Surah Al-Hajj (22) — Ayah 28

(Ayah 28) ➊ {لِيَشْهَدُوْا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ:} That is, people will come for Hajj on foot and mounted, so that they may be present for their many benefits. The main purpose of Hajj is to attain religious and hereafter benefits through worship, but incidentally, there are also many worldly and communal benefits in it. In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned both the religious and worldly benefits of Hajj and Umrah, as he said: [ تَابِعُوْا بَيْنَ الْحَجِّ وَالْعُمْرَةِ فَإِنَّهُمَا يَنْفِيَانِ الْفَقْرَ وَالذُّنُوْبَ كَمَا يَنْفِي الْكِيْرُ خَبَثَ الْحَدِيْدِ وَالذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ ] [ ترمذي، الحج، باب ما جاء في ثواب الحج والعمرۃ : ۸۱۰، عن عبد اللّٰہ بن مسعود رضی اللہ عنہ ] "Perform Hajj and Umrah consecutively, for they remove poverty and sins just as the bellows removes the impurities of iron, gold, and silver." Among the religious benefits, the greatest benefit is attaining the pleasure of Allah and Paradise. Thus, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ اَلْعُمْرَةُ إِلَی الْعُمْرَةِ كَفَّارَةٌ لِمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَالْحَجُّ الْمَبْرُوْرُ لَيْسَ لَهُ جَزَاءٌ إِلَّا الْجَنَّةُ ] [ بخاري، الحج، باب وجوب العمرۃ و فضلھا : ۱۷۷۳۔ مسلم : ۱۳۴۹ ] "From one Umrah to the next is an expiation for whatever (sins) come in between, and the reward for an accepted Hajj is nothing but Paradise." Forgiveness of sins is also a great benefit; the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَنْ حَجَّ لِلّٰهِ فَلَمْ يَرْفُثْ وَلَمْ يَفْسُقْ رَجَعَ كَيَوْمِ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهٗ ] [ بخاري، الحج، باب فضل الحج المبرور : ۱۵۲۱، عن أبي ھریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ۔ مسلم :1350] "Whoever performs Hajj and does not engage in sexual relations or commit any sin will return (free from sins) as on the day his mother bore him." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Amr bin Al-Aas (may Allah be pleased with him): [ أَمَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ الْإِسْلَامَ يَهْدِمُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهٗ وَأَنَّ الْهِجْرَةَ تَهْدِمُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهَا وَأَنَّ الْحَجَّ يَهْدِمُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهٗ ] [ مسلم، الإیمان، باب کون الإسلام یھدم ما قبلہ …:۱۲۱ ] "Do you not know that Islam wipes out whatever came before it, and that migration wipes out whatever came before it, and that Hajj wipes out whatever came before it?"

Among the benefits of Hajj, the greatest benefit is the gathering of all the Muslims of the world and the demonstration that we are all one Ummah; black, white, red, and yellow—no one has superiority over another because of color or language, all are brothers. On this occasion, everyone becomes aware of each other's conditions and thinks about and arranges to help their brothers who are in difficulty. Among these benefits is also the opportunity to earn lawful sustenance through trade, industry, labor, etc., as it is said: «{ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ اَنْ تَبْتَغُوْا فَضْلًا مِّنْ رَّبِّكُمْ }» [ البقرۃ : ۱۹۸ ] "There is no sin on you if you seek the bounty of your Lord." This is the best opportunity for Muslims to become aware of international products and production and to organize mutual trade throughout the world. Similarly, meeting scholars from all over the world and increasing in religious and worldly knowledge is also a great benefit of Hajj. Then, during this journey, becoming familiar with the conditions of different regions and peoples of the world is also a great knowledge, which is among the great blessings of Hajj. In summary, Hajj is a comprehensive source of countless political, economic, financial, and social benefits for Muslims.

