attendance at the mosque and sitting in it. Al-Hasan said: The polytheists were not to be left alone so that they might become the people of the Sacred Mosque.

Ibn Kathir and the scholars of Basrah recited, “the mosque of Allah,” in the singular, referring thereby to the Sacred Mosque, as indicated by His saying: “and maintaining the Sacred Mosque,” and by His saying: “So let them not approach the Sacred Mosque.” The others recited, “the mosques of Allah,” in the plural; yet what is meant by it is likewise the Sacred Mosque. Al-Hasan said: It was called “mosques” because it is the direction of prayer for all mosques. Al-Farra’ said: The Arabs may at times use the singular intending the plural, and the plural intending the singular. Do you not see that a man rides one steed and says, “I have taken up riding steeds”? It is likewise said, “So-and-so has abundant dirham and dinar,” meaning dirhams and dinars.

His saying—exalted is He—“testifying against themselves through disbelief”: that is, while they testify. When the phrase “while they” is omitted, the word is put in the accusative. Al-Hasan said: They did not say, “We are disbelievers”; rather, their words of disbelief bear witness against them that they are disbelievers.

Al-Dahhak narrated from Ibn Abbas: Their testimony against themselves through disbelief was their prostration before idols. The disbelievers of Quraysh had set up their idols outside the Sacred House, by its foundations. They would circumambulate the House naked, and whenever they completed one circuit, they would prostrate to their idols. This only increased them in distance from Allah—exalted is He.

Al-Suddi said: Their testimony against themselves through disbelief is that a Christian is asked, “Who are you?” and he replies, “I am a Christian.” A Jew says, “I am a Jew,” and the polytheist is asked, “What is your religion?” and he replies, “I am a polytheist.” Allah—exalted is He—said: “Those—their deeds have come to nothing,” because they were done for other than Allah, “and in the Fire they will abide forever.”

Al-Kalbi narrated from Abu Salih, from Ibn Abbas: Its meaning is that they bear witness against their Messenger through disbelief, for there was no clan except that had given birth to him.

“Only those are to maintain the mosques of Allah who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish prayer, give zakah, and fear none but Allah. It is they who may be among the rightly guided.” (18)

Then He—exalted is He—said: “Only those are to maintain the mosques of Allah who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish prayer, give zakah, and fear none but Allah”: they fear no one but Allah in matters of religion, and do not abandon Allah’s command out of fear of anyone besides Him. “It is they who may be among the rightly guided.” The expression “may be” from Allah signifies certainty; that is, they are the rightly guided. The rightly guided are those who hold fast to obedience to Allah, which leads to Paradise.