wills.

Allah said that Ibrahim said,

رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا بَلَدًا آمِنًا

(My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security)(2:126) from terror, so that its people do not suffer from fear. Allah accepted Ibrahim's supplication. Allah said,

وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا

(Whosoever enters it, he attains security)(3:97) and,

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا جَعَلْنَا حَرَمًا آمِنًا وَيُتَخَطَّفُ النَّاسُ مِنْ حَوْلِهِمْ

(Have they not seen that We have made (Makkah) a secure sanctuary, while men are being snatched away from all around them?)(29:67).

We have already mentioned the Hadiths that prohibit fighting in the Sacred Area. Muslim recorded that Jabir said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

لَا يَحِلُّ لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَحْمِلَ بِمَكَّةَ السِّلَاحَ

(No one is allowed to carry weapons in Makkah.) Allah mentioned that Ibrahim said,

رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا بَلَدًا آمِنًا

(My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security) meaning, make this a safe city. This occurred before the Ka'bah was built. Allah said in Surat Ibrahim,

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا

(And (remember) when Ibrahim said, "My Lord! Make this city (Makkah) one of peace and security...")(14:35) as here, Ibrahim supplicated a second time after the House was built and its people lived around it, after Ishaq who was thirteen years Isma'il's junior was born. This is why at the end of his supplication, Ibrahim said here,

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَهَبَ لِي عَلَى الْكِبَرِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَسَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ

(All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has given me in old age Isma'il (Ishmael) and Ishaq (Isaac). Verily, my Lord is indeed the Hearer of invocations)(14:39).

Allah said next,

وَارْزُقْ أَهْلَهُ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ مَنْ آمَنَ مِنْهُم بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ قَالَ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَأُمَتِّعُهُ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ أَضْطَرُّهُ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ النَّارِ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

("...and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day." He (Allah) answered: "As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the torment of the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination!")

Ibn Jarir said that Ubayy bin Ka'b commented on,

قَالَ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَأُمَتِّعُهُ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ أَضْطَرُّهُ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ النَّارِ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

(He answered: "As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the torment of the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination!")

"These are Allah's Words (meaning not Ibrahim's)" This is also the Tafsir of Mujahid and 'Ikrimah. Furthermore, Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that Ibn 'Abbas commented on Allah's statement,

رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا بَلَدًا آمِنًا وَارْزُقْ أَهْلَهُ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ مَنْ آمَنَ مِنْهُم بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ

(My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day.)

"Ibrahim asked Allah to grant sustenance for the believers only. However, Allah revealed, 'I will also provide for the disbelievers, just as I shall provide for the believers. Would I create something and not sustain and provide for? I shall allow the disbelievers little delight, and then force them to the torment of the Fire, and what an evil destination. Ibn 'Abbas then recited,

كُلًّا نُّمِدُّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ وَهَٰؤُلَاءِ مِنْ عَطَاءِ رَبِّكَ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَاءُ رَبِّكَ مَحْظُورًا

(On each these as well as those We bestow from the bounties of your Lord. And the bounties of your Lord can never be forbidden)(17:20).

This was recorded by Ibn Marduwyah, who also recorded similar statements from 'Ikrimah and Mujahid. Similarly, Allah said,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ - مَتَاعٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ نُذِيقُهُمُ الْعَذَابَ الشَّدِيدَ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ

(Verily, those who invent a lie against Allah will never be successful. (A brief) enjoyment in this world! And then unto Us will be their return, then We shall make them taste the severest torment because they used to disbelieve.)(10:69-70),

وَمَن كَفَرَ فَلَا يَحْزُنكَ كُفْرُهُ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ فَنُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ - نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ

(And whoever disbelieves, let not his disbelief grieve you (O Muhammad ﷺ). To Us is their return, and We shall inform them what they have done. Verily, Allah is the Knower of what is in the breasts (of men). We let them enjoy for a little while, then in the end We shall oblige them to (enter) a great torment.)(31:23-24) and,

وَلَوْلَا أَن يَكُونَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً لَّجَعَلْنَا لِمَن يَكْفُرُ بِالرَّحْمَٰنِ لِبُيُوتِهِمْ سُقُفًا مِّن فِضَّةٍ وَمَعَارِجَ عَلَيْهَا يَظْهَرُونَ - وَلِبُيُوتِهِمْ أَبْوَابًا وَسُرُرًا عَلَيْهَا يَتَّكِئُونَ - وَزُخْرُفًا وَإِن كُلُّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَّا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةُ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

