An-Nur Verse 36

˹That light shines˺ through houses ˹of worship˺ which Allah has ordered to be raised, and where His Name is mentioned. He is glorified there morning and evening

[Such niches are lit] in the houses [of worship] which Allah has ordered to raise up, and where His Name is mentioned, and He is glorified therein morning and evening

in temples God has allowed to be raised up, and His Name to be commemorated therein; therein glorifying Him, in the mornings and the evenings,

shining out in houses of worship. God has ordained that they be raised high and that His name be remembered in them, with men in them celebrating His glory morning and evening:

They worship in houses which Allah has bidden to be exalted and His name to be remembered therein; they hallow Him therein in mornings and evenings-

(Lit is such a Light) in houses, which Allah hath permitted to be raised to honour; for the celebration, in them, of His name; In them is He glorified in the mornings and in the evenings, (again and again),-

(Those who obtain guidance to His light are found) in the houses which He has enjoined to raise up and to mention His name therein. In them such people glorify Him morning and evening

(The light is lit) in houses of worship which God has allowed to be raised, and His name remembered in them. His praises are sung there morning and evening,

In the houses (mosques) which Allah has commanded to erect and in which His name is taken – praising Allah in them at morn and evening,

In houses Allah has allowed to be raised and wherein His Name is celebrated; He is glorified therein, morning and evening,

(This light can best be obtained and those guided to it are found) in some houses (that are usually concealed from people’s eyes and) for which God has provided a way for them to be built and appreciated, and for His Name to be mentioned and invoked therein; in them glorify Him in the morning and evening,

(This light is now lit) in houses ( of the Companions) which Allâh has ordained to be exalted and His name be commemorated in them. Therein (are such as) glorify Him in the mornings and the evenings,

In houses/homes God permitted/allowed that (it) be raised/honoured and be mentioned/remembered in it his name; praises/glorifies to Him in it at the early morning and the evenings to sunsets.

In the houses (mosques) which Allah has commanded to erect and in which His name is taken – praising Allah in them at morn and evening,

Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; The similitude of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, and the lamp is in a glass, the glass is as though it were a brilliant star; it is lit from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the east nor of the west, the oil of which would well-nigh glow of itself though no fire touched it; light upon light! Allah guides whom He will to His Light; and Allah strikes out parables for men, and Allah knows all things.

In houses (mosques), which Allah has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be honoured), in them His Name is glorified in the mornings and in the afternoons or the evenings,

Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth. A likeness of His light is as a pillar on which is a lamp -- the lamp is in a glass, the glass is as it were a brightly shining star -- lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof gives light, though fire touch it not -- light upon light. Allah hides to His light whom He pleases. And Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Knower of all things --

In houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and that His name may be remembered in them; there glorify Him therein in the mornings and the evenings,

(This lamp is found) in houses which Allah hath allowed to be exalted and that His name shall be remembered therein. Therein do offer praise to Him at morn and evening.

(This niche) is in the houses that God has declared to be highly respected and His Name be mentioned therein in glory in the morning and evening

In houses which Allah has allowed to be raised up, and His Name to be remembered therein. In the morning and evening

In houses which Allah has ordered to be raised, in them His Name is remembered. Therein glorify Him in the mornings and in the evenings,

[They worship] in the houses which God has allowed to be raised for the remembrance of His name, morning and evening,

In houses which God has permitted to be raised, and His name is celebrated therein. He is glorified therein, morning and evening.

In houses (f buytin is semantically connected to yusabbihu, `glorify', that will follow) [whose status] God has allowed to be raised, [houses He has allowed] to be venerated, and wherein His Name is remembered, through the affirmation of His Oneness, therein [they] make glorifications (read yusabbahu, `glorifications are made', or yusabbihu, meaning `[therein] pray') to Him in the mornings (al-ghuduww is a verbal noun, meaning al-ghadawt, `the early mornings') and the evenings, the darkness, after sunset,

The Virtues of the Masjids, the Correct Etiquette, and the Virtues of Those who take care of them

Having likened the heart of the believer and what it contains of guidance and knowledge to a lamp lit with good oil shining in a clear glass, Allah then states where it belongs, which is in the Masjids, the places on earth that are most beloved to Allah. The Masjids are His houses where He Alone is worshipped.

