Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
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1
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liīlāfi qurayshin
For the accustomed security of the Quraysh -
2
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īlāfihim riḥ'lata l-shitāi wal-ṣayfi
Their accustomed security [in] the caravan of winter and summer -
3
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falyaʿbudū rabba hādhā l-bayti
Let them worship the Lord of this House,
4
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alladhī aṭʿamahum min jūʿin waāmanahum min khawfin
Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear.
Surah Quraysh (Quraysh) — Full Text
Ayah 1
لِإِيلَـٰفِ قُرَيْشٍ
For the accustomed security of the Quraysh1 -
This surah opens by pointing to a massive blessing the Quraysh tribe had: security and unity. The word "Ilaf" means the comfort and familiarity they enjoyed — being kept safe, unified, and settled in Makkah. This is actually a direct continuation from the previous surah (Al-Fil), where Allah destroyed the army that tried to demolish the Ka'bah. The connection is: Allah didn't just protect the Ka'bah for its own sake — He did it so the Quraysh could continue thriving in peace.
Ayah 2
إِۦلَـٰفِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ ٱلشِّتَآءِ وَٱلصَّيْفِ
Their accustomed security [in] the caravan of winter and summer1 -
Here's what that security actually looked like in practice: the Quraysh ran trade caravans to Yemen in the winter and to Syria in the summer. This was their entire economy. And the incredible part is that while other tribes constantly got robbed on the road, nobody touched the Quraysh — because everyone respected them as the caretakers of the Ka'bah. Their business trips were basically guaranteed safe passage, and that made them wealthy and powerful.
Ayah 3
فَلْيَعْبُدُوا۟ رَبَّ هَـٰذَا ٱلْبَيْتِ
Let them worship the Lord of this House,1
Now comes the ask — and honestly, it's the most reasonable request ever. After all those blessings, Allah says: so at the very least, worship the Lord of this House (the Ka'bah). The Ka'bah is specifically mentioned because it was the source of everything good in their lives — their status, their safe trade routes, their wealth. It would be deeply ungrateful to enjoy all the perks that come from the House of Allah while refusing to actually worship the One it belongs to.
Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear.
The surah wraps up by naming the two most fundamental human needs: food and safety. Makkah is literally in a barren desert valley where nothing grows, yet Allah made sure they never went hungry. And while the world around them was full of tribal warfare and danger, He kept them secure. These aren't small things — they're everything. The message for all of us is clear: take a second to recognize who's really behind the stability and provision in your life, and let that gratitude drive you to connect with Him.