سُوْرَةُ الطُّوْرِ
Surah At-Tur (52) — Ayah 4
وَٱلْبَيْتِ ٱلْمَعْمُورِ ﴿4﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And by Al-Bait-ul-Ma‘mûr (the house over the heavens parallel to the Ka‘bah at Makkah, continuously visited by the angels).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱلْبَيْتِ
wal-bayti
By the House
ٱلْمَعْمُورِ
l-maʿmūri
frequented
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 4){ وَ الْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُوْرِ:} The inhabited house. Regarding this, commentators have different opinions. Some have said that it refers to a place mentioned in the hadith, which is a building located on the seventh heaven. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned the Mi'raj and said: [ ثُمَّ عَرَجَ بِنَا إِلَی السَّمَاءِ السَّابِعَةِ فَاسْتَفْتَحَ جِبْرِيْلُ فَقِيْلَ مَنْ هٰذَا؟ قَالَ جِبْرِيْلُ، قِيْلَ وَمَنْ مَعَكَ؟ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قِيْلَ وَقَدْ بُعِثَ إِلَيْهِ؟ قَالَ قَدْ بُعِثَ إِلَيْهِ، فَفُتِحَ لَنَا فَإِذَا أَنَا بِإِبْرَاهِيْمَ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مُسْنِدًا ظَهْرَهُ إِلَی الْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُوْرِ وَإِذَا هُوَ يَدْخُلُهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعُوْنَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ لَا يَعُوْدُوْنَ إِلَيْهِ ] [مسلم، الإیمان، باب الإسراء برسول اللّٰہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم إلی السمٰوات… : ۱۶۲ ] "Then we ascended to the seventh heaven, and Jibreel asked for the door to be opened. It was said: 'Who is it?' He said: 'Jibreel.' It was said: 'And who is with you?' He said: 'Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).' It was said: 'Has he been sent for?' He said: 'Yes, he has been sent for.' So the door was opened for us, and I saw Ibrahim (peace be upon him) reclining with his back against the Bayt al-Ma'mur (the inhabited house), and every day seventy thousand angels enter this house, (and those who enter once) never return to it again."
Some commentators have said that it refers to the Ka'bah, which is always inhabited by those performing 'umrah, hajj, standing in prayer, and circumambulating. In reality, the word {’’ الْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُوْرِ ‘‘} includes, in addition to these two magnificent houses, every inhabited house, and this is a clear sign of Allah's immense power that He has populated every part of the earth. In cities, villages, fields, deserts, mountains, seas—wherever you look on the earth, you will see habitation. Even at the North Pole, where there is nothing but ice everywhere, you will find habitation. That is, this inhabited house (the earth) is a witness that the One who initially spread so much population when there was nothing, can certainly resurrect them and punish the criminals, and indeed He will, because if He does not do so, then creating mankind would be pointless, whereas that is not the case. He said: « اَيَحْسَبُ الْاِنْسَانُ اَنْ يُّتْرَكَ سُدًى» [ القیامۃ : ۳۶ ] "Does man think that he will be left without being questioned?"
Some commentators have said that it refers to the Ka'bah, which is always inhabited by those performing 'umrah, hajj, standing in prayer, and circumambulating. In reality, the word {’’ الْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُوْرِ ‘‘} includes, in addition to these two magnificent houses, every inhabited house, and this is a clear sign of Allah's immense power that He has populated every part of the earth. In cities, villages, fields, deserts, mountains, seas—wherever you look on the earth, you will see habitation. Even at the North Pole, where there is nothing but ice everywhere, you will find habitation. That is, this inhabited house (the earth) is a witness that the One who initially spread so much population when there was nothing, can certainly resurrect them and punish the criminals, and indeed He will, because if He does not do so, then creating mankind would be pointless, whereas that is not the case. He said: « اَيَحْسَبُ الْاِنْسَانُ اَنْ يُّتْرَكَ سُدًى» [ القیامۃ : ۳۶ ] "Does man think that he will be left without being questioned?"