(And were it not that mankind would have become of one community (all disbelievers desiring worldly life only), We would have provided for those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious (Allah), silver roofs for their houses, and elevators whereby they ascend. And for their houses, doors (of silver), and thrones (of silver) on which they could recline. And adornments of gold. Yet all this would have been nothing but an enjoyment of this world. And the Hereafter with your Lord is (only) for the Muttaqin (the pious).)(43:33-35). Allah said next,

ثُمَّ أَضْطَرُّهُ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ النَّارِ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

(Then I shall compel him to the torment of the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination!) meaning, "After the delight that the disbeliever enjoyed in this life, I will make his destination torment in the Fire, and what an evil destination." This Ayah indicates that Allah gives the disbelievers respite and then seizes them in a manner compatible to His greatness and ability. This Ayah is similar to Allah's statement,

وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَمْلَيْتُ لَهَا وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهَا وَإِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ

(And many a township did I give respite while it was given to wrongdoing. Then (in the end) I seized it (with punishment). And to Me is the (final) return (of all))(22:48).

Also, the Two Sahihs recorded,

لَا أَحَدَ أَصْبَرُ عَلى أَذًى سَمِعَهُ مِنَ اللهِ إِنَّهُمْ يَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ وَلَدًا وَهُوَ يَرْزُقُهُمْ وَيُعَافِيهِم

(No one is more patient than Allah when hearing abuse. They attribute a son to Him, while He grants them sustenance and health.)

The Sahih also recorded,

إِنَّ اللهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِـمِ حَتّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْهُ

(Allah gives respite to the unjust person, until when He seizes him; He never lets go of him.)

He then recited Allah's statement,

وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَىٰ وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ

(Such is the punishment of your Lord when He punishes the (population of) towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His punishment is painful (and) severe). (11:102)

Allah said,

وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ - رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

(And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) and (his son) Isma'il (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah), (saying), "Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily, You are the Hearer, the Knower. Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manasik and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.")

Allah said, "O Muhammad! Remind your people when Ibrahim and Isma'il built the House and raised its foundations while saying,

رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

(Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily, You are the Hearer, the Knower.")

Al-Qurtubi mentioned that Ubayy and Ibn Mas'ud used to recite the Ayah this way,

وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ وَيَقُولَانِ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

(And (remember) when Ibrahim and (his son) Isma'il were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah), Saying, "Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily, You are the Hearer, the Knower.")

What further testifies to this statement (which adds 'saying' to the Ayah) by Ubayy and Ibn Mas'ud, is what came afterwards,

رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ 

(Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You).

The Prophets Ibrahim and Isma'il were performing a good deed, yet they asked Allah to accept this good deed from them. Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that Wuhayb bin Al-Ward recited,

وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا

(And (remember) when Ibrahim and (his son) Isma'il were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah), (saying), "Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us") and cried and said, "O Khalil of Ar-Rahman! You raise the foundations of the House of Ar-Rahman (Allah), yet you are afraid that He will not accept it from you?" This is the behavior of the sincere believers, whom Allah described in His statement,

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوا

(And those who give that which they give)(23:60) meaning, they give away voluntary charity, and perform the acts of worship yet,

 وَّقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ

(with their hearts full of fear)(23: 60) afraid that these good deeds might not be accepted of them. There is an authentic Hadith narrated by 'A'ishah on this subject, which we will mention later, Allah willing.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn 'Abbas said, "Prophet Ibrahim took Isma'il and his mother and went away with them until he reached the area of the House, where he left them next to a tree above Zamzam in the upper area of the Masjid. During that time, Isma'il's mother was still nursing him. Makkah was then uninhabited, and there was no water source in it. Ibrahim left them there with a bag containing some dates and a water-skin containing water. Ibrahim then started to leave, and Isma'il's mother followed him and said, 'O Ibrahim! To whom are you leaving us in this barren valley that is not inhabited?' She repeated the question several times and Ibrahim did not reply. She asked, 'Has Allah commanded you to do this?' He said, 'Yes.' She said, 'I am satisfied that Allah will never abandon us.' Ibrahim left, and when he was far enough away where they could not see him, close to Thaniyyah, he faced the House, raised his hands and supplicated,

رَّبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ

(O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Sacred House (the Ka'bah at Makkah)) until,

يَشْكُرُونَ

(Give thanks)(14:37). Isma'il's mother then returned to her place, started drinking water from the water-skin and nursing Isma'il. When the water was used up, she and her son became thirsty. She looked at him, and he was suffering from thirst; she left, because she disliked seeing his face in that condition. She found the nearest mountian to where she was, As-Safa, ascended it and looked, in vain, hoping to see somebody. When she came down to the valley, she raised her garment and ran, just as a tired person runs, until she reached the Al-Marwah mountain. In vain, she looked to see if there was someone there. She ran to and fro (between the two mountains) seven times." Ibn 'Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "This is why the people make the trip between As-Safa and Al-Marwah (during Hajj and Umrah)."

