سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ
Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 35
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 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.
