His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "Indeed, only those who maintain the mosques of Allah are those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and establish prayer and give zakah, and do not fear except Allah. It is hoped that they will be among the rightly guided." "Have you made the providing of water for the pilgrim and the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque like one who believes in Allah and the Last Day and strives in the cause of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah, and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people." The meaning in this verse is: Only those who maintain the mosques of Allah are truly worthy and obligated to do so. The wording of this verse is a report, and within it is a command to the believers to maintain the mosques. Some of the predecessors said: If you see a man maintaining the mosques, then have a good opinion of him. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "If you see a man frequenting the mosques, then testify for him with faith." The statement about the reading of "mosques" has already been mentioned. His saying: "and the Last Day, and establish prayer and give zakah" includes belief in the Messenger, as it cannot be received except from him. His saying: "and do not fear except Allah" has had the alif removed from "fears" for the sake of the jasm. Sibawayh said: "And know that the last letter, if it is to be silent in the nominative, is removed in the jasm so that the jasm does not become like the nominative." He means the fear of majesty, worship, and obedience. This is the rank of justice among people. There is no doubt that a person fears others and fears worldly dangers. It is necessary that he fears in all of that the decree of Allah and His management. And "it is hoped" from Allah is obligatory wherever it occurs in the Quran. No one hopes for guidance from Allah except one who has attained this great rank of justice. This is a strong encouragement towards piety. The majority read: "Have you made the providing of water for the pilgrim and the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque?" Ibn al-Zubayr, Abu Hamzah, Muhammad ibn Ali, and Abu Ja'far the reciter read: "Have you made the providers of water for the pilgrim and the maintainers of the Sacred Mosque?" Ibn Jubayr also read it like this, except that he placed "the mosque" in the accusative, intending to indicate the tanween in "maintainers." Al-Dahhak, Abu Wajzah, and Abu Ja'far the reciter read: "providing of water" with a damm on the sin, "and maintainers." As for those who read "providing of water" and "maintenance," there is something omitted in their speech, either at the beginning or at the end. They may intend: "Have you made the people of providing water," or they may intend: like the action of one who believes in Allah. As for those who read: "providers" and "maintainers," their reading is uniform. As for the reading of Al-Dahhak, it is the plural of "provider" except that he added the first letter, as they say: "a root and roots, a limb and limbs." Its analogy would be to say: "a provider," even if it is feminine like other plurals such as "stones" and others. The providing of water for the pilgrim was among the Banu Hashim, and Al-Abbas was in charge of it. Al-Hasan said: "When this verse was revealed, Al-Abbas said: 'I see that I will leave the providing of water.' The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: 'Continue with it, for it is good for you.'"

And the maintenance of the mosque, it was said: it is to protect it from wrongdoing in it or it is said to be abandonment. This was attributed to al-Abbas. It was said: it is the custodianship, the service of the house specifically, and it was among the Banu Abd al-Dar. It was overseen by Uthman ibn Talhah ibn Abi Talhah - and the name of Abi Talhah is Abdullah ibn Abd al-Uzza ibn Abd al-Dar - and Shaibah ibn Uthman ibn Abi Talhah mentioned. These two were the ones to whom the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, entrusted the key to the Kaaba on the second day of the conquest after al-Abbas and Ali, may Allah be pleased with them, requested it. And he, blessings and peace be upon him, said to Uthman and Shaibah: "On a day of fulfillment and righteousness, take it as a lasting inheritance; no one will dispute it with you except a wrongdoer."

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

He means by saying custodianship. People have differed regarding the reason for the revelation of this verse. It was said: The disbelievers of Quraysh said to the Jews: "We provide water for the pilgrims and maintain the house. Are we better or Muhammad and his religion?" The Jewish scholars replied to them: "Rather, you are better." Thus, the verse was revealed regarding that. It was said: The disbelievers boasted about this verse, and the verse was revealed regarding that. Al-Tabari attributed to al-Nu'man ibn Bashir that he said: "I was at the pulpit of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, with a group of his companions. One of them said: 'After Islam, I do not wish for anything except to be a servant of the pilgrims.' Another said: 'Except to be the servant of the house and its maintainer.' The third said: 'Except to be a warrior in the path of Allah.' Umar ibn al-Khattab heard them and said: 'Be quiet until I enter upon the Prophet and ask him.' He entered and asked him, and the verse was revealed regarding that."

Ibn Abbas and al-Dahhak said: The Muslims reproached the captives of Badr for their disbelief. Al-Abbas said: "Rather, we are the waterers of the pilgrim and maintainers of the house." Thus, the verse was revealed regarding that. Mujahid said: They were commanded to migrate, and al-Abbas said: "I will water the pilgrims." Uthman ibn Talhah said: "I am the doorkeeper of the Kaaba, so we will not migrate." Thus, the verse was revealed: "Have you made the watering of the pilgrim..." until His saying: "...until Allah brings about His command" [At-Tawbah: 24]. Mujahid said: And all of this was before the conquest of Mecca. Muhammad ibn Kab said: Al-Abbas, Ali, and Uthman ibn Talhah boasted. Al-Abbas said: "I am the waterer of the pilgrim." Uthman said: "I am the maintainer of the house, and if I wished, I would have stayed in it." Ali said: "I am the one who fights the disbelievers with the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and I believed and migrated early." Thus, the verse was revealed regarding that.