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Towards Understanding the Quran
With kind permission: Islamic Foundation UK
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 Surah Al-Haj 22:34-38 [5/10]
  
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Verse Summary -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
وَلِكُلِّAnd for every
أُمَّةٍnation
جَعَلْنَاWe have appointed
مَنسَكًاa rite,
لِّيَذْكُرُواْthat they may mention
ٱسْمَ(the) name
ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
عَلَىٰover
مَاwhat
رَزَقَهُمHe (has) provided them
مِّنۢof
بَهِيمَةِ(the) beast
ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ‌ۗ(of) cattle.
فَإِلَـٰهُكُمْAnd your God
إِلَـٰهٌ(is) God
وَٲحِدٌOne,
فَلَهُۥٓso to Him
أَسْلِمُواْ‌ۗsubmit.
وَبَشِّرِAnd give glad tidings
ٱلْمُخْبِتِينَ(to) the humble ones.
﴿٣٤﴾
ٱلَّذِينَThose
إِذَاwhen
ذُكِرَis mentioned
ٱللَّهُAllah -
وَجِلَتْfear
قُلُوبُهُمْtheir hearts,
وَٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَand those who are patient
عَلَىٰover
مَآwhatever
أَصَابَهُمْhas afflicted them,
وَٱلْمُقِيمِىand those who establish
ٱلصَّلَوٲةِthe prayer,
وَمِمَّاand out of what
رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْWe have provided them
يُنفِقُونَthey spend.
﴿٣٥﴾
وَٱلْبُدْنَAnd the camels and cattle -
جَعَلْنَـٰهَاWe have made them
لَكُمfor you
مِّنamong
شَعَـٰٓئِرِ(the) Symbols
ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah,
لَكُمْfor you
فِيهَاtherein
خَيْرٌ‌ۖ(is) good.
فَٱذْكُرُواْSo mention
ٱسْمَ(the) name
ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
عَلَيْهَاover them
صَوَآفَّ‌ۖ(when) lined up;
فَإِذَاand when
وَجَبَتْare down
جُنُوبُهَاtheir sides,
فَكُلُواْthen eat
مِنْهَاfrom them
وَأَطْعِمُواْand feed
ٱلْقَانِعَthe needy who do not ask
وَٱلْمُعْتَرَّ‌ۚand the needy who ask.
كَذَٲلِكَThus
سَخَّرْنَـٰهَاWe have subjected them
لَكُمْto you
لَعَلَّكُمْso that you may
تَشْكُرُونَbe grateful.
﴿٣٦﴾
لَنWill not
يَنَالَreach
ٱللَّهَAllah
لُحُومُهَاtheir meat
وَلَاand not
دِمَآؤُهَاtheir blood
وَلَـٰكِنbut
يَنَالُهُreaches Him
ٱلتَّقْوَىٰthe piety
مِنكُمْ‌ۚfrom you.
كَذَٲلِكَThus
سَخَّرَهَاHe subjected them
لَكُمْto you
لِتُكَبِّرُواْso that you may magnify
ٱللَّهَAllah
عَلَىٰfor
مَاwhat
هَدَٮٰكُمْ‌ۗHe has guided you.
وَبَشِّرِAnd give glad tidings
ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ(to) the good-doers.
﴿٣٧﴾
۞ إِنَّIndeed,
ٱللَّهَAllah
يُدَٲفِعُ عَنِdefends
ٱلَّذِينَthose who
ءَامَنُوٓاْ‌ۗbelieve.
إِنَّIndeed,
ٱللَّهَAllah
لَا(does) not
يُحِبُّlike
كُلَّevery
خَوَّانٍtreacherous
كَفُورٍungrateful.
﴿٣٨﴾


وَلِكُلِّ اُمَّةٍ جَعَلۡنَا مَنۡسَكًا لِّيَذۡكُرُوا اسۡمَ اللّٰهِ عَلٰى مَا رَزَقَهُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَهِيۡمَةِ الۡاَنۡعَامِ ؕ فَاِلٰهُكُمۡ اِلٰـهٌ وَّاحِدٌ فَلَهٗۤ اَسۡلِمُوۡا​ ؕ وَبَشِّرِ الۡمُخۡبِتِيۡنَ ۙ‏  الَّذِيۡنَ اِذَا ذُكِرَ اللّٰهُ وَجِلَتۡ قُلُوۡبُهُمۡ وَالصّٰبِرِيۡنَ عَلٰى مَاۤ اَصَابَهُمۡ وَالۡمُقِيۡمِى الصَّلٰوةِ ۙ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنٰهُمۡ يُنۡفِقُوۡنَ‏   وَالۡبُدۡنَ جَعَلۡنٰهَا لَـكُمۡ مِّنۡ شَعَآئِرِ اللّٰهِ لَـكُمۡ فِيۡهَا خَيۡرٌ​ ​ۖ  فَاذۡكُرُوا اسۡمَ اللّٰهِ عَلَيۡهَا صَوَآفَّ​ ۚ فَاِذَا وَجَبَتۡ جُنُوۡبُهَا فَكُلُوۡا مِنۡهَا وَاَطۡعِمُوا الۡقَانِعَ وَالۡمُعۡتَـرَّ ​ؕ كَذٰلِكَ سَخَّرۡنٰهَا لَـكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُوۡنَ‏  لَنۡ يَّنَالَ اللّٰهَ لُحُـوۡمُهَا وَلَا دِمَآؤُهَا وَلٰـكِنۡ يَّنَالُهُ التَّقۡوٰى مِنۡكُمۡ​ؕ كَذٰلِكَ سَخَّرَهَا لَـكُمۡ لِتُكَبِّرُوا اللّٰهَ عَلٰى مَا هَدٰٮكُمۡ​ؕ وَبَشِّرِ الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَ‏  اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُدٰفِعُ عَنِ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡٓا​ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ خَوَّانٍ كَفُوۡرٍ‏ 

