2:114 Al-Baqara (The Cow)

أي: لا أحد أظلم وأشد جرما, ممن منع مساجد الله, عن ذكر الله فيها, وإقامة الصلاة وغيرها من الطاعات. { وَسَعَى } أي: اجتهد وبذل وسعه { فِي خَرَابِهَا } الحسي والمعنوي، فالخراب الحسي: هدمها وتخريبها, وتقذيرها، والخراب المعنوي: منع الذاكرين لاسم الله فيها، وهذا عام, لكل من اتصف بهذه الصفة, فيدخل في ذلك أصحاب الفيل, وقريش, حين صدوا رسول الله عنها عام الحديبية, والنصارى حين أخربوا بيت المقدس, وغيرهم من أنواع الظلمة, الساعين في خرابها, محادة لله, ومشاقة، فجازاهم الله, بأن منعهم دخولها شرعا وقدرا, إلا خائفين ذليلين, فلما أخافوا عباد الله, أخافهم الله، فالمشركون الذين صدوا رسوله, لم يلبث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلا يسيرا, حتى أذن الله له في فتح مكة، ومنع المشركين من قربان بيته, فقال تعالى: { يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا يَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَذَا } وأصحاب الفيل, قد ذكر الله ما جرى عليهم، والنصارى, سلط الله عليهم المؤمنين, فأجلوهم عنه. وهكذا كل من اتصف بوصفهم, فلا بد أن يناله قسطه, وهذا من الآيات العظيمة, أخبر بها الباري قبل وقوعها, فوقعت كما أخبر. واستدل العلماء بالآية الكريمة, على أنه لا يجوز تمكين الكفار من دخول المساجد. { لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا خِزْيٌ } أي: فضيحة كما تقدم { وَلَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ } وإذا كان لا أظلم ممن منع مساجد الله أن يذكر فيها اسمه, فلا أعظم إيمانا ممن سعى في عمارة المساجد بالعمارة الحسية والمعنوية, كما قال تعالى: { إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ } بل قد أمر الله تعالى برفع بيوته وتعظيمها وتكريمها, فقال تعالى: { فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ } وللمساجد أحكام كثيرة, يرجع حاصلها إلى مضون هذه الآيات الكريمة.

