Surah 22. Al-Haj

---

Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-22 [2], 23-25 [3], 26-33 [4], 34-38 [5], 39-48 [6], 49-57 [7], 58-64 [8], 65-72 [9], 73-78 [10]

---

Quran Text of Verse 26-33وَ اِذْAnd whenبَوَّاْنَاWe assignedلِاِبْرٰهِیْمَto Ibrahimمَكَانَ(the) siteالْبَیْتِ(of) the HouseاَنْThatلَّا(do) notتُشْرِكْassociateبِیْwith Meشَیْـًٔاanythingوَّ طَهِّرْand purifyبَیْتِیَMy Houseلِلطَّآىِٕفِیْنَfor those who circumambulateوَ الْقَآىِٕمِیْنَand those who standوَ الرُّكَّعِand those who bowالسُّجُوْدِ (and) those who prostrate وَ اَذِّنْAnd proclaimفِیtoالنَّاسِ[the] mankindبِالْحَجِّ[of] the Pilgrimageیَاْتُوْكَthey will come to youرِجَالًا(on) footوَّ عَلٰیand onكُلِّeveryضَامِرٍlean camelیَّاْتِیْنَthey will comeمِنْfromكُلِّeveryفَجٍّmountain highwayعَمِیْقٍۙdistant لِّیَشْهَدُوْاThat they may witnessمَنَافِعَbenefitsلَهُمْfor themوَ یَذْكُرُواand mentionاسْمَ(the) nameاللّٰهِ(of) AllahفِیْۤonاَیَّامٍdaysمَّعْلُوْمٰتٍknownعَلٰیoverمَاwhatرَزَقَهُمْHe has provided themمِّنْۢofبَهِیْمَةِ(the) beastالْاَنْعَامِ ۚ(of) cattleفَكُلُوْاSo eatمِنْهَاof themوَ اَطْعِمُواand feedالْبَآىِٕسَthe miserableالْفَقِیْرَؗthe poor ثُمَّThenلْیَقْضُوْاlet them completeتَفَثَهُمْtheir prescribed dutiesوَ لْیُوْفُوْاand fulfilنُذُوْرَهُمْtheir vowsوَ لْیَطَّوَّفُوْاand circumambulateبِالْبَیْتِthe Houseالْعَتِیْقِ [the] Ancient ذٰلِكَ ۗThatوَ مَنْand whoeverیُّعَظِّمْhonorsحُرُمٰتِ(the) sacred ritesاللّٰهِ(of) Allahفَهُوَthen itخَیْرٌ(is) bestلَّهٗfor himعِنْدَnearرَبِّهٖ ؕhis Lordوَ اُحِلَّتْAnd are made lawfulلَكُمُto youالْاَنْعَامُthe cattleاِلَّاexceptمَاwhatیُتْلٰیis recitedعَلَیْكُمْto youفَاجْتَنِبُواSo avoidالرِّجْسَthe abominationمِنَofالْاَوْثَانِthe idolsوَ اجْتَنِبُوْاand avoidقَوْلَ(the) wordالزُّوْرِۙfalse 22. Al-Haj Page 336حُنَفَآءَBeing uprightلِلّٰهِto Allahغَیْرَnotمُشْرِكِیْنَassociating partnersبِهٖ ؕwith Himوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیُّشْرِكْassociates partnersبِاللّٰهِwith Allahفَكَاَنَّمَاthen (it is) as thoughخَرَّhe had fallenمِنَfromالسَّمَآءِthe skyفَتَخْطَفُهُand (had) snatched himالطَّیْرُthe birdsاَوْorتَهْوِیْhad blownبِهِhimالرِّیْحُthe windفِیْtoمَكَانٍa placeسَحِیْقٍ far off ذٰلِكَ ۗThatوَ مَنْand whoeverیُّعَظِّمْhonorsشَعَآىِٕرَ(the) Symbolsاللّٰهِ(of) Allahفَاِنَّهَاthen indeed itمِنْ(is) fromتَقْوَی(the) pietyالْقُلُوْبِ (of) the hearts لَكُمْFor youفِیْهَاthereinمَنَافِعُ(are) benefitsاِلٰۤیforاَجَلٍa termمُّسَمًّیappointedثُمَّthenمَحِلُّهَاۤtheir place of sacrificeاِلَی(is) atالْبَیْتِthe Houseالْعَتِیْقِ۠the Ancient