"When she reached Al-Marwah, she heard a voice and said, 'Shush,' to herself. She tried to hear the voice again and when she did, she said, 'I have heard you. Do you have relief?' She found the angel digging with his heel (or his wing) where Zamzam now exists, and the water gushed out. Isma'il's mother was astonished and started digging, using her hand to transfer water to the water-skin." Ibn 'Abbas said that the Prophet ﷺ then said, "May Allah grant His mercy to the mother of Isma'il, had she left the water, (flow naturally without her intervention), it would have been flowing on the surface of the earth."

"Isma'il's mother started drinking the water and her milk increased for her child. The angel (Gabriel) said to her, 'Do not fear abandonment. There shall be a House for Allah built here by this boy and his father. Allah does not abandon His people.' During that time, the area of the House was raised above ground level and the floods used to reach its right and left sides.

Afterwards some people of the tribe of Jurhum, passing through Kada', made camp at the bottom of the valley. They saw some birds, they were astonished, and said, 'Birds can only be found at a place where there is water. We did not notice before that this valley had water.' They sent a scout or two who searched the area, found the water, and returned to inform them about it. Then they all went to Isma'il's mother, next to the water, and said, 'O Mother of Isma'il! Will you allow us to be with you (or dwell with you)?' She said, 'Yes. But you will have no exclusive right to the water here.' They said, 'We agree.'" Ibn 'Abbas said that the Prophet ﷺ said, "At that time, Isma'il's mother liked to have human company."

"And thus they stayed there and sent for their relatives to join them. Later on, her boy reached the age of puberty and married a lady from them, for Isma'il learned Arabic from them, and they liked the way he was raised. Isma'il's mother died after that.

Then an idea occurred to Abraham to visit his dependents. So he left (to Makkah). When he arrived, he did not find Isma'il, so he asked his wife about him. She said, 'He has gone out hunting.' When he asked her about their living conditions, she complained to him that they live in misery and poverty. Abraham said (to her), 'When your husband comes, convey my greeting and tell him to change the threshold of his gate.' When Isma'il came, he sensed that they had a visitor and asked his wife, 'Did we have a visitor?' She said, 'Yes. An old man came to visit us and asked me about you, and I told him where you were. He also asked about our condition, and I told him that we live in hardship and poverty.' Isma'il said, 'Did he ask you to do anything?' She said, 'Yes. He asked me to convey his greeting and that you should change the threshold of your gate.' Isma'il said to her, 'He was my father and you are the threshold, so go to your family (i.e. you are divorced).' So he divorced her and married another woman.

Again Ibrahim thought of visiting his dependents whom he had left (at Makkah). Ibrahim came to Isma'il's house, but did not find Isma'il and asked his wife, 'Where is Isma'il?' Isma'il's wife replied, 'He has gone out hunting.' He asked her about their condition, and she said that they have a good life and praised Allah. Ibrahim asked, 'What is your food and what is your drink?' She replied, 'Our food is meat and our drink is water.' He said, 'O Allah! Bless their meat and their drink.'" The Prophet (Muhammad ﷺ) said, "They did not have crops then, otherwise Ibrahim would have invoked Allah to bless that too. Those who do not live in Makkah cannot bear eating a diet only containing meat and water."

"Ibrahim said, 'When Isma'il comes back, convey my greeting to him and ask him to keep the threshold of his gate.' When Isma'il came back, he asked, 'Has anyone visited us.' She said, 'Yes. A good looking old man,' and she praised Ibrahim, 'And he asked me about our livelihood and I told him that we live in good conditions.' He asked, 'Did he ask you to convey any message?' She said, 'Yes. He conveyed his greeting to you and said that you should keep the threshold of your gate.' Isma'il said, 'That was my father, and you are the threshold; he commanded me to keep you.'

Ibrahim then came back visiting and found Isma'il behind the Zamzam well, next to a tree, mending his arrows. When he saw Ibrahim, he stood up and they greeted each other, just as the father and son greet each other. Ibrahim said, 'O Isma'il, Your Lord has ordered me to do something.' He said, 'Obey your Lord.' He asked Isma'il, 'Will you help me?' He said, 'Yes, I will help you.' Ibrahim said, 'Allah has commanded me to build a house for Him there,' and he pointed to an area that was above ground level. So, both of them rose and started to raise the foundations of the House. Abraham started building (the Ka'bah), while Isma'il continued handing him the stones. Both of them were saying, 'O our Lord ! Accept (this service) from us, Verily, You are the Hearing, the Knowing.' (2.127) Hence, they were building the House, part by part, going around it and saying,

رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

(Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily, You are the Hearer, the Knower.)

