Indexed OCR Text

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 38
(the one who is content and the one who wishes to receive) الْقَانِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ
In an earlier verse people who have a right on the meat of sacrificed
animals have been described by the words ; JU, which mean destitute
and without means. These two words have been clarified further by the
words Ju and . The word du applies to a needy person who does not
solicit and is content with what people offer him voluntarily. While ~ is a
person who goes to a place where he expects to receive something,
whether he solicits verbally or not. (Mazhari)
The real object is not the specific rites of pilgrimage but true
devotion to Allah and submission to His will which are inherent
in those rites
It is neither their flesh nor their blood that reaches) لَنُ يَّنَالَ اللهَ لُحُوُمُهَا
Allah - 22:37) It means that the sacrifice of animals is a very high form of
worship, but their meat and blood do not reach Allah Ta'ala nor are these
two things the real object of sacrifice. Its real aim is to recite the name of
Allah and to comply with His commands with true devotion. This rule
applies to all forms of worship. For instance, the object of prayers is not
just the movement of limbs, or the object of fasting is not merely a denial
of food and drink. The real purpose of these rites of worship is to obey the
commands of Allah Ta'ala with all sincerity. Devoid of sincerity these rites
of worship are like a body without soul. Nevertheless these forms of
worship are also very important because Allah Ta'ala has prescribed these
forms for different types of worship. Allah knows best. del din,
Verse 38
إِنَّ اللهَ يُدفِعُ عَنِ الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَايُحِبُّ كُلَّ خَوَّانِ كَفُوُرٍ ﴿٣٨)
Surely, Allah defends those who believe. Allah does not
love any treacherous, ungrateful. [38]
Commentary
The previous verses contain an account of how the infidels of Makkah
prevented the Holy Prophet
and his companions from entering the
Haram and the Holy Mosque to perform 'Umrah when, having put on
ihram, they had reached as far as Hudaibiyah, a place not far from
Makkah. In this verse Allah Ta'ala consoled the Muslims with the promise
that He would deprive the infidels of their power to harm them any more.

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 39 - 41
This incident took place in the year 6 A.H. and thereafter the power and
the morale of the infidels suffered continuous decline until in the year 8
A.H. the Muslims conquered Makkah. The following verses describe this
event in detail.
Verses 39 - 41
أُذِنَ لِلَّذِيْنَ يُقْتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُوْا * وَإِنَّ اللّهَ عَلى نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيْرُ
﴿٢﴾ ◌ِالَّذِيْنَ أُخْرِجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ حَقِّ إِلَّ أَنْ يَّقُوْلُوا رَبُّنَا اللّهُ،
وَلَوْلاَ دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمُ بِبَعْضٍ لَّهُدِّمَتُ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ
وَّصَلَوْتٌ وَّمَسْجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيْهَا اسْمُ اللهِ كَثِيْرًا، وَلَيَنْصُرَنَّ اللّهُ مَنْ
يَنْصُرُهُ ، إِنَّ اللّهَ لَقَوِىٌّ عَزِيْرٌ ﴿٤﴾ الَّذِيْنَ إِنْ مَِّنْهُمْ فِى الْأَرْضِ
أَقَامُوا الصَّلَوةَ وَانُوا الزَّكوةَ وَ آَمَرُوا بِالْمَعُرُوُفِ وَنَهَوْا عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ *
وَلِلْهِ عَاقِبَةُ الْأُمُوُرِ ﴿٤١﴾
Permission (to fight) is given to those who are fought
against, because they have been wronged, and Allah is
powerful enough to give them victory. [39] (They are)
the ones who were expelled from their homes without
any just reason, except that they say "Our Lord is
Allah." And had Allah not repelled some people by
means of some others, the monasteries, the churches,
the synagogues and the mosques where the name of
Allah is recited abundantly would have been
demolished. And Allah will definitely help those who
help Him. Surely Allah is Powerful, Mighty. [40]
(They are) those who, when We give them power in the
land, establish Şalah, pay Zakah, bid the Fair and
forbid the Unfair. And with Allah lies the fate of all
matters. [41]
Commentary
First command to fight the infidels
The infidels of Makkah intensified their aggression against the
Muslims and every day people arrived in Madinah bearing marks of
ill-treatment which they had suffered at the hands of unbelievers. In the

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days before Hijrah the number of the faithful had increased considerably
and they sought permission to defend themselves against the oppression
to which they were being constantly subjected, but the Holy Prophet
advised them patience because he had not received Allah's permission so
far to resist the infidels with force of arms. This situation persisted for
about ten years. (Qurțubi).
At last, things became so bad that the Holy Prophet
was left with
no choice but to leave Makkah. As he started on his journey accompanied
by Sayyidnā Abu Bakr
he said ◌ّاخرجوا نبيّهم ليهلكن (They have expelled
their Prophet and the time has come when they will perish). When he
arrived at Madinah this verse was revealed which permitted the Muslims
to take up arms against the infidels. (رواه النسائي والترمذى عن ابن عباس - Qurtubi)
Tirmidhi, Nasa'I, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Hakim and others have
reported on the authority of Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 4
that this is the first
verse which permitted the Muslims to offer armed resistance to the
infidels, whereas in more than seventy earlier verses armed resistance
was forbidden.
The philosophy behind Jihad and war against the infidels
And had Allah not repelled some people by means of) وَلَوْلاَ دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ
some others ... - 22:40) Had Allah not repelled some people by means of
some others, the monasteries, the churches, the synagogues and the
mosques where the name of Allah is recited abundantly would have been
demolished. The command to take up arms against the unbelievers is
nothing new, because the earlier prophets and their followers had
received similar orders from Allah Ta'ala and the philosophy behind this
command was that without armed resistance no religion would have felt
safe and their places of worship would have been destroyed by the
infidels.
There have been many religions which were founded on the worship
of one God and built up by means of Way (Divine revelations). In course
of time their basics were changed and so many alterations were
introduced in them that they turned into unbelief and polytheism. But
before these things happened, they were true religions and it was the
duty of their followers to respect and defend their places of worship. This
verse refers to such places of worship only and does not include the sacred