اختلف المفسرون في المراد من الذين منعوا مساجد الله وسعوا في خرابها على قولين: أحدهما ما رواه العوفي في تفسيره عن ابن عباس في قوله "ومن أظلم ممن منع مساجد الله أن يذكر فيها اسمه" قال هم النصارى كانوا يطرحون في بيت المقدس الأذى ويمنعون الناس أن يصلوا فيه. وقال عبدالرزاق أخبرنا معمر عن قتادة في قوله "وسعى في خرابها" قال هو بختنصر وأصحابه خرب بيت المقدس وأعانه على ذلك النصارى وقال سعيد عن قتادة: قال أولئك أعداء الله النصارى حملهم بغض اليهود على أن أعانوا بختنصر البابلي المجوسي على تخريب بيت المقدس. وقال السدي: كانوا ظاهروا بختنصر على خراب بيت المقدس حتى خربه وأمر أن تطرح فيه الجيف وإنما أعانه الروم على خرابه من أجل أن بني إسرائيل قتلوا يحيى بن زكريا وروي نحوه عن الحسن البصري "القول الثاني" ما رواه ابن جرير: حدثني يونس بن عبدالأعلى حدثنا ابن وهب قال: قال ابن زيد في قوله "ومن أظلم ممن منع مساجد الله أن يذكر فيها اسمه وسعى في خرابها" قال هؤلاء المشركون الذين حالوا بين رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم الحديبية وبين أن يدخلوا مكة حتى نحر هديه بذي طوى وهادنهم وقال لهم "ما كان أحد يصد عن هذا البيت وقد كان الرجل يلقى قاتل أبيه وأخيه فلا يصده" فقالوا لا يدخل علينا من قتل آباءنا يوم بدر وفينا باق وفي قوله "وسعى في خرابها" قال إذا قطعوا من يعمرها بذكره ويأتيها للحج والعمرة. وقال ابن أبي حاتم ذكر عن سلمة قال: قال محمد بن إسحاق: حدثني محمد بن أبي محمد عن عكرمة أو سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس أن قريشا منعوا النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الصلاة عند الكعبة في المسجد الحرام فأنزل الله "ومن أظلم ممن منع مساجد الله أن يذكر فيها اسمه" ثم اختار ابن جرير القول الأول واحتج بأن قريشا لم تسع في خراب الكعبة وأما الروم فسعوا في تخريب بيت المقدس " قلت "والذي يظهر- والله أعلم - القول الثاني كما قاله ابن زيد. وروي عن ابن عباس لأن النصارى إذا منعت اليهود الصلاة في البيت المقدس كأن دينهم أقوم من دين اليهود وكانوا أقرب منهم ولم يكن ذكر الله من اليهود مقبولا إذ ذاك لأنهم لعنوا من قبل على لسان داود وعيسى ابن مريم ذلك بما عصوا وكانوا يعتدون وأيضا فإنه تعالى لما وجه الذم في حق اليهود والنصارى شرع في ذم المشركين الذين أخرجوا الرسول وأصحاب من مكة ومنعوهم من الصلاة في المسجد الحرام وأما اعتماده على أن قريشا لم تسع في خراب الكعبة فأي خراب أعظم مما فعلوا؟ أخرجوا عنها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأصحابه واستحوذوا عليها بأصنامهم وأندادهم وشركهم كما قال تعالى "وما لهم ألا يعذبهم الله وهم يصدون عن المسجد الحرام وما كانوا أولياءه إن أولياؤه إلا المتقون ولكن أكثرهم لا يعلمون" وقال تعالى "ما كان للمشركين أن يعمروا مساجد الله شاهدين على أنفسهم بالكفر أولئك حبطت أعمالهم وفي النار هم خالدون إنما يعمر مساجد الله من آمن بالله واليوم الآخر وأقام الصلاة وآتى الزكاة ولم يخش إلا الله فعسى أولئك أن يكونوا من المهتدين" وقال تعالى "هم الذين كفروا وصدوكم عن المسجد الحرام والهدي معكوفا أن يبلغ محله ولولا رجال مؤمنون ونساء مؤمنات لم تعلموهم أن تطؤهم فتصيبكم منهم معرة بغير علم ليدخل الله في رحمته من يشاء لو تزيلوا لعذبنا الذين كفروا منهم عذابا أليما" فقال تعالى "إنما يعمر مساجد الله من آمن بالله واليوم الآخر وأقام الصلاة وآتى الزكاة ولم يخش إلا الله" فإذا كان من هو كذلك مطرودا منها مصدودا عنها فأي خراب لها أعظم من ذلك؟ وليس المراد بعمارتها زخرفتها وإقامة صورتها فقط إنما عمارتها بذكر الله فيها وإقامة شرعه فيها ورفعها عن الدنس والشرك. وقوله تعالى "أولئك ما كان لهم أن يدخلوها إلا خائفين" هذا خبر معناه الطلب أي لا تمكنوا هؤلاء إذا قدرتم عليهم من دخولها إلا تحت الهدنة والجزية ولهذا لما فتح رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مكة أمر من العام القابل في سنة تسع أن ينادي برحاب منى "ألا لا يحجن بعد العام مشرك ولا يطوفن بالبيت عريان ومن كان له أجل فأجله إلى مدته" وهذا إذا كان تصديقا وعملا بقوله تعالى "يا أيها الذين آمنوا إنما المشركون نجس فلا يقربوا المسجد الحرام بعد عامهم هذا" وقال بعضهم ما كان ينبغي لهم أن يدخلوا مساجد الله إلا خائفين على حال التهيب وارتعاد الفرائص من المؤمنين أن يبطشوا بهم فضلا أن يستولوا عليها ويمنعوا المؤمنين منها. والمعنى ما كان الحق والواجب إلا ذلك لولا ظلم الكفرة وغيرهم وقيل إن هذا بشارة من الله للمسلمين أنه سيظهرهم على المسجد الحرام وعلى سائر المساجد وأنه يذل المشركين لهم حتى لا يدخل المسجد الحرام أحد منهم إلا خائفا يخاف أن يؤخذ فيعاقب أو يقتل إن لم يسلم. وقد أنجز الله هذا الوعد كما تقدم من منع المشركين من دخول المسجد الحرام وأوصى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن لا يبقى بجزيرة العرب دينان وأن يجلي اليهود والنصارى منها ولله الحمد والمنة. وما ذاك إلا تشريف أكناف المسجد الحرام وتطهير البقعة التي بعث الله فيها رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى الناس كافة بشيرا ونذيرا صلوات الله وسلامه عليه وهذا هو الخزي لهم في الدنيا لأن الجزاء من جنس العمل فكما صدوا المؤمنين عن المسجد الحرام صدوا عنه وكما أجلوهم من مكة أجلوا عنها "ولهم في الآخرة عذاب عظيم" على ما انتهكوا من حرمة البيت وامتهنوه من نصب الأصنام حوله ودعاء غير الله عنده والطواف به عرايا وغير ذلك من أفاعيلهم التي يكرهها الله ورسوله وأما من فسر بيت المقدس فقال كعب الأحبار إن النصارى لما ظهروا على بيت المقدس خربوه فلما بعث الله محمدا صلى الله عليه وسلم أنزل عليه "ومن أظلم ممن منع مساجد الله أن يذكر فيها اسمه وسعى في خرابها أولئك ما كان لهم أن يدخلوها إلا خائفين" الآية فليس في الأرض نصراني يدخل بيت المقدس إلا خائفا وقال السدي فليس في الأرض رومي يدخله اليوم إلا وهو خائف أن يضرب عنقه أو قد أخيف بأداء الجزية فهو يؤديها وقال قتادة لا يدخلون المساجد إلا مسارقة قلت وهذا لا ينفي أن يكون داخلا في معنى عموم الآية فإن النصارى ما ظلموا بيت المقدس بامتهان الصخرة التي كانت تصلي إليها اليهود عوقبوا شرعا وقدرا بالذلة فيه إلا في أحيان من الدهر أشحن بهم بيت المقدس وكذلك اليهود لما عصوا الله فيه أيضا أعظم من عصيان النصارى كانت عقوبتهم أعظم والله أعلم وفسر هؤلاء الخزي من الدنيا بخروج المهدي عند السدي وعكرمة ووائل بن داود وفسره قتادة بأداء الجزية عن يد وهم صاغرون والصحيح أن الخزي في الدنيا أعم من ذلك كله وقد ورد الحديث بالاستعاذة من خزي الدنيا وعذاب الآخرة كما قال الإمام أحمد أخبرنا الهيثم بن خارجة أخبرنا محمد بن أيوب بن ميسرة بن حلبس سمعت أبي يحدث عن بشر بن أرطاة قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يدعو "اللهم أحسن عاقبتنا في الأمور كلها وأجرنا من خزي الدنيا وعذاب الآخرة" وهذا حديث حسن وليس في شيء من الكتب السنة وليس لصحابيه وهو بشر بن أرطاة حديث سواه وسوى حديث لا تقطع الأيدي في الغزو.