➋ {وَ يَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللّٰهِ فِيْۤ اَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُوْمٰتٍ عَلٰى مَا رَزَقَهُمْ …:} In the terminology of the Qur'an, mentioning the name of Allah over the cattle given by Allah means slaughtering them by reciting {’’بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ‘‘}. See Surah Al-An'am (118 to 121). Here, one of the purposes of Hajj is stated that the pilgrims should mention the name of Allah over the domesticated cattle He has given them during a few known days. In this, Allah has also reminded of the blessing of cattle. What are these {’’ اَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُوْمٰتٍ ‘‘} (few known days)? Some great and eminent personalities have taken this to mean the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and in Surah Al-Baqarah (203), {’’ اَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُوْمٰتٍ ‘‘} is taken to mean the days of Tashreeq. But according to the commentator Amin Shanqeeti, author of Adwa' al-Bayan: "Despite the eminence of these personalities, their position is not correct; rather, the correct view is that of those who take it to mean the Day of Nahr (10th Dhul-Hijjah) and the two or three days after it. Because in this verse, the mention is of sacrifice during a few known days, whereas in the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, sacrifice is only on one day (10th Dhul-Hijjah), whereas {’’ مَعْلُوْمٰتٍ ‘‘} should be at least three. In summary, these {’’ اَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُوْمٰتٍ ‘‘} refer to the days in which sacrifice is performed, and they are the Day of Nahr and the two or three days after it." The evidence for sacrifice during all the days of Tashreeq (11, 12, 13), i.e., four days, after the Day of Nahr is the statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): [ كُلُّ أَيَّامِ التَّشْرِيْقِ ذَبْحٌ ] "All the days of Tashreeq are days of sacrifice." Shaykh Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) said in {’’ مَنَاسِكُ الْحَجِّ وَالْعُمْرَةِ ‘‘} that Ahmad narrated it and Ibn Hibban graded it Sahih, and in my view, with all its chains, it is strong; that is why I have included it in Silsilah Sahihah (2476). In summary, sacrificing the great blessing of domesticated animals given by Allah in these four days in His name is one of the great objectives of Hajj. It is narrated from Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: [ أَيُّ الْحَجِّ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ الْعَجُّ وَ الثَّجُّ ] [ ترمذي، الحج، باب ما جاء في فضل التلبیۃ والنحر : ۸۲۷ ] "What is the best thing in Hajj?" He said: "Raising the voice with Talbiyah and shedding blood (offering sacrifice)."

➌ { فَكُلُوْا مِنْهَا وَ اَطْعِمُوا … :} Previously, the mention of those performing Hajj was in the third person, now they are addressed directly: The cattle I have given you and you have sacrificed in My name, now My blessing demands that you eat from it yourselves and also feed the poor who are in hardship. {’’ الْبَآىِٕسَ ‘‘} means one who is financially distressed. The poor is the same, only to arouse compassion for the poor, {’’ الْفَقِيْرَ ‘‘} is mentioned before {’’ الْبَآىِٕسَ ‘‘}, because the word "poor" is commonly used. This does not mean that the rich cannot be fed, but it is to emphasize feeding the poor; the mention of feeding the rich will come in verse (36). The command to eat oneself is because the polytheists did not eat from their sacrifice. The commentators say that the command to eat oneself is not for obligation but for recommendation or permission, i.e., you are allowed to eat yourselves, it is not necessary that you must eat. In any case, from the word of command, it is understood that if possible, one should eat from one's own sacrificial meat, as Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: [ أَنَّ الْبُدْنَ الَّتِيْ نَحَرَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَتْ مِئَةَ بَدَنَةٍ نَحَرَ بِيَدِهٖ ثَلاَثًا وَّ سِتِّيْنَ وَنَحَرَ عَلِيٌّ مَا غَبَرَ وَأَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ كُلِّ بَدَنَةٍ بِبَضْعَةٍ فَجُعِلَتْ فِيْ قِدْرٍ ثُمَّ شَرِبَا مِنْ مَرْقِهَا ] [ مسند أحمد : 331/3، ح : ۱۴۵۶۱ ] "The camels which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) slaughtered were one hundred. He (peace and blessings be upon him) slaughtered sixty-three (63) camels with his own hand, and the rest were slaughtered by Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that a piece from each camel be taken and put in a pot, then both of them drank some of its broth." Shu'ayb Arna'ut graded this hadith Sahih.

