387. Ibn `Abbas reports that some people asked the Prophet about the new moons, as to why it appears thin in the beginning and then grows bigger as the days pass by. Allah revealed this verse (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

It must be noticed that the question was about a natural phenomenon and the answer expected was an explanation of the phenomenon perhaps in astronomical terms. But Allah (swt) turned their attention from a knowledge that would have been useless to them, to what was of use to them. The answer to this particular phenomenon would have required an exposition that would have taxed the minds of the people during times when scientific truths about celestial objects was of a very primitive order. If given a scientific answer they would not have appreciated it. Even if they had, by any stretch of their imagination, it would have been of no practical use to them. So their attention was turned from what was futile to what was useful. Accordingly, the Prophet said in a hadith declared Sahih by Hakim with Dhahabi making no remarks: عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما : أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : إن الله قد جعل الأهلة مواقيت فإذا رأيتموه فصوموا و إذا رأيتموه فافطروا فإن غم عليكم فاقدروا له و اعلموا أن الأشهر لا تزيد على ثلاثين "Allah (swt) has created the moons to be a means of computing the time (and date). Therefore, start fasting with its appearance and break the fasts (after a month) with its appearance. But if you are in doubt (because of clouds) then complete your 30 days" (Au.).

Asad writes: "The reference, at this stage, to lunar months arises from the fact that the observance of several of the religious obligations instituted by Islam like the fast of Ramadan, or the pilgrimage to Mecca (which is dealt with in verses 196 203) is based on the lunar calendar, in which the months rotate through the seasons of the solar year. This fixation on the lunar calendar results in the continuous variation of the seasonal circumstances in which those religious observances are performed (e.g. the length of the fasting period between dawn and sunset, heat or cold at the time of the fast or the pilgrimage), and thus in a corresponding, periodical increase or decrease of the hardship involved."

388. Hajj was specifically mentioned because the Arabs used to alter the calendar at will, which, apart from other evils, affected the dates of this important pillar of Islam (Qurtubi).

389. It is said that in pre Islamic times when the people of Yethrib returned from a journey, or when they had put on the pilgrim's garb (ihram) for Hajj or `Umrah, they would enter their houses from the rear. They followed the practice, shared by many other tribes on other occasions too, as well as during the period of Hajj. On such occasions they either went into the house through a hole, or climbed over a wall from the rear. The Quraysh and some other leading tribes did not follow this practice though. They considered themselves exempt because they were upholders of the religion. Allah revealed this verse to abrogate the baseless practice.

It is also reported that during the Hudaybiyyah treaty the Prophet came out of (according to a version in Tabari, went in) an orchard followed by an Ansari called Qutba b. `Amir. People complained to the Prophet about Qutba's action, who was then in ihram (and not supposed to use the front door). The Prophet asked Qutba why he had done so. "Because you did so," he replied. The Prophet told him that for him it was permissible because he was "Ahmas," (someone staunchly committed to the defense of his religion). The man said: "Your religion is my religion," and Allah revealed this verse (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

390. "I.e. true piety does not consist in approaching questions of faith through a ‘back door’, as it were that is, through mere observance of the forms and periods set for the performance of various religious duties (cf. 2: 177). However important these forms and time limits may be in themselves, they do not fulfill their real purpose unless every act is approached through its spiritual ‘front door’, that is, through God consciousness. Since, metonymically, the word bab (‘door’) signifies ‘a means of access to, or of, a thing’ (see Lane I, 272), the metaphor of ‘entering a house through its door’ is often used in classical Arabic to denote a proper approach to a problem (Razi)" Asad.

Yusuf Ali has also something of this nature to note. He says: "This is a Muslim proverb now, and much might be written about its manifold meanings. (For instance) ‘If you want to achieve an object honorably, go about it openly and not by the back door.'"

Qurtubi presents a very useful point here: What Allah (swt) has not instituted as a means of gaining His Pleasure, does not become so by anyone's will or desire. He explains with Ibn Khuwayzmandad's illustration: ‘If one runs into confusion about what falls in the domain of the approved and what does not, (of those deeds that do not have explicit sanction by the Shari`ah), one has to look for the particular deed's equivalent among what have already been made obligatory or confirmed by the Sunnah. If one can find its equivalent there, then the deed in question can also be treated so (i.e. a means of gaining virtue). This is deduced from an incident of the Prophet's time. It is said that he passed by a man who was standing in the sun. He enquired about him and was told that the man was Abu Isra'il who had vowed that he would remain standing, not sit down, would not go into a shelter, would not talk to anyone and would fast on the day. The Prophet said: "Tell him he can talk, go into the shelter, sit down, but complete his fast." Thus the Prophet confirmed the man's many articles of vow what was otherwise a virtue (i.e., the fast) and invalidated the rest, which did not match with any of the virtuous acts prescribed by Islam.'

