“And from my descendants as well: make from among them leaders to be followed in goodness.” Allah Most High said: “My covenant does not reach the wrongdoers.” Hamzah and Hafs read the possessive yā’ with sukūn, while the rest read it with fatḥah. That is, whoever among them is a wrongdoer will not attain it. ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah said: “My covenant means My mercy.” Al-Suddi said: “My prophethood.” It was also said: leadership. Mujahid said: “A wrongdoer is not to be obeyed in his wrongdoing.” The meaning of the verse is: Whoever among your descendants is a wrongdoer will not attain what I have promised you of prophethood and leadership. It was also said that by the covenant He meant safety from the Fire, and by the wrongdoer He meant the polytheist, as in His saying, exalted is He: “Those who believe and do not mix their faith with wrongdoing—they are the ones who will have security” (al-An‘am 6:82).

“And when We made the House a place of return for the people and a sanctuary, and take the standing-place of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We enjoined Abraham and Ishmael, ‘Purify My House for those who circumambulate it, those who remain there in worship, and those who bow and prostrate’” (2:125).

Allah Most High said: “And when We made the House”—meaning the Ka‘bah—“a place of return for the people,” a place to which they return. Mujahid and Sa‘id ibn Jubayr said: “They come to it from every direction and perform Hajj.” Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “A refuge and a sanctuary.” Qatadah and ‘Ikrimah said: “A gathering-place.” “And a sanctuary,” that is, a place of safety where they were secure from the harm of the polytheists. For they did not molest the people of Makkah, saying, “They are Allah’s people,” though they would attack those around them, as Allah Most High said: “Have they not seen that We made a secure sanctuary, while people are snatched away all around them?” (al-‘Ankabut 29:67).

‘Abd al-Wahid al-Mulayhi informed us; Ahmad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Nu‘aymi informed us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf informed us; Muhammad ibn Isma‘il informed us; ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdullah informed us; Jarir informed us, from Mansur, from Mujahid, from Tawus, from Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: On the day of the conquest of Makkah, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Allah made this city sacred on the day He created the heavens and the earth. Thus, it remains sacred by Allah’s decree until the Day of Resurrection. Its thorn-trees are not to be cut, its game is not to be disturbed, its lost property is not to be taken except by one who will publicly announce it, and its vegetation is not to be cut.” Al-‘Abbas said, “O Messenger of Allah, except idhkhir grass, for it is needed by their blacksmiths and for their homes.” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, replied: “Except idhkhir.” (1)

Regarding His saying, “And take”: Nafi‘ and Ibn ‘Amir read the khā’ with fatḥah, as a declarative statement, while the rest read it with kasrah, as a command: “from the standing-place of Abraham, a place of prayer.” Ibn Yaman said: “The entire mosque is the standing-place of Abraham.” Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i said: “The entire Sacred Precinct is the standing-place of Abraham.” It was also said that by the standing-place of Abraham He meant all the sites of Hajj, such as ‘Arafah, Muzdalifah, and the other sacred sites.

The sound view is that the standing-place of Abraham is the stone in the mosque toward which the imams pray. That is the stone on which he stood—