Of the Most Unjust are Those Who prevent People from the Masjids and strive for their Ruin

The Quraysh idolators are those who hindered the people from the Masjids of Allah and wanted to destroy them. Ibn Jarir reported that Ibn Zayd said that Allah's statement,

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن مَّنَعَ مَسَـجِدَ اللَّهِ أَن يُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ وَسَعَى فِى خَرَابِهَآ

(And who are more unjust than those who forbid that Allah's Name be mentioned (i.e. prayers and invocations) in Allah's Masjids and strive for their ruin) is about the Quraysh idolators who prevented the Prophet from entering Makkah from Al-Hudaybiyyah, until he slaughtered the Hadi (animal for sacrifice) at Dhi-Tuwa. He then agreed to a peace treaty with the idolators and said to them, (No one before has ever prevented people from entering the House. One would even see the killer of his father and brother, but would not prevent him (from entering the House of Allah).) They said, "Whoever killed our fathers at Badr, shall never enter it while there is one of us alive." Allah's statement,

وَسَعَى فِى خَرَابِهَآ

(and strive for their ruin) means those who prevent whoever maintain the Masjids with Allah's remembrance and who visit Allah's House to perform Hajj and `Umrah. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Quraysh prevented the Prophet from praying at the Ka`bah in Al-Masjid Al-Haram, so Allah revealed,

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن مَّنَعَ مَسَـجِدَ اللَّهِ أَن يُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ

(And who are more unjust than those who forbid that Allah's Name be mentioned (i.e. prayers and invocations) in Allah's Masjids)"

After Allah chastised the Jews and Christians, He also criticized the idolators who expelled the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his Companions from Makkah, preventing them from praying in Al-Masjid Al-Haram, which they kept exclusively for their idols and polytheism. Allah said,

وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلاَّ يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُواْ أَوْلِيَآءَهُ إِنْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُ إِلاَّ الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

(And why should not Allah punish them while they hinder (men) from Al-Masjid Al-Haram, and they are not its guardians None can be its guardians except Al-Muttaqun (the pious), but most of them know not.) (8:34)

مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُواْ مَسَاجِدَ الله شَـهِدِينَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِم بِالْكُفْرِ أُوْلَـئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ وَفِى النَّارِ هُمْ خَـلِدُونَ - إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَـجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَوةَ وَءاتَى الزَّكَوةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ فَعَسَى أُوْلَـئِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ

(It is not for the Mushrikin (polytheists), to maintain the Masjids of Allah while they witness against their own selves of disbelief. The works of such are in vain and in Fire shall they abide. The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day; perform the Salah, and give the Zakah and fear none but Allah. It is they who are on true guidance.) (9:17-18)

and,

هُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْهَدْىَ مَعْكُوفاً أَن يَبْلُغَ مَحِلَّهُ وَلَوْلاَ رِجَالٌ مُّؤْمِنُونَ وَنِسَآءٌ مُّؤْمِنَـتٌ لَّمْ تَعْلَمُوهُمْ أَن تَطَئُوهُمْ فَتُصِيبَكمْ مِّنْهُمْ مَّعَرَّةٌ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ لِّيُدْخِلَ اللَّهُ فِى رَحْمَتِهِ مَن يَشَآءُ لَوْ تَزَيَّلُواْ لَعَذَّبْنَا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْهُمْ عَذَاباً أَلِيماً

(They are the ones who disbelieved and hindered you from Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (at Makkah) and detained the sacrificial animals, from reaching their place of sacrifice. Had there not been believing men and believing women whom you did not know, that you may kill them and on whose account a sin would have been committed by you without (your) knowledge, that Allah might bring into His mercy whom He wills ـ if they (the believers and the disbelievers) had been apart, We verily, would have punished those of them who disbelieved with painful torment) (48:25). Therefore, Allah said here,

إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَـجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَوةَ وَءاتَى الزَّكَوةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ

(The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day; perform the Salah, and give the Zakah and fear none but Allah). Therefore, if those believers who follow the virtues mentioned in the Ayah were prevented from attending the Masjid, then what cause for destruction is worse than this Maintaining the Masjids not only means beautifying them, but it involves remembering Allah, establishing His Shari`ah in the Masjids and purifying them from the filth of Shirk.

The Good News that Islam shall prevail

Allah said next,

أُوْلَـئِكَ مَا كَانَ لَهُمْ أَن يَدْخُلُوهَآ إِلاَّ خَآئِفِينَ

(It was not fitting that such should themselves enter them (Allah's Masjids) except in fear).

This Ayah means, "Do not allow them - the disbelievers - to enter the Masjids, except to satisfy the terms of an armistice or a treaty." When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ conquered Makkah in 9 H, he commanded that someone announce at Mina, "After the current year, no idolators shall perform Hajj, and no naked persons shall perform Tawaf around the House, except for those who have a treaty. In this case, the treaty will be carried to the end of its term." This Ayah supports the Ayah,

يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلاَ يَقْرَبُواْ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَـذَا

(O you who believe! (in Allah's Oneness and in His Messenger Muhammad )! Verily, the Mushrikun (idolators) are Najasun (impure). So let them not come near Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (at Makkah) after this year) (9:28).

It was also said that this Ayah (2:114) carries the good news for the Muslims from Allah that He will allow them to take over Al-Masjid Al-Haram and all the Masjids and disgrace the idolators. Soon after, the Ayah indicated, no idolator shall enter the House, except out of fear of being seized or killed, unless he embraces Islam. Allah fulfilled this promise and later decreed that idolators not be allowed to enter Al-Masjid Al-Haram. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stated that no two religions should remain in the Arabian Peninsula, and the Jews and Christians should be expelled from it, all praise is due to Allah. All of these rulings ensure maintaining the honor of Al-Masjid Al-Haram and purifying the area where Allah sent His Messenger to warn and bring good news to all of mankind, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him.

This Ayah also described the disgrace that the disbelievers earn in this life, and that the punishment comes in a form comparable to the deed. Just as they prevented the believers from entering Al-Masjid Al-Haram, they were prevented from entering it in turn. Just as they expelled the believers from Makkah, they were in turn expelled from Makkah,

وَلَهُمْ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

(and they will have a great torment in the Hereafter) because they breached the sanctity of the House and brought filth to it by erecting idols all around it, invoking other than Allah and performing Tawaf around it while naked, etc.