391. "Two entirely distinct, rather mutually destructive, emotions are covered by the same word ‘fear.' One is baser, selfish, and servile, always arising out of thoughts of danger to self. Fear, in this sense, is negatived in the Qur'an of all righteous and Godly persons, in verses like the following reiterated again and again: ‘No fear shall come upon them, nor will they grieve.'

"But there exists also a noble, higher, and disinterested variety of fear, which has its roots not in cowardice or timidity at all but in man's feeling of awe at what his Lord is, and in his contemplating his own utter insignificance and unworthiness. Fear, in this sense, attracts; it does not repel. It has the effect of drawing the man closer and closer to his Lord; and he entirely surrenders himself to His will. It is this `fear of Allah' that is inculcated in a thousand and one ways in the Qur'an, and is described as the master key to all success: ‘Fear Allah that ye may thrive’" (Majid).

392. Abu al `Aliyyah says this is the first of the set of verses that were revealed concerning fighting in the way of Allah. Following this revelation the Prophet (saws) fought those who fought him and let alone those who let him alone until Allah (swt) revealed the first few verses of surah al Tawbah (and other verses of this chapter) Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir.

393. "(That is), fight in the cause of His true Religion; in the cause of truth, justice, equity and humanity... to combat the dark forces of polytheism, superstition, perfidy, irreligion, and religious persecution; and not for the greed of booty or for self aggrandizement, nor yet to extend the `sphere of influence' of this country or that. Is the extermination of moral evil, in any sense, an unworthy object of war?" (Majid)

Sabuni quotes in his Rawa'e` al Bayan a poetical stanza that `Abdullah ibn Mubarak wrote to the well known ascetic Fudayl bin `Iyad: يا عابدَ الحرمين لَوْ أبْصَرْتَنا ... لَعَلِمْتَ أنكَ في العبادِة تلعبُ من كان يخضب خدَّه بدموعِه ... فَنُحورنا بدمائنا تَتَخضَّب أو كان يُتْعِبُ خَيْلَه في باطلٍ ... فخُيولنا يومَ الصبِيحة تَتْعبُ ريحُ العبيرِ لكم ونحنُ عبيرُنا ... وَهجُ السنابِك والغبارُ الأطيبُ ولَقَد أتانا من مَقَالِ نبينا ... قولٌ صَحيحٌ صادق لا يُكْذبُ لا يستوي وَغُبَارَ خيلِ الله في ... أنف امرئ ودخانَ نارٍ تَلْهَبُ هذا كتاب الله يَنْطق بيننا ... ليس الشهيدُ بمَيِّت لا يُكْذبُ O thou given to devotions in the Holy Harams, had you seen us,
You'd realize that your devotions are mere amusement.
He who dyes his cheeks with tears that roll down,
(Does he know that) with blood we dye our necks?
He who tires his horse in playful repast,
(May know that) our horses exhaust themselves on the day of spoils.
For you be the best of perfumes, but for us,
Sweeter the (aroma of) dust rising from the earth.
To us has come the saying of our Prophet
A word unerring, true, that cannot be denied
Not equal are the dust of the horses in Allah’s path
In the nostrils of a man, and the smoke of the Fire, flaming
Here is Allah’s Book speaking between us
The martyrs is not dead, a fact undeniable.

When Fudayl read these lines he broke into tears and said: ‘By Allah he admonished us!'

394. According to Ibn `Abbas, Hasan al Basri, `Umar b. `Abdul `Aziz, Muqatil b. Hayyan and others, the transgression mentioned here would include all those acts during a war that Islam has forbidden, such as mutilating the dead, killing women or the old, etc. This can be corroborated with a hadith which, as recorded by Muslim reports Buraydah (ra) as saying that the Prophet used to say: اغْزُوا بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ قَاتِلُوا مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ اغْزُوا وَ لاَ تَغُلُّوا وَلاَ تَغْدِرُوا وَلاَ تَمْثُلُوا وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا وَلِيدً "Fight in the way of Allah. Fight him who denies Allah. Fight, but do not steal from the booty, do not deceive (therein), do not mutilate the dead, and do not kill a child" (Ibn Kathir); unless of course, if women, children, old men and priests take up arms against the Muslims (Qurtubi).

