Commentary

The word انتَبَذَتْ is derived from نَبَذ which means to throw away or to cast away. Hence, the meaning of انتَباَذَ is to withdraw from the crowd. مَكَانًا شَرْ‌قِيًّا denotes that she retired to a secluded corner of the house facing east. The purpose of her shifting to a secluded corner of the house has been differently explained. Some say she had moved there to take a bath, while others say that she had moved as usual to a secluded corner on the eastern side of her place of worship for offering her prayers. Qurtubi has given preference to the second explanation. According to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، this is the reason why the Christians face east when offering their prayers, and revere the eastern direction.