Surah 22. Al-Haj

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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]

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Quran Text of Verse 34-38وَ لِكُلِّAnd for everyاُمَّةٍnationجَعَلْنَاWe have appointedمَنْسَكًاa riteلِّیَذْكُرُواthat they may mentionاسْمَ(the) nameاللّٰهِ(of) AllahعَلٰیoverمَاwhatرَزَقَهُمْHe (has) provided themمِّنْۢofبَهِیْمَةِ(the) beastالْاَنْعَامِ ؕ(of) cattleفَاِلٰهُكُمْAnd your Godاِلٰهٌ(is) GodوَّاحِدٌOneفَلَهٗۤso to Himاَسْلِمُوْا ؕsubmitوَ بَشِّرِAnd give glad tidingsالْمُخْبِتِیْنَۙ(to) the humble ones الَّذِیْنَThoseاِذَاwhenذُكِرَis mentionedاللّٰهُAllahوَ جِلَتْfearقُلُوْبُهُمْtheir heartsوَ الصّٰبِرِیْنَand those who are patientعَلٰیoverمَاۤwhateverاَصَابَهُمْhas afflicted themوَ الْمُقِیْمِیand those who establishالصَّلٰوةِ ۙthe prayerوَ مِمَّاand out of whatرَزَقْنٰهُمْWe have provided themیُنْفِقُوْنَ they spend وَ الْبُدْنَAnd the camels and cattleجَعَلْنٰهَاWe have made themلَكُمْfor youمِّنْamongشَعَآىِٕرِ(the) Symbolsاللّٰهِ(of) Allahلَكُمْfor youفِیْهَاthereinخَیْرٌ ۖۗ(is) goodفَاذْكُرُواSo mentionاسْمَ(the) nameاللّٰهِ(of) Allahعَلَیْهَاover themصَوَآفَّ ۚ(when) lined upفَاِذَاand whenوَجَبَتْare downجُنُوْبُهَاtheir sidesفَكُلُوْاthen eatمِنْهَاfrom themوَ اَطْعِمُواand feedالْقَانِعَthe needy who do not askوَ الْمُعْتَرَّ ؕand the needy who askكَذٰلِكَThusسَخَّرْنٰهَاWe have subjected themلَكُمْto youلَعَلَّكُمْso that you mayتَشْكُرُوْنَ be grateful لَنْWill notیَّنَالَreachاللّٰهَAllahلُحُوْمُهَاtheir meatوَ لَاand notدِمَآؤُهَاtheir bloodوَ لٰكِنْbutیَّنَالُهُreaches Himالتَّقْوٰیthe pietyمِنْكُمْ ؕfrom youكَذٰلِكَThusسَخَّرَهَاHe subjected themلَكُمْto youلِتُكَبِّرُواso that you may magnifyاللّٰهَAllahعَلٰیforمَاwhatهَدٰىكُمْ ؕHe has guided youوَ بَشِّرِAnd give glad tidingsالْمُحْسِنِیْنَ (to) the good-doers اِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahیُدٰفِعُdefendsعَنِdefendsالَّذِیْنَthose whoاٰمَنُوْا ؕbelieveاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahلَا(does) notیُحِبُّlikeكُلَّeveryخَوَّانٍtreacherousكَفُوْرٍ۠ungrateful

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Translation of Verse 34-38

(22:34) For every people We have laid down a ritual of sacrifice (- although the purpose of the ritual is the same -) that they pronounce the name of Allah over the cattle He has provided them.⁶⁴ Your Lord is One God; so submit yourselves to Him alone. And give, (O Prophet), glad tidings to those that humble⁶⁵ themselves (before Allah),

(22:35) whose hearts shiver whenever Allah is mentioned, who patiently bear whatever affliction comes to them, who establish Prayer, and who spend (for good purposes) out of what We have provided them.⁶⁶

(22:36) We have appointed sacrificial camels⁶⁷ among the symbols of (devotion to) Allah. There is much good in them for you.⁶⁸ So make them stand⁶⁹ (at the time of sacrifice) and pronounce the name of Allah over them,⁷⁰ and when they fall down on their sides⁷¹(after they are slaughtered), eat and also feed them who do not ask and those who ask. Thus have We subjected these animals that you may give thanks.⁷²

(22:37) Neither their flesh reaches Allah nor their blood; it is your piety that reaches Him.⁷³ He has subjected these animals (to you) that you may magnify Allah for the guidance He has bestowed upon you. Give glad tidings,⁷⁴ (O Prophet), to those who do good.