(Note that the Crusading Church had sent an army of children to retrieve Jerusalem. Starting from Europe, many children died on their way, some were kidnapped, and some sold out as slaves by the Christian as they passed through their countries, and the child Crusaders failed to reach Muslim lands: Au.).

It seems this could also apply to the conquerors. Ibn Kathir reports a hadith preserved by Imam Ahmad which says that the Prophet (saws) said: "إن قومًا كانوا أهلَ ضَعْف ومسكنة، قاتلهم أهلُ تجبر وعداء، فأظهر الله أهل الضعف عليهم، فعمدوا إلى عَدُوهم فاستعملوهم وسلطوهم فأسخطوا الله عليهم إلى يوم يلقونه" "There (was the case of) a weak and poor people opposed by their strong and tyrannical enemy. Allah (swt) gave victory to the weak. But they in turn began to persecute and exploit the former oppressors. This angered Allah (and He will remain angry with them) until the Day of they meet Him."

(Haythami gives his approval to the above report: Au.)

395. According to Qatadah, Rabi`, Dahhak, Mujahid, and Ibn Zayd, by the fitnah of the original the allusion is to idolatry (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). However, another interpretation is that the allusion is to persecution (Qurtubi).

There is no doubt that "idolatry" is worse than death. In fact, even persecution is worse than death. Says Zamakhshari: "Torture and persecution that a man is subjected to is worse than slaughter. Someone asked the wise men: ‘What is worse than death?' They answered: ‘The state in which you wish for death.'"

396. Speaking of the sanctity of the Grand Mosque and its precincts, the Prophet (saws) said on the day he entered Makkah triumphant: إِنَّ هَذَا الْبَلَدَ حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ ، فَهْوَ حَرَامٌ بِحُرْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ، وَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَحِلَّ الْقِتَالُ فِيهِ لأَحَدٍ قَبْلِى ، وَلَمْ يَحِلَّ لِى إِلاَّ سَاعَةً مِنْ نَهَارٍ، فَهْوَ حَرَامٌ بِحُرْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ، لاَ يُعْضَدُ شَوْكُهُ ، وَلاَ يُنَفَّرُ صَيْدُهُ ، وَلاَ يَلْتَقِطُ لُقَطَتَهُ إِلاَّ مَنْ عَرَّفَهَا ، وَلاَ يُخْتَلَى خَلاَهُ (صحيح البخارى) "Verily Allah sanctified this city the day He created the heavens and the earth. So it will remain by the order of Allah until the Day of Judgment. Its sanctity has not been lifted save for an hour of the day - which is this hour - for me alone. And, for me too, it was made lawful for a short while. So, it will remain sanctified by the order of Allah. Its thorn is not to be uprooted, nor its wild animals disturbed. Its lost items are not to be picked up except by him who knows it, nor should its grass be uprooted.”

Another report of Bukhari adds, فَإِنْ أَحَدٌ تَرَخَّصَ لِقِتَالِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - فِيهَا فَقُولُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَذِنَ لِرَسُولِهِ ، وَلَمْ يَأْذَنْ لَكُمْ “Therefore, if anyone seeks to justify bloodshed in it in view of it being made lawful to the Messenger of Allah, tell him that Allah had made it lawful to His Messenger but has not done so for you” (Ibn Kathir from Sharh al Sunnah).

397. "(That is), God can be worshipped without fear of persecution, and none is compelled to bow down in awe before another human being" (Asad).

The Prophet said: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَقُولُوا لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ فَإِذَا قَالُوا لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ عَصَمُوا مِنِّي دِمَاءَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ إِلَّا بِحَقِّهَا وَحِسَابُهُمْ عَلَى اللَّهِ "I have been ordered to fight the people until they say, ‘There is no god save Allah.' Once they have said that, their lives and property become inviolable, save for what is Allah's right. (As for their deeds), it is for Allah to judge them" (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

(However, the opinion of some scholars is that by the word "people" in the above hadith the Prophet meant only the people of the Arabian Peninsula, who had no choice but to either accept Islam or leave the land, since two religions would not be tolerated in this land. As for the non Muslim peoples of the rest of the world, there is a difference of opinion among the scholars over whether Islam should be on the offensive or defensive with them. We shall deal with this subject in detail in surah al Anfal, in sha Allah. (See Foreword to the surah). In the present context, perhaps a few sentences from Ibn Qayyim's Zad al Ma`ad, summing up the issue, would be of interest.