In his Sīrah, Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said, "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached thirty-five years of age, the Quraysh gathered to rebuild the Ka'bah, this included covering it with a roof. However, they were weary of demolishing it. During that time, the Ka'bah was barely above a man's shoulder, so they wanted to raise its height and build a ceiling on top. Some people had stolen the Ka'bah's treasure beforehand, which used to be in a well in the middle of the Ka'bah

The treasure was later found with a man called, Duwayk, a freed servant of Bani Mulayh bin 'Amr, from the tribe of Khuza'ah. The Quraysh cut off his hand as punishment. Some people claimed that those who actually stole the treasure left it with Duwayk. Afterwards, the sea brought a ship that belonged to a Roman merchant to the shores of Jeddah, where it washed-up. So they collected the ship's wood to use it for the Ka'bah's ceiling; a Coptic carpenter in Makkah prepared what they needed for the job.

When they decided to begin the demolition process to rebuild the House, Abu Wahb bin 'Amr bin 'A'idh bin 'Abd bin 'Imran bin Makhzum took a stone from the Ka'bah; the stone slipped from his hand and went back to where it had been. He said, 'O people of Quraysh! Do not spend on rebuilding the House, except from what was earned from pure sources. No money earned from a prostitute, usury or injustice should be included.'" Ibn Ishaq commented here that the people also attribute these words to Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah bin 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Makhzum.

Ibn Ishaq continued, "The Quraysh began to organize their efforts to rebuild the Ka'bah, each subtribe taking the responsibility of rebuilding a designated part of it.

However, they were still weary about bringing down the Ka'bah. Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah said, 'I will start to bring it down.' He held an ax and stood by the Ka'bah and said, 'O Allah! No harm is meant. O Allah! We only seek to do a good service.' He then started to chop the House's stones. The people waited that night and said, 'We will wait and see. If something strikes him, we will not bring it down and instead rebuid it the way it was. If nothing happens to him, then Allah will have agreed to what we are doing.' The next morning, Al-Walid went to work on the Ka'bah, and the people started bringing the Ka'bah down with him. When they reached the foundations that Ibrahim built, they uncovered green stones that were above each other, just like a pile of spears." Ibn Ishaq then said that some people told him, "A man from Quraysh, who was helping rebuild the Ka'bah, placed the shovel between two of these stones to pull them up; when one of the stones was moved, all of Makkah shook, so they did not dig up these stones."

Ibn Ishaq said, "The tribes of Quraysh collected stones to rebuild the House, each tribe collecting on their own. They started rebuilding it, until the rebuilding of the Ka'bah reached the point where the Black Stone was to be placed in its designated site. A dispute erupted between the various tribes of Quraysh, each seeking the honor of placing the Black Stone for their own tribe. The dispute almost led to violence between the leaders of Quraysh in the area of the Sacred House. Banu 'Abd Ad-Dar and Banu 'Adi bin Ka'b bin Lu'ay, gave their mutual pledge to fight until death. However, five or four days later, Abu Umayyah bin Al-Mughirah bin 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Makhzum, the oldest man from Quraysh then intervened at the right moment. Abu Umayyah suggested that Quraysh should appoint the first man to enter the House from its entrance to be a mediator between them. They agreed.

The Messenger - Muhammad ﷺ - was the first person to enter the House. When the various leaders of Quraysh realized who the first one was, they all proclaimed, 'This is Al-Amin (the Honest one). We all accept him; This is Muhammad.' When the Prophet ﷺ reached the area where the leaders were gathering and they informed him about their dispute, he asked them to bring a garment and place it on the ground. He placed the Black Stone on it. He then requested that each of the leaders of Quraysh hold the garment from one side and all participate in lifting the Black Stone, moving it to its designated area. Next, the Prophet ﷺ carried the Black Stone by himself and placed it in its designated position and built around it. The Quraysh used to call the Messenger of Allah 'Al-Amin' even before the revelation came to him."

Ibn Ishaq said, "During the time of the Prophet ﷺ, the Ka'bah was eighteen cubits high and was covered with Egyptian linen, and they with a striped garment. Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf was the first person to cover it with silk." The Ka'bah remained the same way the Quraysh rebuilt it, until it was burned during the reign of 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr, after the year 6o H, at the end of the reign of Yazid bin Mu'awiyah. During that time, Ibn Az-Zubayr was besieged at Makkah. When it was burned, Ibn Az-Zubayr brought the Ka'bah down and built it upon the foundations of Ibrahim, including the Hijr in it. He also made an eastern door and a western door in the Ka'bah and placed them on ground level. He had heard his aunt 'A'ishah, the Mother of the believers, narrate that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had wished that. The Ka'bah remained like this throughout his reign, until Al-Hajjaj killed Ibn Az-Zubayr and then rebuilt it the way it was before, by the order of 'Abdul-Malik bin Marwan.

