Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Hajj Verse 26

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And (remember) when We pointed out for Ibrāhīm the place of the House (of Allah) saying, “Do not associate anything with Me as My partner, and purify My House for those who make Tawāf (circumambulation around it), and those who perform Qiyām (standing up in worship) and those who perform Rukū‘ (bowing down) and Sujūd (prostration),

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And ˹remember˺ when We assigned to Abraham the site of the House, ˹saying,˺ “Do not associate anything with Me ˹in worship˺ and purify My House for those who circle ˹the Ka’bah˺, stand ˹in prayer˺, and bow and prostrate themselves.

Ruwwad Translation Center

And [remember] when We showed to Abraham the site of the House [Ka’ba], “Do not associate anything with Me, and purify My House for those who circumambulate it, and those who stand up in prayer, and those who bow and prostrate.

A. J. Arberry

And when We settled for Abraham the place of the House: 'Thou shall not associate with Me anything. And do thou purify My House for those that shall go about it and those that stand, for those that bow and prostrate themselves;

Abdul Haleem

We showed Abraham the site of the House, saying, ‘Do not assign partners to Me. Purify My House for those who circle around it, those who stand to pray, and those who bow and prostrate themselves.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And recall what time We settled Ibrahim in the place of the House, Saying: associate not thou with Me aught, and purify My House for these who circumambulate and those who stand up and those who bow and make prostration.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Behold! We gave the site, to Abraham, of the (Sacred) House, (saying); "Associate not anything (in worship) with Me; and sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or stand up, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer).

Abul Ala Maududi

Call to mind when We assigned to Abraham the site of the House (Kabah), directing him: "Do not associate aught with Me" and "Keep My House pure for those who walk around it, and for those who stand and who bow down and who prostrate themselves (in worship),

Ahmed Ali

When We chose the site of the House for Abraham (We said:) "Associate no one with Me, and clean My House for those who will circumambulate it, stand (in reverence), and bow in homage.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And remember when We showed Ibrahim the right place of the Sacred House (mosque) and commanded that, “Do not ascribe anything as a partner to Me, and keep My House clean for those who encircle it and those who stay in it (for worship) and those who bow and prostrate.”

Ali Quli Qarai

When We settled for Abraham the site of the House [saying], Do not ascribe any partners to Me, and purify My House for those who circle around it, and those who stand [in it for prayer], and those who bow and prostrate themselves.

Ali Ünal

Remember when We assigned to Abraham the site of the House (Ka‘bah) as a place of worship, (directing him): "Do not associate any partners with Me in any way, and keep My House pure (from any material and spiritual filth) for those who will go round it in devotion, and those who will stand in prayer before it, and those who will bow down and prostrate themselves in worship."

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (recall the time) when We assigned to Abraham the site of the (Holy) House (bidding him), `Associate none with Me and keep My House clean and pure for those who (go round it to) perform the circuits and for those who stay in it (for worshipping Me) devotedly, and for those who bow down, (and) fall prostrate (in Prayer before Me).´

English Literal

And when We established/assigned to Abraham the House/Home`s place/position , that do not share/make partners with Me (in) a thing, and purify/clean My House/Home to the circlers/walkers around,232and the standing/keeping up , and the bowing , and the prostrating.

Faridul Haque

And remember when We showed Ibrahim the right place of the Sacred House (mosque) and commanded that, "Do not ascribe anything as a partner to Me, and keep My House clean for those who encircle it and those who stay in it (for worship) and those who bow and prostrate."

Hamid S. Aziz

Verily, those who disbelieve and bar men from Allah´s path and from the Sacred Place of Worship, which We have appointed for all mankind alike, the dweller therein and the stranger - and he who desires therein profanity or injustice, We will make him taste a grievous woe.

Hilali & Khan

And (remember) when We showed Ibrahim (Abraham) the site of the (Sacred) House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) (saying): "Associate not anything (in worship) with Me, [La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah Islamic Monotheism], and sanctify My House for those who circumambulate it, and those who stand up for prayer, and those who bow (submit themselves with humility and obedience to Allah), and make prostration (in prayer, etc.);"

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Those who disbelieve and hinder (men) from Allah’s way and from the Sacred Mosque, which We have made equally for all men, (for) the dweller therein and the visitor. And whoever inclines therein to wrong, unjustly, We shall make him taste of painful chastisement.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when We assigned to Ibrahim the place of the House, saying: Do not associate with Me aught, and purify My House for those who make the circuit and stand to pray and bow and prostrate themselves.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And (remember) when We prepared for Abraham the place of the (holy) House, saying: Ascribe thou no thing as partner unto Me, and purify My House for those who make the round (thereof) and those who stand and those who bow and make prostration.

