Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem 

Li-ilaafi quraish

Elaafihim rihlatash shitaa-i wass saif

Fal y'abudu rabba haazal-bait

Allazi at'amahum min ju'inw-wa-aamana hum min khawf

For the covenants (of security and safeguard enjoyed) by the Quraish,

Their covenants (covering) journeys by winter and summer,-

Let them adore the Lord of this House,

Who provides them with food against hunger, and with security against fear (of danger)

  To understand the Surah well it is essential that one should keep the historical background relevant to the contentsof this Surah and of Surah Al-Fil in view.The tribe of Quraish was scattered throughout Hijaz until the time of Qusayy bin Kilab, the ancestor of the HolyProphet (upon whom be Allah's peace). First of all, Qusayy gathered it in Makkah and this tribe was able to gainauthority over the Ka'bah. On that very basis Qusayy was called mujammi (uniter, assembler) by his people. This man by his sagacity and wisdom founded a city state in Makkah and made excellent arrangements for the welfareof the pilgrims coming from all over Arabia, with the result that the Quraish were able to gain great influence amongthe Arabian tribes and lands. After Qusayy the offices of the state of Makkah were divided between his sons, AbdiManaf and Abd ad-Dar, but of the two Abdi Manaf gained greater fame even during his father's lifetime and washeld in high esteem throughout Arabia. Abdi Manaf had four sons: Hashim, Abdi Shams, Al-Muttalib, and Naufal. Ofthese Hashim, father of Abdul Muttalib and grandfather of the Holy Prophet, first conceived the idea to take part inthe trade that passed between the eastern countries and Syria and Egypt through Arabia, and also to purchase thenecessities of life for the Arabians so that the tribes living by the trade route bought these from them and themerchants living in the interior of the country were attracted to the,market of Makkah. This was the time when theSasanian kingdom of Iran had captured the international trade that was carried out between the northern lands andthe eastern countries and Byzantine empire through the Persian Gulf. This had boosted up the trade activity on thetrade route leading from southern Arabia to Syria and Egypt along the Red Sea coast. As against the other Arabiancaravans, the Quraish had the advantage that the tribes on the route held them in high esteem on account off theirbeing keepers of the Ka'bah. They stood indebted to them for the great generosity with which the Quraish treatedthem in the Hajj season. That is why the Quraish felt no fear that their caravans would be robbed or harmed anywhere on the way. The tribes on the way did not even charge them the heavy transit taxes that they demanded fromthe other caravans. Hashim taking advantage of this prepared the trade scheme and made his three brotherspartners in it. Thus, Hashim obtained trade privileges from the Ghassanide king of Syria, Abdi Shams from theNegus, Al-Muttalib from the Yamanite nobles and Naufal from the governments of Iraq and Iran, and their tradebegan to flourish. That is how the four brothers became famous as traders and began to be called ashab al-ilaf(generators of love and affection) on account of their friendly relations with the tribes and states of the surroundinglands.Because of their business relations with Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Yaman and Abyssinia, the Quraish came acrosssuch opportunities and their direct contact with the culture and civilization of different countries so enhanced thelevel of their knowledge and wisdom that no tribe in Arabia could match and equal them. As regards wealth andworldly goods they became the most affluent tribe, and Makkah became the most important commercial center ofthe Arabian peninsula. Another great advantage that accrued from these international relations was that theybrought from Iraq tile script which later was used for writing down the Quran. No other Arabian tribe could boast ofso many literate people as Quraish. For these very reasons the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) said: "Quraishare the leaders of men." (Musnad Ahmad: Marwiyat Amr bin al As). And according to a tradition from Hadrat Aliin Baihaqi, the Holy Prophet said: "First the leadership of the Arabians was in the hands of the people of Himyar,then Allah withdrew it from them and gave it to Quraish".The Quraish were thus prospering and flourishing when the event of Abrahah's invasion of Makkah took place. HadAbrahah at that time succeeded in taking this holy City and destroying the Ka'bah, the glory and renown of not onlythe Quraish but of the Ka'bah itself, would have faded away, the belief of the pre-Islamic Arabia that the Houseindeed was Allah's House would have been shattered, and the high esteem in which Quraish were held for beingkeepers of the House throughout the country would have been tarnished. Then, after the Abyssinian advance toMakkah, the Byzantium also would have taken the initiative to gain control over the trade route between Syria andMakkah: and the Quraish would have been reduced to a plight worse than that in which they were involved beforeQusayy bin Kilab. But when Allah showed this manifestation of His power that the swarms of birds destroyed 60,000Abyssinian troops brought by Abrahah by pelting then, with stones, and from Makkah to Yaman they went on fallingand dying by the wayside, the faith of the Arabs that the Ka'bah indeed was Allah's House increased manifold, andthe glory and renown of Quraish too was enhanced considerably throughout the country. Now the Arabs wereconvinced that they were under Allah's special favor; therefore, they visited every part of Arabia fearlessly andpassed through every land with their trade caravans unharmed. No one could dare touch them with an evil intention.Not to speak of touching them, even if they had a non-Quraishite under their protection, he too was allowed to passunharmed.

As all this was well known in the time of the Holy Prophet's appointment to Prophethood, there was no need tomention them. That is why in the four brief sentences of this Surah, Quraish were simply asked to consider:"Whenyou yourselves acknowledge this House (i. e. the Ka'bah) to be Allah's House, and not of the idols, and when youfully well know that it is Allah alone Who has granted you peace by virtue of this House, made your trade andcommerce flourish and saving you from destitution favored you with prosperity you should then worship and serveHim alone."

Reference: Islamic Studies- Darussalam and Abul A'la Maududi, Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an