Muslim recorded that 'Ata' said, "The House was burnt during the reign of Yazid bin Mu'awiyah, when the people of Ash-Sham raided Makkah. Ibn Az-Zubayr did not touch the House until the people came for Hajj, for he wanted to incite them against the people of Ash-Sham. He said to them, 'O people! Advise me regarding the Ka'bah, should we bring it down and rebuild it, or just repair the damage it sustained' Ibn 'Abbas said, 'I have an opinion about this. You should rebuild the House the way it was when the people became Muslims. You should leave the stones that existed when the people became Muslims and when the Prophet ﷺ was sent. Ibn Az-Zubayr said, 'If the house of one of them gets burned, he will not be satisfied, until he rebuilds it. How about Allah's House? I will invoke my Lord for three days and will then implement what I decide.' When the three days had passed, he decided to bring the Ka'bah down. The people hesitated to bring it down, fearing that the first person to climb on the House would be struck down. A man went on top of the House and threw some stones down, and when the people saw that no harm touched him, they started doing the same. They brought the House down to ground level. Ibn Az-Zubayr surrounded the site with curtains hanging from pillars, so that the House would be covered, until the building was erect. Ibn Az-Zubayr then said, 'I heard 'A'ishah say that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

لَوْلَا أَنَّ النَّاسَ حَدِيثٌ عَهْدُهُمْ بِكُفْرٍ، وَلَيْسَ عِنْدِي مِنَ النَّفَقَةِ مَا يُقَوِّينِي عَلى بِنَائِهِ لَكُنْتُ أَدْخَلْتُ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحِجْرِ خَمْسَةَ أَذْرُعٍ، وَلَجَعَلْتُ لَهُ بَابًا يَدْخُلُ النَّاسُ مِنْهُ وَبَابًا يَخْرُجُونَ مِنْهُ

(If it was not for the fact that the people have recently abandoned disbelief, and that I do not have enough money to spend on it, I would have included in the House five cubits from Al-Hijr and would have made a door for it that people could enter from, and another door that they could exit from.)

Ibn Az-Zubayr said, 'I can spend on this job, and I do not fear the people.' So he added five cubits from the Hijr, which looked like a rear part for the House that people could clearly see. He then built the House and made it eighteen cubits high. He thought that the House was still short and added ten cubits in the front and built two doors in it, one as an entrance and another as an exit.

When Ibn Az-Zubayr was killed, Al-Hajjaj wrote to 'Abdul-Malik bin Marwan asking him about the House and told him that Ibn Az-Zubayr made a rear section for the House. 'Abdul-Malik wrote back, 'We do not agree with Ibn Az-Zubayr's actions. As, for the Ka'bah's height, leave it as it is. As for what he added from the Hijr, bring it down, and build the House as it was before and close the door.' Therefore, Al-Hajjaj brought down the House and rebuilt it as it was." In his Sunan, An-Nasa'i collected the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ narrated from 'A'ishah, not the whole story,

The correct Sunnah conformed to Ibn Az-Zubayr's actions, because this was what the Prophet ﷺ wished he could do, but feared that the hearts of the people who recently became Muslim could not bear rebuilding the House. This Sunnah was not clear to 'Abdul-Malik bin Marwan. Hence, when 'Abdul-Malik realized that 'A'ishah had narrated the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on this subject, he said, "I wish we had left it as Ibn Az-Zubayr had made it." Muslim recorded that 'Ubadydullah bin 'Ubayd said that Al-Harith bin 'Abdullah came to 'Abdul-Malik bin Marwan during his reign. 'Abdul-Malik said, 'I did not think that Abu Khubayb (Ibn Az-Zubayr) heard from 'A'ishah what he said he heard from her.' Al-Harith said, 'Yes he did. I heard the Hadith from her.' 'Abdul-Malik said, 'You heard her say what?' He said, 'She said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

إِنَّ قَوْمَكِ اسْتَقْصَرُوا مِنْ بُنْيَانِ الْبَيْتِ وَلَوْلَا حَدَاثَةُ عَهْدِهِمْ بِالشِّرْكِ أَعَدْتُ مَا تَرَكُوا مِنْهُ، فَإِنْ بَدَا لِقَوْمِكِ مِنْ بَعْدِي أَنْ يَبْنُوهُ فَهَلُمِّي لِأُرِيَكِ مَا تَرَكُوهُ مِنْهُ

(Your people rebuilt the House smaller. Had it not been for the fact that your people are not far from the time of Shirk, I would add what was left outside of it. If your people afterwards think about rebuilding it, let me show you what they left out of it.) He showed her around seven cubits.'

