إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ فَعَسَى أُولَئِكَ أَن يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ
Only those shall maintain Allah’s mosques who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and maintain the prayer, and give the zakat, and fear no one except Allah. They, hopefully, will be among the guided.
Agha Ali Puya Commentary
Commentary on Quran 9:18
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 9:18] It is with reference to the superiority of Ahl ul Bayt, the ideal believers, as compared with those who boasted about their customary privileges that these verses were revealed. Wahidi and Suyuti and other commentators have reported that one day Abbas ibn Abd al Muttalib and Talhah ibn Shaybah boasted with one another about their special privileges and honours. Talha said: "I am the keeper of the sacred Ka-bah and I have its keys in my charge." Abbas said: "I am the trustee of the sacred well of Zamzam, and the privilege of supplying water to the pilgrims belongs to me." Ali said: "I do not understand why you take pride in these things. I started saying my prayers seven years before you and I am a warrior who fights for the cause of Allah." On that occasion verse 19 was revealed.