Al-Hajj 26: And (recall) that time when We prepared for Abraham a place at the House (of Allah) (and said) “do not associate anything as equal to Me. Keep My house clean for those who perform the tawaf (circumambulation), who pray standing up, who bow down and who prostrate.

A. Metin Saruhan · 9 March 2018 · Al-Hajj

Translation

And (recall) that time when We prepared for Abraham a place at the House (of Allah) (and said) “do not associate anything as equal to Me. Keep My house clean for those who perform the tawaf (circumambulation), who pray standing up, who bow down and who prostrate.

Tafsir

Allah (swt) gave Hazrat Ibrahim a station in the Baytullah. This place is opposite the gate of the Baytullah, a few meters away, and is called Maqam Ibrahim. People pray two rak'ahs here after the tawaaf of Hajj or 'Umrah and offer prayers.

Allah (swt) reveals to Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him): Do not associate anything with Allah. The meaning here is that those who associate partners with Allah are not only those who worship idols. A Prophet can never worship idols. Allah (swt) does not speak in vain. So what Allah (swt) intended from Hazrat Ibrahim is that you should not have a desire for Allah's creatures, and that no love of creatures should overtake your love for Allah in your heart. For example, the love of worldly possessions, or the love of your children and well-wishers, or even the love of your own life, should not exceed the love of your love for Allah (swt). He says, "Let your love for me be above them all. For the people who come to the Haram Sharif for worship from all over the world, whether for Hajj, Umrah or for worship, prayer, ruku and prostration, he has commanded people who come here to keep my house clean.

What is said in the video

Verse 26 of Surah Al-Hajj is also a wrongly explained verse; let us read it too. The wrong part: "At one time We had prepared for Abraham the site of the House of Allah and said this to him: Do not associate anything with Me; for those who circumambulate, those who worship standing, those who bow and prostrate, keep My house clean." Yes. Whereas in the correct one, "Remember when" — what does it say here? "At one time We had prepared for Abraham the site of the House of Allah." What does it say here? "Remember when for Abraham, at the site of the Noble House, a station We prepared," it says. But what does it say here?

"At one time We had prepared for Abraham the site of the House of Allah." Had prepared the site of the House of Allah. Whereas here: "For Abraham, at the site of the Noble House, a station We prepared. And We had said this to him: Do not associate anything with Me. Keep My house clean for those who circumambulate, those who worship standing, those who bow and prostrate." Yes.

The mistake here: "had prepared for Abraham the site of the House of Allah and said this to him." But He did not prepare the site of the House of Allah for Abraham. He showed the site of the House of Allah, had it uncovered, and there a place called the Station of Abraham, because he prayed there, there from the Station of Abraham — after circumambulating, at the Station of Abraham we must pray a two-rak'ah prayer. Here too: "Remember when We prepared for Abraham a station at the site of the Noble House and said this to him: Do not associate anything with Me; for those who circumambulate, those who worship standing, those who bow and prostrate, keep My house clean." Yes.

Allah Almighty gave Abraham a station at the House of Allah. It is a place a few metres away, opposite the door of the House of Allah, called the Station of Abraham. After the Hajj circumambulation or the Umrah circumambulation, people pray a two-rak'ah prayer here and make supplication. So Allah Almighty reveals this to Abraham (peace be upon him): Do not associate anything with Allah. The meaning here: those who associate partners with Allah are not only those who worship idols. A prophet worshipping idols could never happen. And Allah Almighty does not speak in vain. So what Allah Almighty meant for Abraham: do not feel desire for what Allah has created, so that in your heart the love you feel for Allah is not surpassed by the love of any created being.

For example, love of worldly wealth, or love of children (?), or even love of one's own life, the love of the deep affection he feels for Allah Almighty should not surpass. "Let your love for Me be above all of them," He declares. For the people who come from the four corners of the world to the Noble Sanctuary to worship, whether with the aim of Hajj or with the aim of Umrah, or to worship, to pray, to bow and prostrate: for the people who come here, keep My house clean, He has declared.