One of the narrators of the Hadith, Al-Walid bin 'Ata', added that the Prophet ﷺ said,

وَلَجَعَلْتُ لَهَا بَابَيْنِ مَوْضُوعَيْنِ فِي الْأَرْضِ: شَرْقِيًّا وَغَرْبِيًّا، وَهَلْ تَدرِينَ لِمَ كَانَ قَومُكِ رَفَعُوا بَابَهَا؟

قَالَتْ: قُلْتُ: لَا. قَالَ:

تَعَزُّزًا أَنْ لَا يَدْخُلَهَا إِلَّا مَنْ أَرَادُوا، فَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ إِذَا هُوَ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَهَا يَدَعُونَهُ يَرْتَقِي حَتَّى إِذَا كَادَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ دَفَعُوهُ فَسَقَطَ

(I would have made two doors for the House on ground level, one eastern and one western. Do you know why your people raised its door above ground level?) She said, 'No.' He said, (To allow only those whom they wanted to enter it. When a man whom they did not wish to enter the House climbed to the level of the door, they would push him down)

Abdul-Malik then said, 'You heard 'A'ishah say this Hadith' He said, 'Yes.' 'Abdul-Malik said, 'I wish I left it as it was."

The Two Sahihs recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

يُخَرِّبُ الْكَعْبَةَ ذُو السُّوَيْقَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْحَبَشَةِ

(The Ka'bah will be destroyed by Dhus-Sawiqatayn (literally, a person with two lean legs) from Ethiopia.)

Also, Ibn 'Abbas said that the Prophet ﷺ said,

كَأَنِّي بِهِ أَسْوَدَ أَفْحَجَ يَقْلَعُهَا حَجَرًا حَجَرًا

(As if I see him now: a black person with thin legs plucking the stones of the Ka'bah one after another.) Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith.

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded in his Musnad that 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As said that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say,

يُخَرِّبُ الْكَعْبَةَ ذُو السُّوَيْقَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْحَبَشَةِ وَيَسْلُبُهَا حِلْيَتَهَا وَيُجَرِّدُهَا مِنْ كِسْوَتِهَا، وَلَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ أُصَيْلِعَ وَ أُفَيْدِعَ يَضْرِبُ عَلَيْهَا بِمِسْحَاتِهِ وَمِعْوَلِهِ

(Dhus-Sawiqatayn from Ethiopia will destroy the Ka'bah and will loot its adornments and cover. It is as if I see him now: bald, with thin legs striking the Ka'bah with his ax.)

This will occur after the appearance of Gog and Magog people. Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

لَيُحَجَّنَّ الْبَيْتُ وَلَيُعْتَمَرَنَّ بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ

(There will be Hajj and 'Umrah to the House after the appearance of Gog and Magog people.)

Allah said that Ibrahim and Isma'il supplicated to Him,

رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

(Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manasik, and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.)

Ibn Jarir said, "They meant by their supplication, 'Make us submit to Your command and obedience and not associate anyone with You in obedience or worship."Also, 'Ikrimah commented on the Ayah,

رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ

(Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You)

"Allah said, 'I shall do that.'"

وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَآ أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ

(And of our offspring a nation submissive unto You)

Allah said, 'I shall do that.'"

This supplication by Ibrahim and Isma'il is similar to what Allah informed us of about His believing servants,

وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا

(And those who say: 'Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders of the Muttaqin)(25:74).

This type of supplication is allowed, because loving to have offspring who worship Allah alone without partners is a sign of complete love of Allah. This is why when Allah said to Ibrahim,

إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا

(Verily, I am going to make you an Imam (a leader) for mankind (to follow you)) Ibrahim said,

وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ

("And of my offspring (to make leaders)." (Allah) said, "My covenant (prophethood) includes not the Zalimin (polytheists and wrongdoers)") which is explained by,

وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ

(And keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols)(14:35)

Muslim narrated in his Sahih that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

إِذَا مَاتَ ابْنُ آدَمَ انْقَطَعَ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثٍ: صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ

(When the son of Adam dies, his deeds end except for three deeds: an ongoing charity, a knowledge that is being benefited from and a righteous son who supplicates (to Allah) for him.)