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 39 - 41
places of those religions which were not founded on prophethood and
revelation (such as the fire-worshiping Magians, or the idol-worshiping
Hindus) because they were at no time considered places deserving of
respect.
In this verse dye is the plural of wy , which means a monastery
which is a place of worship meant for Christian monks and hermits ~ is
the plural of ww. , which means a Christian church, and oslo is the plural
of lo, which means a Jewish synagogue. And of course di is the
place of worship of the Muslims.
The meaning of this verse is that if at different times the believers had
not been permitted to fight the infidels, no true religion would have felt
secure and at different times during the periods of Sayyidna Musa ,
Sayyidna 'Isa' Cal and the Holy Prophet
the places of worship of their
respective religions would have been destroyed. (Qurtubi)
(خلفائ راشدين) Qur anic prophecy about the Rightly Guided Caliphs
and its fulfillment
Those who, when We give them power in the land) الَّذِيْنَ إِنْ مَّكِّنَّهُمُ فِى الْأَرْضِ
- 22:41) In this verse the word _JI (those) refers to those people who have
been mentioned in the preceding verse: ◌ّالَّذِيْنَ أُخْرِجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ حَق (Those are
the ones who were expelled from their homes without any just reason -
22:40). Referring to such people the verse says that if they are placed in
authority in this world, they will use it to promote good deeds, will set up
prayers, pay the obligatory charity, enjoin people to do good and abstain
from evil deeds. It has already been mentioned that these verses were
revealed soon after Hijrah, at a time when the Muslims did not exercise
dominion anywhere on earth, which means that Allah Ta'ala had already
made it known that when, at a future date, they would come to power
and establish their government, they would serve the Faith in the
manner described in this verse. Sayyidna 'Uthman 4
said referring to
this verse, > Just that this verse praises those people before they
actually perform the praise-worthy deeds. In due course Allah Ta'ala's
prophecy was fulfilled in that the four Rightly Guided Caliphs and the
Muhajirin (emigrants) from Makkah were indeed those whom the Qur'an
described by the words الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا (those who were expelled - 22:40) and
when they established their government and held sway over vast

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 42 - 51
territories, they used their power and authority in setting up prayers,
strengthening the system of Zakah, enjoining good and forbidding evil
deeds. Many scholars are of the view that this verse is a clear evidence of
the fact that accession to power of the four Caliphs (خلفائ راشدين) is a direct
fulfillment of Allah's Prophesy, and the system of caliphate which was set
up by them was in accordance with His will. (Ruh ul-Maani)
Having discussed the factual aspect of the circumstances leading up to
the revelation of this verse it must, at the same time, be emphasized that
where the Qur'an uses general words and phrases, their purpose is not
restricted to a particular situation, but is universally applicable to all
similar situations. Following this reasoning, Dabhak رحمه الله تعالى says that
this verse contains an injunction for all those whom Allah Ta'ala grants
power and authority to do all those things which the Four Caliphs did
when they controlled the rule. (Qurtubi)
Verses 42 - 51
وَإِنْ يُكَذِّبُوُكَ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَّعَادٌ وَّثَمُوُدُ ﴿٤٢﴾ وَ
قَوْمُ إِبْرِهِيُمَ وَقَوْمُ لُوْطٍ ﴿٢﴾﴾ وَأَصُحِبُ مَدْيَنَ وَكُذِّبَ مُوْسى
فَأَمْلَيْتُ لِلْكُفِرِيْنَ ثُمَّ آَخَذْتُهُمُ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيْرٍ ﴿٤٤﴾ فَكَائِنُ مِّنُ
قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْتُهَا وَهِىَ ظَالِمَةٌ فَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلى عُرُوْشِهَا وَبِثْرٍ مُّعَطَّلَةٍ
وَّقَصْرٍ مَّشِيْدٍ ﴿٤٥﴾ آَفَلَمْ يَسِيْرُوْا فِى الْأَرْضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ
يَّعْقِلُونَ بِهَا أَوْ أذَانٌ يَّسْمَعُونَ بِهَاء فَإِنَّهَا لاَ تَعْمَى الْأَبْصَارُ وَلِكِنُ
تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِى فِى الصُّدُوْرِ ﴿٤٦﴾ وَيَسْتَعْجِلُوْنَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ
وَلَنْ يُخْلِفَ اللّهُ وَعُدَه، ﴿ وَإِنَّ يَوْمًا عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ كَاَلْفٍ سَنَةٍ مِّمَّا
تَعُدُّونَ ﴿٤٧﴾ وَكَاَيِّنُ مِّنْ قَرْيَةٍ أَمْلَيْتُ لَهَا وَهِىَ ظَالِمَةٌ ثُمَّ اَخَذْتُهَا"
وَإِلَّ الْمَصِيْرُ ﴿٤٨﴾ قُلْ ثَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا لَكُمُ نَذِيْرٌ مُّبِيْنٌ ﴿٤٩)
فَالَّذِيْنَ امُنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصُّلِحْتِ لَهُمُ مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَّرِزْقٌّ كَرِيُمٌ ﴿٠﴾

