Al-Qur'an Surah At-Tawbah Verse 108

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Do not ever stand there (in prayer). In fact, the mosque that was founded on Taqwā (piety) from the very first day has greater right that you stand in it. In it there are people who like to observe purity; and Allah loves those observing purity.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Do not ˹O Prophet˺ ever pray in it. Certainly, a mosque founded on righteousness from the first day is more worthy of your prayers. In it are men who love to be purified.[[ See footnote for {7:46}.]] And Allah loves those who purify themselves.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Never pray therein [O Prophet]. A mosque that was founded on piety from the first day is more deserving for you to pray therein. In it are men who love to keep themselves pure, and Allah loves those who keep themselves pure.

A. J. Arberry

Stand there never. A mosque that was founded upon godfearing from the first day is worthier for thee to stand in; therein are men who love to cleanse themselves; and God loves those who cleanse themselves.

Abdul Haleem

[Prophet], never pray in that mosque. You should rather pray in a mosque founded from its first day on consciousness of God: in this mosque there are men who desire to grow in purity- God loves those who seek to purify themselves.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Thou Shalt never stand therein. Surely a mosque founded from the first day on piety is wortheir that thou shouldst stand therein. In it are men who love to cleanse themselves: and Allah approveth the clean.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Never stand thou forth therein. There is a mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety; it is more worthy of the standing forth (for prayer) therein. In it are men who love to be purified; and Allah loveth those who make themselves pure.

Abul Ala Maududi

Never stand therein. Surely a mosque founded from the first day on piety is more worthy that you should stand in it for Prayer. In it are people who love to purify themselves, and Allah loves those that purify themselves.

Ahmed Ali

Never set foot in that place. Only a mosque whose foundations have been laid from the very first on godliness is worthy of your visiting it. There you will find men who wish to be purified; and God loves those who are pure.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Never stand (for worship) in that mosque*; indeed the mosque** that has been founded on piety from the very first day deserves that you should stand in it; in it are the people who wish to thoroughly cleanse themselves; and Allah loves the clean. (*The mosque built by the hypocrites. ** The mosque at Quba, built by the Holy Prophet and his companions. The merit of praying 2 Raka’ Nawafil in it is equal to the reward of an Umrah.)

Ali Quli Qarai

Do not stand in it ever! A mosque founded on Godwariness from the [very] first day is worthier that you stand in it [for prayer]. Therein are men who love to keep pure, and Allah loves those who keep pure.

Ali Ünal

Do not stand in that mosque to do the Prayer. The mosque that was founded on piety and reverence for God from the very first days (in Madinah) is worthy that you should stand in it for the Prayer. In it are men who love to be purified (of all spiritual and moral blemishes). God loves those who strive to purify themselves.

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Prophet!) never shall you stand in that (mosque for prayer). Certainly, the mosque which was founded upon piety (and observance of duty) from the (very) first day is more worthy that you stand (for Prayer) therein. In this (mosque) there are men (performers of Prayers) who love to become purified; and Allâh loves those who purify themselves externally and internally.

English Literal

Do not stand in it ever (E), a mosque/place of worshipping God (E) founded (established) on the fear and obedience (of God) from (the) first day (is) more worthy/deserving that you stand in it, in it (are) men they love/like that they purify themselves mentally and physically , and God loves/likes the pure/clean .

Faridul Haque

Never stand (for worship) in that mosque *; indeed the mosque ** that has been founded on piety from the very first day deserves that you should stand in it; in it are the people who wish to thoroughly cleanse themselves; and Allah loves the clean. (*The mosque built by the hypocrites. ** The mosque at Quba, built by the Holy Prophet and his companions. The merit of praying 2 Raka’ Nawafil in it is equal to the reward of an Umrah.)

Hamid S. Aziz

Never stand up (to pray) therein. The place of worship (or mosque) founded on piety (or duty to Allah) from the first day, is more worthy that you should stand (to pray) therein, wherein are men who love to purify themselves. Allah does love those who purify.

Hilali & Khan

Never stand you therein. Verily, the mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety is more worthy that you stand therein (to pray). In it are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And Allah loves those who make themselves clean and pure (i.e. who clean their private parts with dust [i.e. to be considered as soap) and water from urine and stools, after answering the call of nature].

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And those who built a mosque to cause harm (to Islam) and (to help) disbelief, and to cause disunion among the believers, and a refuge for him who made war against Allah and His Messenger before. And they will certainly swear: We desired naught but good. And Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Never stand in it; certainly a masjid founded on piety from the very first day is more deserving that you should stand in it; in it are men who love that they should be purified; and Allah loves those who purify themselves.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Never stand (to pray) there. A place of worship which was found upon duty (to Allah) from the first day is more worthy that thou shouldst stand (to pray) therein, wherein are men who love to purify themselves. Allah loveth the purifiers.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), never stay in that mosque. The mosque which was established for a pious purpose and before all other mosques is more virtuous for your prayer. In this mosque, there are people who love to be purified. God loves those who purify themselves.

