ONE AYAT A DAY
وَاِذْ يَرْفَعُ اِبْرٰهٖمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَاِسْمٰعِيْلُۗ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا ۗ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ السَّمِيْعُ الْعَلِيْمُ
Wa iż yarfa‘u ibrāhīmul-qawā‘ida minal-baiti wa ismā‘īl(u), rabbanā taqabbal minnā, innaka antas-samī‘ul-‘alīm(u).
And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], "Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing.
The Command to purify the HouseAl-Hasan Al-Basri said that,وَعَهِدْنَآ إِلَى إِبْرَهِيمَ وَإِسْمَـعِيلَ(And We gave Our 'Ahd (command) to Ibrahim and Isma`il) means, "Allah ordered them to purify it from all filth and impurities, of which none should ever touch it." Also, Ibn Jurayj said, "I said to `Ata', `What is Allah's `Ahd' He said, `His command."' Also, Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَالْعَـكِفِينَ(that they should purify My House (the Ka`bah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I`tikaf)) "Purify it from the idols." Further, Mujahid and Sa`id bin Jubayr said that,طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ(purify My House for those who are circumambulating it) means, "From the idols, sexual activity, false witness and sins of all kinds."Allah said,لِلطَّآئِفِينَ(for those who are performing Tawaf (circumambulating) it).The Tawaf around the House is a well-established ritual, Sa`id bin Jubayr said that,لِلطَّآئِفِينَ(for those who are circumambulating it) means, strangers (he means who do not live in Makkah), while;وَالْعَـكِفِينَ(or staying (I`tikaf)) is about those who live in the area of the Sacred House. Also, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said that I`tikaf is in reference to those who live in the area of the House, just as Sa`id bin Jubayr stated. Allah said,وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ(or bowing or pr…