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 42 - 51
وَالَّذِيْنَ سَعَوْا فِىِّ أَيْتِنَا مُعْجِزِيْنَ أُولَئِكَ أَصْحِبُ الْجَحِيْمِ ﴿٥١)
And if they belie you, so did belie the people of Nu and
'Ad and Thamud, [42] and the people of Ibrahim and the
people of Lut, [43) and the people of Madyan as well.
And Musa was (also) belied. So, I gave some respite to
the disbelievers, then seized them. So how was My
censure? [44] How many a town there were which We
destroyed, when they were wrongdoers. So, there they
are, fallen down on their roofs, and (how many a)
deserted well and well-built castle! [45]
Have they not, then, travelled on earth so that they
should have had hearts to understand with or ears to
listen with? The fact is that it is not the eyes that turn
blind, but what turns blind is the hearts contained in
the chests. [46]
And they ask you to bring the punishment sooner. And
Allah will never go back on His promise. In fact, one
day with your Lord is like one thousand years of what
you count. [47] And how many a town there were to
whom I allowed respite, while they were wrongdoers,
then I seized them. And to Me is the final return. [48]
Say, "O people, I am no more than a plain warner for
you. [49] So those who come to believe and do good
deeds, for them there is forgiveness and dignified
provision. [50] And those who strive against Our signs
trying to defeat (the prophet or the believers), they are
the people of the Fire. [51]
Commentary
Travels undertaken to acquire insight into things and to learn
lessons from the past is one of the religious objectives
Have they not, then, travelled on earth so) أَفَلَمُ يَسِيْرُوْا فِى الْأَرْضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ
that they should have hearts - 22:46) This verse encourages travel,
provided the person travelling keeps his eyes wide open and imbibes in
his mind the lessons of history. The phrase "فَتَكُونَ لَهُمُ قُلُوب (so that they
should have hearts - 22:46) suggests that a person can gain wisdom and
intelligence by a careful study of the history of bygone times and an
account of people who inhabited this world in different ages. Every event

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 42 - 51
of history holds a lesson for a person who has insight and who does not
regard history as a mere record of episodes and occurrences. Ibn Abi
رحمه الله تعالى quoting Malik Ibn Dinar التفكر Hatim has written in his book
that Allah Ta'ala commanded Sayyidna Musa Sea to wear shoes made of
iron and to hold in his hand a staff made of iron and travel around the
earth until his shoes would be worn out and his staff broken down. (Ruh
ul-Ma'ani). If this narration is true, then naturally it means to acquire
knowledge and lessons from the past.
How the Day of Resurrection will be equal to one thousand years
by our reckoning
In this verse ◌ٍ22:47) إِنَّ يَوْمًا عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ كَاَلْفِ سَنَة) means that one day with your
Lord is like one thousand years of what you count. This verse can be
interpreted in two ways. The first meaning is that the verse refers to the
Day of Resurrection and the events which will take place on that day will
be so horrifying and of such extreme severity that the day will appear
never to end, as if it was equal to one thousand years according to our
reckoning. Many commentators have interpreted this verse accordingly.
The other meaning of the verse is that the Day of Resurrection will in
actual fact be so long that it will stretch up to one thousand years of this
world. This view is supported by a saying of the Holy Prophet
as
reported in Musnad of Ahmad and Tirmidhi on the authority of Sayyidna
Abu Hurairah 40 that the Holy Prophet
once addressed the poor
people of the muhajirin (i.e. those who migrated from Makkah) and said,
'I give you good news about the full refulgence on the Day of
Resurrection and that you will be admitted to heaven half a day before
the rich and the wealthy, and a day in the Hereafter will be of one
thousand years, hence the poor will enter the heaven five hundred years
before the wealthy'. Tirmidhi has classified this hadith as 'hasan'.
(Mazharī)
A doubt and its explanation
There is a verse in Surah Al-Ma'arij which says that the day with
. كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِيْنَ اَلْفَ سَنَةٍ your Lord will be equal to fifty thousand years
(Whereof the measure is fifty thousand yours - 70:4) This can also be
explained by applying either of the two explanations of the present verse
and in the first case since every person will suffer different levels of
severity, to some it will appear as if he has suffered pain for one thousand

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years, while to others the period will appear equal to fifty thousand years.
If, however, the second explanation is applied to this verse, then there
would appear to be a contradiction between the verses where one verse
equates the Day of Resurrection to one thousand years and the other to
fifty thousand years. But this so-called contradiction has been reconciled
by Sayyidi Ashraf 'Ali Thanavi رحمه الله تعالى in his commentary Bayan
ul-Qur'an, by saying that this difference may be due to different horizons.
Just as we see in our world that the length of day and night is different
on different horizons, (on zero latitude it is of 24 hours while at the
latitude of 90° it is one year. Likewise it is possible that the length of the
Day of Resurrection would be different on different horizons, and if its
length right below the day line is one thousand years because of
miraculously slow rotation of sun or earth), the areas falling 50 times far
from it may have a day 50 times more in length. And Allah knows best.
Verses 52 - 57
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَّسُوْلٍ وَّلاَ نَبِّ إِلَّ إِذَا تَمَنَّى اَلْقَى
الشَّيْطِنُ فِىَّ أُمْنِيَّتِهِ فَيَنْسَخُ اللّهُ مَا يُلْقِى الشَّيْطُنُ ثُمَّ يُحْكِمُ اللهُ
أَثِهِ وَاللّهُ عَلِيُمْ حَكِيْمٌ ﴿٥٢﴾ لِّيَجْعَلَ مَا يُلْقِى الشَّيْطُنُ فِتْنَةٌ لِلَّذِيْنَ
فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَّرَضْ وَّالْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُمُ ﴿ وَإِنَّ الظُّلِمِيْنَ لَفِىُ شِقَاقٍ"
بَعِيدٍ ﴿٣°﴾ وَلِيَعْلَمَ الَّذِيْنَ أُوْتُوا الْعِلْمَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ فَيُؤْمِنُوْا بِهِ
فَتُخْبِتَ لَهْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ، وَ إِنَّ اللّهَ لَهَادِ الَّذِيْنَ امُنُوَّا إِلَى صِرَاطٍ
مُسْتَقِيْمٍ ﴿٤﴾ وَلاَ يَزَالُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُواْ فِىْ مِرْيَةٍ مِّنْهُ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُمُ
السَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةٌ أَوْيَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمٍ عَقِيمٍ ﴿٠٥) الْمُلْكُ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْهُِ
يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ * فَالَّذِيْنَ امَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصُّلِحَتِ فِىْ جَنَّتِ النَّعِيْمِ
﴿٠٦﴾ وَالَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا وَكَذَّبُوا بِأْتِنَا فَأُولَئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِيْنٌ ﴿٥٧)
And We did not send any messenger before you nor a
prophet, but (he faced a situation that) when he recited
(the revelation), the Satan cast (doubts) about what he

