The Quran

126

Preface

وَإِذ قالَ إِبراهيمُ رَبِّ اجعَل هٰذا بَلَدًا آمِنًا وَارزُق أَهلَهُ مِنَ الثَّمَراتِ مَن آمَنَ مِنهُم بِاللَّهِ وَاليَومِ الآخِرِ ۖ قالَ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَأُمَتِّعُهُ قَليلًا ثُمَّ أَضطَرُّهُ إِلىٰ عَذابِ النّارِ ۖ وَبِئسَ المَصيرُ

Yusuf Ali

And remember Abraham said: “My Lord, make this a City of Peace¹, and feed its people with fruits²,-such of them as believe in God and the Last Day.” He said: “(Yea), and such as reject Faith,- for a while will I grant them their pleasure, but will soon drive them to the torment of Fire,- an evil destination (indeed)!”

The root salama in the word Islam implies (among other ideas) the idea of Peace and therefore when Mecca is the city of Islam, it is also the City of Peace. The same root occurs in the latter part of the name Jerusalem, the Jewish City of Peace. When the day of Jerusalem passed (see verse 134 or 141 below). Mecca became the “New Jerusalem” ? or rather the old and original “City of Peace “ restored and made universal.
The territory of Mecca is barren and rocky, compared with, say, Ta'if, a city to the east of Mecca. A prayer for the prosperity of Mecca therefore includes a prayer for the good things of material life. (R).