Verses 1–4
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful
This sūrah was revealed in Mecca and consists of 4 verses. It speaks about God’s favor upon Quraysh tribe with respect to their two annual journeys. Then it commands them to monotheism and serving the Lord of the House.
Since the content of this sūrah somewhat relates to the content of Sūrah al-Fīl (Chapter 105), some Sunni scholars have held that the two of them actually compose a single chapter, just as is said about Sūrah al-Ḍuḥá and Sūrah al-Inshirāḥ (Chapters 93 and 94) based on the connection between them. This is also held to be the mainstream view among the Shias. However the evidence put forward for this view does not suffice to prove it.
The Sunnis proponents of this view rely on two pieces of evidence: (1) It is narrated that in Ubayy b. Kaʿb’s manuscript of the Qur’an, these two sūrahs were not separated with “In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful” (bism Allāh al-raḥmān al-raḥīm). (2) It is narrated from ʿAmr b. Maymūn al-Azdī:
Once I prayed the Sunset Prayer behind ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb. In the first rakʿah, he recited Sūrah al-Tīn (Chapter 95), and in the second, he recited Alam tara (Chapter 105) and li-īlāf Quraysh (Chapter 106) without separating them with In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful.
The opponents of this view have rebutted as follows: (1) There are also narrations that Ubayy b. Kaʿb separated these two sūrahs in his manuscript with In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. Therefore, the narrations conflict. (2) Assuming that the second narration is authentic, it is likely that the narrator simply did not hear ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb reciting In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. Or perhaps ʿUmar recited it in his heart.
Additionally, these accounts contradict a Prophetic narration which says that God favored the Quraysh in seven ways, among which was: “a chapter of the Qur’an was revealed exclusively about them, which is Sūrah Quraysh.” Finally, there are mass-transmitted (mutawātir) narrations which show that at the beginning of Chapter 106 there is In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful, marking a separation from the last chapter.
Shia proponents of this view rely on the following narrations:
- Abū al-ʿAbbās related from either Imams al-Bāqir or al-Ṣādiq: Alam tara kayfa faʿala Rabbuka (Chapter 105) and li-īlāf Quraysh (Chapter 106) are a single sūrah.
- Al-Mufaḍḍal b. Ṣāliḥ narrated from Imam al-Ṣādiq: Do not recite two sūrahs in a single rakʿah, except for wa al-ḍuḥá (Chapter 93) and a-lam nashraḥ (Chapter 94); and alam tara kayfa (Chapter 105) and li-īlāf Quraysh (Chapter 106).
- Al-ʿAlāʾ narrated from Zayd al-Shaḥḥām said: Once Imam al-Ṣādiq led the Morning Prayer for us, where he recited wa al-ḍuḥá (Chapter 93) and a-lam nashraḥ (Chapter 94) in one rakʿah.
Response: The first narration, by Abū ʿAbbās, is weak because it suffers from an unconnected chain of transmission (marfūʿ). The second one, by al-Mufaḍḍal, is the best evidence for the two chapters being two separate sūrahs, because it says, “Do not recite two sūrahs” and then mentions these sūrahs—Chapters 93 and 94, and Chapters 105 and 106—as an exception to that.
The third one, by Zayd al-Shaḥḥām, is also narrated slightly differently through two different chains of transmission which can be insightful:
- Ibn Muskān narrated from Zayd b. al-Shaḥḥām: Imam al-Sadiq led the prayer for us, and recited wa al-ḍuḥá (Chapter 93) and a-lam nashraḥ (Chapter 94).
- Ibn Abī ʿUmayr narrated from Zayd b. al-Shaḥḥām: Imam al-Ṣādiq led the prayer for us, where in the first rakʿah he recited wa al-ḍuḥá (Chapter 93), and in the second a-lam nashraḥ (Chapter 94).