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recited. So, Allah nullifies what the Satan casts, then
Allah makes His verses firm, and Allah is All-Knowing,
All-Wise [52] - (all this is allowed to be done) so that He
may make what Satan casts a trial for those in whose
hearts there is a disease and whose hearts are hard; and
surely the wrongdoers are in the utmost antagonism -
[53] and so that those who have been given knowledge
may know that it (i.e. the revelation recited by the
prophet) is the truth from your Lord, and they may
believe in it and their hearts may become humble
towards it. And Allah is the One who takes the
believers to the straight path. [54]
And those who disbelieve will remain in doubt about it
(the Qur'an) forever, until the Hour (of Judgment)
comes upon them suddenly, or there comes to them the
punishment of a barren day. [55] The kingdom, on that
day, is for Allah. He will judge between them. So, those
who believed and did good deeds shall be in gardens of
bliss. [56] As for those who disbelieved and belied Our
signs, they are the ones for whom there is a humiliating
punishment. [57]
Commentary
any messenger and any prophet - 22:52) This shows that) مِنْ رَّسُوْلٍ وَلاَ نَبِيّ
the words Rasul J'y and Nabi _ carry different meanings, though there
is no consensus as to the precise nature of the difference. For our purpose
it is enough to understand that Nabi __ is a person whom Allah Ta'ala
designates with a mission to reform his people and who receives
revelations from Him. He may receive a Scripture and a code of laws or he
may be commanded to convey the message of an earlier Book and code of
laws. Sayyidna Musa Ka and 'Isa' Stall belong to the first category,
whereas Sayyidna Harun, who was directed to propagate the teachings of
Torah and the Mosaic Laws, falls in the second category. On the other
hand a Rasul J'y's is a person who receives from Allah Ta'ala a Scripture
and a code of laws. Thus every Rasul is necessarily a Nabi also, but every
Nabi is not a Rasul. These distinctions are applicable to human beings
only. That an angel who carries wahy from Allah Ta'ala is also named as
Rasul does not contradict this position. This subject has already been
discussed in detail in Surah Maryam in the beginning of this volume.

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 58 - 59
(22:52 - The Satan cast (doubts) about what he recited) اَلْقَى الشَّيُطْنُ فِىَّ أُمُنِيَّتِه
In this verse the word has been used as a synonym for Is , thus i
would mean off (recitation). This verse explains that the disputes raised
by the disbelievers in regard to Allah's message is not something new as
similar doubts were raised by earlier people as well when their prophets
presented to them the message of Truth, and the Satan cast doubts about
it in the hearts of disbelievers. This explanation of the verse is quite clear
and straight-forward, and has been adopted by many commentators
including Abu Hayyan in his Al-Bahr-ul-Muhit. However, some books of
traditions have reported here an incident which is not proved by
authentic sources. The incident is known as حَدِيثُ الْغَرانِيق (hadith-ul-
gharaniq). Some scholars have held that it is invented by some heretics
and enemies of Islam. But even those who believe this tradition to be
worthwhile have taken pains to remove the doubts, which the words raise
about the categorical and undisputed laws of Qur'an and Sunnah. The
plain and simple meaning of the verse has been explained above and the
alleged incident in no way affects this meaning. Making this incident as a
part and parcel of the commentary on this verse, thereby creating
unnecessary doubts, and then attempting to answer those doubts is an
. والله سبحانه وتعالى اعلَمُ exercise in futility and absolutely undesirable
Verses 58 - 59
وَالَّذِيْنَ هَاجَرُوْا فِى سَبِيْلِ اللّهِ ثُمَّ قُتِلُوا أَوْمَاتُوْا لَيَرْزُقَنَّهُمُ اللهُ رِزْقًا
حَسَنًا ﴿ وَإِنَّ اللّهَ لَهُوَ خَيْرُ الزُّزِقِيْنَ ﴿٠٨﴾ لَيُدْخِلَنَّهُمُ مُّدُخَلاً
يَّرْضَوْنَهُ، وَإِنَّ اللّهَ لَعَلِيُمْ حَلِيمٌ ﴿٥٩﴾
And those who left their homeland in the way of Allah,
then were slain or died, Allah will certainly give them a
good provision, and surely, Allah is the best of all
givers. [58] He will definitely admit them to an entrance
they will be pleased with, and Allah is surely
All-Knowing, Forbearing. [59]
Commentary
Those people who had left their hearth and homes in the cause of

