سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 125
وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا ٱلْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًا وَٱتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ مُصَلًّى ۖ وَعَهِدْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلْعَـٰكِفِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ ﴿125﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (remember) when We made the House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah) a place of resort for mankind and a place of safety. And take you (people) the Maqâm (place) of Ibrâhîm (Abraham) [or the stone on which Ibrâhîm (Abraham) عليه السلام stood while he was building the Ka‘bah] as a place of prayer (for some of your prayers, e.g. two Rak‘at after the Tawâf of the Ka‘bahat Makkah), and We commanded Ibrâhîm (Abraham) and Ismâ‘îl (Ishmael) that they should purify My House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I‘tikâf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذْ
wa-idh
And when
جَعَلْنَا
jaʿalnā
We made
ٱلْبَيْتَ
l-bayta
the House
مَثَابَةًۭ
mathābatan
a place of return
لِّلنَّاسِ
lilnnāsi
for mankind
وَأَمْنًۭا
wa-amnan
and (a place of) security
وَٱتَّخِذُوا۟
wa-ittakhidhū
and (said), "Take
مِن
min
[from]
مَّقَامِ
maqāmi
(the) standing place
إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ
ib'rāhīma
(of) Ibrahim
مُصَلًّۭى ۖ
muṣallan
(as) a place of prayer
وَعَهِدْنَآ
waʿahid'nā
And We made a covenant
إِلَىٰٓ
ilā
with
إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ
ib'rāhīma
Ibrahim
وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ
wa-is'māʿīla
and Ishmael
أَن
an
[that]
طَهِّرَا
ṭahhirā
[You both] purify
بَيْتِىَ
baytiya
My House
لِلطَّآئِفِينَ
lilṭṭāifīna
for those who circumambulate
وَٱلْعَـٰكِفِينَ
wal-ʿākifīna
and those who seclude themselves for devotion and prayer
وَٱلرُّكَّعِ
wal-rukaʿi
and those who bow down
ٱلسُّجُودِ
l-sujūdi
and those who prostrate
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.
125. And when We made the House (the Ka‘bah) a place of worship [151] and security for the people, (We said), "Take the standing place of Abraham [152] as a place of prayer." And We commanded Abraham ؑ and Ishmael ؑ to purify My House for those who perform Tawaf, and those who stay there for devotion, and those who bow and prostrate [153].
[151]
The Virtue of Maqam Ibrahim:
Mathabah means a place where people come and go repeatedly (for the purpose of Hajj, Umrah, Tawaf, and acts of worship such as prayer, etc.).
[152] It is the stone upon which Prophet Ibrahimؑ stood while constructing the Ka'bah. Standing on this very stone, he called people to Hajj. This stone is in the courtyard of the Ka'bah, and nowadays it has been preserved in a small glass dome-like structure. Hazrat Anasؓ narrates that Hazrat Umarؓ used to say, "In three matters, my opinion coincided with Allah's knowledge." (One of which was this:) "I said, O Messenger of Allahﷺ! Would it not be good if you took Maqam Ibrahimؑ as a place of prayer?" At that time, Allah revealed this verse:
﴿وَاتَّخِذُوْا مِنْ مَّقَامِ اِبْرٰهٖمَ مُصَلًّي﴾
Accordingly, those performing Tawaf offer two units of voluntary prayer at this place.
[153] The Virtue of Cleanliness in Mosques: It is understood that keeping mosques clean and arranging for lighting is a highly virtuous act, for which Allah especially commanded His two resolute messengers. Here, cleanliness does not only mean outward cleanliness, but also inner purity, that no polytheist should enter this house—those who begin to call upon others besides Allah and thus defile it. For the cleanliness and etiquette of mosques, consider the following hadiths:
1. Hazrat Anasؓ says that the Noble Prophetﷺ said: Spitting in the mosque is a sin, and its expiation is to bury it (or clean it). [ بخاري، كتاب الصلوٰة باب كفارة البزاق فى المسجد ]
2. Hazrat Abu Hurairahؓ narrates that there was a black woman who used to sweep the mosque. She died. When the Prophetﷺ did not see her, he asked the people about her. They said: She has died. "The Prophetﷺ said: Why did you not inform me? Show me her grave." Then he went to her grave and offered prayer. [بخاري، كتاب الصلٰوة، باب كنس المسجد]
3. Hazrat Anas bin Malikؓ says that once a Bedouin came and began to urinate in a corner of the Prophet's Mosque. The people scolded him. The Messenger of Allahﷺ forbade the people from scolding him. When he had finished urinating, the Prophetﷺ ordered the companionsؓ to pour a bucket of water over that spot. [بخاري، كتاب الوضوء، باب ترك النبى والناس الاعرابي حتي فرغ من بوله فى المسجد] And in another narration, when the Bedouin had finished urinating, the Prophetﷺ explained to him that these mosques are places for the remembrance of Allah, not for urine and filth, so they should be kept clean.
4. Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullahؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: Whoever eats from this tree, i.e., garlic, should not come to our mosque. Ata says: I asked Jabirؓ whether raw garlic or cooked was meant? He said: I think it refers to raw garlic and its odor. [بخاري۔ كتاب الاذان، باب، ماجاء فى الثوم الني والبصل والكراث]
5. Saib bin Yazidؓ says: One day I was standing in the Prophet's Mosqueﷺ. Someone threw a stone at me. I looked and saw it was Hazrat Umarؓ. He said to me: Go and bring those two men to me. I brought them, and Hazrat Umarؓ asked them: Who are you and where have you come from? They said: We have come from Ta'if. Hazrat Umarؓ said: If you were residents of this city (Madinah), I would have certainly punished you. You raise your voices (make noise) in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allahﷺ. [بخاري، كتاب الصلٰوة، باب رفع الصوت فى المسجد]
[151]
The Virtue of Maqam Ibrahim:
Mathabah means a place where people come and go repeatedly (for the purpose of Hajj, Umrah, Tawaf, and acts of worship such as prayer, etc.).
[152] It is the stone upon which Prophet Ibrahimؑ stood while constructing the Ka'bah. Standing on this very stone, he called people to Hajj. This stone is in the courtyard of the Ka'bah, and nowadays it has been preserved in a small glass dome-like structure. Hazrat Anasؓ narrates that Hazrat Umarؓ used to say, "In three matters, my opinion coincided with Allah's knowledge." (One of which was this:) "I said, O Messenger of Allahﷺ! Would it not be good if you took Maqam Ibrahimؑ as a place of prayer?" At that time, Allah revealed this verse:
﴿وَاتَّخِذُوْا مِنْ مَّقَامِ اِبْرٰهٖمَ مُصَلًّي﴾
Accordingly, those performing Tawaf offer two units of voluntary prayer at this place.
[153] The Virtue of Cleanliness in Mosques: It is understood that keeping mosques clean and arranging for lighting is a highly virtuous act, for which Allah especially commanded His two resolute messengers. Here, cleanliness does not only mean outward cleanliness, but also inner purity, that no polytheist should enter this house—those who begin to call upon others besides Allah and thus defile it. For the cleanliness and etiquette of mosques, consider the following hadiths:
1. Hazrat Anasؓ says that the Noble Prophetﷺ said: Spitting in the mosque is a sin, and its expiation is to bury it (or clean it). [ بخاري، كتاب الصلوٰة باب كفارة البزاق فى المسجد ]
2. Hazrat Abu Hurairahؓ narrates that there was a black woman who used to sweep the mosque. She died. When the Prophetﷺ did not see her, he asked the people about her. They said: She has died. "The Prophetﷺ said: Why did you not inform me? Show me her grave." Then he went to her grave and offered prayer. [بخاري، كتاب الصلٰوة، باب كنس المسجد]
3. Hazrat Anas bin Malikؓ says that once a Bedouin came and began to urinate in a corner of the Prophet's Mosque. The people scolded him. The Messenger of Allahﷺ forbade the people from scolding him. When he had finished urinating, the Prophetﷺ ordered the companionsؓ to pour a bucket of water over that spot. [بخاري، كتاب الوضوء، باب ترك النبى والناس الاعرابي حتي فرغ من بوله فى المسجد] And in another narration, when the Bedouin had finished urinating, the Prophetﷺ explained to him that these mosques are places for the remembrance of Allah, not for urine and filth, so they should be kept clean.
4. Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullahؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: Whoever eats from this tree, i.e., garlic, should not come to our mosque. Ata says: I asked Jabirؓ whether raw garlic or cooked was meant? He said: I think it refers to raw garlic and its odor. [بخاري۔ كتاب الاذان، باب، ماجاء فى الثوم الني والبصل والكراث]
5. Saib bin Yazidؓ says: One day I was standing in the Prophet's Mosqueﷺ. Someone threw a stone at me. I looked and saw it was Hazrat Umarؓ. He said to me: Go and bring those two men to me. I brought them, and Hazrat Umarؓ asked them: Who are you and where have you come from? They said: We have come from Ta'if. Hazrat Umarؓ said: If you were residents of this city (Madinah), I would have certainly punished you. You raise your voices (make noise) in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allahﷺ. [بخاري، كتاب الصلٰوة، باب رفع الصوت فى المسجد]