The latter narration—on the authority of Ibn Abī ʿUmayr—is an authentic narration which explicitly says that each sūrah was recited in a different rakʿah. This is contrary to Ibn Muskān’s version, which has neither an explicit import (ṣarāḥah) nor an apparent one (ẓuhūr). As with the third narration above on the authority of al-ʿAlāʾ, even though it apparently implies that the two chapters were recited in the same unit (rakʿah), its apparent import cannot stand the explicit text of Ibn Abī ʿUmayr’s version. Some might argue that Ibn Abī ʿUmayr’s narration pertains to an optional recommended prayer (nāfilah). However, this cannot be since he says that the Imam “led the prayer for us” (ṣallá binā). This explicitly indicates a congregational prayer, because optional recommended prayers are not performed in congregation.
In truth, if these narrations prove anything, it is only the permissibility of reciting both sūrahs—both Chapters 93 and 94, or both Chapters 105 and 106—in a single unit of an obligatory prayer. Such combining of two chapters in a single unit of an obligatory prayer is not permitted for other chapters. Supporting this is a narration where Dāwūd al-Raqqī says:
When dawn broke, Imam al-Sadiq stood up and recited the two calls to prayer (adhān and iqāmah). Then he had me stand on his right side and started praying. In the first rakʿah, he recited Sūrah al-Fātiḥah (Chapter 1) and wa al-ḍuḥá (Chapter 93), and in the second he recited Sūrah al-Fātiḥah (Chapter 1) and qul huwa Allāh aḥad (Chapter 112). Then he performed the qunūt and salām, and remained seated.
Commentary
لِإِيلافِ قُرَيْشٍ ١ إِيلافِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتاءِ وَ الصَّيْفِ ٢
(106:1-2) For harmonizing (li-īlāf) for the Quraysh, propitiating them in winter and summer journeys (riḥlah).
According to al-Rāghib, ilf means “gathering with harmony.” One of its derivatives is ulfah (affinity, intimacy, familiarity).
Quraysh is the name of the Prophet’s clan. They were the descendants of al-Naḍr b. Kanānah, who was called Quraysh. Riḥlah, according to Majmaʿ al-bayān, is the state of journeying on a rāḥilah, which means a strong camel. Here, riḥlah refers to how the Quraysh used to leave Mecca for trade journeys. The sanctuary of Mecca was a barren land, and they could not grow crops or raise farm animals. Therefore, they made a living through trade. Every year, they used to make two trips: one trip to Yemen in the winter; and one to the Levant in the summer. This was how they survived. And in the honor of the Sacred House, people respected them: they were safe on the road from highwaymen, and at home from raids.
For harmonizing (li-īlāf) for the Quraysh: The letter lām (for) at the beginning of this verse signifies justification (taʿlīl). The subject of this verse is God, Who created peace and security (īlāf) among the Quraysh.
harmonizing for them in winter and summer journeys: This verse shows what God harmonized and facilitated for the Quraysh. The implied meaning is: “Because God has made it safe and smooth for the Quraysh to travel in summer and winter.”
فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هذَا الْبَيْتِ ٣
(106:3) So let them serve (fal-yaʿbudū) the Lord of this House,
The letter fāʾ (so, then, therefore) at the beginning of this verse responds to a potential impression of either conditionality (sharṭ) or differentiation (tafṣīl). In the first case, the meaning would be: “If they do not serve Him for His other countless bounties, then they should serve the Lord of this House because He has facilitated these two seasons for their journeys.” In the second case, the meaning would be: “Whatever may be the circumstance, then they must serve the Lord of this House…” This would be similar to the usage of the letter fāʾ in the verse: And thus be patient (fa-iṣbir) for your Lord ().
In sum, these three verses [] say: “The Quraysh must worship the Lord of this House because He has made it safe for them to travel in the summer and the winter. As a result, they can make a living in security.” This is the meaning that we can infer assuming that the chapter has a theme and context of its own, separate from the previous one. However, those who consider this sūrah to be a part and continuation of Sūrah al-Fīl (Chapter 105) have offered some alternative interpretations:
- The letter lām in li-īlāf () signifies a justification for something elided that is shown by the context. The implied meaning is: “We did that to the Riders of Elephants as a blessing from Us upon the Quraysh, in addition to how We have blessed them in their journeys during the summer and winter.” This amounts to saying: “Blessing after blessing.” Thus, it is said that the letter lām here means ilá (to, toward), as narrated from al-Farrāʾ.
