Quraysh

Verses

Revelation

Makki

Period

Early Meccan

Surah No.

106 / 114

Overview

Reminds the Quraysh of Allah's favour in securing their winter and summer trading caravans, and calls them to worship the Lord of the Kaaba who fed them after hunger and secured them after fear. Many scholars read it as a continuation of Al-Fil, the elephant's destruction being the reason their trade routes stayed safe.

أسباب النزول

Occasion of Revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul)

Makkah, standing between Yemen and Syria, allowed Quraysh two annual trade journeys, south in winter and north in summer, secured by their custodianship of the Kaaba, which the surrounding tribes respected and refused to raid. Al-Tabari links the surah directly to the preceding one, reading it as one continuous statement: for the security given during the elephant's defeat, let them worship this Lord.

Key Themes

Allah's provision through the winter and summer trade caravansWorship as the rightful response to divine favourThe Lord of the Kaaba as the specific object of worship, not idolsSecurity from hunger and fear as the twin blessings namedThe connection between worldly blessing and obligation of worship

Notable Verses

106:3-4

“For the accustomed security of Quraysh, their security during winter and summer journeys, let them worship the Lord of this House.”

Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir read verses 1 and 2 as one grammatical unit leading into verse 3: the security of the caravans is presented as the reason worship is owed. The winter journey went south to Yemen, the summer journey north to Syria, and both depended on Quraysh's unmolested reputation as guardians of the Kaaba.