and al-Akhfash said: It is an exclamatory lām. That is, “Marvel at Quraysh’s accustomed security in their winter and summer journeys, and at their abandoning the worship of the Lord of this House.” He then commanded them to worship Him. This is like saying, by way of amazement, “For Zayd and our honoring him!”—that is, “Marvel at that!” When the Arabs use this lām, they regard it as sufficient indication of amazement and do not explicitly state the verb.

Al-Zajjaj said: It refers forward to what follows it. Its implied meaning is: “So let them worship the Lord of this House because of their accustomed security in their winter and summer journeys.”

Ibn Uyaynah said: “Because of My blessing upon Quraysh.” (1)

Quraysh are the descendants of al-Nadr ibn Kinanah. Everyone whom al-Nadr begot is a Qurashi, while whoever was not begotten by al-Nadr is not a Qurashi.

Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Yusuf al-Juwayni informed us; Abu Muhammad Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Sharik al-Shafi‘i informed us; Abdullah ibn Muslim, Abu Bakr al-Jawrabudhi, informed us; Yunus ibn Abd al-A‘la al-Sadafi related to us; Bishr ibn Bakr informed us from al-Awza‘i; Shaddad Abu Ammar related to me; Wathilah ibn al-Asqa‘ related to us that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Allah chose Kinanah from among the descendants of Ishmael; He chose Quraysh from Kinanah; He chose Banu Hashim from Quraysh; and He chose me from Banu Hashim.” (2)

They were named Quraysh after qarsh and taqarrush, meaning earning and gathering. One says, “So-and-so earns and acquires for his dependents,” meaning that he seeks a livelihood. They were merchants, eager to amass wealth and surplus.

Abu Rayhanah said: (3) Mu‘awiyah asked Abdullah ibn Abbas, “Why was Quraysh called Quraysh?” He replied, “After a creature found in the sea, one of its greatest creatures, called the qirsh. It passes by nothing, whether lean or fat, without devouring it. It eats but is not eaten; it rises above others, but none rises above it.” He asked, “Do the Arabs recognize this in their poetry?” He replied, “Yes,” and recited to him ⦗201/b⦘ the poem of al-Jumahi:

“Quraysh is the creature that dwells within the sea;—
After it, Quraysh came to be called Quraysh.

It has been granted supremacy in the depths of the sea,
Over the armies of all the other seas.

It devours the lean and the fat, leaving not,
For any winged creature, even a feather.”