---

Translation of Verse 26-33

(22:26) Call to mind when We assigned to Abraham the site of the House (Kabah), directing him: "Do not associate aught with Me" and "Keep My House pure for those who walk around it,⁴⁵ and for those who stand and who bow down and who prostrate themselves (in worship),

(22:27) and publicly proclaim Pilgrimage for all mankind so that they come to you on foot and mounted on lean⁴⁶ camels⁴⁷ from every distant point

(22:28) to witness the benefits in store for them,⁴⁸ and pronounce the name of Allah during the appointed days over the cattle that He has provided them.⁴⁹ So eat of it and feed the distressed and the needy.⁵⁰

(22:29) Thereafter, let them tidy up⁵¹ and fulfil their vows⁵² and circumambulate the Ancient House."⁵³

(22:30) Such (was the purpose of building the Kabah). Whosoever, then, venerates Allah's sanctities will find it to be good for him in the sight of his Lord.⁵⁴ Cattle have been made lawful for you⁵⁵ except those mentioned to you (as unlawful).⁵⁶ So shun the abomination of idols⁵⁷ and shun all words of falsehood.⁵⁸

(22:31) Become exclusively devoted to Allah, ascribing Divinity to none other than Him. Whoso ascribes Divinity to aught beside Allah, it is as though he fell down from the sky whereafter either the birds will snatch him away, or the wind will sweep him to a distant place⁵⁹ (causing him to be shattered to pieces).

(22:32) Such is the fact. And whoso venerates the sanctity of all that have been ordained as symbols⁶⁰ of Allah surely does so because it is part of the true piety of the hearts.⁶¹

(22:33) You may derive benefit (from sacrificial animals) until an appointed time.⁶² Thereafter their place (of sacrifice) is near the Ancient House.⁶³

---

Commentary

45. According to some commentators, this marks the end of the commandment addressed to the Prophet Abraham (peace be on him). They ‘consider the commandment concerning the proclamation of Hajj (verse 26) to be part-of God’s command addressed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). (See Alusi’s comments on the verse — Ed.) It appears from the context, however, that this last verse is also addressed to the Prophet Abraham (peace be on him), constituting as it does, a part of the command directed to him at the time of the construction of the Ka‘bah. Moreover, it is evident from the thrust of the above discourse that the Ka‘bah was constructed, from the very beginning, for the sole purpose of worshipping the One True God, and, hence, a general summons was made to all devotees of God to perform Hajj.

46. Damir, the word used in the verse, denotes a lean and thin camel. (See Lisan al-‘Arab, q.v. d-m-r — Ed.) The purpose of using such an expression is to portray pilgrims who journey to the Holy Mosque from far-off lands. The result is that their camels become frail because of the long and strenuous journey during which they are deprived of both food and water.

47, This marks the end of the command which was originally given to the Prophet Abraham (peace be on him). A new directive was, however, added in ‘order to elaborate the original command. Our view that this addition was made is based on the fact that the earlier discourse concludes with the directive to circumambulate the ancient House of God. It is obvious that this could not have been enjoined at the time of the construction of the Ka‘bah. For further details regarding the construction of the Ka‘bah by the Prophet Abraham (peace be on him) see Towards Understanding the Qur’an, vol. 1, al-Baqarah 2: 125-9; Al ‘Imran 3: 96-7 and vol. IV, Ibrahim 14; 35-41.

