Founded on Taqwā from the First Day

The Prophet (peace be upon him), to preserve the peace of Madīnah Munawwarah, and that none might say he was killing his own people, would deal gently with them; he was very lenient with the munāfiqīn. On this occasion, however, Allah (swt) says:

Lā taqum fīhi abadā: never stand in it. La-masjidun ussisa ʿalā al-taqwā min awwali yawmin aḥaqqu an taqūma fīh: the masjid founded upon the principle of God-fearingness from the first day has more right that you should stand in it — which is Masjid Qubāʾ, close by. And then Allah says: fīhi rijālun yuḥibbūna an yataṭahharū. In it, in Masjid Qubāʾ, are men who love to be thoroughly clean.

Consider yataṭahharū: the Arabic word for ṭahārah — ṭahura, yaṭhuru — means to clean, to be clean. Yataṭahharu is an expanded form of it, an extended form, to convey an additional sense. What the ʿulamāʾ write here is that Allah has referred to them by an extended word because it conveys an extended meaning, beyond ordinary purity. Wa-llāhu yuḥibbu al-muṭṭahhirīn: Allah loves those who keep themselves thoroughly clean. For whereas others would use only clods of earth to clean themselves, as one uses tissue paper, these men, mā shāʾ Allāh, used clods and lumps of earth and water besides. They used both; and that is why Allah (swt) praises them.