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 60
Allah and were killed or died of natural death, they would definitely be
rewarded. If they have not benefited in this world, their reward will be
there in the Hereafter.
Verse 60
ذلِكَ، وَمَنُ عَاقَبَ بِمِثْلِ مَاعُوْقِبَ بِهِ ثُمَّ بُغِىَ عَلَيْهِ لَيَنْصُرَنَّهُ اللهُ -
إِنَّ اللّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ ﴿٦٠)
That (is so). And whoever afflicts (someone) with a
punishment equal to what he was afflicted with (by the
latter), and still he (the former) is (again) subjected to
injustice, Allah will certainly help him. Indeed, Allah is
Most-Pardoning, Most-Forgiving. [60]
Commentary
In an earlier verse it has been mentioned that Allah Ta'ala helps
those who are wronged unjustly."ٌوَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلى نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِير .(Allah is powerful to
give them victory - 22:39) Some people bear their sufferings patiently and
do not seek vengeance from their oppressors, but there are others who
retaliate and serve a full measure of retribution on their oppressors which
should, therefore, place them both on even terms as being quits. But if the
oppressor, incensed at the retaliation, attacks him again, then this person
once again becomes the victim of oppression. This verse promises Allah's
help for such a person also. On the other hand there are several verses
which promise Allah's goodwill to those Muslims who bear their sufferings
with patience and equanimity and do not seek vengeance from their
oppressors. Some of these verses are:
فَمَنُ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَاَجُرُهُ عَلَى اللهِ
But whoso pardons and puts things right, his wage falls upon
Allah - 42:40.
وَأَنْ تَعُفُوَّا أَقْرَبُ لِلنَّقُوى
And that you forgive is closer to Taqwa - 2:237.
وَلَمَنْ صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذِلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ الأُمُوُرِ
But surely he who bears patiently and forgives - surely that is
true constancy - 42:43.

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 61 - 66
In all these verses it is encouraged not to retaliate for revenge and
rather forgive and forget, which is a magnanimous way of dealing with
fellow human beings. This is the way Qur'anic teachings stand and call it
a supreme and superior trait. Thus it may perhaps be argued that the
person who retaliates against the wrongs done to him and conducts
himself contrary to the course of action preferred by Allah Ta'ala will be
deprived of His support and help. But this doubt has been allayed in the
final part of this verse ◌ٌ22:60) إِنَّ اللّهَ لَعَفُوٌ غَفُور) that is, Allah will not punish
him for this lapse and will help him if he is subjected to injustice by his
oppressors ever again. (Rūp ul-Maani)
Verses 61 - 66
ذُلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللّهَ يُوْلِجُ الَّيْلَ فِى النَّهَارِ وَيُوْلِجُ النَّهَارَ فِى الَّيْلِ وَأَنَّ اللّهَ
سَمِيْعٌ، بَصِيْرٌ ﴿٦١﴾ ذلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ
دُونِهِ هُوَ الْبَاطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْكَبِيْرُ ﴿٦٢﴾ آلَمُ تَرَ أَنَّ اللّهَ أَنْزَلَ
مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءٌ، فَتُصْبِحُ الْأَرْضُ مُخْضَرَّةً * إِنَّ اللّهَ لَطِيُفْ خَبِيْرٌ
﴿٢٣﴾ لَهُ مَا فِى السَّمْوَتِ وَمَا فِى الْأَرْضِ * وَ إِنَّ اللّهَ لَهُوَ الْغَنِىُّ
الْحَمِيدُ ﴿٤﴾ آلَمُ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَخَّرَلَكُمُ مَّ فِى الْأَرْضِ وَالْفُلُكَ
تَجْرِئُ فِى الْبَحْرِ بِأَمْرِهِ * وَيُمُسِكُ السَّمَآءَ أَنْ تَقَعَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ إِلاَّ
◌ِذْنِهِ * إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوُفْ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٥﴾ وَهُوَ الَّذِىِّ أَحْيَاكُمْ ثُمّ
يُمِيْتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيْكُمُ ﴿ إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَكَفُورٌ ﴿٦٦﴾
That is because Allah makes night enter into the day
and makes day enter into the night and that Allah is
All-Hearing, All-Seeing. [61] That is because Allah is the
truth and that whatever they invoke beside Him is false
and that Allah is the High, the Great. [62]
Did you not see that Allah has sent down water from
the sky, whereby the land becomes green? Surely, Allah
is All-Kind, All-Aware. [63] To Him belongs all that is in
the heavens and all that is in the earth, and surely