So Allah says;

فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَن تُرْفَعَ

In houses which Allah has ordered to be raised,

meaning, Allah has commanded that they be established and that they be kept clean of any filth, idle talk or words or deeds that are inappropriate.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn Abbas concerning this Ayah;
فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَن تُرْفَعَ
(In houses which Allah has ordered to be raised), he said;

"Allah forbade idle talk in them."

This was also the view of Ikrimah, Abu Salih, Ad-Dahhak, Nafi` bin Jubayr, Abu Bakr bin Sulayman bin Abi Hathamah, Sufyan bin Husayn and others among the scholars of Tafsir.

Many Hadiths have been narrated concerning the construction of Masjids, honoring them, respecting them, and perfuming them with incense etc. This has been discussed in more detail elsewhere, and I have written a book dealing with this topic on its own, praise and blessings be to Allah. With Allah's help we will mention here a few of these Hadiths, if Allah wills. In Allah we put our trust and reliance.

Uthman bin Affan, the Commander of the faithful, may Allah be pleased with him, said;

"I heard the Messenger of Allah say;

مَنْ بَنَى مَسْجِدًا يَبْتَغِي بِهِ وَجْهَ اللهِ بَنَى اللهُ لَهُ مِثْلَهُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ

Whoever builds a Masjid seeking the Face of Allah, Allah will build for him something similar to it in Paradise.

It was narrated in the Two Sahihs.

Ibn Majah narrated that Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said;

"The Messenger of Allah said;

مَنْ بَنَى مَسْجِدًا يُذْكَرُ فِيهِ اسْمُ اللهِ بَنَى اللهُ لَهُ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ

Whoever builds a Masjid in which the Name of Allah is remembered, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.

An-Nasa'i mentioned something similar.

There are very many Hadiths which say this.

A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said;

"The Messenger of Allah commanded us to build Masjids among the houses, and to clean them and perfume them."

This was recorded by Ahmad and the Sunan compilers with the exception of An-Nasa'i.

Ahmad and Abu Dawud recorded a similar report from Samurah bin Jundub.

Al-Bukhari narrated that Umar said;

"Build for the people a place to worship Allah, and beware of using red or yellow for adornment and decoration and distracting the people thereby."

Abu Dawud narrated that Ibn Abbas said,

"The Messenger of Allah said;

مَا أُمِرْتُ بِتَشْيِيدِ الْمَسَاجِدِ

I was not commanded to Tashyid the Masjids.

Ibn Abbas said, "Decorating them as the Jews and Christians did."

Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"The Messenger of Allah said;

لَاا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يَتَبَاهَى النَّاسُ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ

The Hour will not come until people show off in building Masjids.

It was recorded by Ahmad and the compilers of the Sunan, with the exception of At-Tirmidhi.

Buraydah narrated that a man called out in the Masjid and said,

"Has any body said anything about a red camel?"

The Prophet said;

لَاا وَجَدْتَ إِنَّمَا بُنِيَتِ الْمَسَاجِدُ لِمَا بُنِيَتْ لَهُ

May you never find it! The Masjids were built only for what they were built for.

This was narrated by Muslim.

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah said;

إِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ مَنْ يَبِيعُ أَوْ يَبْتَاعُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَقُولُوا لَا أَرْبَحَ اللهُ تِجَارَتَكَ وَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ مَنْ يَنْشُدُ ضَالَّةً فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَقُولُوا لَا رَدَّهَا اللهُ عَلَيْكَ

If you see someone buying or selling in the Masjid, say to him, "May Allah never make your business profitable!"

And if you see someone calling out about lost property, say, "May Allah never return it to you!"

This was recorded by At-Tirmidhi, who said;"Hasan Gharib."

Al-Bukhari recorded that As-Sa'ib bin Yazid Al-Kindi said,

"I was standing in the Masjid and a man threw pebbles at me, so I looked and saw Umar bin Al-Khattab who said, `Go and bring me these two men.'

I went and brought them to him, and he said, `Who are you?' Or, `Where do you come from?'

They said, `We are from At-Ta'if.'

Umar said, `If you had been from this town I would have hit you, for you are raising your voices in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah."'

