Surah #106 Consisting of 5 Ayahs

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِِ

In Allah's Name, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

For the uniting (of the hearts) of Quraish;	ِلإيلاف قُرَيْشٍ
their uniting for journeys in winter and summer.	إيلافِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاء وَالصَّيْفِ
Let them worship the Lord of this House,	فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَذَا الْبَيْتِ
who feeds them against hunger,	الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ
and secures them from fear.	وَآمَنَهُم مِّنْ خَوْفٍ

ِلإيلاف قُرَيْشٍ

For the uniting (of the hearts) of Quraish

Allah (swt) is reminding the clan of the Quraish of His favors to it. Quraish was the noblest clan in Arabia. It was highly respected in the area. It was the custodian of the Ka'ba for some time. Remember Muhammad (pbuh) was from Quraish.

Allah (swt) was reminding Quraish that it was only by His grace that Quraish became what it was, i.e., in a place of eminence, respect, living securely, and safely. It was through Allah's bounty that Quraish lived so well and in such good terms with other tribes.

إيلافِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاء وَالصَّيْفِ

their uniting for journeys in winter and summer.

The Ka'ba was the center of commerce and social contact at the time. Quraish made treaties of mutual benefit with tribes to the North as far as Syria, and to the South as far as Yemen. These treaties were to ensure the safe passage of caravans going back and forth during summer and winter.

Allah (swt) was reminding Quraish that it was through His favor that such understandings were reached. Quraish, therefore, ought to be grateful to Him and to thank Him for all His help.

فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَذَا الْبَيْتِ

Let them worship the Lord of this House,

Quraish enjoyed its eminence, well‑being, respect, and security when the treaties with the other tribes were signed. But Quraish ought to remember that what was accomplished was only through the help of Allah.

Therefore, let Quraish worship the Lord of the House (Allah Almighty) and be grateful to Him. Quraish should be indebted to Allah for all its bounty. In return Quraish should bow to the Almighty in worship and prayer. Let it then recognize the truth, and keep away from worshiping the idols.

الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ

who feeds them against hunger,

It was Allah (swt) who had provided Quraish with His bounty, and it was He who made them able to live well and comfortably.

Allah was once again reminding Quraish to come to their senses. Quraish was fighting Islam in a merciless way at the time. Quraish was pagan during early Islam and it was the leader of the area, proud of its pagan beliefs and confident in itself.

Quraish ought to be grateful to Allah instead, and acknowledge that its bounty has come from Allah.

وَآمَنَهُم مِّنْ خَوْفٍ

and secures them from fear.

Allah also reminds Quraish that not only did He provide it with wealth and eminence, but He also made them feel secure against attacks from other tribes because of the unique position it had. It was not only in a good geographical location but it also had strong commercial ties and relations. Allah was appealing to the senses of Quraish and He was calling them to worship Him and to accept Islam.

THROUGH SURAH QURAISH ALLAH WANTS US:

To know that Quraish was provided with

a.     wealth,

b.     eminence, and

c.     influence;
To know that Quraish was also provided with security from poverty and aggression or attacks;
To learn that Quraish was blind to who provided her with all the abundance;
To see that Quraish is reminded to recognize these facts and become:

a.    grateful to Allah,

b.    accept Islam, and

c.    stop its pagan ways;

This Surah is a message to Quraish explaining they had their wonderful position because of Allah's mercy and care. Allah (swt) was gently appealing to Quraish's senses. He was reminding them of how much He had given them, and He was asking them in return to open their hearts to the truth.

QUESTIONS

Who is قُرَيْشٍ?
Who were the Custodians of the Ka'ba?
Were Quraish well‑to‑do?
Were Quraish highly respected?
What is meant by: رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاء وَالصَّيْفِ?
Who made money because of the summer and winter trips?
How did Allah provide Quraish for its livelihood?
How did Quraish react initially to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the early Muslims?
Should Quraish have worshipped idols?
How did Quraish become secure?
Was Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from Quraish?
Why did Quraish give trouble to the Muslims at first?
Did Quraish become Muslim later on?
What is the significance of the summer and winter journeys?
How should Quraish have acknowledged Allah's favors to her?
Recite the second Ayah of Surah Quraish.
Recite the first Ayah of Surah Quraish.
What is the meaning of the third Ayah of Surah Quraish?
What is the meaning of the second Ayah of Surah Quraish?
What do we learn from Surah Quraish?

Quraish gave a lot of trouble to Muhammad (pbuh) and the Muslims in the early times of the Islamic Message. They were afraid they were going to lose their livelihood, power, and status. They felt very uncertain about Islam versus their status at first. They finally accepted Islam and became its defender.

MEANING OF WORDS

In the name of	بِسْمِ	Allah	اللهِ	The Gracious	الرَّحْمنِ
The Merciful	الرَّحِيمِِ	For uniting the hearts of	ِلإيلاف	Quraish	قُرَيْشٍ
Their uniting for	إيلافِهِمْ	Journey	رِحْلَةَ	The winter	الشِّتَاء
And summer	وَالصَّيْفِ	Let them worship	فَلْيَعْبُدُوا	Lord	رَبَّ
This	هَذَا	The House	الْبَيْتِ	Who	الَّذِي
Feeds them	أَطْعَمَهُم	From	مِّن	Hunger	جُوعٍ
And secures them	وَآمَنَهُم	from	مِّنْ	fear	خَوْفٍ