Here it is worth mentioning the Hadith about seeking refuge from disgrace in this life and the torment of the Hereafter. Imam Ahmad recorded that Busr bin Artah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to supplicate,

«اللَّهُمَّ أَحْسِنْ عَاقِبَتَنَا فِي الْأُمُورِ كُلِّهَا وَأَجِرْنَا مِنْ خِزْيِ الدُّنْيَا وَعَذَابِ الْآخِرَة»

(O Allah! Make our end better in all affairs, and save us from disgrace in this life and the torment of the Hereafter.)

This Hadith is Hasan.

And who does greater evil — that is none does more evil — than he who bars God’s places of worship so that His Name be not invoked in them in prayer and praise and strives to ruin them? through destruction and impeding people from them this was revealed to inform of the Byzantines’ destruction of the Holy House sc. Jerusalem or it was revealed when the idolaters barred the Prophet s from entering Mecca in the year of the battle of Hudaybiyya; such men might never enter them save in fear illā khā’ifīna is a predicate also functioning as a command that is to say ‘Frighten them by threats of waging war against them so that not one of them shall enter it feeling secure’; for them in this world is degradation debasement through being killed taken captive and forced to pay the jizya; and in the Hereafter a mighty chastisement namely the Fire.

Injunctions and related considerations

Verse 114 lays down, or helps us to infer, some very important injunctions:

All the mosques in the world are equally worthy of respect. Just as it is a great sin to desecrate in any way the Baytul-Maqdis, or the mosque attached to the Ka'bah (Al-Masjid al- Haram) or the mosque of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، the same prohibition holds good with regard to all other mosques. These three mosques, no doubt, enjoy a superior position, and special respect is to be paid to them. The reward for offering prayers once in Al-Masjid al-Haram is equal to that of praying a hundred thousand times elsewhere; the reward for praying in the mosque of the Holy Prophet g and in the Baytul-Maqdis equals that of praying fifty thousand times. To make a long journey for the purpose of praying in any one of these three mosques is a meritorious act which makes one worthy of receiving a special barakah بَرَکہ . On the other hand, the Holy Prophet $ has forbidden it that one should make a long journey in order to offer one's prayers in a mosque other than these three, believing it to be a meritorious act.

The sanctity of the Mosque

(2) It is forbidden to prevent people, in any form or manner possible, from offering their prayers or "remembering" Allah in a mosque. An obvious form of such interference is not to allow someone to enter a mosque or to offer his prayers or to read the Holy Qur'an there. A less explicit form is to produce some kind of a noise in the mosque itself or play music nearby, and thus to disturb people in their prayers or in their "remembrance" (; ) of Allah. Similarly, if one starts reciting the Holy Qur'an or "remembering" Allah loudly so as to disturb the people who are offering supererogatory prayers (Nawafil نوافل) or themselves reading the Holy Qur'an or silently "remembering" Allah (Dhikr ذکر ), one is being guilty of the same sin. Therefore, the Fuqaha' (masters of Islamic jurisprudence) have forbidden this practice. But, if people are not present in the mosque, one may recite the Holy Qur'an or make "dhikr ذکر " in a loud voice. On the basis of this principle we can also see that it is forbidden to beg or to collect donations even for a religious purpose while people are engaged in their prayers or in "dhikr ذکر ."

(3) All the possible forms of laying waste a mosque are forbidden. This includes not only demolishing and destroying a mosque, but also producing conditions which result in a mosque being laid waste or deserted. For, laying waste a mosque implies that few, or only a few people should come there for offering their prayers. A mosque can be said to be flourishing, not on the score of the beauty of its architecture or of its ornamentation, but only when it is full of men who come to pray and to "remember" Allah. Says the Holy Qur'an:

إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ‌ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ‌ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا اللَّـهَ ۖ فَعَسَىٰ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَن يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿18﴾

Only those do populate the mosques of Allah who believe in Allah and in the Day of Judgment, who are steadfast in Salah and pay the Zakah, and do not fear anyone but Allah" (9:18).

So, the Holy Prophet g has foretold that when the Day of Judgment comes close, the mosques of the Muslims would be beautifully designed and decorated and be apparently full of people, but they would in reality be deserted, for a few people would go there for the purpose of offering their prayers. We are also reminded of what the fourth Khalifah and the blessed Companion ` Ali ؓ has said. There are, according to him, six deeds which behove a man --three of them pertain to the state when one is living at home and the other three to the state when one is on a journey. The first three are --to read the Holy Qur'an, to populate the mosques, and to bring together a number of friends who wish to serve Allah and His faith. The other three are -- to spend out of what one has over one's needy companions of the way, to be polite to everyone, and to be cheerful with one's co-travellers so long as one does not go beyond the limits allowed by the Shari'ah. What he means by "populating" the mosques is that one should enter them in a spirit of humility and with the fear of Allah in one's heart, and then engage oneself in prayers or in reciting the Holy Qur'an or in making "dhikr. ذکر ' In opposition to this, the laying waste of mosques would mean that few, or only a few people should offer their prayers in them, or that a set of circumstances is allowed to develop which makes it difficult for those who are present to acquire the proper attitude of humility.

