سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 108
لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًا ۚ لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ ۚ فِيهِ رِجَالٌ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُطَّهِّرِينَ ﴿108﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Never stand you therein. Verily, the mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety is more worthy that you stand therein (to pray). In it are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And Allâh loves those who make themselves clean and pure [i.e. who clean their private parts with dust (which has the properties of soap) and water from urine and stools, after answering the call of nature].
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَقُمْ
taqum
stand
فِيهِ
fīhi
in it
أَبَدًۭا ۚ
abadan
ever
لَّمَسْجِدٌ
lamasjidun
A masjid
أُسِّسَ
ussisa
founded
عَلَى
ʿalā
on
ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ
l-taqwā
the righteousness
مِنْ
min
from
أَوَّلِ
awwali
(the) first
يَوْمٍ
yawmin
day
أَحَقُّ
aḥaqqu
(is) more worthy
أَن
an
that
تَقُومَ
taqūma
you stand
فِيهِ ۚ
fīhi
in it
فِيهِ
fīhi
Within it
رِجَالٌۭ
rijālun
(are) men
يُحِبُّونَ
yuḥibbūna
who love
أَن
an
to
يَتَطَهَّرُوا۟ ۚ
yataṭahharū
purify themselves
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
and Allah
يُحِبُّ
yuḥibbu
loves
ٱلْمُطَّهِّرِينَ
l-muṭahirīna
the ones who purify themselves
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.
18. 1 That is, regarding your promise to go there and perform prayer, you did not go there to pray as promised. Rather, not only did you not pray there, but you also sent a few of your companions to demolish the mosque and put an end to it. From this, the scholars have deduced that any mosque built not for the worship of Allah, but with the intention of creating division among Muslims, is a Masjid Dhirar; it should be demolished so that division and discord do not arise among Muslims.
18. 2 Which mosque is meant by this? There is a difference of opinion: some have considered it to be Masjid Quba, and some have considered it to be Masjid Nabawi. A group among the Salaf has held both views. Imam Ibn Kathir states that if Masjid Quba is meant by the verse, then in some hadiths Masjid Nabawi is considered the subject. There is no difference between the two, because if Masjid Quba possesses the quality that its foundation was laid on piety from the very first day, then Masjid Nabawi, all the more so, possesses this quality and is its true subject.
18. 3 It is mentioned in the hadith that by this is meant the people of Quba. The Prophet ﷺ asked them, "Allah has praised your purification; what do you do?" They said, "Along with using stones, we also use water." Ibn Kathir states that this verse is evidence that it is recommended to pray in such an old mosque that was built solely for the worship of Allah, the One without partner, and also to pray with the congregation of the righteous and with those who are diligent in performing complete ablution and maintaining purity and cleanliness.
18. 2 Which mosque is meant by this? There is a difference of opinion: some have considered it to be Masjid Quba, and some have considered it to be Masjid Nabawi. A group among the Salaf has held both views. Imam Ibn Kathir states that if Masjid Quba is meant by the verse, then in some hadiths Masjid Nabawi is considered the subject. There is no difference between the two, because if Masjid Quba possesses the quality that its foundation was laid on piety from the very first day, then Masjid Nabawi, all the more so, possesses this quality and is its true subject.
18. 3 It is mentioned in the hadith that by this is meant the people of Quba. The Prophet ﷺ asked them, "Allah has praised your purification; what do you do?" They said, "Along with using stones, we also use water." Ibn Kathir states that this verse is evidence that it is recommended to pray in such an old mosque that was built solely for the worship of Allah, the One without partner, and also to pray with the congregation of the righteous and with those who are diligent in performing complete ablution and maintaining purity and cleanliness.
