Commentary on Surah Quraysh

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

“For the accustomed security of Quraysh,
their accustomed security in the winter and summer journeys,
let them worship the Lord of this House,
Who fed them against hunger and granted them safety from fear.”

The basmala has already been discussed.

This surah is connected to the one preceding it. The preceding surah describes Allah’s favor—Glorious and Exalted is He—upon the people of Mecca through what He did to the Companions of the Elephant, who set out for Mecca intending to demolish the Kaaba. In this surah, Allah explains another immense blessing upon the people of Mecca (upon Quraysh): their regular journeys twice a year, once in summer and once in winter:

“For the accustomed security of Quraysh, their accustomed security in the winter and summer journeys.”

The word īlāf means gathering and joining together; here it refers to the trade they conducted once in winter and once in summer. In winter, they would head toward Yemen for its agricultural produce and because the weather was favorable. In summer, they would head toward Greater Syria, since most trade in fruits and other goods took place during that season and its cooler climate was favorable.

These two journeys were therefore a blessing from Allah—Glorified and Exalted is He—upon Quraysh, for this commerce brought them many benefits and substantial profits. Allah commanded them to worship the Lord of this House, saying:

“Let them worship the Lord of this House,”

in gratitude to Him for this blessing. The initial fa may indicate causation, meaning: because of these two journeys, let them worship the Lord of this—