وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا ٱلْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًا وَٱتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ مُصَلًّى ۖ وَعَهِدْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلْعَـٰكِفِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ 125
Translations
And [mention] when We made the House [i.e., the Kaʿbah] a place of return for the people and [a place of] security. And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer. And We charged Abraham and Ishmael, [saying], "Purify My House for those who perform ṭawāf and those who are staying [there] for worship and those who bow and prostrate [in prayer]."
Transliteration
Wa-idh ja'alna al-bayta mathabatan li-l-nasi wa-amnan wa-ittakhadhu min maqami Ibrahima musalla wa-'ahidna ila Ibrahima wa-Isma'ila an tahhira baytiy li-l-ta'ifina wa-l-'akifina wa-l-rukka' al-sujud
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the Kaaba as a place of return and sanctuary for all people, and commands believers to use Maqam Ibrahim (the Station of Abraham) as a place of prayer. Allah covenanted with Abraham and Ishmael to purify the House for those who circumambulate it, those who remain in devotion, and those who bow and prostrate. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that the sanctity and safety of the Kaaba is divinely ordained, and the purification refers to both physical cleanliness and spiritual purification from idolatry.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Baqarah's discussion of the Kaaba and pilgrimage practices. It references the covenant with Abraham (Khalil Allah), one of Islam's foundational narratives, connecting the historical establishment of the House of Allah to the continuation of worship through the ages. The passage emphasizes the continuity between Abraham's mission and the Islamic tradition of Hajj and 'Umrah.
Related Hadiths
The Maqam Ibrahim is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari where 'Umar ibn al-Khattab sought to restore it to its original position as a place of prayer. Additionally, a hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah relates that performing two rak'ahs at Maqam Ibrahim after Tawaf is a confirmed Sunnah practice during Hajj and 'Umrah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that the Kaaba is not merely a historical monument but a divinely protected sanctuary meant for all humanity, and that our acts of worship should be characterized by sincere devotion, purification from sin, and humility before Allah. It underscores Islam's universality and the timeless importance of maintaining both the spiritual and physical sanctity of places dedicated to worship.