And remember when We designated for Ibrahim the place of the House as a refuge, meaning: a place to return to for construction and worship. The House was raised to the sky during the flood and it was made of red ruby. Allah informed Ibrahim of its location with a wind that was sent, which is said to be called Al-Khajooj: it cleared the area around it, so he built it on its original foundations. And this is the explanation. If you say: How can the prohibition of polytheism and the command to purify the House be an explanation of the designation? I say: The designation was intended for the purpose of worship, so it is as if it was said: We commanded Ibrahim, saying to him: Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House from idols and false gods and impurities that may be thrown around it. And it was read: 'he associates,' with the pronoun indicating third person.