- The meaning is: “We did that to the Riders of Elephants so that the Quraysh may be safely established and secured in Mecca.”
- The meaning is: “We did that in order to pull the Quraysh back to Mecca. That is because when Abrahah marched toward their town, they deserted it in fear of him. We destroyed him so that the Quraysh could return to Mecca and settle there in safety—and then Muḥammad may be born there, to be appointed later as a bearer of glad tidings and warnings to the people.”
Comment: The problem with these views is whether one can deduce them from the theme and context of the chapter.
الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُمْ مِنْ جُوعٍ وَ آمَنَهُمْ مِنْ خَوْفٍ ٤
(106:4) Who has fed them against hunger, and secured them from fear.
This verse points to two evident blessing and favor of God upon them, namely food and safety, as a result of facilitating their two journeys. They could live in a land that was infertile, and had safety while their neighbors did not. Therefore, they were commanded to worship the Lord of this House, Who managed their affairs in the best way.
Examining Narrations
- Concerning For harmonizing for the Quraysh, harmonizing for them () Tafsīr al-Qummī says: This was revealed about the Quraysh because they made a living through making two journeys: one to Yemen in the winter, and one to the Levant in the summer. From Mecca, they used to take leather, nuts and seeds, and whatever sea traders would sell to them, such as spice. In the Levant, they would trade these for clothing, refined flour and grain. They used to get along with each other (kānū yataʾallafūna) on the path. They would travel in small groups, each group led by a chieftain from Quraysh. This was how they made a living.
When God appointed His Prophet, they no longer had to do that, because people came in droves to the Prophet and made pilgrimage to the House. Thus God says: So let them serve the Lord of this House, Who has fed them against hunger (), without needing to journey to the Levant. And secured them from fear (): This refers to the dangers of the journey.
Author’s comment: The latter part of this narration—“ When God appointed His Prophet”—does not clearly fit the context of the verses. Perhaps this part is al-Qummī’s words, which he has deduced from some narration from Ibn ʿAbbās.
Majmaʿ al-bayān. ↩︎
Majmaʿ al-bayān, on the authority of al-ʿAyyāshī. Al-Muḥaqqiq [al-Ḥilli] has narrated a similar account to this in his al-Muʿtabar, on the authority of Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. Abī Naṣr’s al-Jāmiʿ, on the authority of al-Mufaḍḍal ↩︎
Tahdhīb al-aḥkām. ↩︎
Tahdhīb al-aḥkām, via its chain of narration. ↩︎
Tahdhīb al-aḥkām, on the authority of some of our companions. ↩︎
These are semantic terms. If a statement has a single unequivocal meaning, then that meaning is called “explicit” (ṣarīḥ, naṣṣ). If it has multiple potential meanings but one of them springs to the mind first, then that meaning is called “apparent” (ẓāhir). The apparent can be overridden if there is some indication or evidence against it. (Ed.) ↩︎
Qunūt is a part of the ritual prayer done while standing with raised hands. Salām is the last part of the ritual prayer. (Trans.) ↩︎
Al-Rāwandī, al-Kharāʾij. ↩︎
Al-Ṣiḥāḥ says: “When one becomes familiar with and accustomed to a place, the verb is used as alifa yaʾlafu alfan. In the first person one may say: ālaftu ūlifu īlāfan. In its transitive form [when one creates affinity and comfort between another person and a place] one says: ālafahu.” (Auth.)
More specifically in this context, īlāf means “creating peace and security” amongst the Quraysh. (Ed.) ↩︎
The word īlāf implies a verb that takes two objects. The first one is the Quraysh, and the second is omitted but implied by the next verse. The second verse is a badal (alternative expression, substitute, apposition) for the first. (Auth.) ↩︎
That is, one must serve God unconditionally, without distinguishing between different circumstances. Similarly, verse implies that one must always be patient for God’s sake, regardless of any condition. (Ed.) ↩︎
In other words, verse is not a justification for what comes after—the command to worship God in verse —but it is a justification for the events mentioned before, in Chapter 105. (Ed.) ↩︎