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 67 - 70
Allah is the All-Independent, Ever-Praised. [64]
Did you not see that Allah has subjugated to you
whatever there is on the earth, and the ships that sail
at sea with His command? And He holds the heavens
from falling on the earth, except with His permission.
Surely Allah is Very-Kind to the people, Very-Merciful.
[65]
And He is the One who gave life to you, then He brings
death to you, then He will give you life (again). Surely,
man is very ungrateful. [66]
Commentary
Allah has subjugated to you whatever there is on the) سَخَّرَلَكُمُ مَّا فِى الْأَرْضِ
earth - 22:65) It means that everything on this earth has been placed
under the control of man. This raises the question that the mountains,
rivers, beasts and birds and thousands of similar objects do not follow the
commands of man. But placing something in the service of someone is also
like putting it under his control, and in this verse the word Taskhir
(subjugation) has been used to mean 'to serve'. The verse therefore means
that all the things mentioned above are all the time working in the service
of man by the command of Allah. It was quite within the power of Allah
Ta'ala to have placed all these things under the control of man, but in
such a situation man himself would have been the loser, because human
natures, desires and needs differ. If a person ordered the river to divert
towards a particular direction, and some other person ordered to the
contrary, the result would have been utter chaos and confusion.
Therefore, Allah Ta'ala has retained with Him alone the command of
these things, but the benefits to be derived from them accrue to human
beings.
Verses 67 - 70
لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنْسَكًا هُمُ نَاسِكُوْهُ فَلاَيْنَازِعُنَّكَ فِى الْأَمْرِ وَادْعُ
إِلَى رَبِّكَ + إِنَّكَ لَعَلَى هُدًى مُسْتَقِيْمٍ ﴿٦٧﴾ وَإِنْ جَادَلُوُكَ فَقُلِ اللّهُ
أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٦٨﴾ اللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيْمَةِ فِيُمَا كُنْتُمُ

285
Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 67 - 70
فِيُّهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿٦٩﴾ آلَمُ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى السَّمَآءِ وَالْأَرْضِ *
إِنَّ ذلِكَ فِىُ كِتْبٍ * إِنَّ ذلِكَ عَلَى اللّهِ يَسِيْرٌ ﴿٧٠﴾
And For every ummah (religious community) We have
appointed a way of worship they are to observe.
Therefore, they should never quarrel with you in the
matter. And do call them to your Lord. Surely, you are
on straight Guidance. [67]
And if they dispute with you, then say, "Allah knows
best what you do." [68] Allah will judge between you, on
the Day of Judgment, about what you used to differ in.
[69]
Do you not know that Allah knows all that is in the sky
and the earth? Surely, that is contained in a Book.
Indeed it is so easy for Allah. [70]
Commentary
For every ummah (religious community) We have) لِكُلّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنْسَكًا
appointed a way of worship - 22:67). This sentence has come earlier in
almost identical words in verse number 34 of this Surah, but the word
Juks (mansak) conveys a different meaning in each verse. In the earlier
verse the words Jud and Ouw have been used in the context of the rites of
Hajj and mean sacrifice of animals, while in the present verse the word
au's has been used in the sense of the rules of slaughter or general rules
of worship. That is why, unlike the verse 34, the present verse does not
have the conjunctive letter ',' (i.e. 'and') in the beginning.
One interpretation of this verse is that the infidels used to engage the
Muslims in futile arguments regarding the slaughter of animals. They
thought it odd that Islam permitted its followers to eat the meat of those
animals which they slaughtered with their own hands but forbade to eat
the meat of those animals whom Allah Ta'ala killed, that is the carrion.
The present verse was revealed to answer these objections of the infidels.
(Ruh ul-Ma'ani). Thus the meaning of the word Je here would refer to
'the method of slaughter', and the sum and substance of the verse is that
Allah Ta'ala gave each nation a code of laws, and the rules governing the
slaughter of animals are different in each code. The rules of slaughter
given to the Holy Prophet
are independent and self-sufficient and it is

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 67 - 70
not permissible to compare them with those of an earlier Shari'ah, let
alone comparing them with someone's own whims and conjectures. As
regards the meat of dead animals, it is well known that its oral use was
forbidden in all earlier codes. (Rūp ul-Ma'ani) Therefore, it is sheer
ignorance to argue with the Holy Prophet
on that basis.
However, majority of commentators has interpreted this verse in
another way. They say that the word 3% here means the general rules
of Shari'ah. Lexically, the word & means a place which is fixed for a
specific purpose, whether the purpose is good or bad, and for this reason
the rites of pilgrimage are known as Ju , because different rites
connected with the pilgrimage have to be performed at places fixed for
each rite. (Ibn Kathir). The dictionary meaning of & is 'piety and worship
of Allah Ta'ala', and the words && & ui (And show us our ways of
worship - 2:128) occurring in the Qur'an have been used in this sense
Jul. Manasik means rules governing worship. Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas has
adopted this second interpretation also. Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir, Qurtubi,
Ruh ul-Ma'ani etc. have adopted this meaning of the word, and the
context of the verse also lends support to this interpretation. Having said
all this, it is evident that the meaning of this verse would be that the
infidels and the polytheists who dispute the Islamic code of laws on the
ground that their own ancestral religion did not include those laws must
understand very clearly that any comparison between the old book or
Shari ah and the new book or Shari'ah is totally misplaced and irrelevant,
because Allah Ta'ala granted to each nation in its own time a special
Shari'ah and a Book which was binding upon it until another book or
Shari'ah arrived on the scene after which it becomes the duty of all people
to follow the new Shari'ah, and if any of its laws are in conflict with the
laws of the old Shari'ah, then the new rules shall prevail and the old laws
will stand invalidated, and nobody has the right to raise a dispute on this
matter with the Prophet, who is the recipient of the latest book and
Shari'ah. This is the meaning of the following words of this verse. Số
.(22:67 - They should never quarrel with you in the matter) يُنَازِعُنَّكَ فِى الْآَمْرِ
That is, now that the Holy Prophet
has brought a new Book and new
code of laws no one has the right to dispute them and create any
confusion about them.
This also shows that there is in fact no inconsistency between the two