28. 1 These benefits are both religious, that through prayer, circumambulation, and the rites of Hajj and Umrah, Allah’s forgiveness and pleasure may be attained, and worldly, that through trade and business, worldly wealth and possessions may be acquired.

28. 2 By “bahimatul an’am” are meant domesticated animals such as camels, cows, goats (and sheep, rams). Taking Allah’s name over them means slaughtering them, which is done only by mentioning Allah’s name. “Ayyam Ma’lumat” refers to the days of slaughter, the “Ayyam Tashreeq,” which are the day (10th Dhul-Hijjah) and the three days after it, i.e., up to the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah, during which sacrifice can be performed. Generally, “Ayyam Ma’lumat” refers to the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and “Ayyam Ma’dudat” refers to the days of Tashreeq. However, here, in the context in which “Ma’lumat” appears, it seems that the days of Tashreeq are meant. And Allah knows best.

28. So that they may witness the benefits [37] appointed for them, and mention the name of Allah over the livestock He has provided for them during the appointed days [38]. Then eat from them yourselves [39], and feed the needy and the poor [40].

[37]
The Benefits and Blessings of Hajj:

These benefits are not only religious, but from this gathering of Hajj, various types of political, economic, financial, and social benefits are also obtained. And all Muslims are provided with a central point of unity. It was the blessing of Hajj that the Quraysh of Makkah, who were the custodians of the House of Allah, enjoyed a distinguished status throughout Arabia. And it was the blessing of Hajj that even in the era of looting and plundering, at least for four months, people could travel in peace and security. It was the blessing of Hajj that Makkah became a global commercial market. Although outsiders also benefited considerably from this trade, the greatest benefit was received by the people of Makkah themselves. And it is the blessing of Hajj that a voice raised from here would reach every corner of the world.

[38] Some scholars have interpreted the "known days" as the days from the 1st to the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah. However, this is in the case where the remembrance of Allah is understood in a general sense. And if taking the name of Allah is understood to be related to the sacrificial animals, then according to some, it refers to the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah and the two days after it. And according to others, it is three days, meaning until the Asr of the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah; according to them, sacrifice is permissible until then. "Baha'im al-An'am" refers to camels, cows, sheep, goats, etc., which are sacrificed, and they will only be lawful if the name of Allah is mentioned at the time of slaughter. If the name of anyone other than Allah is mentioned, or if the name of Allah is deliberately omitted, then eating such slaughtered animals will not be lawful or permissible. And if one forgets to mention the name of Allah at the time of slaughter, the sacrifice will still be valid and lawful; whenever one remembers, the name of Allah should be mentioned at that time. Although several supplications are narrated for the time of slaughter, the shortest words that can be said at the time of sacrifice are: ﴿بسم الله الله اكبر﴾

[39]
Those Practices Considered Good in the Age of Ignorance but Corrected by Islam:

In the age of ignorance, there were many practices that were performed considering them to be good deeds and acts of virtue, but Islam corrected them. For example, not engaging in trade during the journey of Hajj, traveling on foot, not riding the sacrificial animal even in difficulty, entering the house from the back upon returning from the journey, performing Tawaf naked, not considering the Tawaf of Safa and Marwah as good, not considering the stay at Arafat as necessary. Among such practices was also the notion that they would not eat anything from the meat of the sacrifice themselves. Allah Almighty removed their misunderstanding by saying these words.

[40]
Distribution of Sacrificial Meat:

This does not mean that wealthy people cannot eat from the sacrificial meat at all. Rather, it means that the needy, the poor, and the destitute must be included. And the meaning of eating oneself is not that it is absolutely necessary to eat from it, but that there is no harm in eating the sacrificial meat oneself. In this regard, the statement of Abdullah bin Umar ؓ is that keep one portion for yourself, distribute one portion among your neighbors and relatives, and one portion among the poor and needy. But it is not necessary that these three portions be equal; rather, they can be increased or decreased as needed, and it is better to keep less than a third for oneself and more than a third for the poor.