Muhammad Sarwar

When We prepared for Abraham the place to build the Sacred House, We told him not to consider anything equal to Me and to keep the House clean for those walking around it, those standing, bowing down, and prostrating in prayer.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And when We settled for Abraham (and Ishmael) the place of the Holy Mosque, (We said): 'You shall not associate with Me anything. Purify My House for those who circumambulate it and those who stand, for those who bow and prostrate.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And (remember) when We showed Ibrahim the site of the House (saying): "Associate not anything with Me, and sanctify My House for those who circumambulate it, and those who stand up (for prayer), and those who bow and make prostration (in prayer);"

Wahiduddin Khan

We assigned to Abraham the site of the House, saying, "Do not associate with Me anything and purify My House for those who circumambulate [the Kabah] and those who stand upright, and those who bow and prostrate themselves."

Talal Itani

We showed Abraham the location of the House: “Do not associate anything with Me; and purify My House for those who circle around, and those who stand to pray, and those who kneel and prostrate.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And, mention, when We settled, [when] We pointed out, for Abraham the site of the House, that he may build it -- for it [the House] had been raised [to heaven] at the time of the Flood -- and We commanded him, [saying]; `Do not ascribe any partner to Me and purify My House, of graven images, for those who circumambulate it and those who are resident, staying therein, and those who bow and prostrate ([al-rukka` and al-sujd] are the plural forms of rki` and sjid [respectively]), those praying.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Building of the Ka`bah and the Proclamation of the Hajj

This is a rebuke to those among Quraysh who worshipped others than Allah and joined partners with Him in the place which from the outset had been established on the basis of Tawhid and the worship of Allah Alone, with no partner or associate.

Allah says;

وَإِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لاِإِبْرَاهِيمَ مَكَانَ الْبَيْتِ

And (remember) when We showed Ibrahim the site of the House (saying);

Allah tells us that He showed Ibrahim the site of the `Atiq House, i.e., He guided him to it, entrusted it to him and granted him permission to build it.

Many scholars take this as evidence to support their view that Ibrahim was the first one to build the House and that it was not built before his time.

It was recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Dharr said,

"I said, `O Messenger of Allah, which Masjid was the first to be built?'

He said,
الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَام
(Al-Masjid Al-Haram) .

I said, `Then which?'

He said,
بَيْتُ الْمَقْدِس
(Bayt Al-Maqdis).

I said, `How long between them?'

He said,
أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَة
(Forty years)."

And Allah says;

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِى بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكاً

Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, (3;96) until the end of following two Ayat.

Allah says;

وَعَهِدْنَأ إِلَى إِبْرَهِيمَ وَإِسْمَـعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّأيِفِينَ وَالْعَـكِفِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ

and We commanded Ibrahim and Ismail that they should purify My House for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I`tikaf), or bowing or prostrating themselves. (2;125)

And Allah says here;

أَن لاَّ تُشْرِكْ بِي شَيْيًا

Associate not anything with Me,

meaning, `Build it in My Name Alone.'

وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِيَ

and sanctify My House,

Qatadah and Mujahid said,

"And purify it from Shirk.

لِلطَّايِفِينَ وَالْقَايِمِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ



for those who circumambulate it, and those who stand up, and those who bow, and make prostration (in prayer).

means, `and make it purely for those who worship Allah Alone, with no partner or associate.'

What is meant by "those who circumambulate it" is obvious, since this is an act of worship that is done only at the Ka`bah and not at any other spot on earth.

وَالْقَايِمِينَ
(and those who stand up), means, in prayer.

Allah says;

وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ


and those who bow, and make prostration.
Tawaf and prayer are mentioned together because they are not prescribed together anywhere except in relation to the House.
Tawaf is done around the Ka`bah and prayer is offered facing its direction in the majority of cases, with a few exceptions, such as when one is uncertain of the direction of the Qiblah, during battle and when praying optional prayers while traveling.

And Allah knows best