Translation
(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

Commentary

64. This verse implies two things.

(1) Sacrifice has been an essential part of the worship of One Allah in all the revealed religions. In order to inculcate Tauhid, Allah prohibited sacrifice for anyone other than Himself. This was in keeping with the other prohibitions which were made for others than Allah. For instance, prostration before anyone other than Allah, making vows for others than Allah, visiting holy places others than those prescribed by Allah, fasting in the name of others than of Allah, etc., were all prohibited.

(2) The other thing which has been common in all the revealed religions was the object of the sacrifice in the name of Allah though its details have been different in different religions, times and countries.

65. The Arabic word mukhbitin has no equivalent in English. It includes those who;

(1) Give up pride, arrogance and adopt humility before Allah.

(2) Surrender themselves to His service and slavery.

(3) Accept His decrees sincerely.

66. It means that righteous people spend their lawful provisions in the way of Allah to meet their own and their dependents’ lawful needs, to help their relatives, neighbors and other needy people, on public works and propagation of the word of Allah. It does not include expenditure in unlawful ways for unlawful purposes. The Quranic term lnfaq implies neither over spending nor being miserly and stingy, but spending one’s wealth on himself and others according to his means and status in society.

67. Seven persons can become partners in the sacrifice of one camel and likewise in the sacrifice of one cow and the like, as enjoined by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a tradition reported by Jabir bin Abdullah in the collection of Hadith by Muslim.

68. That is, you should sacrifice animals because you get many benefits from them to show your gratitude to Allah, the Giver, and also to acknowledge His Supremacy and Sovereignty.

69. “Mention the name of Allah over them” implies that animals should be slaughtered by pronouncing the name of Allah over them, because without that their flesh would be unlawful to eat. This shows that in the Islamic Law there is no conception of slaughtering an animal without pronouncing the name of Allah over it. According to traditions, there are different wordings for pronouncing the name of Allah over the animals at the time of their slaughter. Some of these are:

(I) Bismillahi Allahu Akbar; Allahumma minka wa laka: In the name of Allah, Allah is most Great! O Allah, this is Thine and is presented to Thee.

(2) Allahu Akbar- La ilaha ill-Allahu; Allahumma minka wa laka: Allah is most Great: There is no god but Allah: O Allah, this is Thine and is presented to Thee.

(3) Inni wajjahtu wajhiya lillazi fatar-as-sama wati wal-arda, hanif-an-wa ma ana min-al-mushrikin. Inns Salati wa nusuki wa mahyaya wa mamati lillahi Rabb-il-alamin. La sharika lahu wa bi-zalika umirtu wa ana min-al-Muslimin. A llahumma minks wa laka. I have turned my face sincerely towards the Being Who created the heavens and the earth, and I am not from among the idolatrous people. My Salat and my rites of worship and my life and my death are all for Allah, the Lord of the universe, Who has no partner with Him. This is what I have been enjoined and I am the first to surrender to Him. O Allah! This is Thine, and is presented to Thee.

70. It should be noted that a camel is sacrificed while it is standing. This was enjoined by the Prophet (peace be upon him) and is supported by Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Dahhak, etc. Muslim and Bukhari have reported a tradition from Ibn Umar, who saw a man slaughtering his camel in the sitting position. He said to him: Tie one foot of your camel and make it stand, because that is the way of Abu Qasim (peace be upon him). According to a tradition reported by Jabir bin Abdullah, in Abu Dawud, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions would tie a left foot of the camel and would make it stand on three feet, then they would slaughter it.

71. “Then, when they are down on their sides (after slaughter)” means till they die completely, for the Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibited to cut off a piece of flesh if there is still any sign of life in the slaughtered animal. If this is done, the piece of flesh would be unlawful.

