سُوْرَةُ الْحَجِّ
Surah Al-Hajj (22) — Ayah 78
وَجَـٰهِدُوا۟ فِى ٱللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِۦ ۚ هُوَ ٱجْتَبَىٰكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ ۚ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ۚ هُوَ سَمَّىٰكُمُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِى هَـٰذَا لِيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ ۚ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ هُوَ مَوْلَىٰكُمْ ۖ فَنِعْمَ ٱلْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ ٱلنَّصِيرُ ﴿78﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And strive hard in Allâh’s Cause as you ought to strive (with sincerity and with all your efforts that His Name should be superior). He has chosen you (to convey His Message of Islâmic Monotheism to mankind by inviting them to His religion of Islâm), and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship: it is the religion of your father Ibrâhîm (Abraham) (Islâmic Monotheism). It is He (Allâh) Who has named you Muslims both before and in this (the Qur’ân), that the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) may be a witness over you and you be witnesses over mankind! So perform As-Salât (Iqamat-as-Salât), give Zakât and hold fast to Allâh [i.e. have confidence in Allâh, and depend upon Him in all your affairs]. He is your Maulâ (Patron, Lord), what an Excellent Maulâ (Patron, Lord) and what an Excellent Helper!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَجَـٰهِدُوا۟
wajāhidū
And strive
فِى
fī
for
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
حَقَّ
ḥaqqa
(with the) striving due (to) Him
جِهَادِهِۦ ۚ
jihādihi
(with the) striving due (to) Him
هُوَ
huwa
He
ٱجْتَبَىٰكُمْ
ij'tabākum
(has) chosen you
وَمَا
wamā
and not
جَعَلَ
jaʿala
placed
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
upon you
فِى
fī
in
ٱلدِّينِ
l-dīni
the religion
مِنْ
min
any
حَرَجٍۢ ۚ
ḥarajin
difficulty
مِّلَّةَ
millata
(The) religion
أَبِيكُمْ
abīkum
(of) your father
إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ۚ
ib'rāhīma
Ibrahim
هُوَ
huwa
He
سَمَّىٰكُمُ
sammākumu
named you
ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ
l-mus'limīna
Muslims
مِن
min
before
قَبْلُ
qablu
before
وَفِى
wafī
and in
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
this
لِيَكُونَ
liyakūna
that may be
ٱلرَّسُولُ
l-rasūlu
the Messenger
شَهِيدًا
shahīdan
a witness
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
over you
وَتَكُونُوا۟
watakūnū
and you may be
شُهَدَآءَ
shuhadāa
witnesses
عَلَى
ʿalā
on
ٱلنَّاسِ ۚ
l-nāsi
the mankind
فَأَقِيمُوا۟
fa-aqīmū
So establish
ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ
l-ṣalata
the prayer
وَءَاتُوا۟
waātū
and give
ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ
l-zakata
zakah
وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟
wa-iʿ'taṣimū
and hold fast
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
to Allah
هُوَ
huwa
He
مَوْلَىٰكُمْ ۖ
mawlākum
(is) your Protector
فَنِعْمَ
faniʿ'ma
so an Excellent
ٱلْمَوْلَىٰ
l-mawlā
[the] Protector
وَنِعْمَ
waniʿ'ma
and an Excellent
ٱلنَّصِيرُ
l-naṣīru
[the] Helper
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
78. 1. By this jihad, some have meant the greater jihad which is carried out against the disbelievers and polytheists for the exaltation of the word of Allah, and some have meant the fulfillment of Allah's commands, in which one also has to confront the evil-commanding soul and Satan. And some have meant every effort made for the dominance of truth and honesty and the suppression of falsehood.
78. 2. That is, no such command has been given which the human soul cannot bear, rather, some of the severe commands of previous laws have also been abrogated, and in addition, many eases have been granted to Muslims which were not present in previous laws.
78. 3. The Arabs were from the descendants of Hazrat Ismail (عليه السلام), in this respect Hazrat Ibrahim (عليه السلام) was his father of the Arabs, and non-Arabs also respected Hazrat Ibrahim (عليه السلام) as a great personality in the same way that sons respect their father, so he was his father of all people. In addition, due to the Prophet of Islam being an Arab, Hazrat Ibrahim (عليه السلام) was his father, so he became the father of the Ummah of Muhammad as well. That is why it is said, this religion of Islam, which Allah has chosen for you, is the religion of your father Ibrahim (عليه السلام), so follow it.
78. 4. According to some, the reference of "Muslim" is Hazrat Ibrahim (عليه السلام), meaning that even before the revelation of the Quran, your name "Muslim" was given by Hazrat Ibrahim (عليه السلام), and according to some, the reference is Allah Almighty, meaning He has named you Muslim.
78. 5. This testimony will be on the Day of Resurrection, as mentioned in the hadith. See the footnote of Surah Baqarah, verse 143.
78. 2. That is, no such command has been given which the human soul cannot bear, rather, some of the severe commands of previous laws have also been abrogated, and in addition, many eases have been granted to Muslims which were not present in previous laws.
78. 3. The Arabs were from the descendants of Hazrat Ismail (عليه السلام), in this respect Hazrat Ibrahim (عليه السلام) was his father of the Arabs, and non-Arabs also respected Hazrat Ibrahim (عليه السلام) as a great personality in the same way that sons respect their father, so he was his father of all people. In addition, due to the Prophet of Islam being an Arab, Hazrat Ibrahim (عليه السلام) was his father, so he became the father of the Ummah of Muhammad as well. That is why it is said, this religion of Islam, which Allah has chosen for you, is the religion of your father Ibrahim (عليه السلام), so follow it.
78. 4. According to some, the reference of "Muslim" is Hazrat Ibrahim (عليه السلام), meaning that even before the revelation of the Quran, your name "Muslim" was given by Hazrat Ibrahim (عليه السلام), and according to some, the reference is Allah Almighty, meaning He has named you Muslim.
78. 5. This testimony will be on the Day of Resurrection, as mentioned in the hadith. See the footnote of Surah Baqarah, verse 143.
