Surat At-Tawbah (107-108)

{وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ مَسْجِداً ضِرَاراً وَكُفْراً وَتَفْرِيقاً بَيْنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَاداً لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَيَحْلِفَنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلاَّ الْحُسْنَى وَاللّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ} (التوبة: 107).

107- Abu `Amir, the monk, was from Al Khazraj but he became a monk in the Pre-Islamic Period and had a respected word among his people. When Muslims gathered up around the Prophet (peace be upon him), he envied him and showed stubbornness. He fought beside polytheists in the battle of Uhud then joined the king of Rome and stayed with him. The king promised to support him, so he sent to some hypocrites that he shall bring an army to fight the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and commanded them to build a fort to be a center for their plots. The hypocrites started to build a masjid nearby Quba' Masjid and asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) to come and offer Salah therein and to invoke Allah for them with blessing. They sought the Prophet's recognition of the new masjid, but Allah protected him through sending down the revelation. After returning from Tabuk battle, the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded the masjid to be demolished. Allah (Glory be to Him) says which means: And those people who built a masjid, they did so to harm Muslims, practice their disbelief, and spread disparity among Muslims who used to offer Salah in Quba' Masjid. The new masjid was built to be a fort for harming Muslims and a command center for their operations against Muslims.

Those people swore by Allah that their intention was good which was for mentioning the name of Allah and make a room for Muslims, but Allah bears witness that they are liars in their words and actions.

{لاَ تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَداً لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى التَّقْوَى مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ فِيهِ رِجَالٌ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُواْ وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُطَّهِّرِينَ} (التوبة: 108)

108- O Prophet, do not offer Salah in that masjid. A masjid that is built on piety and obedience of Allah is more virtuous and more entitled to offer Salah therein. That Masjid was the Prophetic Masjid as was reported in the authentic Hadith. It was also said that the meaning is Masjid Quba', whereas scholars said that both masjids are meant because each one of them was built on piety from the first day.

Therein were men who like to clean and purify themselves of filth, and Allah loves those who purify themselves and they shall be honored and rewarded for their purity.

It was reported in the authentic Hadith on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Ayah was revealed about the people of Quba' who used to purify themselves with water.

This does not contradict the Hadith which says that the meaning of the masjid is the Prophetic Masjid as Al Alusy said in his commentary.