(22:38) Surely⁷⁵ Allah defends those who believe.⁷⁶ Certainly Allah has no love for the perfidious, the thankless.⁷⁷

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Commentary

64. This verse brings out two fundamental truths. First, that sacrifice has always been an integral part of the system of worship in all versions of Divine Law. The essential requirements for consecrating worship for the One True God is that all forms in which men have ever worshipped other deities be consecrated exclusively for God. For instance, men have bowed down and prostrated themselves before false gods; God’s Law, as revealed to the Prophets, however, consecrated these rites exclusively to God. In the past, men made pecuniary offerings to others than the One True God. The Law of God forbade the making of offerings to others than God, and laid down Zakah and Sadaqah as the acceptable, indeed obligatory forms of pecuniary offerings to God. In the past people visited the. shrines of false gods; the Law declared certain sites to be sacred or the House of God, and directed believers to make Pilgrimage to and circumambulate around them. Men had fasted for the sake of others than God; the Law of God laid down that men shall fast, but only for the sake of the One True God. Likewise, men had offered sacrificial animals at the altars of deities: The Law prohibited all sacrificial offerings to anyone other than the One True God, and made it obligatory that such sacrifices be offered to Him.

The other point emphasized in this verse is that what really matters is that sacrifice be truly made for the sake of God rather than for the legal minutiae of the act. Whilst details of sacrifice have varied in different times, lands, and communities, the common denominator, however, has always been the spirit and purpose of sacrifice.

65. Itis hard to find a one-word equivalent for mukhbitin. Essentially, it embraces the following three meanings: (1) to eschew arrogance and vanity and humble oneself before God; (2) to feel gratified at serving God; and (3) to feel satisfied with whatever God has decreed. (See Alusi. Ruh al-Ma ‘ani, vol. 4, p. 154 — Ed.)

66. As we have pointed out earlier, God never calls the things that are unlawfully earned or are inherently impure as His sustenance (rizq). The meaning of this verse, therefore, is that believers spend out of the lawful and wholesome sustenance bestowed on them by God? Again, this spending is not to be understood in its absolute sense. For the spending which is approved by Islam consists of spending to meet the legitimate needs of oneself and one’s family, spending to assist one’s relatives, neighbors and the needy, spending to support acts of public welfare, and spending in order to generously contribute to efforts aimed at upholding the Word of God. The Qur’an does not sanction extravagant expenditure, nor spending ‘on luxury, nor excessive ostentatious spending to display one’s piety. Such spending is not infaq, because it is not sufficiently meritorious. Such forms of expenditure are in fact condemned as extravagant and wasteful. At the same time, the Qur’an does not approve of a person being stingy and niggardly in his spending, of spending so sparingly that one’s dependents live in unduly straitened circumstances, spending on oneself much less than is. warranted by one’s financial position, or an aversion to providing assistance to God’s creatures. Whatever a person spends in this way is not deemed, in Islamic parlance, as infaq. It is rather considered as bukhl (miserliness, niggardliness) or shuhh al-nafs (covetousness, avarice).

67. In Arabic usage, the word budn which is used in this verse denotes camels only. However, the Prophet (peace be on him) clarified that it is permissible to sacrifice oxen as well as camels. As with camels, seven people may have a share in the sacrifice of an oxen. Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah reported that ‘the Prophet (peace be on him) commanded us that we may share in sacrifice: a camel on behalf of seven persons and also a cow on behalf of seven persons’. (1. This seems questionable. The word budn seems to signify both camels and oxen. See b-d-n in Lisan al-‘Arab, root b-d-n. See also Alusi, Ruh al-Ma ‘ani, vol. 17, p. 155 — Ed.) (See Muslim, K. al-Hajj, ‘Bab Bayan Wujub al-Ihram wa annahu yajuz Ifrad al-Hajj wa al-Tamattu‘ wa al-Qiran’.) In Muslim the words of the tradition narrated by Jabir are as follows:

68. To say that ‘there is much good for you in them’ implies that people derive much benefit from them. This is suggestive of why people should sacrifice animals: in other words, man is required to make sacrifices in the name of God for the innumerable benefits that have been bestowed upon him by God. Sacrifice, however, should not only be offered to thank God, but also to acknowledge His Supremacy and Lordship. It is required that man should fully appreciate all that he has is an endowment from God.