48. This signifies both religious and worldly benefits. It was precisely because of the blessings of Ka‘bah and Hajj that ever since the days of the Prophet Abraham (peace be on him), for a period spanning two and a half thousand years the people of Arabia have had a powerful focal point for their unity, one which preserved their wider Arab identity and prevented it from dissipation under the impact of tribal particularisms. By keeping themselves attached with this center and thanks to Hajj which brought people from all parts of the Arabian Peninsula to Makka, their language and culture remained much the same, and they were also able to retain their Arab consciousness. Moreover, they also had the opportunity to exchange views and transmit information and cultural mores. Again, this was due to the great blessing of Hajj, in that the Arabs enjoyed at least four months of absolute peace in their land in an age of rampant lawlessness. Ultimately, this ensured security of travel for individuals and trade caravans. Hajj was also a great blessing for the economic life of the Arabs. For further details - see Towards Understanding the Qur’an, vol. 1, Al ‘Imran 3, nn. 80-1, p. 274 and vol. Il, al-Nisa’ 4, nn. 90-6, pp. 46-7 and al-Maidah 5, n. 113, pp. 195-6.

After the advent of Islam, the advantages of Hajj became manifold. Initially, it was a blessing for the Arabs alone. But now Muslims the world over became the recipients of its blessings.

49. The expression bahimat al-an‘am denotes cattle such as camels, oxen, sheep and goats as is clearly stated in al-An‘am 6: 142-4.

That the name of God should be pronounced over those animals means that the name of God should be pronounced while slaughtering them. This is mentioned in the phrase that follows.

The allegorical expression ‘to pronounce the name of Allah over the cattle Allah has provided them’ has been employed throughout the Qur’an in connection with sacrificial animals. On all such occasions when this expression has been used, people are told that slaughtering these animals without pronouncing the name of God over them, or slaughtering them in the name of anyone other than God, is a characteristic practice of unbelievers and polytheists. On the contrary a Muslim can only slaughter an animal after pronouncing the name of God. Similarly, whenever he makes a sacrificial offering, he is required to consecrate it to God.

There is disagreement as to which days are meant by the ‘appointed days’ mentioned in this verse. According to one view, the expression signifies the first ten days of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. This view was held by ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, Hasan al-Basri, Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i, Qatadah and several other Companions and Successors. Abu Hanifah too subscribes to this view. We also find a statement from Shafi‘i and Ahmad ibn Hanbal in support of it. According to another statement by Shafi‘i and Ahmad ibn Hanbal the expression refers to the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah and the three days following. This variation is also supported by ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar, Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i, Hasan al-Basri, and ‘Ata’.

According to the third view, the expression signifies three days, from the 10th to the 12th of Dhu al-Hijjah. Reports on the authority of ‘Umar ibn al- Khattab, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar, ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, Anas ibn Malik, Abu Hurayrah, Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyab and Sa‘id ibn Jubayr are cited in this respect. Among jurists, Sufyan al-Thawri, Malik, Abi Yasuf and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani also hold this view. This is also accepted by the Hanafi and Maliki schools.

There are, however, some isolated opinions on the subject. For instance, the ‘appointed days’, according to some, end with the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah. According to others, the ‘appointed days’ include the subsequent day (i.e. the 11th of Dhu al-Hijjah) that is, one may sacrifice animals up until that day. These statements, however, are considered tenuous insofar as they are not supported by strong evidence. (See the comments of Ibn Kathir, Alusi and Qurtubi on the verse — Ed.)

50. Some scholars have interpreted the statement *. . . eat of it and feed the distressed and the needy ....’ to mean that both eating and feeding are obligatory since the directive is couched in the imperative. According to others, this statement means that while it is desirable that he who makes the sacrifice should also eat of the sacrificial animal, what is obligatory is to feed others. This view is held by Shafi‘i and Malik.

In the opinion of some other scholars, it is mustahab (recommended, desirable) that one should both eat of the sacrificed animal and feed others. The reason for this desirability being that in the time of Jahiliyah people considered it unlawful to partake of the meat of sacrificial animals.

As for feeding others, this is desirable because it helps and-supports the poor. This is the opinion of Abu Hanifah. Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, however, cites the statements of Hasan al-Basri, ‘Ata’, Mujahid and Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i to the effect that the imperative mode of the verse does not make it obligatory to partake of the animal. According to them, this command belongs to the category of the. following commands in the Qur’an (which simply indicate the permissibility of the acts in question even though they are couched in the imperative form — Ed.)

