lā taqum fīhi abadan lamasjidun ussisa ʿalā l-taqwā min awwali yawmin aḥaqqu an taqūma fīhi fīhi rijālun yuḥibbūna an yataṭahharū wal-lahu yuḥibbu l-muṭahirīna
Translation
Do not stand [for prayer] within it - ever. A mosque founded on righteousness from the first day504 is more worthy for you to stand in. Within it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allāh loves those who purify themselves.
Verse 108 of Surah At-Tawbah (9:108), a Medinan surah, is in juz 11, on page 204 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 108 of Surah At-Tawbah
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Tafsir of verse 108
Al-Mukhtasar
Do not accept, O Prophet, the invitation of the hypocrites to you to pray in this mosque which was built for immoral purposes. Rather, the Qubā’ mosque which was founded from its beginning on Mindfulness is more worthy of your praying in it than this mosque that was founded on disbelief. In the Qubā’ mosque, there are men who love to purify themselves from ritual and physical impurities with water, as well as from sins with repentance and seeking forgiveness. Allah loves those who purify themselves from ritual and physical impurities and from sins.
Never pray therein [O Prophet]. A mosque that was founded on piety81 from the first day is more deserving for you to pray therein. In it are men who love to keep themselves pure, and Allah loves those who keep themselves pure.
Notes
[81] This is the description of the Qubā’ mosque.
Never stand you therein. Verily, the mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety is more worthy that you stand therein (to pray). In it are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And Allâh loves those who make themselves clean and pure [i.e. who clean their private parts with dust (which has the properties of soap) and water from urine and stools, after answering the call of nature].
Never stand (to pray) there. A place of worship which was found upon duty (to Allah) from the first day is more worthy that thou shouldst stand (to pray) therein, wherein are men who love to purify themselves. Allah loveth the purifiers.
Never stand thou forth therein. There is a mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety; it is more worthy of the standing forth (for prayer) therein. In it are men who love to be purified; and Allah loveth those who make themselves pure.
Never stand in it; certainly a masjid founded on piety from the very first day is more deserving that you should stand in it; in it are men who love that they should be purified; and Allah loves those who purify themselves.
Do not rise up (for prayer) therein at all. Indeed a mosque that was founded on piety from the first day is worthier for you to rise up therein; in it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves the ones who keep themselves pure.
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: While the people were performing the Fajr prayer in Qubā' Mosque, someone came saying: "Tonight, (a portion of the) Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and he was ordered to face the Qiblah…