If Verse 114 was revealed on the occasion of the Peace of Hudaybiyyah حُدیبیہ when the mushrikin (associators) of Makkah had prevented the Muslims from entering Al-Masjid al-Haram, then it is quite obvious that laying waste a mosque does not merely mean demolishing it, but also that it is not being allowed to be used for the purpose for which it was built -- that is, for Salah and for the Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah.

As for Verse 115, we have already pointed out that Allah not being limited to any particular direction or place, the Muslims do not, in turning towards the Ka'bah کعبہ ، at all mean to worship it, but that this particular orientation has been fixed on account of certain other considerations. We have also noted that for sixteen or seventeen months after the Hijrah ھجرہ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the blessed Companions were made to turn towards the Baytul-Maqdis in their prayers under divine commandment. This was, so to say, a practical demonstration of the truth that one can find Allah in every direction, and that Allah's attention encompasses all possible directions and dimensions simultaneously. A further and permanent demonstration of the same truth is provided by the injunction with regard to supererogatory prayers (Nawafil). That is to say, if one wishes to offer such prayers while travelling on a horse or a camel etc., it is not necessary for him even to turn towards the Qiblah, for he is allowed to keep his face towards the direction in which his horse is moving, and to offer his supererogatory prayers through the gestures of his head and arms. In fact, according to certain commentators, Verse 115 lays down just this rule with regard to supererogatory prayers. But one must bear in mind that this injunction applies only to that form of travel which involves animals like a horse or a camel that makes it difficult for one to turn towards the Qiblah. But in other forms of travel (e.g., in a train or a ship or an aeroplane) where it is not difficult to turn towards the Qiblah, one has to adopt the proper orientation even in offering supererogatory prayers. However, should the train or the aeroplane change its direction while one is still praying and there is no room for readjusting one's orientation accordingly, one can go on and finish the prayers in the same state.

Similarly, if one does not know the direction of the Qiblah, nor can correctly determine it on account of the darkness of the night or for some other valid reason, nor can find someone to provide correct information, the same rule would apply in this case too. In such a situation, one is allowed to follow one's conjecture, and to turn in the direction which seems to be the most likely. The direction one chooses would serve as the Qiblah. If, having finished one's prayers, one discovers that the choice of this particular direction was wrong, even then one's prayers would remain acceptable, and one would not have to repeat them.

Who does greater wrong than he who bars God's places of prostration? In terms of allusion, He is asking, “Who does greater wrong than he who ruins the homeland of worship with appetites? Who does greater wrong than he who ruins the homeland of recognition with attachments? Who does greater wrong than he who ruins the homeland of contemplation by glancing at others?” The homeland of worship is the soul of the renunciants, the homeland of recognition the heart of the recognizers, and the homeland of contemplation the secret core of the friends. When someone keeps his soul away from appetites, the homeland of his worship flourishes and his name is written in the register of the renunciants. Thus Mālik Dīnār lingered in Basra for forty years and never ate or tasted the dates of Basra, dried or fresh, before he died. He was asked about that and he said, “The possessor of appetite is veiled from his Lord.” When someone keeps his heart pure of attachment, the homeland of his recognition flourishes and he belongs to the ranks of the recognizers. Thus one of them said about Ibrāhīm Adham, “I was with Ibrāhīm Adham in a journey, and we were afflicted with hunger. After we settled in a mosque he brought out some sections of the Qur'an he had with him and said, 'Go and pawn these sections and bring us something to eat, for hunger has stricken us.' I went out, and someone came forward to me in front of a fully laden mule. He was saying, 'The one I am seeking is a light- complexioned man called Ibrāhīm ibn Adham.'” “I said, 'What do you desire from him?' “He said, 'I am the slave of his father, and these things belong to him.' So I led him to him. He entered the mosque, put his head and hands on the ground and kissed him. Ibrāhīm said, 'Who are you?' He said, 'I am your father's slave. Your father has died, and I have with me 40,000 dinars, your inheritance from your father. I am your slave. Command me as you wish.' “Ibrāhīm said, 'If you speak the truth, then you are free, for the sake of God. And what you have with you is all a gift to you. Leave us.