Translation of the meanings Ayah 108 Surah At-Tawbah - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - The Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia

Ayah: 108

لَا تَقُمۡ فِيهِ أَبَدٗاۚ لَّمَسۡجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ مِنۡ أَوَّلِ يَوۡمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِۚ فِيهِ رِجَالٞ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُواْۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُطَّهِّرِينَ

(108) Do not ever ˹Muhammad˺ stand ˹for Prayer˺ in it! Certainly, a mosque^[2233] which was founded on Mindfulness from the first day is more worthy that you stand in it^[2234]. In it are men who love to purify themselves; Allah loves those who purify themselves^[2235].

[2233] The Qubā’ Mosque, which was not far from the hypocrites’ ‘mosque’ (cf. al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī, al-Saʿdī). Other exegetes, notably al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī (al-Wajīz), state that the mosque intended here was the Prophet’s Mosque. Yet the aya is of general intent and could apply to either of these two mosques (cf. Riḍā, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[2234] ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “A single Prayer in this mosque of mine is better than a thousand Prayers in any other mosque, but the Sanctified Mosque” (Muslim: 1395). Sahl Ibn Ḥunayf (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Whoever purifies himself in his home, then comes to Qubā’ Mosque and Prays in it a Prayer, his will be the like of the reward of ʿumrah ˹lesser pilgrimage˺” (al-Nasā’ī: 699, Ibn Mājah: 1412).
[2235] “Verily Allah likes those who repeatedly repent and those who purify themselves” (2: 222).