But once you are free from Pilgrimage restrictions, then hunt (al-Ma'idah 5: 2).

And when the. Prayer is finished, disperse through the land and seek of Allah’s bounty (al-Jumu‘ah 62: 10).

As is evident from verse 5: 2 the imperative to ‘hunt’ does not make it obligatory for everyone to hunt after being released from the restrictions of ihram. It is also evident from verse 62: 10 that the imperative to ‘disperse through the land’ after the Friday Prayer is over is not of an obligatory character. What is meant by the imperative is that there is no harm in doing so. Since some people considered it unlawful to partake of sacrificial meat, they are in effect being told that there is no such prohibition. (See Jassas, ‘Bab fi Akl luhum al-Hadaya’, vol. 3, p. 235 -— Ed.) Additionally, the injunction that the distressed and needy should be fed does not mean that the rich and the- prosperous may not be offered anything of the sacrificial animals. It is perfectly lawful to distribute sacrificial meat among one’s friends, neighbors, and relatives, regardless of whether they are needy or not.

This view is supported by the practice of the Companions. According to ‘Alqamah, ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud sent his sacrificial animals through him and directed him to slaughter them on the Day of Sacrifice, partake of them, distribute them among the needy, and also send of them to his brother’s house (i.e. the house of ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud’s brother — Ed.). A statement has come down on the authority of ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar that one-third of this meat should be consumed, one third distributed among neighbors, and one-third given to the needy.

51. On the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah, the Day of Sacrifice, after, the pilgrims are finished offering their sacrifices, they may remove their ihram, have their hair cut, and take a bath; in sum, the offering of the sacrifice marks the end of the "restrictions which are binding upon pilgrims while they are in a state of ihram.

The word tafath literally means the dirt and filth caused by travelling. However, in the context of Hajj the usage carries a special meaning which is alluded to above. For, as long as a pilgrim does not complete certain rituals of Hajj and sacrifice, he may neither cut his hair, clip his nails, nor clean his body in certain other ways (such as removing the hair from his armpits, etc. — Ed.). It may be noted in this regard that even after a pilgrim has offered sacrifice and become free of the restrictions imposed on him, one restriction nonetheless still remains: he may not have sexual intercourse with his spouse until the completion of tawaf alifadah.

52. This refers to the vow which a person might have made on this occasion.

53. The expression ‘ancient house’ for the Ka‘bah is significant. To say that some place is ‘atiq (ancient) conveys the following meanings in Arabic: (1) that it is hallowed by time; (2) that it is independent and does not form anyone’s property; and (3) that it is an object of reverence and veneration. All these apply to the place for which the word ‘atiq is used in the verse. The word tawaf here signifies tawaf al-ifadah or tawaf al-ziyarah which is performed after one has made the sacrificial offering on the Day of Sacrifice, and after one has removed the pilgrim’s garb. This Qur’ anic statement further underlines that this particular tawaf should be performed after one has offered the sacrifice, removed the ihram and taken a bath.

54. Apparently this is a general exhortation: that everyone should honor the restrictions laid down by God. In the present context, however, the restrictions meant are those enjoined in connection with the Holy Mosque of Makka, Hajj, ‘Umrah, the Haram and the Haram of Makka. Moreover, this verse also subtly reproaches the Quraysh who were guilty of driving the Muslims away from the Holy Mosque, of barring them from performing Hajj and of overlaying Hajj with polytheistic practices. Likewise, they are reproached for polluting the House of God with polytheism and the desecration of many of those sanctities which were laid down in the time of Abraham (peace be on him).

55. The statement that ‘Cattle have been made lawful to you except those mentioned to you as unlawful’ is made for two purposes. One, that the Quraysh and the polytheists of Arabia considered bahirah, sa’ibah, wasilah and ham among the animals that were inviolable. It was, therefore, made clear that no sanctity was attached to them; that it was lawful to slaughter all cattle, including these. Second, since the hunting, of animals is forbidden in the state of ihram, it is necessary to clarify that slaughtering cattle and eating them is not forbidden. The main purpose of this above verse, then, is to make these clarifications.