“... (Fighting) was initially ‘forbidden’, then ‘permissible’, then an ‘obligation’ in the face of attack, then an ‘(unqualified) obligation’ according to one opinion, but ‘optional’ (fard kifayah) according to the majority opinion against the idolaters of all times”: Au.).

Nafi` reports that when Ibn Zubayr claimed Khilafah, two people came to Ibn `Umar and said: "People are lost. You are the son of `Umar (ibn al Khattab) and a Companion of the Prophet. What prevents you from joining forces with (this or that party)?" He replied: "Because Allah has declared my brother's blood unlawful to me." They said: "Did Allah not say, ‘And fight them until there is no fitnah?'" He replied: "Yes. We fought until there was no fitnah and the Religion became Allah's. Whereas you wish to fight until fitnah reappears and the Religion becomes other than Allah's."

Nafi` also reports another occasion (during the same turbulent period) when a man came to Ibn `Umar and said: "O Abu `Abdul Rahman! What makes you go for Hajj one year and stay back the next, but stay away from jihad in the Way of Allah, while you know its virtues?" He said: "Islam is built on five (pillars): faith in Allah and His Messenger, Prayers, zakah, Fast, and Hajj.' They said: "O Abu `Abdul Rahman! Haven't you heard Allah (swt) say: ‘And if two group of Muslims quarrel among themselves, make peace between them. But if one of them rebels against the other (after peace has been made) then, fight against that (group) which rebels, until it falls back to accepting Allah's rule.' And, at another place, ‘And fight them until there remains no fitnah.'" Ibn `Umar replied, "That we did alongside the Prophet when the Muslims were few and a man was persecuted for his religion. The pagans would either kill him or subject him to prolonged torture. That was the state until Islam grew strong." They asked him, "What do you have to say about `Uthman and `Ali?" He said: "As for `Uthman, Allah has declared that He was pleased with him, but it seems you are not pleased with him. As for `Ali, well, he was the Prophet's cousin and his son in law." Then he pointed with his finger and said: "That's his house that you see over there" (Ibn Kathir).

What he meant by pointing to the house, perhaps, is that ‘you may look at the simplicity of the house in which he lived, and compare it with your own dwellings, to know what he fought for and what you are fighting for' (Au.).

398. The zalimin of the original either means those who remain on unbelief, or those who begin hostilities against the Muslims (Qurtubi).

399. Qurtubi - who was the chief justice of Spain - takes up a practical problem at this point. It is that of wrongs done to people who do not have the lawful means to correct those wrongs. What should they do? He says in effect:

Righting the Wrongs

According to some scholars it is permissible for a man who has been wronged to retaliate and take his right secretly (if necessary), in the same measure as he was wronged. This is the opinion of Imam Shafe`i and others. According to one version it is also the opinion of Imam Malik. However, some Maliki scholars say that it is only for the judicial authorities to decide and not for the people themselves, especially in money matters, following a hadith (of Daraqutni) which says: « أَدِّ الأَمَانَةَ إِلَى مَنِ ائْتَمَنَكَ وَلاَ تَخُنْ مَنْ خَانَكَ » (رواه الطبراني في الكبير والصغير ورجال الكبير ثقات.) ‘Deliver back the trust to those who trust you. Do not deceive him who deceives you.'

(The above hadith is also in Abu Da’ud, Tirmidhi and Hakim: Au.)

This is also the opinion of Imam Abu Hanifah who rests his opinion on this hadith as well as verse 58 of surah al Nisa' which says: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا [النساء/58] ‘Allah orders you to deliver trusts back to those who trust you.' This is also the opinion of `Ata' al Khurasani. Qudamah b. al Haytham said, ‘I asked `Ata' b. Muyessarah al Khurasani: "A man owes me something. He denies it and I do not have any proof. Shall I take from his money what I think is my due?" `Ata replied: "Look. If he were to rape your maid, are you going to retaliate in the same manner?"

[The above is the opinion of Ibn `Abbas also, as stated by Ibn Kathir, who is reported to have said that after Allah (swt) gave power to Islam, Muslims should take all their disputes to judicial authorities only Au.].

