Verses 31–37
22. Al-Hajj · The Pilgrimage
Madinan78 verses
حُنَفَآءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِۦ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ ٱلطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِى بِهِ ٱلرِّيحُ فِى مَكَانٍۢ سَحِيقٍۢ
22:31as persons having pure faith in Allah, not ascribing partners to Him. Whoever ascribes partners to Allah is as though he had fallen from a height, then [his corpse] is devoured by vultures, or [his remains are] blown away by the wind far and wide.1
ذَٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَٰٓئِرَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى ٱلْقُلُوبِ
22:32That. And whoever venerates the sacraments of Allah—indeed that arises from the Godwariness of hearts.
لَكُمْ فِيهَا مَنَٰفِعُ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّۭى ثُمَّ مَحِلُّهَآ إِلَى ٱلْبَيْتِ ٱلْعَتِيقِ
22:33You may benefit from them until a specified time. Then their place of sacrifice is by the Ancient House.2
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍۢ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًۭا لِّيَذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّنۢ بَهِيمَةِ ٱلْأَنْعَٰمِ ۗ فَإِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ فَلَهُۥٓ أَسْلِمُوا۟ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُخْبِتِينَ
22:34For every nation We have appointed a rite so that they might mention Allah’s Name over the livestock He has provided them. Your God is the One God, so submit to Him. And give good news to the humble
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ ٱللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَصَابَهُمْ وَٱلْمُقِيمِى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
22:35—those whose hearts tremble with awe when Allah is mentioned, and who are patient through whatever visits them, and who maintain the prayer and spend out of what We have provided them.
وَٱلْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَٰهَا لَكُم مِّن شَعَٰٓئِرِ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ فِيهَا خَيْرٌۭ ۖ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا صَوَآفَّ ۖ فَإِذَا وَجَبَتْ جُنُوبُهَا فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا۟ ٱلْقَانِعَ وَٱلْمُعْتَرَّ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ سَخَّرْنَٰهَا لَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
22:36We have appointed for you the [sacrificial] camels as part of Allah’s sacraments. There is good for you in them. So mention the Name of Allah over them as they stand. And when they have fallen on their flanks, eat from them, and feed the self-contained needy and the mendicant. Thus have We disposed them for your benefit so that you may give thanks.34
لَن يَنَالَ ٱللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَآؤُهَا وَلَٰكِن يَنَالُهُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ سَخَّرَهَا لَكُمْ لِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
22:37It is not their flesh or blood that reaches Allah; rather, it is your piety that reaches Him. Thus has He disposed them for your benefit so that you may magnify Allah for His guiding you. And give good news to the virtuous.*
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 37
1.In the time of ignorance, it was the custom that the Arab hypocrites hung flesh of the sacrificed animals on the holy place and polluted the walls of Ka’ba by the blood of the animals and thought this blood was offered to the court of Allah just as the ignorant people of today stick different kinds of handbills on the walls of mosques. With the help of these they try to send these spots and marks to the court of Allah. The Holy Quran has clarified this fact: Spots and marks is not the way to please Allah. Fear of God, goodness, virtue and good character are the media to please Allah.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
Benefit
A polytheist is like a fallen leaf or man who bas broken off relation with the sky of monotheism and is dispersed in the atmosphere. It can be plucked by every type of bird and every gust of wind can carry it into a ditch.
- 1
Hunafa - It is the plural of Haneef. It is a person who is steadfast on the true religion and is aloof from falsehood. Saheeq - distant, far off. Shaaer - is the plural of Shaeera. It denotes signs. This Ishaar is on the meaning of Elaam. Mansak - Place of worship, Nasak - worship. After referring to the sacrificial animal as a sign of Allah people are commanded to accord respect to it. This implies that we must select the best animal for sacrifice. Sacrificing a cheap or a defective animal will tantamount to insulting the sign of Allah.
- 2
This proves that we can derive benefit from the sacrificial animal till the time of sacrifice. After this it is to be slaughtered in the vicinity of the sanctuary, which includes Mina.
- 3
Budn - It is the plural of Badna - That is a healthy camel.
- 4
Sawaaf - That is in the standing position.
Benefit
The 37th ayat proves that even the blood of the sacrificial animal does not reach the Almighty. Smearing it on the walls is a foolish act. It is surprising that even in some Muslim areas blood of a sacrificial animal is mixed in the material for laying the foundation of a house. It is a habit that has been inherited by some Muslims.