56. This refers to the injunctions about prohibiting the eating of carcasses, blood, the flesh of swine, and animals slaughtered in the name of anything other than God. See al-An‘am 6: 145 and al-Nahl 16: 115.

57. One ought to shun worship of idols in the manner a man of sound instinct is repelled by, and tries to flee from, filth. The implicit suggestion being that idols are an abomination and no sooner a person approaches them, then he is contaminated with that filth.

58. The words here seem to have a general import and signify that every kind of falsehood, slander and false testimony is forbidden. However, in the present context, these words are specifically aimed at denouncing the false beliefs, norms, practices and superstitions which are rooted in unbelief and polytheism. To associate others with God in His Divinity and to hold any of God’s creatures as His partners in His essence, attributes, rights and authority is the greatest conceivable falsehood and this is denounced here. This denunciation also embraces the falsehood that had misled the polytheists of Arabia into believing that it was unlawful to kill bahirah, ham, etc., for human beings have no right to declare, of their own accord, anything to be lawful or unlawful, as the Qur’an says: ‘And do not utter falsehoods by letting your tongues declare: “This is lawful” and “that is unlawful”, thus fabricating lies against Allah’ (al-Nahl 16: 116).

Likewise, the interdiction contained in this verse also covers false oaths and false testimonies. This point is further elaborated in the following hadith: ‘False testimony amounts to associating others with God in His Divinity.’ The Prophet (peace be on him) said so and supported it by reference to the above verse. According to Islamic Law, false testimony is a cognizable offence. Abu Yasuf and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani are of the opinion that if anyone is convicted of false testimony by a court, this should be made public and the person so convicted should be sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab also held this opinion and applied it. According to Makhul, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said: ‘He [i.e. the culprit] should be flogged, his head should be shaved, his face should be blackened, and he should be subjected to long-term imprisonment.’ (See Jassas, ‘Bab Shahadat al-Zur’, vol. 3, p. 241, Ibn Kathir, vol. 3, p. 220, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 4, p. 178 - Ed.) ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Amir narrates from his father that once a person was convicted by ‘Umar ibn al- Khattab of false testimony whereupon he got him to stand in a public place and had it proclaimed that the person concerned, the son of so and so, was guilty of false testimony, and that he should be known as such. Thereafter, he imprisoned him. (See Jassas, ‘Bab Shahadat al-Zur’, vol. 3, p. 242 - Ed.) In our time, this purpose can be served by publicizing the same in newspapers (and via electronic media — Ed.).

59, The word ‘sky’ in this parable stands for the natural state of man wherein he is the servant of none except God and his nature recognizes no other doctrine than this, i.e. the doctrine of pure monotheism. When a man embraces the guidance brought by the Prophets, it helps him adhere to monotheism on the grounds of knowledge and sound insight and this carries him to even greater heights. On the other hand, when someone embraces polytheism or atheism, he falls away from this natural state-and is then confronted with either of the following two situations. First, that Satan and those who are out to misguide others, those who are metaphorically called ‘birds’ in the above account, pounce upon him, each trying to snatch him away. Second, that he is carried to and fro by his lusts, emotions and fancies, all of which are likened in the above verse to the wind, with the result that he is ultimately hurled into some abysmal ditch.

The word sahiq used here is derived from the root s-h-q which signifies to grind’ (see s-h-q in Lisan al-‘Arab — Ed.). A place can be termed as-sahiq, if it is so deep that anything that falls into it is reduced to particles. Here, a depraved state of thought and action is likened to a ditch, where he who falls in is blown to pieces.

60. Reflective of the manifestations of God-consciousness are deeds such as Prayer, fasting and Hajj, or such objects as mosques and sacrificial animals. For further details, see Towards Understanding the Qur’an, vol. Il, al-Ma’idah 5, n. 5, pp. 128-9.