As far as sacrifice is concerned, such an appreciation should fill man’s heart and should be manifest from his actions, Sacrifice indeed is quite pervasive. Iman and Islam constitute the sacrifice of one’s ‘inner self. Prayer and fasting represent bodily sacrifice. Zakah represents sacrifice of the wealth which God has granted us in a variety of forms. Jihad represents the sacrifice of time, and of mental and physical capacities. Fighting in the way of God represents the sacrifice of life. Each of these amount to thanking God for the different kinds of bounties and endowments we have received from Him. Likewise, the sacrifice of animals has also been enjoined in order that we may thank God and acknowledge the great favor He has conferred upon us by His subduing on our behalf a great many of the animals He created. As a result, we benefit from them: we ride them, we employ them in cultivation, in transporting goods, and we partake of their meat and milk. In fact, we also use their hair, blood and bones in countless ways.

69. It needs to be pointed out that a camel is slaughtered in a standing position. One of its feet is tied, and a sharp knife slits through its throat, causing an abundance of blood to gush out. After a considerable amount of blood is drained out, the camel falls to the ground. This is what is meant by the word sawaff. ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, Mujahid and Dahhak have also explained the verse in this sense. (See Ibn Kathir, vol. 2, p. 223 — Ed.) In fact, this mode of slaughter is also reported on the authority of the Prophet (peace be on him).

According to a tradition in both Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar once observed someone slaughtering a camel while it was in the sitting position. To which he said: ‘Slaughter it while it is in a standing position, and is tied, as was the practice of Abu al-Qasim [i.e. the Prophet Muhammad] (peace be on him).’ (See Bukhari, K. al-Hajj, ‘Bab Nahr al-IbI Muqayyadah’ and Muslim, K. al-Hajj, ‘Bab Nahr al-Budun’ — Ed.) It is also narrated by Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah that the Prophet (peace be on him) and his Companions used to tie one leg of the camel such that it was standing on its remaining three legs and then they would slaughter it. (See Abu Da’ ud, K. al-Manasik, ‘Bab Kayfa Tunhar al-Budun’ — Ed.) This mode of slaughtering is also implicit in the present Qur’ anic verse which says: ‘... and when they fall down on their sides’ (al-Hajj 22: 36). For a camel can only fall down if it is slaughtered in a standing position; had it -been lying on the ground at the time of slaughter the above account would not be applicable.

70. These words once again reinforce the point that an animal does not become lawful unless it is slaughtered in the name of God. Hence, God does not direct us to slaughter an animal, but simply to pronounce His name on it. The fact that this expression signifies the slaughtering of animals establishes that in Islamic Law there is no concept of slaughtering an-animal without pronouncing God’s name on it.

It is pertinent to point out that the practice of saying: while slaughtering an animal is derived from the present verse. For it lays down the directive to pronounce God’s name while slaughtering animals, whereas verse 37 identifies that God should be magnified in recognition of His bestowal of true Guidance. In the traditions, we find mention of several sets of expressions to be pronounced at the time of slaughtering an animal.

Some of the formulas recited on this occasion are:

(1) ‘In the name of Allah; Allah is Great. O Allah! This is from You and this is for You.’ (See the comments of Alusi, Ruh al-Ma‘ani, vol. 17, p. 155 on verse 36 — Ed.)

(2) ‘Allah is Great. There is no god other than Allah. Allah! This is from You and is offered to You.’ (See the comments of Alusi, Ruh al-Ma‘ani, ibid., on verse 36 — Ed.)

(3) ‘I have exclusively directed myself to Him Who created the heavens and the earth and I am not of those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity. My Prayers and my [ritual] sacrifice and my living and my dying are all for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. O my Allah, this is from You and is offered to You.’ (See Abu Da’ud, K. al-Adahi, ‘Bab ma _yustahabbu min al-Dahaya’ — Ed.)