Sa'id bin Mansur said that 'Attab bin Bashir informed us from Khasif, from Mujahid who said, "The Prophet Ibrahim supplicated,

وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا

(and show us our Manasik)

Jibril then came down, took him to the House and said, 'Raise its foundations.' Ibrahim raised the House's foundations and completed the building. Jibril held Ibrahim's hand, led him to As-Safa and said, 'This is among the rituals of Allah.' He then took him to Al-Marwah and said, 'And this is among the rituals of Allah.' He then took him to Mina until when they reached the 'Aqabah, they found Iblis standing next to a tree. Jibril said, 'Say Takbir (Allah is the Great) and throw (pebbles) at him.' Ibrahim said the Takbir and threw (pebbles at) Iblis. Iblis moved to the middle Jamrah, and when Jibril and Ibrahim passed by him, Jibril said to Ibrahim, 'Say Takbir and throw at him.' Ibrahim threw at him and said Takbir. The devious Iblis sought to add some evil acts to the rituals of Hajj, but he was unable to succeed. Jibril took Ibrahim's hand and led him to Al-Mash'ar Al-Haram and 'Arafat and said to him, 'Have you 'Arafta (known, learned) what I showed you?' thrice. Ibrahim said, 'Yes I did.'" Similar statements were reported from Abu Mijlaz and Qatadah.

The prayers of Ibrahim (علیہ السلام)

Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) always carried out the commandments of Allah without losing a moment, and was ready to make all kinds of sacrifices in His way, whether they involved worldly goods, or wife and children, or his own likes and dislikes. All the same, having affection and love for one's family is not only a natural urge in man, but also a divine commandment. This is what manifests itself in the present verses, where we find him praying for the well-being of his family in this world as much as in the other.

The prayer begins with the word Rabb رَبّ , which lexically signifies One who gives nurture." Thus, it teaches us the proper mode of praying to Allah, for this form of address in itself draws the mercy and grace of Allah on the man who is praying. The first thing Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) prayed for was that Allah may turn the barren desert where he had left his family under divine commandment, into a city, so that his wife and son should not feel lonely, and that their daily needs should be easily satisfied. The same prayer occurs in Surah "Ibrahim" (14:35), but employs the construction Al-balad البلد ("the city" ), while the present verse employs Baladan بلداً ("a city" ). The difference probably arises from the fact that the prayer reported here was made when the place was still a desert and Sayyidna Ibrahim wished "a city" to grow in this barren land, while the prayer reported in Surah "Ibrahim" was made when "the city" had already risen and was quite well-known, for near the end of the same Surah we find him saying الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ الَّذِي وَهَبَ لِي عَلَى الْكِبَرِ‌ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ "Praise be to Allah who has given me, in my old age, Ismail and Ishaq " (14:39), which suggests that the second prayer was made after the birth of Sayyidna Ishaq (Isaac علیہ السلام), an event that occurred thirteen years after the birth of Sayyidna Ismail (Ishmael علیہما السلام). (Ibn Kathir)

Coming back to the verse under discussion, we see that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) also prayed for this city to be made "a place of peace" - that is to say, safe from slaughter and plunder as from calamities, and secure against the domination of the infidels. The prayer was, granted. Makkah became a thriving city, which is now a place of pilgrimage for Muslims who come to it in millions every year. It also became safe and secure, for no infidel has ever been able to conquer it or dominate over it. The Holy Qur'an itself narrates the story of "Ashab al-Fil اصحاب الفیل " ("the People of the Elephant" ) who were destroyed for having ventured to invade Makkah. The city has also been safe from slaughter and plunder. Even before the advent of Islam, the Arabs in the Age of Ignorance, for all their deviation into infidelity and association, deeply respected the Ka'bah کعبہ and its environs as a matter of their creed - in spite of being vengeful, they would never take their revenge so long as the enemy remained within the precincts of the Haram حرم . In fact, the inhabitants of Makkah themselves were respected throughout Arabia, and the trading caravans passing to and fro between Makkah and Syria or Yemen were never interrupted. Allah has given security even to birds and animals inside the Haram حرم ، and forbidden all kinds of hunting within this area. So, even birds and animals distinctly show a feeling of security inside the Haram حرم ، and are not scared of men. The sanctity of the place was emphasised and enforced by Islam even further. As for the slaughter which took place in the Haram حرم at the hands of Hajjaj ibn Yusuf or the Qaramitah, it was the work of those who called themselves Muslims, and not an invasion by infidels. If a man chooses to set fire to his own house, it does not falsify the general rule of the security provided to it against outsiders. Moreover, incidents like these have been very rare since the days of Sayyidna Ibrahim i , and, then, we also know the dreadful fate of those who had dared to pollute "the House of Allah." In short, Allah has, in answer to his prayer, made the city so secure that even the Dajjal (Anti-Christ) shall not have the power to enter it.

Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) had also prayed for the people of Makkah to be provided with fruits. The surrounding land was uncultivable, but, in answer to the prayer, Allah made the neighbouring city of Taif very fertile and productive in fruits, which started coming to Makkah. According to certain traditions of the Israelites, Taif was originally situated in Syria, but was transferred to the present locality by the Archangel Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) under divine command.

The Ibrahimic wisdom

One may also notice that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) did not pray for the land of Makkah to be made fertile, but suggested in his prayer that the fruits might come to Makkah from somewhere else as an import. He probably intended that his descendants should not get unduly absorbed in agriculture, for his purpose in founding the settlement was that his people لیقوموا الصلاۃ "should be steadfast in the prayers." In other words, he wanted the essential function of his descendants to protect "the House of Allah" and to engage themselves in acts of worship. Otherwise, he could have prayed for Makkah itself to be made fertile, and Allah would have granted the prayer as easily.

The point becomes all the more clear if we consider the word Thamarat (plural of Thamarah ثمرات۔ "fruit" ). This word appears in the same context again in another verse يُجْبَىٰ إِلَيْهِ ثَمَرَ‌اتُ كُلِّ شَيْ the fruits of all kinds of things are drawn towards it (the city) " (28:57). If it is the fruits of trees that are intended here, the word "Yujba يُجْبَىٰ ("drawn" ) is a sufficient indication that in granting the prayer Allah had not promised to produce them in Makkah itself, but to send them to the city from other places. On the other hand, the verse does not speak of "the fruits of all kinds of trees", but of "the fruits of all kinds of things." Obviously, the intention is to generalize the sense of "fruits" - a word which in common idiom implies the product obtained from a thing or an activity. The word should, then, cover not only the fruits of trees, but also the products of all kinds of crafts and industries in fact, all that is needed to sustain human life. Now, everyone can see for himself that Makkah possesses neither agriculture nor industry, and yet enjoys the benefits of these as much as any prosperous city in the world.

Verse 126 also provides an example of the rectitude of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) The first phrase of his prayer for the well-being and prosperity of the people of Makkah seems to suggest that he wished to include the infidels as much as the faithful. But earlier when he had prayed for all his descendants without making any distinction between the faithful and the infidels (as reported in Verse 124), Allah had answered that the prayer would be granted in the case of the faithful, but not in the case of the unjust - that is, mushrikin مشرکین (associators). On that occasion, he had prayed for the position of imamah (leadership). But the fear of Allah and the solicitude for being totally obedient to Him was so deeply ingrained in the heart of "the Friend of Allah" that even in praying for the prosperity of his people the earlier proviso came to his mind, and he at once added a rejoinder to the effect that he was praying only for the faithful. Allah was pleased with his rectitude, and told him that the worldly prosperity would be given to the disbelievers too, but that in the other world the faithful would be the only ones to prosper, while the disbelievers would receive nothing more than the punishment due to them.

In ancient times Arabia was the most arid land on earth: its sandy surfaces and barren rocks were totally unsuitable for any kind of cultivation. Worse, it was totally exposed to attacks from the outside world. Four thousand years ago Abraham was commanded to take his family into an ‘uncultivable valley’, in that part of Arabia known as Hijaz, and settle them there. Abraham bowed to the will of God without slightest hesitation. When he had taken his family to that ‘uncultivable and inhospitable valley’ he prayed to God, ‘O my God, I have done as was commanded. Now listen to the call of your servant and make this town a place of peace, and make special provision for the material needs of its citizens; for the land that they inhabit is uncultivable.’ Abraham’s prayer was answered: the land of Hijaz has remained an abode of peace and plenty up to the present day. The believer’s whole life should be an act of worship. In whatever far-off corner of the world he lives, he should at all times remember that, one day, he shall have to return to the Lord. He should cause no harm to his fellow men, and as for the earth he lives on, it should be thought of as a place of worship, and kept free of all pollution. Although physically in this world, his heart and mind should always be focused on God—his life should revolve around Him alone; his whole life should be that of submission to Him. True religion makes certain demands on everyone, sometimes even requires that his children be taken to a place as arid and uncultivable as Abraham’s valley. Whatever is entailed, he should faithfully carry out God’s commandments and only then pray to God that He should make his efforts successful. It may well be that God will make fountains gush forth from a dry desert, and lush crops spring forth from a barren land. Whatever splendour and glory one is accorded in this life, these things in themselves do not signify that one is considered fit by God for the leadership of mankind. Everything given to man is a means of testing him and there is no one who is exempt from God’s trial. Leadership indicates that one has been selected by God to represent Him in the nations of the world, and it is only for those who have been found fit by God to represent His divine religion on earth.