Download PDF: [S] The Quraish are favoured

There is nothing that can be cultivated in Mecca Shareef and there were no industries in this place. In spite of this, the Quraish were a people who were wealthy and used to feed the pilgrims without being stingy. One of the secrets of these people was that they used to make two business trips on a yearly basis. During the winter months, they used to travel to Yemen and during the summer months, they used to travel to Syria. Wherever they went, people used to display immense respect for them because they were considered as the neighbours of the Ka’ba.

 

In fact, because of their uniqueness, they used to also achieve immense profit from these trips. Due to their position among the Arabs, no one attacked their caravans and they were allowed to travel anywhere. This is in spite of the fact that all around them there was always looting and murder but they were spared from this.

This fact is explained in Surah Quraish. In other words, Allah Almighty is explaining to them that as He has favoured them with such bounties that they should worship only Him. In Surah Quraish, the Qur’an declares:

 

لِاِیۡلٰفِ قُرَیۡشٍ ۙ﴿۱﴾

 

“For giving inclination to the Quraish.”

 

The inclination during both their travels of winter and summer. So they must worship the Lord of this House, the Ka’ba. The One Who gave them food in hunger, and bestowed them safety from a great fear.

 

Of course the sad part was that in spite of this special position which was given to them, most of them became ardent enemies of the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – and the Muslims. The Qur’an is also informing them of the great position which Allah Almighty had blessed them with and therefore this should be something which in the long term should attract them to the truth of Islam. Sadly, this was not the case and as history proves, many of them died fighting against the Muslims.