72. This is another reason why animals should be sacrificed: “Thus have We made them (animals) subject to you, that you may give thanks”.

73. This prescribes a very important condition for the sacrifice made in the worship of Allah. A sacrifice is acceptable to Allah only if it is accompanied by piety and sincerity. Though sacrifice is a symbol of Allah, yet it has been made plain that it is accepted only if it is accompanied by piety, saying: “Neither their meat that reaches Allah nor their blood, but what reaches Him is the piety from you”. This was also meant to condemn the ritual of the days of ignorance, when the Arabs took the flesh to the Kabah and smeared its walls with the blood of the sacrificed animal.

74. “That you may glorify Allah” at the time of sacrifice verbally also in order to acknowledge that the animals really belong to Allah and to no one else. One of the sentences uttered at the time of sacrifice is Allahumma minka wa laka (O Allah, this animal is Thine and is presented to Thee).

It should be noted that the command of sacrifice as contained in (verses 36 and 37) is not for the pilgrims alone and that the performance of sacrifice is not confined to Makkah on the occasion of Hajj. It is a general command for all those Muslims who are well off. They have been enjoined to be grateful to Allah because He has subjected these animals for the good of all human beings. Therefore they are required to sacrifice the animals during these days so that they may spiritually join those who go to Makkah to perform Hajj.

There are many authentic traditions to the effect that the Prophet (peace be upon him) made sacrifice on this occasion, while he was personally at Al-Madinah.

(1) The one who does not perform sacrifice even though he can, should not join us in the Eid Prayer. (Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Majah).

(2) According to a tradition reported by Ibn Umar, the Prophet (peace be upon him) dwelt at Al-Madinah for ten years and performed sacrifice every year. (Tirmizi).

(3) According to Anas, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

The one who sacrificed an animal before the Eid Prayer, should offer another sacrifice; but the one who sacrificed his animal after the Eid Prayer, did the right thing and followed the way of the Muslims. (Bukhari).

It this connection, it is note-worthy that no Eid Prayer is held on the tenth of Zil-Hajj in Makkah: therefore the injunction was meant for all Muslims and not only for those performing Hajj at Makkah.

Thus, it is clear that the sacrifice on the occasion of Eid which is observed in the entire Muslim world is a Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and has been enjoined by him. The only dispute is whether it is obligatory in nature or only a Sunnah. Ibrahim Nakhai, Imams Abu Hanifah, Malik, Muhammad and, according to a tradition, Imam Abu Yusuf too, are of the opinion that it is obligatory in nature. On the other hand, Imams Shafai and Ahmad bin Hanbal regard it only as a Sunnah of the Muslims, and Sufyan Thauri has also agreed with them, saying that there will be no harm if a person does not offer a sacrifice. It is, however, an irony that some of the learned Muslims of our time, who follow neither the Quran nor the Sunnah, and are only guided by personal whims, have declared that if there is a consensus of opinion of the Muslims, they can give up the practice of sacrifice on the occasion of Eid.

75. From here the address for the first time prepares the Muslims for Jihad. In order to understand this, we should keep in view the preceding portion (verses 19-24) in which the ideological conflict between the two parties (believers and disbelievers) and the result thereof have been described. This naturally serves as a prelude to the armed conflict between the two parties. That is why in (verses 26- 37) the immediate causes which necessitated war have been stated to serve as an introduction and justification for war with the disbelievers of Makkah.

After the migration to Al-Madinah, when the first Hajj season approached, it naturally brought along with it anguish and anger both for the Muhajirs and the Ansar, who had been debarred froth visiting Makkah and performing Hajj, That is why, in this passage (verse 26-37), the rituals and the objects of Hajj have been described to bring home to the disbelievers that they had no right to debar anyone from Hajj. On the other hand, the Muslims are being prepared to fight not with the intention of wreaking vengeance but for the sake of reform. At the same time sacrifice on the occasion of Hajj has been prescribed as a permanent rite to enable them (and the Muslims of the whole world) to commemorate Hajj and the rites connected with it, so that they might refrain from wreaking vengeance on the people of Makkah for the persecution to which they had been subjected. They have, therefore, been enjoined to fight to bring about better conditions and not to take revenge on their persecutors.

76. The Arabic word mudafiat implies two things.

(1) To fight with the enemy to ward off his aggressive attack.

(2) To fight with the enemy not just once but whenever the need arises. Allah has assured the believers that He will defend them against the enemy every time there is a conflict between Islam and kufr. This is to encourage the believers that they will not be left alone in their defense, but Allah Himself will be a party with them and will help them to frustrate the cunning designs of the enemy and to ward off their attacks. Indeed this verse is a great encouragement for the believers, for it imbues their hearts with spirit and strength which nothing else can.

77. Allah becomes a party with the believers because they are justified in waging war against the disbelievers who are treacherous and ungrateful to Allah in spite of His many blessings and favors to them.