Surah Quraysh

My prayer reflection inspired some tafseer of this chapter at last.  The short and oft overlooked Surah Al-Quraish has some interesting elements to it.  If we look at history we can see that this was ultimately a tawheed guidance away from polytheism:لِإِيلَافِ قُرَيْشٍ ﴿١﴾ إِيلَافِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاءِ وَالصَّيْفِ ﴿٢﴾ فَلْيَعْبُدُوارَبَّ هَـٰذَا الْبَيْتِ ﴿٣﴾ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُم مِّنْ خَوْفٍ ﴿٤﴾

For the accustomed security of the Quraysh - (1) Their accustomed security [in] the caravan of winter and summer - (2) Let them worship the Lord of this House, (3) Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear. (4)

So let us analyze carefully.  The Quraysh provided protection and food to the pilgrims who made pilgrimage to the Ka`bah.  They also needed safety and food themselves hence trading with caravans.  But the conclusion of the verse makes plain and clear that it was Allah subhanahu wa ta`alaa who fed and protected them as well as those pilgrims and not something simply from their own labors nor their idols they worshiped.  It is the Lord of this House and not some manmade Lord they had found their forefathers worshipping.  The food and safety are the two major elements of pilgrimage as well as travelling for trading in caravans as well as being the key aspects of true hospitality.  Yet Allah is asking us to reflect on the this and to be grateful and thankful to Him and His majesty who brought Abraham AS to built the Ka`bah in the first place.  Furthermore we get accustomed to being secure and take it for granted so much that we forget to appreciate it.

This simple and seemingly straight forward and short factual chapter of the Qur'an has deeper meaning if you reflect.  And the deeper reflected meaning bears more consequence and understanding than the shallow or superficial one.  I often found this chapter to be mysterious as to its relevance.  But it is completely relevant when you think about it and put it in context.  We make journeys and we are hospitable to those who make journeys or at least we should be.  It is the giving and receiving end of travelling and pilgrimage for business or spiritual purposes.  And Allah is reminding us who it is who provides so we can undergo and embark on those things.

Lessons of this surah:

1) Do not take protection, safety and security for granted.

2) Hospitality is rewarded with food and security.

3) Travelling and hospitality are opposite acts in some respect and one should be encouraged to take for the sake of Allah and then give back to the community and world for the sake of Allah.

4) Food and security come only from Allah.

5) The Lord of the House (Ka`bah) is Allah, who is one, not associated with any partners.

6) Doing business for making or helping others make pilgrimage is a good act.

7) Pure monotheistic worship is a great act of giving thanks and appreciation.