Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 196

(Ayah 196) ➊ {وَ اَتِمُّوا الْحَجَّ وَ الْعُمْرَةَ لِلّٰهِ :} Al-Tabari has narrated with his Hasan chain from Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them): "Whoever puts on the Ihram for Hajj or Umrah, it is not permissible for him to become lawful before completing it. The completion of Hajj is that on the Day of Sacrifice (10th Dhul-Hijjah), he should stone Jamrah Aqabah and perform the Tawaf of Ziyarah, then he becomes completely lawful from his Ihram. The completion of Umrah is that he performs Tawaf of the House of Allah and Sa’i between Safa and Marwah, then he becomes lawful." [ طبری : 213/2، ح : ۳۱۹۴ ] That is, whether Hajj or Umrah is obligatory or voluntary, after putting on Ihram, it is necessary to complete it. The second meaning of the verse is that perform all the rites of Hajj and Umrah completely for the sake of Allah. Both meanings are present in the words.

➋ {فَاِنْ اُحْصِرْتُمْ … : } That is, if due to an enemy or illness you are unable to reach the Ka’bah, then wherever the obstacle arises, sacrifice a goat, or a share in a camel or cow, whatever is available, and then come out of Ihram, just as in 6 AH the polytheists of Makkah prevented the Prophet (peace be upon him) from performing Umrah, so he sacrificed outside the boundary of the Haram at Hudaybiyyah and came out of Ihram.

➌ {وَ لَا تَحْلِقُوْا رُءُوْسَكُمْ …:} Its conjunction is with {”وَ اَتِمُّوا الْحَجَّ“} and this ruling is specific to the state of safety, that is, in the state of safety, do not shave your head (i.e., do not come out of Ihram) until you have completely performed the rites of Hajj and Umrah. In Bukhari (5089) and Muslim (1207) it is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went to Dubaa’ah bint Zubair bin Abdul Muttalib, and she said: "O Messenger of Allah! I intend to perform Hajj and I am ill!" So he said: "Perform Hajj and make a condition that my place of becoming lawful will be where (O Allah!) You stop me." It is understood that if one makes a condition at the time of Ihram, then in case of an obstacle, he may come out of Ihram at that place and no sacrifice, etc., is required of him.

➍ {فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ …:} That is, after putting on Ihram, if due to illness or excuse you need to shave your head, then shave your head and perform one of three things as compensation. Ka’b bin Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that I was brought to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in a state that lice were falling on my face, so the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "I did not think your suffering had become so severe. Do you have a goat (etc.)?" I said no, so he said: "Then fast three days, or feed six needy people, each half a sa’ (i.e., one kilo), and shave your head." [ بخاری، التفسیر، باب : «فمنکان منکم مریضًا …» : ۴۵۱۷ ] The scholars agree that he may do whichever of the three he wishes, and the words of the Qur’an are also to this effect.

➎ {فَمَنْ تَمَتَّعَ بِالْعُمْرَةِ اِلَى الْحَجِّ …:} If a person performs only Umrah or only Hajj, then sacrifice is not obligatory on him; if he does sacrifice, it is rewardable. However, if he takes advantage of performing both Umrah and Hajj in the months of Hajj, whether he puts on Ihram for both together from the Miqat, which is called Hajj Qiran, or first puts on Ihram for Umrah only, performs Umrah and comes out of Ihram, then on the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah puts on Ihram for Hajj, which is called Hajj Tamattu’, in both cases sacrifice is obligatory, which is at least one goat. If he does not have the means, then he must fast ten days, three days during Hajj, i.e., before the day of sacrifice, and seven days when he returns home. If he cannot fast before the day of sacrifice, then he may fast during the days of Tashreeq (11th, 12th, and 13th Dhul-Hijjah).

➏ {تِلْكَ عَشَرَةٌ كَامِلَةٌ:} Here the question arises that when it has been said that three fasts during Hajj and seven when you return, it is obvious that these are ten, so what is the need to say that these are ten in total? The answer is that here the "wa" could have meant {’’أَوْ‘‘} as well, that fast three days during the days of Hajj, or then fast seven days after returning, so it was clarified that both must be done and ten fasts must be completed. This is the eloquence of the Qur’an, that no ambiguity remains.

➐ { ذٰلِكَ لِمَنْ لَّمْ يَكُنْ اَهْلُهٗ حَاضِرِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ:} That is, those who are not residents of Masjid al-Haram, but come from afar, since they have performed both Umrah and Hajj in one journey instead of making two separate journeys, therefore, for taking this benefit, they must offer a sacrifice, otherwise fast ten days. As for the people of Makkah, since they do not get such a benefit by performing Umrah and Hajj in the months of Hajj, therefore, whether they perform Hajj Qiran or Hajj Tamattu’, sacrifice and fasting are not obligatory on them; they can perform both acts of worship without them. This is the view of Imam Malik, Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on them), and the majority. However, Imam Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Tamattu’ and Qiran are only for those coming from outside, not permissible for the people of Makkah. By the residents of Masjid al-Haram are meant those living in Makkah and those living within the distance from Makkah on which Qasr is performed (which is about twenty-one kilometers). Some have taken it to mean only those living within the Haram of Makkah. (Ibn Kathir, Ibn Jarir)