Essence of the Holy Qur’an — Page 162
162 Chapter 106 Quraish $ 7 % ] (Revealed before Hijrah) Date of Revelation and Context This S u rah , like the preceding one, was revealed at Mecca in the early years of the Call. Though an independent S u rah , complete in all respects, its subject- matter is so closely related to S u rah Al-F i l that it has been wrongly regarded by some Commentators as its component part. In S u rah Al-F i l a brief but graphic and forceful description was given of the utter annihilation of Abrahah’s army (who had come to destroy the Ka‘bah) by a heavenly scourge which took the form of a virulent variety of smallpox. In the present S u rah God reminds the Quraish that it behoved them to worship 'the Lord of the House'—the House to serve which they were granted security from fear and hunger. In the preceding S u rah mention was made of an enemy of the Ka‘bah and of the Divine punishment that overtook him for his audacity to launch an attack on it. In this S u rah it is stated, how in the utterly bleak and arid valley of Mecca God provided the custodians of this House with every kind of food and made them secure against fear and danger.