Surah Ibrahim
Chapter 14 · Verse 37 · Revealed in Makkah
“Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful.”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ
(by Your Sacred House...) then he,
رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُواْ الصَّلوةَ
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
Brimming with wisdom, there is another prayer of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) which appears in the third verse (37) as follows: رَّبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُم مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ : 'Our Lord, I have settled some of my children in a valley of no vegetation [ nor any other obvious life support system ] close to Your sanctified House, so that, Our Lord, they may establish Salah. So, make hearts of a number of people yearn towards them [ to make them familiar with each other ], and provide them with fruits, so that they may be grateful.'
The event which marks the making of this prayer by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) goes back to the time when Allah Ta’ ala intended to have the edifice of Baytullah which was destroyed in the Deluge during the time of Sayyidna Nuh علیہ السلام reconstructed. He chose His 'friend,' Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) for this mission, arranging for him to migrate from Syria with wife, Sayyidah Hajira and son, Sayyidna Ismail (علیہ السلام) and settle down in that barren place. This he was appointed to do.
What does this verse bring up for you today?