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 71 - 74
interpretations of this verse. It is quite possible that this verse was
revealed with reference to some specific dispute about the slaughter of
animals but since, as a general rule, the words must be interpreted in the
sense they are understood by the common people and not in reference to a
particular event, the words of this verse can be so construed as to apply to
all the laws of Shari ah. The essence of both the interpretations, therefore
is, that since Allah Ta'ala has given each nation its own particular set of
rules where differences as to details do exist, the latest set of rules
becomes binding on all peoples, and issues relating to these differences
cannot be raised. This is the reason why it has been stated at the end of
this verse ◌ٍوأُدُعُ إِلَى رَبِّكَ إِنَّكَ لَعَلَى هُدَى مُسْتَقِيم(And do call them to your Lord.
Surely, you are on straight Guidance - 22:67) in which the Holy Prophet
has been advised not to take any notice of the machinations and
disputes raised by the infidels but to continue with his mission, because
he was following the path of righteousness whereas his opponents were
steeped in error.
A doubt and its answer
In verse 67 it has been averred that Allah Ta'ala granted to the earlier
nations their own Shari'ah or set of rules, and the Mosaic Code and the
Christian Code are instances in point. The Jews and the Christians may,
therefore, argue that their Codes also being Divine should be allowed to
exist alongside of the Islamic Code. But this is a fallacious argument
because it is a well established fact that an earlier Shari'ah is cancelled by
a subsequent Shari'ah, and this view is reinforced by the following verses
in which the infidels who challenge the Islamic Shari'ah have been
warned of severe chastisement. ◌َوَإِنْ جَادَلُوُكَ فَقُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُون (And if they
dispute with you, then say, "Allah knows best what you do." - 22:68)
Verses 71 - 74
وَيَعْبُدُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللهِ مَالَمْ يُنَزِّلُ بِهِ سُلْظِنًا وَّمَا لَيْسَ لَهُمُ بِهِ عِلْمٌ،
وَمَا لِلظُلِمِيْنَ مِنْ نَّصِيْرٍ ﴿٧١﴾ وَإِذَا تُلِى عَلَيْهِمْ أَيُنَا بَّنْتٍ تَعْرِفُ
فِىْ وُجُوُهِ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوا الْمُنْكَرَ ، يَكَادُوْنَ يَسْطُوْنَ بِلَّذِيْنَ يَتْلُوْنَ
عَلَيْهِمْ أَيْتِنَاءُ قُلْ آَفْنَيِّئُكُمُ بِشَرٍ مِّنْ ذَلِكُمْ النَّارُهُ وَعَدَهَا اللهُ الَّذِيْنَ

288
Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 71 - 74
كَفَرُوا وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيْرُ ﴿٢﴾ فَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَه"
﴿ إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللهِ لَنْ يَّخُلُقُوا ذُبَابًا وَّلَوِاجْتَمَعُوا لَه، ـ
وَإِنْ يَّسُلُبُهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْئًا لاَّ يَسْتَنْقِذُوْهُ مِنْهُ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ
وَالْمَطْلُوُبُ ﴿٧٣﴾ مَا قَدَرُوا اللّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهٍ * إِنَّ اللهَ لَقَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ
And they worship, besides Allah, the objects for which
He did never send down an authority (or proof) and for
which they have no knowledge. And for the wrongdoers
there is no helper. [71]
And when Our verses are recited to them in all their
clarity, you (can) recognize disgust on the faces of the
disbelievers. They seem to attack those who recite to
them Our verses. Say, "Shall I, then, tell you about
something more disgusting than that? The Fire! Allah
has promised it to those who disbelieve. And it is an
evil end." [72]
O people, here is a parable set forth to you, so listen to
it carefully: All those whom you invoke besides Allah
can never create (even) a fly, even though they all join
hands together for that. And if a fly snatches something
away from them, they cannot release it therefrom.
(Equally) feeble are the invoker and the invoked. [73]
They did not recognize Allah in His true esteem. Indeed
Allah is Powerful, Mighty. [74]
Commentary
Illustrating the futility of polytheism and idol-worship by
citing a parable
Generally the words "JE > are used for quoting an incident as an
example. However, it is not used here in that sense but the foolishness of
idol worship has been illustrated by citing a parable. The infidels are told
that the idols from which they seek the gratification of their desires are so
utterly helpless that all of them together cannot create a humble thing
like a fly. Indeed they cannot even protect the offerings of eatables, which
their worshippers bring them daily, against the inroads of flies. Then how

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Surah Al-Hajj : 22 : 78 - 75
can they protect you from any calamity? The stupidity and foolishness of
the idol-worshippers has been described at the end of the verse by the
words ◌ُضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوب (Feeble are the invoker and the invoked - 22:73)
meaning thereby that if the object of worship is so utterly weak and
powerless, those worshipping it must be more so.
- They did not recognize Allah in His true esteem) مَاقَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهٍ
22:74). It means that these people are so foolish and ungrateful that they
did not recognize the power of Allah Ta'ala and place their helpless idols
at the same level with Him.
Verses 75 - 78
اَللّهُ يَصْطَفِىُ مِنَ الْمَلَئِكَةِ رُسُلاً وَّمِنَ النَّاسِ * إِنَّ اللّهَ سَمِيْعٌ بَصِيْرٌ
﴿٢٥ٌ﴾ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ آَيْدِيُهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ * وَ إِلَى اللهِ تُرُجَعُ الْأُمُوْرُ
﴿٧٦ ﴾ ◌َأَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امُنُوا ارْكَعُوا وَاسْجُدُوْا وَاعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ وَافْعَلُوا
الْخَيْرَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿١٧﴾ وَجَاهِدُوْا فِى اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ +
هُوَاجْتَبْكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمُ فِى الدِّيْنِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ * مِلَّةَ أَبِيْكُمْ
إِبُرْهِيُمَ ﴿ هُوَسَمْكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ ا مِنُ قَبْلُ وَفِىُ هَذَا لِيَكُوُنَ
الرَّسُوْلُ شَهِيْدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُوْنُوا شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ مَجٍ فَقِيْمُوا
الصَّلوَةَ وَأَتُوا الزَّكَوَةَ وَاعْتَصِمُوْا بِاللّهِ ﴿ هُوَمَوْلِكُمْ، فَنِعُمَ الْمَوْلِى
وَنِعُمَ النَّصِيْرُ ﴿٧٨﴾
Allah chooses messengers from angels and from men.
Surely, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. [75]
He knows what is in front of them and what is behind
them, and to Allah all matters are to be returned. [76]
O those who believe, bow down in ruku' and bow down
in sajdah and worship your Lord and do good, so that
you achieve success. [77] And struggle for (seeking the
pleasure of) Allah, a struggle that is owed to Him. He
has chosen you and did not impose any hardship on you

