سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ

Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 35

The Spoils of War · Medinan · Juz 9 · Page 181

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وَمَا كَانَ صَلَاتُهُمْ عِندَ ٱلْبَيْتِ إِلَّا مُكَآءً وَتَصْدِيَةً ۚ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ ﴿35﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Their Salât (prayer) at the House (of Allâh, i.e. the Ka‘bah at Makkah) was nothing but whistling and clapping of hands. Therefore taste the punishment because you used to disbelieve.

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

وَمَا wamā And not
كَانَ kāna was
صَلَاتُهُمْ ṣalātuhum their prayer
عِندَ ʿinda at
ٱلْبَيْتِ l-bayti the House
إِلَّا illā except
مُكَآءًۭ mukāan whistling
وَتَصْدِيَةًۭ ۚ wataṣdiyatan and clapping
فَذُوقُوا۟ fadhūqū So taste
ٱلْعَذَابَ l-ʿadhāba the punishment
بِمَا bimā because
كُنتُمْ kuntum you used to
تَكْفُرُونَ takfurūna disbelieve

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 35) ➊ {وَ مَا كَانَ صَلَاتُهُمْ عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ اِلَّا مُكَآءً وَّ تَصْدِيَةً:’’ مُكَآءً ‘‘ ’’مَكَا يَمْكُوْ مَكْوًا وَ مُكَاءً‘‘} Whistling and {’’ تَصْدِيَةً ‘‘ ’’صَدّٰي يُصَدِّيْ تَصْدِيَةً‘‘} (tafeel) clapping. That is, those people would clap and whistle right at the Ka'bah, in the very Haram, and considered this their prayer, worship of Allah, and a means of drawing near to Him. It is unfortunate that now Muslims too, having abandoned prayers and the Qur'an, have declared gatherings of passionate poetry, whistling, and clapping—Qawwali—as the path of spirituality and gnosis, calling it nourishment for the soul. Countless people, considering it an important pillar of Sufism, not only suffice with whistling and clapping, but also formally circumambulate and dance around their spiritual guide, considering this their prayer, and openly say:
The prayer of the worshippers is bowing and prostration,
But the prayer of the lovers is the entire being of the beloved.
A Sufi has even plainly declared his spiritual guide as his qiblah, thus he says:
Every nation has a path, a religion, and a qiblah,
But I have made my qiblah straight towards the one with the crooked cap.
If any among them does pray, it is in such a manner that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to the one who prayed like this: "Go back and pray, for you have not prayed." By Allah! Until Muslims abandon the shirk of the concept of the Shaykh and these self-invented methods of worship of the Sufis, and the absurdities like music and dance that create hypocrisy in the heart, and until they adhere to the pillars of Islam and faith, especially jihad, according to the method taught by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), they will never be able to raise their heads in the world; humiliation and disgrace will always be imposed upon them.

➋ {فَذُوْقُوا الْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْفُرُوْنَ:} The result of committing disbelief and shirk, and considering whistling, clapping, and dancing as prayer, is to taste the punishment in this world and the Hereafter.

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

35. 1. Just as the polytheists used to circumambulate the Ka'bah naked, in the same way, during the circumambulation, they would put their fingers in their mouths and whistle and clap their hands. They also considered this to be worship and virtue. Just as even today ignorant Sufis dance, beat drums, and perform ecstatic dances in mosques and shrines, and say: "This is our prayer and worship. By dancing, we will please our Friend (Allah)." We seek refuge with Allah from these superstitions.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

35. Their prayer at the House was nothing but whistling and clapping of hands. So taste the punishment (of defeat at Badr) for your disbelief. [36]

[36]
The Worship of the House of Allah by the Disbelievers of Makkah:

The idolatrous custodians have strange ways of worship inside the House of Allah: they perform Tawaf naked, and by whistling and clapping, they provide themselves with entertainment. They have named this "worship." Then they claim: if the religion of the Muslims is true, why is no punishment sent down upon us? Perhaps they think that punishment only comes in the form of stones from the sky, a terrifying scream, or a mighty earthquake—something that occurs as a supernatural event. However, their crushing defeat at the Battle of Badr was such a punishment from Allah that broke the back of disbelief and the disbelievers. They insisted on war merely in the hope that, in the process, they would wipe out this small group of Muslims from the face of the earth. They had no idea that this very battle was going to become Allah’s punishment imposed upon them, or that the time for the acceptance of their prayer had arrived, and the divine decree was about to be issued against them.
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