However, (continues Qurtubi), the preferable opinion, which is that of Imam Shafe`i, Malik, Ibn al Mundhir and (Abu Bakr) Ibn al `Arabi, is that it is permissible to retaliate and take one's right. Such a measure will not be called deception for one is taking what is his right. The Prophet (saws) has said: « انْصُرْ أَخَاكَ ظَالِمًا أَوْ مَظْلُومًا » - صحيح البخارى ‘Help your brother: be he the oppressor or the oppressed.' To take one's right from an oppressor is to help him. Further, when Hind b. `Utbah the wife of Abu Sufyan complained to the Prophet that Abu Sufyan was a miser who did not give her enough for her and her children's maintenance, so, could she steal some money from him? He replied: ‘(You might) take from him (without his knowledge) what will suffice you and your children, in a goodly manner.' Finally, the verse in discussion is itself sufficient to substantiate this point."

The scholars also differ over whether, if one is wronged in financial affairs, can he take his right in kind. One opinion, and which seems to be the heavier, is that he may. Another opinion is that he may not since the categories are different. Some say, however, that he may calculate the equivalent in the other category and take his right. This (according to me) is the right opinion based on arguments presented above.

(Qurtubi's quote ends here).

400. Ibn `Abbas gives the following as the reason for the revelation of this verse. In the sixth year after hijrah the Prophet set out with the intention of `Umrah. He was stopped a few miles off Makkah at a place called Hudaybiyyah and refused entry. Subsequently, the Quraysh made peace with him on condition that he return to Madinah that year and come back the next, yet for three days alone. Accordingly, the Prophet set out for Makkah the next year in the month of Dhu al Qa`idah, which was one of the four consecrated months during which war was prohibited. But the Muslims feared that they might be taken by surprise and attacked, and they would not be able to retaliate because of the holy month. Allah relieved them of their anxiety by revealing this verse: "The sacred month is for the sacred month: holy things (demand) reciprocation" (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

Ibn Jarir reports Ibn Zayd as saying that this verse was abrogated by the verse that was revealed later which said (9: 36), وَقَاتِلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَافَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَافَّةً [التوبة/36] "And fight the polytheists all of them as they all fight you" and (surah al Tawbah, verse 123): يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا قَاتِلُوا الَّذِينَ يَلُونَكُمْ مِنَ الْكُفَّارِ [التوبة/123] "Fight those of the unbelievers who are nearest to you (i.e. the Arabs)." When the Prophet had done that, Allah revealed further (surah al Tawbah, verse 29):

قَاتِلُوا الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْآَخِرِ وَلَا يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَلَا يَدِينُونَ دِينَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حَتَّى يُعْطُوا الْجِزْيَةَ عَنْ يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَاغِرُونَ [التوبة/29]

"Fight those of the people of the Book who do not believe in Allah, nor the Last Day, nor do they treat as unlawful what Allah and His Messenger has made unlawful, nor they accept the true religion: of those who were given the Book, until the pay Jizyah at hand and they are subdued," meaning the Romans. Accordingly, the Prophet turned his attention to them (and went as far as Tabuk to confront them: Au.).

401. According to Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ikrimah, Suddi, Hasan al Basri, `Ata', and Dahhak, the "self destruction" of the verse refers to holding back contributions to war (Ibn Jarir).

Others believe, however, that it refers to abandoning jihad. Abu `Imran says that when Muslim armies were facing the Romans under the walls of Constantinople, a solitary Muhajir rushed into the enemy forces from one side and emerged from the other side. The people cried out: "He contributed to his destruction with his own hands." Abu Ayyub al Ansari (ra) was also present. He said: "People, you give the verse a wrong interpretation. We know very well whom the verse applies to. It was revealed concerning us. We helped the Prophet and fought along with him until Islam spread far and wide. When that happened we Ansar got together and said to ourselves: ‘Indeed Allah (swt) favored us by making us the Companions of His Messenger. We helped him until Islam spread far and wide. We gave him preference over our families, children, and property. Now that peace has prevailed let us return to our wives and children and attend to our worldly affairs. In response Allah (swt) revealed: ‘Expend in the Way of Allah and do not contribute to your destruction with your own hands.'"