71. ‘Falling down on their sides’ does not simply mean that the sacrificial animal’s body touches the ground when it falls down after slaughter. It also means that its body becomes still when its wreathing ceases and it completely dies. (Thus it is required that until the animal is fully dead, no part of its flesh be cut off — Ed.) The Prophet (peace be on him) said: ‘Whatever is cut off from an animal that is alive, is like a carcass,’ (See Abu Da’ud, Tirmidhi and Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s Musnad.) (See Abu Da’ ud, K. al-Sayd, ‘Bab fi Sayd Quti‘a minhu Qit‘ah’, Tirmidhi, K. al-Adahi, ‘Bab ma quti‘a min al-Hayy fa huwa Mayyit’ and Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 5, p: 218 — Ed.)

72. This again alludes to the reason for instituting the ritual of sacrificing animals: the purpose is to offer thanks to God for His great favor in making the cattle subservient to man.

73. In pre-Islamic times, the Arabs used to offer the flesh of the animals they sacrificed at the altars of idols. In like manner, they brought the flesh of animals so sacrificed to the Ka‘bah, smearing the walls of the Ka‘bah with their blood. Exposing the underlying folly of this practice, the Qur’an points out that what reaches God is not the blood or the flesh of the sacrificed animal, but rather piety. If a man sacrifices an animal out of genuine feelings of gratitude to God, and does so with purity of intention and for the sake of God alone, then - the purity of his spirit and intention is bound to reach God. Devoid of that purity of spirit, however, the mere offering of blood and flesh are meaningless.

The same point is made in the following hadith which states that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: ‘God does not look at your faces or complexions; He rather looks at your intentions and your deeds.’ (See Ibn Majah, K. al-Zuhd, Bab al-Qana‘h’ and Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 2, p. 285. In both these works there occurs the word instead of— Ed.)

74. That is. one should sincerely acknowledge God's greatness and paramountcy, and this should be reflected in one’s deeds. Here, once again, we find reference to the objective of sacrifice. Sacrifice has been made obligatory not only to express man’s gratitude to God for making the cattle subservient to him, it has also been instituted in order that man may fully remember. both in thought and deed, the Lordship of God Who subjected the cattle, His creatures, to man’s control. This enables man to avoid falling prey to the illusion that he is the true master of whatever he happens to possess. The formula recited at the time of slaughtering an animal (see n. 70 above}, emphatically states that God is the true Master of everything including the animals that men sacrifice: ‘O my Allah, this is from You and is offered to You.’ (See Ibn Majah, K. al-Adahi, ‘Bab Adahi Rasul Allah’ — Ed.)

It must also be pointed out here that the Qur’ anic injunction with regard to sacrifice is not just meant for pilgrims. Nor is it meant to be performed only in Makka at the time of Hajj. Sacrifice is obligatory on all Muslims who can afford it, regardless of where they might be. For, by offering this sacrifice, they can thank God for making the cattle subservient to them and, thereby, extol the greatness of God. Indeed, Muslims who are unable to perform Pilgrimage, often sacrifice animals at the time of Hajj, and in this way at least they are able to do one thing that all pilgrims do in the neighborhood of the Ka‘bah.

The obligatory nature of sacrificing animals is amply borne out by a number of sayings of the Prophet (peace be on him). Many authentic traditions establish that the Prophet (peace be on him) used to sacrifice animals on the occasion of ‘Id al-Adha during the Madinan period of his life, and that sacrifice came into vogue among Muslims for that reason. Abu Hurayrah narrates that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: “He who has the means and yet does not offer sacrifice shall not approach our Prayer-place.’ (See Ibn Majah, K. al-Adahi, ‘Bab al-Adahi Wajibah am la’ — Ed.) Whilst all narrators of this tradition are reliable, the only disagreement there is relates to whether the tradition goes back to the Prophet himself or stops at the Companions. According to another tradition narrated by ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar: ‘The Prophet (peace be on him) stayed in Madina for ten years and every. year he made a sacrifice.’ (See Tirmidhi, K. al-Adahi, ‘Bab al- Dalil ‘ala ann al-Udhiyyah Sunnah’ — Ed.) According to still another tradition, Anas ibn Malik narrates that on the day of ‘Id al-Adha the Prophet (peace be on him) said: ‘He who has slaughtered before the Prayer should repeat his sacrifice.