An-Nasa'i recorded that Ibrahim bin Abdur-Rahman bin Awf said;

"Umar heard the voice of a man in the Masjid and said;`Do you know where you are?"'

This is also Sahih.

Al-Hafiz Abu Ya`la Al-Musili recorded from Ibn Umar that Umar used to burn incense in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah every Friday.

Its chain of narration is Hasan and there is nothing wrong with it, Allah knows best.

It is confirmed in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah said;

صَلَةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي الْجَمَاعَةِ تُضَعَّفُ عَلَى صَلَتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَفِي سُوقِهِ خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِينَ ضِعْفًاوَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ إَذَا تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ وُضُوءَهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ لَا يُخْرِجُهُ إِلاَّ الصَّلَةُ لَمْ يَخْطُ خَطْوَةً إِلاَّ رُفِعَ لَهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةٌ وَحُطَّ عَنْهُ بِهَا خَطِييَةٌ فَإِذَا صَلَّى لَمْ تَزَلِ الْمَلَيِكَةُ تُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ مَا دَامَ فِي مُصَلَّهُ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ وَلَا يَزَالُ فِي صَلَةٍ مَا انْتَظَرَ الصَّلَةَ

A man's prayer in congregation is twenty-five times better than his prayer in his house or the marketplace. That is because if he performs Wudu' and does it well, then he goes out to go to the Masjid, and for no other purpose than to pray, he does not take one step but he increases in one level in status and one sin is removed. When he prays, the angels continue sending blessings on him as long as he is in the place where he prays, (they say),

"O Allah, send blessings on him, O Allah, have mercy on him."

And he will remain in a state of prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer.

The following is recorded in the Sunan;

بَشِّرِ الْمَشَّايِينَ إِلَى الْمَسَاجِدِ فِي الظُّلَمِ بِالنُّورِ التَّامِّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ


Those who walk to the Masjids when it is dark, give them the glad tidings of complete Light on the Day of Resurrection.

When entering the Masjid, it is recommended to enter with one's right foot, and to say the supplication recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari, where it is narrated from Abdullah bin `Amr that the Messenger of Allah used to say, when he entered the Masjid;

أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ الْعَظِيمِ وَبِوَجْهِهِ الْكَرِيمِ وَسُلْطَانِهِ الْقَدِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

I seek refuge with Allah Almighty and with His Noble Face, and with His Eternal Domain, from the accursed Shaytan.

He (one of the narrators) asked, `Is that all!'

He answered, `Yes'.
If he says this, the Shaytan says;"He will be protected from me all day long."
Muslim recorded that Abu Humayd or Abu Usayd said;

The Messenger of Allah said;

إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلْيَقُلْ اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ

وَإِذَا خَرَجَ فَلْيَقُلْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ

When anyone of you enters the Masjid, let him say;"O Allah, open the gates of Your mercy for me.

And when he comes out, let him say;"O Allah, I ask You of Your bounty."

An-Nasa'i also recorded this from them from the Prophet.

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said;

The Messenger of Allah said;

إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلْيُسَلِّمْ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ

وَإِذَا خَرَجَ فَلْيُسَلِّمْ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ اعْصِمْنِي مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

When anyone of you enters the Masjid, let him invoke blessings on the Prophet then let him say;"O Allah, open the gates of Your mercy for me."

When he comes out, let him invoke blessings on the Prophet and say, "O Allah, protect me from the accursed Shaytan."

This was also recorded by Ibn Majah, as well as Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibban in their Sahihs.

Allah's saying;

وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ

in them His Name is remembered.

meaning, the Name of Allah.

This is like the Ayat;

يَـبَنِى ءَادَمَ خُذُواْ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ

O Children of Adam! Take your adornment to every Masjid... (7;31)

وَأَقِيمُواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ

and you should face (Him only) in each and every Masjid, and invoke Him only making your religion sincere to Him. (7;29)

وَأَنَّ الْمَسَـجِدَ لِلَّهِ

And the Masjids are for Allah. (72;18)

وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ
(in them His Name is remembered). Ibn Abbas said,

"This means that His Book is recited therein."

يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالاْصَالِ



Therein glorify Him in the mornings and in the evenings