Destruction, therefore, refers here to engaging oneself in worldly affairs to the neglect of jihad (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Qurtubi also discusses the case of a man who rushes into the enemy lines, or exposes himself to great dangers, whether he would be considered as one who contributed to his own destruction. He proves with the help of various incidents from the life of the Companions and their Followers that the man's actions will not be considered so, even if he loses his life, so long as he is sincere in seeking Allah's Pleasure, and sure that if captured alive and tortured, he will not cause any harm to the Muslims or to his own religion.

402. Hajj: Hajj is Pilgrimage to Makkah. As a precondition the pilgrim puts on ihram (or pilgrim's garb normally two seamless cloaks) before entering into Makkan territory, known as mawaqit. It starts with a few hours stay in the plains of `Arafah (about 15 km off Makkah) on the ninth day of the 12th Islamic month (Dhu al Hijjah). He engages himself there in prayers and supplications. By sunset he proceeds to the Muzdalifah plain and spends the night there, either resting or engaged in prayers and supplications. The next day, (the tenth of Dhu al Hijjah) he proceeds to the valley of Mina where he stones Shaytan on three consecutive days (at spots Ibrahim stoned him for trying to tempt him away from the sacrifice of his son). Subsequent to the stoning on the first day in Mina, the pilgrim sacrifices an animal, shaves his head (or cuts the hair short; which women also do, shaving being disallowed for them), removes his ihram to wear ordinary clothes. One of these days he goes up to Makkah (about 12 15 km) to circumambulate the Ka`ba and walk seven times between Safa and Marwah (hillocks between which Hajar ran, centuries back, in search of water). He returns to Mina to spend two more days stoning the Shaytan everyday. With that the Hajj terminates, having lasted four days. Hajj is obligatory once in a life time on every Muslim who can afford the journey. Originally instituted by Ibrahim (saws) it was also practiced by the pre Islamic Arabs but in a corrupt form.

`Umrah: `Umrah is lesser Pilgrimage which consists in donning the ihram, circumambulating the House seven times, walking between the hills Safa and Marwah and shaving off the hair (or cutting it short). With that `Umrah is complete. It can be performed at any time during the year, and, according to most jurists, is not obligatory though highly recommended: Au.).

Majid quotes Hitti: "The socializing influence of such a gathering of the brotherhood of believers from the four quarters of the earth is hard to over estimate. It afforded opportunity for Negroes, Berbers, Chinese, Persians, Syrians, Turks, Arabs rich and poor, high and low to fraternize and meet together on the common ground of faith."

The verse itself has been interpreted in various ways. (i) Complete the Hajj and `Umrah rites once you have begun them. (ii) Intend nothing else save Hajj or `Umrah while starting for them and (iii) Perform Hajj and `Umrah for Allah alone (Ibn Jarir).

The third interpretation is in view of the practice of the pre Islamic Arabs who used to perform Hajj to display pride, assemble on the Hajj sites to boast of the glory of their forefathers, or engage in commerce, never intending to please Allah (Qurtubi).

403. Hajj is a very complicated rite. Ibn Jarir devotes over 25 pages presenting the views of various scholars in explanation of this verse alone. The preferred opinion regarding this portion of the verse is as follows: If one is prevented from proceeding to Hajj or `Umrah by reasons beyond his control such as sickness, war etc., he might send forward a sacrifice to the Haram, shave his head (or cut short the hair) and remove his pilgrim's clothes (ihram) as soon as the sacrifice has reached the Haram and has been slaughtered. It is incumbent upon him, however, to perform another Hajj or `Umrah later, when circumstances permit.

404. As it happened with Ka`b b. `Ujrah whose head was full of lice. He complained to the Prophet (saws) and he told him to shave and in redemption either fast three days, feed six poor persons, or sacrifice a goat (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

405. This injunction applies to those who combine Hajj and `Umrah (either in the form of Tamattu` or Qiran: see Fiqh books for further details). A sacrifice (in gratitude) is incumbent upon them. But if they be poor and cannot afford a sacrifice, they may fast for three days during Hajj, and seven after returning home (Ibn Kathir).

406. Commenting on the word "kamilan" of the original (rendered as: "in all"), Imam Razi first quotes the objection of the antagonists who say that we know that three plus seven is ten. Why did Allah (swt) add "kamilan?" Is not the word redundant? Then he answers that one possible explanation, apart from others, is that the word "kamilan" qualifies the Hajj in which sacrifice was offered. The Hajj became "kamil" (complete in all sense) rather than "ghayr kamil," (incomplete, or lacking in perfection, when sacrifice was not offered).