61. That someone ‘venerates’ the symbols of God is indicative of his inner piety. It shows that he is possessed of some degree of God-consciousness which prompts him to revere God’s symbols. In other words, if someone deliberately desecrates God’s symbols, this shows a lack of God-consciousness in him. It indicates either that he lacks belief in God; or if there is in him any vestige of belief in God, he is bent upon adopting a rebellious posture towards Him.1

1. The sequence of notes in the text here deviates from the original translation of the Qur’anic text of Sayyid Mawdudi in Tafhim al-Qur’an. We have indicated number 61 before 60 in the English translation of the Qur’anic text in order that those readers who wish to compare the notes in English with those of the original Urdu are not confused — Ed.

62. The preceding verse sets out a general directive: that the symbols of God should be revered, characterizing such reverence as a manifestation of inner piety. The present statement, which follows the previous one, seeks to rectify a common misunderstanding. Sacrificial animals are, as we know, one of God’s symbols, a fact that was recognized by the pre-Islamic Arabs, and has been affirmed in this very surah of the Qur’an: ‘We have appointed sacrificial camels among the symbols of [devotion to] Allah’ (22: 36).

It was, however, not quite clear as to what were the practical implications of recognizing sacrificial animals as the symbols of devotion to God. Several questions arise in this respect: when sacrificial animals are being taken to the Ka‘bah, is it unlawful to derive any benefit from them? Is it sacrilegious to use them for riding or to employ them to transport goods, to milk them, and consume their milk? The Arabs of the time had misperceptions. The result being that they would take great care of sacrificial animals while leading them to the place of sacrifice. They considered it sinful to make any use of them whatsoever en route. The present verse, removing those misperceptions, affirms that one may benefit from the animals consecrated for sacrifice en route to the place of sacrifice; that to do so is not at all a derogation of God’s symbols. This point is also corroborated by the traditions which have been transmitted by Abu Hurayrah and Anas ibn Malik. According to them, the Prophet (peace be on him) once saw someone walking, holding the rein of the camel in his hand, and that he asked him to ride the camel. The man replied that the camel was meant for sacrifice. The Prophet (peace be on him) nevertheless told him to use it for riding. (See Jassas, ‘Bab Rukub al-Badnah’, vol. 3, p. 242 - Ed.)

As for the expression ‘until an appointed time’; this means ‘up until the time when an animal is consecrated for sacrifice’. This-is the opinion of such commentators as ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, Qatadah, Mujahid, Dahhak and ‘Ata’. According to this interpretation, a person may benefit from these animals as long as he does not set them apart for sacrifice. But once he has designated them as sacrificial animals with the intention of taking them to the Ka‘bah, he forfeits the right to benefit from them. (See Jassas, ‘Bab Rukub al-Badnah’, vol. 3, p .242 and Ibn Kathir, vol. 3, p. 221 — Ed.) Such an interpretation, however, does not seem correct. Had this been the case, the Qur’ nic permission above to benefit from them would be pointless. After all, there. was never any confusion about benefitting from animals other than those consecrated for sacrifice, and quite evidently, the Qur’ anic permission relates specifically to such animals. Moreover, the verse pointedly deals with animals to whom the appellation ‘the symbols of God’ might apply, and this applies only to those animals that had already been consecrated for sacrifice. Some other commentators such as ‘Urwah ibn al- Zubayr and ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah are of the opinion that the ‘appointed time’ refers to the time of sacrifice. Before the actual sacrifice one may use sacrificial animals for transport, partake of their milk, take their young ones, shear their wool or hair. Shafi‘i also upholds this view. Though Abu Hanifah is inclined to the former view, he also grants permission to benefit from sacrificial animals in case of need.

63. It refers elsewhere in the Qur’an to sacrificial animals as those that are ‘brought to the Ka‘bah’ (al-Ma’idah 5: 95). This does not mean that the sacrifice should be performed inside the Ka‘bah, or in the Holy Mosque. It rather means that it is meant for sacrifice within the sacred precincts of the Haram. This is corroborated by the fact that often when the Qur’4n uses the words ‘Ka‘bah, the House of Allah’, or the ‘Holy Mosque’, it means the sacred precincts of Makka rather than the building known as the Ka‘bah.