إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِى بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 96
Translations
Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Bakkah [i.e., Makkah] - blessed and a guidance for the worlds.
Transliteration
Inna awwala baytin wudi'a lilnnasi lillathi bi-bakkah mubarakan wa hudan lilll'alameen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that the first house of worship built for mankind was the Ka'bah in Makkah, blessed and designated as guidance for all the worlds. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that despite the Ka'bah's physical location, its message and significance transcends all peoples and times, serving as a unifying center for monotheistic worship. The blessings (barakah) of the House extend both spiritually—through its sanctity and the institution of pilgrimage—and temporally, as it has endured throughout human history as the qiblah and focal point of the Muslim ummah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan surah Ali 'Imran and is part of a broader discussion about Ibrahim (Abraham) and the establishment of the Ka'bah as a place of worship. The ayah responds to the spiritual significance of the House of Allah and reinforces the continuity of monotheistic faith from Ibrahim through to the Prophet Muhammad's mission.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The most honorable of all days before Allah is the Day of Arafah' (Sahih Muslim, related to pilgrimage at the Ka'bah). Additionally, 'Whoever performs Hajj for Allah's sake and does not have sexual relations with his wife, and does not do evil, he will come out as sinless as the day his mother bore him' (Sahih Bukhari 1521), emphasizing the spiritual significance of the House.
Themes
Key Lesson
The Ka'bah serves as a timeless symbol of divine guidance and unity for all humanity, reminding Muslims that their faith is rooted in an ancient, divinely-established tradition that transcends cultures and generations. This ayah teaches that true worship centers on devotion to Allah alone, regardless of one's location, with the Ka'bah representing the spiritual focal point that unites the global Muslim community.