Qaribullah & Darwish

You shall never stand there. A mosque founded upon piety from the first day is worthier for you to stand in. In it are men who love to purify themselves. Allah loves those who purify themselves.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Never stand you therein. Verily, the Masjid whose foundation was laid from the first day on Taqwa is more worthy that you stand therein (to pray). In it are men who love to clean and purify themselves. And Allah loves those who make themselves clean and pure.

Wahiduddin Khan

Do not set foot in it. Only a house of worship, founded from the very first day upon piety, is worthy of your setting foot therein. In it are men who love to be purified and God loves those who purify themselves.

Talal Itani

Do not stand in it, ever. A mosque founded upon piety from the first day is worthier of your standing in it. In it are men who love to be purified. God loves those who purify themselves.

Tafsir jalalayn

Never stand, [never] perform prayer, there; and so he sent a group of men to destroy and burn it, and in its place they left a refuse pit where decaying cadavers would be dumped. A mosque which was founded, one whose foundations were built, upon piety from the first day, constructed the day you arrived in Medina (dr al-hijra) -- this was the mosque of Qub', as mentioned in Bukhr -- is worthier, than that [other one], for you to stand, to perform prayer, therein; in it are men, namely, the Ansr, who love to purify themselves; and God loves those who purify themselves (muttahhirn; the original t' [of mutatahhirn] has been assimilated with the t') that is, He will reward them. Ibn Khuzayma reported in his Sahh [by way of an isnd] from [`Uwaym] b. S`ida that; `The Prophet (s) came to them at the mosque of Qub' and said, "God, exalted be He, has praised handsomely the way you purify yourselves in the story about your mosque, so what is this purification which you perform?" They said, "By God, O Messenger of God, all that we know is that we used to have Jews in our vicinity and they used to wash their behinds after defecation, and so we began to wash in the way they did"'. According to one hadth reported by al-Bazzr [they said]; `We use stones [to scrape off remnants] and follow this with water'; to which he [the Prophet] said, `That is the way [for proper purification]. Let this be your way'.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًا

Never stand you therein,

prohibiting His Prophet and his Ummah from ever standing in it in prayer.
Virtues of Masjid Quba

Allah encouraged His Prophet to pray in Masjid Quba' which, from the first day, was built on Taqwa, obedience to Allah and His Messenger, for gathering the word of the believers and as an outpost and a fort for Islam and its people. This is why Allah the Exalted said,

لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى التَّقْوَى مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ

Verily, the Masjid whose foundation was laid from the first day on Taqwa is more worthy that you stand therein (to pray).

in reference to the Masjid of Quba'.

An authentic Hadith records that the Messenger of Allah said,

صَلَةٌ فِي مَسْجِدِ قُبَاءٍ كَعُمْرَة

One prayer in Masjid Quba' is just like an Umrah.

It is recorded in the Sahih that;

the Messenger of Allah used to visit Masjid Quba' while riding and walking.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Uwaym bin Sa`idah Al-Ansari said that;

the Prophet went to Masjid Quba' and asked,

إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى قَدْ أَحْسَنَ عَلَيْكُمُ الثَّنَاءَ فِي الطُّهُورِ فِي قِصَّةِ مَسْجِدِكُمْ فَمَا هَذَا الطُّهُورُ الَّذِي تَطَهَّرُونَ بِهِ


In the story about your Masjid, Allah the Exalted has praised you concerning the purification that you perform. What is the purification that you perform!

They said, "By Allah, O Allah's Messenger! We do not know except that we had neighbors from the Jews who used to use water to wash with after answering the call of nature, and we washed as they washed."

Ibn Khuzaymah collected this Hadith in his Sahih.

Allah's statement,

لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى التَّقْوَى مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ فِيهِ رِجَالٌ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُواْ وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُطَّهِّرِينَ



Verily, the Masjid whose foundation was laid from the first day on Taqwa is more worthy that you stand therein (to pray). In it are men who love to clean and purify themselves. And Allah loves those who make themselves clean and pure.

This encourages praying in old Masjids that were built for the purpose of worshipping Allah alone, without partners.

It is also recommended to join the prayer with the believing group and worshippers who implement their faith, those who perform Wudu perfectly and preserve themselves from impure things.

Imam Ahmad recorded that;

one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah said that the Messenger of Allah led them in a Dawn (Subh) prayer in which he recited Ar-Rum (Surah 30) and made mistakes in the recitation. When he finished the prayer, he said,

إِنَّهُ يَلْبِسُ عَلَيْنَا الْقُرْانَ أَنَّ أَقْوَامًا مِنْكُمْ يُصَلُّونَ مَعَنَا لَا يُحْسِنُونَ الْوُضُوءَ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ الصَّلَةَ مَعَنَا فَلْيُحْسِنِ الْوُضُوء

We sometimes make mistakes in reciting the Qur'an, there are people among you who attend the prayer with us, but do not perform Wudu perfectly. Therefore, whoever attends the prayer with us let him make perfect Wudu.

This Hadith indicates that complete purification helps in the performance of acts of worship and aids in preserving and completing them