As for him who sacrifices after the Prayer, his sacrificial duty is completed, and he [will be deemed] to have correctly followed the way of Muslims.’ (See Bukhari, K. al-Adahi, ‘Bab Sunnat al-Udhiyyah wa qala Ibn ‘Umar hiya Sunnah wa Ma‘ruf’. The words of the hadith from Anas ibn Malik in Bukhari are as follows: Now, it is known that on the Day of Sacrifice [that is, on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah] no Prayer is held in Makka. Hence the whole question of sacrificing animals before or after the ‘Id Prayer in Makka is totally irrelevant. Hence, it is certain that the Prophet’s above statement was not made on the occasion -of Hajj in Makka, it could only have been made in Madina. According to a tradition narrated by Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah, on one occasion when the Prophet (peace be on him) led the ‘Id al-Adha Prayer in Madina, some people thought - that he had offered the sacrifice before the Prayer. So thinking, they offered their own. When the Prophet (peace be on him) came to know of this he directed those people to repeat their sacrifice. (See Muslim, K. al-Adahi, ‘Bab Sunan al-Udhiyyah’ — Ed.) Thus, it is beyond all doubt that the sacrifice made by Muslims all over the world on the occasion of ‘Id al-Adha is a sunnah introduced by the Prophet (peace be on him). If there is any disagreement on the subject it is whether offering the sacrifice is a wajib (obligatory) or simply a sunnah (i.e. a recommended) act. Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i, Abu Hanifah, Malik, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani and, according to one report; Abu Yusuf regard it as wajib whereas Shafi‘i and Ahmad ibn Hanbal consider it a sunnah. Sufyan al-Thawri is also of the opinion that he who does not offer the sacrifice is not guilty of a sin. Nonetheless, no Muslim scholar subscribes to the opinion that if Muslims abandoned it altogether it would not be a sin. The preposterous view that the institution of sacrifice can be altogether abolished is an innovation of our own times and has been put forward by people who are guided by nothing else but their own desires.

75. This marks the beginning of a new discourse. In order to better understand it, one should recall that this part was revealed on the occasion of the first Hajj after the Muslims had migrated to Madina. Obviously, both the Muhajirun and Ansar were quite annoyed over the fact that they had been denied the opportunity to perform Hajj and were forcibly restrained from visiting Makka. Moreover, the persecution perpetrated on the Muslims in Makka was still fresh in people’s minds. Additionally, they were incensed at the fact that even after Hijrah, the Makkan Quraysh were not prepared to leave them in peace in Madina.

The first part of the discourse revealed on this occasion consists of a detailed discussion of the true purpose of building the Ka‘bah, of establishing the institution of Hajj and laying down the rites pertaining to sacrifice. It was, thereby, shown how the true purpose of all these institutions had been grossly distorted by Jahilivah. Thus, the Muslims were infused with a sincere zeal to change the current state of affairs, and to do so with a reformist spirit rather than with vengeance. At the same time, by instituting the ritual of sacrifice in Madina, the Muslims were able to share a privilege they had been denied by their enemies. That is to perform a rite which was performed by all pilgrims during the Hajj season, and to do so while staying in their homes without even making the Pilgrimage. All this because the ritual of sacrifice was instituted as a religious rite independent of Pilgrimage so that even those who did not perform Hajj could still give thanks to God for His blessings and so glorify Him. In the second part of the discourse, the Muslims are permitted to unsheathe their swords against the injustice to which they had been subjected in the past and from which they still suffered.

76. The verb yudafi'u is derived from the root d-f- ‘which literally means to ward off, to repel an attack, to defend. When the word d-f" is used as a verb in the present tense, however, it also suggests the following two connotations: first that there is an enemy which is on the offensive and that the defending party is engaged in repelling it. Second, that this encounter is not a one-time affair. Rather, whenever there is any such offence, it should be met with an operation aimed at resisting it.

If one bears both these meanings in mind, the statement that “Allah defends those who believe’ acquires special significance. It means that the believers are not alone; that God, Himself, is a party with them. He. helps and supports them.

counters the stratagems of their enemies. and wards off the harm that their enemies try to inflict upon them. The verse. therefore. is in the nature of a tiding from God to the believers. Undoubtedly, nothing else could have inspired them with greater assurance or be a source of greater comfort than this bounty from God.

77. This explains why God becomes a party with the votaries of the truth in the conflict between faith and unbelief. The reason being that those who fight against the truth engage in treachery and are guilty of ingratitude to God for all the bounties bestowed on them by Him. They are guilty of breaching every trust, of responding to each of God’s innumerable bounties with ingratitude. Hence, God does not like them and, instead, supports those devotees to the truth who strive against them.