Surah An Naml Tafseer

The Command to worship Allah and to call People with the Qur'an

Allah commands His Messenger to say:

إِنَّمَا أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الْبَلْدَةِ الَّذِي حَرَّمَهَا وَلَهُ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ

I have been commanded only to worship the Lord of this city, Who has sanctified it and to Whom belongs everything.

This is like the Ayah,

قُلْ يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِن كُنتُمْ فِى شَكٍّ مِّن دِينِى فَلَ أَعْبُدُ الَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَـكِنْ أَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ الَّذِى يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ

Say:"O you mankind! If you are in doubt as to my religion, then (know that) I will never worship those whom you worship besides Allah. But I worship Allah Who causes you to die. (10:104)

The fact that the word "Rabb" (Lord) is connected to the word city (in the phrase "the Lord of this city") is a sign of honor and divine care for that city.

This is like the Ayah,

فَلْيَعْبُدُواْ رَبَّ هَـذَا الْبَيْتِ

الَّذِى أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ وَءَامَنَهُم مِّنْ خوْفٍ

So let them worship the Lord of this House (the Ka`bah), Who has fed them against hunger, and has made them safe from fear. (106:3-4)

الَّذِي حَرَّمَهَا

Who has sanctified it,

means, the One Who made it a sanctuary by His Law and by His decree, making it sanctified.

It was recorded in the Two Sahihs that Ibn Abbas said:

"On the day of the conquest of Makkah, the Messenger of Allah said:

إِنَّ هَذَا الْبَلَدَ حَرَّمَهُ اللهُ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضَ فَهُوَ حَرَامٌ بِحُرْمَةِ اللهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا يُعْضَدُ شَوْكُهُ وَلَا يُنَفَّرُ صَيْدُهُ وَلَا يَلْتَقِطُ لُقَطَتَهُ إِلاَّ مَنْ عَرَّفَهَا وَلَا يُخْتَلَى خَلَهَا

Verily, this city was made sacred by Allah the day He created the heavens and the earth, so it is sacred by the sanctity of Allah until the Day of Resurrection. Its thorny bushes should not be cut, its game should not be chased, and its lost property should not be picked up except by one who would announce it publicly and none is allowed to uproot its thorny shrubs..."

This was reported in Sahih, Hasan, Musnad narrations, through various routes, by such a large group that it is absolutely unquestionable, as has been explained in the appropriate place in the book Al-Ahkam, to Allah is the praise and thanks.

وَلَهُ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ

and to Whom belongs everything.

This is a statement of general application following a specific statement, i.e., He is the Lord of this city, and the Lord and Sovereign of all things, there is no god worthy of worship besides Him.

وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

And I am commanded to be from among the Muslims.

means, those who believe in Allah alone, who are sincere towards Him and who obediently follow His commands