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Surah Al-Hajj :
in the religion - the faith of your father Ibrahim. He
(Allah) named you as Muslims both before and in this
(Qur'an), so that the Messenger becomes a witness to
you and you become witnesses to (other) people.
So establish salah and pay zakah, and hold fast to
Allah. He is your patron. So, He is the excellent One to
be a patron and He is the excellent One to help. [78]
Commentary
O those who believe, bow down in) يَ يُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوا ارْكَعُوا وَاسْجُدُوْا وَاعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ
Ruku' and bow down in Sajdah and worship your Lord - 22:77) Verse 18 of
this Surah is a verse of sajdah by consensus of the jurists, which means
that whoever recites verse 18 or listens to someone reciting it must offer a
sajdah. However, there is a difference of opinion about the present verse.
Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik and Sufyan Thaurī Jus Jt, are
among those who think that the present verse is not a verse of sajdah in
the sense that reciting this verse or listening to it does not entail the
obligation to offer a sajdah, because the command to 'bow down' in sajdah
in the present verse is combined with bowing down in ruku' and this
circumstance is a clear indication that in the present context sajdah
means the normal sajdah which is performed during the course of
prayers. For example all the scholars are unanimously of the opinion that
in the verse ◌َوَاسُجَدِىُ وَارْكَعِى مَعَ الرَّاكِعِين (And prostrate and bow down (in
Ruku') with those who bow - 3:43) the sajdah is the normal sajdah of the
prayers. However, in the context of the present verse Imam Shafi'i and
Imam Ahmad رحمهم الله تعالى hold contrary views and quote a hadith
according to which Surah Hajj enjoys a position of greater merit as
compared to other Surahs because of two verses of sajdah occurring in it.
Imam Abu Hanifah questions the authenticity of this hadith.
And struggle for (seeking the pleasure of) Allah, a) وَجَاهِدُوا فِى اللهِ حَقِّ جِهَادِهِ
struggle that is due to him - 22:78) The words aux (jihad) and
(mujahadah) mean to exert one's utmost effort to achieve an objective
and to take pains for it. (That is why the word is translated above as
'struggle'). While waging war against the infidels the Muslims make
supreme efforts, and for this reason it is called jihad, and u (a
struggle that is due to Him) means that all these efforts and sacrifices
should aim solely at winning the favours and goodwill of Allah Ta'ala,

291
Surah Al-Hajj :
and be free from all considerations of worldly reward, such as fame or
spoils of war.
Sayyidnā Ibn 'Abbās
has explained the phrase 'that is due to Him'
by saying that it is to strive to the utmost of one's capacity in the course of
jihad, unmindful of all criticism. Some ther commentators have
explained the word jihad in this verse to mean that one exerts his utmost
effort in carrying out the acts of worship and full obedience to rules of
Shari'ah in all sincerity. Dahhak and Muqatil have said that a struggle
that is due to Him means to act in Allah's obedience and His worship as
due to Him. Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn Mubarak
thinks that Jihad
means to strive against the temptations (nafs) and its baser desires. Imam
Baghawi supports this view on the basis of a hadith which he has from
Jabir Ibn 'Abdullah
e to the effect that when a group of companions
"turned from Jihad, the Holy Prophet
قدمتم خير مقدم من الجهاد الاصغر الى said
You have) الجهاد الأكبر. قال: مجاهدة العبد لهواه (رواه البيهقى وقالَ هذا اسناد فيه ضعف
returned from a smaller Jihad to a greater Jihad) meaning thereby that
the fight against the temptations of self and baser desires never ceases.
Baihaqi has also related this hadith but he is of the opinion that it has
some weak narrators, Tafsir Mazhari has adopted this latter
interpretation and proceeded to say that the Muslims were in fact fighting
against the coarse desires of Self even when they were engaged in jihad
against the infidels, but the hadith places it after their return from the
jihad. The suggestion here is that though the fight against temptations
continued even on the battlefield, it could by tradition and usage be
brought to fruition only under the watchful eye of a perfect spiritual
guide, that is the Holy Prophet
The Ummah of Prophet Muhammad
is the chosen Ummah of
Allah Ta'ala
'He has chosen you - 22:78) Sayyidna Wathilah Ibn Asqa) هُوَ اجْتَبْكُمْ
has reported that the Holy Prophet Es once said, 'Allah chose the
Kinanah from the children of Sayyidna Ismail Scel, then He chose the
Quraish from the Kinanah, then the Bani Hashim from the Quraish and
from amongst the Bani Hashim He chose me'. (Muslim - Mazhari).
And did not impose any hardship on you in) وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى الدِّيْنِ مِنْ خَرَجٍ
the religion - 22:78) It means that Allah Ta'ala has not imposed any
hardship upon you in matters of religion. From this some scholars have