سُوْرَةُ الْحَجِّ
Surah Al-Hajj (22) — Ayah 30
ذَٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ حُرُمَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ ۗ وَأُحِلَّتْ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمُ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ ٱلرِّجْسَ مِنَ ٱلْأَوْثَـٰنِ وَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ قَوْلَ ٱلزُّورِ ﴿30﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
That (Manâsik- prescribed duties of Hajj is the obligation that mankind owes to Allâh), and whoever honours the sacred things of Allâh, then that is better for him with his Lord. The cattle are lawful to you, except those (that will be) mentioned to you (as exceptions). So shun the abomination (worshipping) of idol, and shun lying speech (false statements) -
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
وَمَن
waman
and whoever
يُعَظِّمْ
yuʿaẓẓim
honors
حُرُمَـٰتِ
ḥurumāti
(the) sacred rites
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
فَهُوَ
fahuwa
then it
خَيْرٌۭ
khayrun
(is) best
لَّهُۥ
lahu
for him
عِندَ
ʿinda
near
رَبِّهِۦ ۗ
rabbihi
his Lord
وَأُحِلَّتْ
wa-uḥillat
And are made lawful
لَكُمُ
lakumu
to you
ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمُ
l-anʿāmu
the cattle
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَا
mā
what
يُتْلَىٰ
yut'lā
is recited
عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ
ʿalaykum
to you
فَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟
fa-ij'tanibū
So avoid
ٱلرِّجْسَ
l-rij'sa
the abomination
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْأَوْثَـٰنِ
l-awthāni
the idols
وَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟
wa-ij'tanibū
and avoid
قَوْلَ
qawla
(the) word
ٱلزُّورِ
l-zūri
false
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 30) ➊ {ذٰلِكَ:} This word is used to indicate a pause between two statements, and it appears three times in this surah: once here, once in verse (32): «{ ذٰلِكَ وَ مَنْ يُّعَظِّمْ شَعَآىِٕرَ اللّٰهِ }», and once in verse (60): «{ ذٰلِكَ وَ مَنْ عَاقَبَ بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوْقِبَ بِهٖ}». Its subject is considered omitted, {’’اَلْأَمْرُ ذٰلِكَ‘‘} meaning, “This is the matter of Hajj, and...”.
➋ {وَ مَنْ يُّعَظِّمْ حُرُمٰتِ اللّٰهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهٗ عِنْدَ رَبِّهٖ :} That is, honoring the sanctities prescribed by Allah is better for the servant himself, because it is a means of attaining the pleasure of his Lord, the benefit of which will return to him. {’’ حُرُمٰتِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘} refers to all those things whose respect Allah has commanded, such as the Haram, Masjid al-Haram, the sacred months, the sacrificial animals (camels going to Makkah for sacrifice), and the animals (sheep, goats, and cows) with collars (straps and garlands) around their necks, etc. The honoring of all these has been ongoing since the time of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), but the polytheists, despite claiming to be followers of the religion of Ibrahim, violated these sanctities and declared self-invented things as sacred, such as Bahirah, Saibah, Wasilah, and Hami, etc. {’’ وَ مَنْ يُّعَظِّمْ حُرُمٰتِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘} also means that the acts Allah has forbidden during Ihram, such as hunting, sexual acts, fighting, wickedness, etc.—whoever considers committing them a great sin and abstains from them, this is better for him with his Lord.
➌ { وَ اُحِلَّتْ لَكُمُ الْاَنْعَامُ اِلَّا مَا يُتْلٰى عَلَيْكُمْ :} For details, see Surah Al-Ma'idah (3) and Surah An-Nahl (115).
➍ With {فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الْاَوْثَانِ … : ’’ اُحِلَّتْ لَكُمُ الْاَنْعَامُ ‘‘}, Allah has commanded the permissibility of those cattle which the polytheists had declared forbidden, such as Bahirah, Saibah, etc., and with {’’ اِلَّا مَا يُتْلٰى عَلَيْكُمْ ‘‘}, He declared forbidden those animals which the polytheists had made lawful, such as animals slaughtered in the name of others besides Allah and carrion, etc. The reason for the polytheists declaring some animals forbidden and some lawful was idol worship, and this was a clear lie and slander against Allah, claiming that this ruling of lawful and unlawful was from Him. Therefore, Allah commanded to avoid both shirk and falsehood, and said to avoid this filth which is in the form of idols, and to avoid false speech. That is, the polytheists had associated idols with Allah and attributed to Allah the making of certain things lawful or unlawful—so you must avoid this shirk and this lie and slander. {’’ قَوْلَ الزُّوْرِ ‘‘} is a general word, so it includes giving false testimony, slandering someone, in short, any kind of lying, and all are forbidden. {’’ الرِّجْسَ ‘‘} means filth, {’’ مِنْ ‘‘} is to explain, that filth can be physical, but especially the command is to avoid that spiritual filth which is in the form of idols. Ibn Juzayy says: {’’ مِنْ لِبَيَانِ الْجِنْسِ كَأَنَّهُ قَالَ الرِّجْسُ الَّذِيْ هُوَ الْأَوْثَانُ۔‘‘}
➋ {وَ مَنْ يُّعَظِّمْ حُرُمٰتِ اللّٰهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهٗ عِنْدَ رَبِّهٖ :} That is, honoring the sanctities prescribed by Allah is better for the servant himself, because it is a means of attaining the pleasure of his Lord, the benefit of which will return to him. {’’ حُرُمٰتِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘} refers to all those things whose respect Allah has commanded, such as the Haram, Masjid al-Haram, the sacred months, the sacrificial animals (camels going to Makkah for sacrifice), and the animals (sheep, goats, and cows) with collars (straps and garlands) around their necks, etc. The honoring of all these has been ongoing since the time of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), but the polytheists, despite claiming to be followers of the religion of Ibrahim, violated these sanctities and declared self-invented things as sacred, such as Bahirah, Saibah, Wasilah, and Hami, etc. {’’ وَ مَنْ يُّعَظِّمْ حُرُمٰتِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘} also means that the acts Allah has forbidden during Ihram, such as hunting, sexual acts, fighting, wickedness, etc.—whoever considers committing them a great sin and abstains from them, this is better for him with his Lord.
➌ { وَ اُحِلَّتْ لَكُمُ الْاَنْعَامُ اِلَّا مَا يُتْلٰى عَلَيْكُمْ :} For details, see Surah Al-Ma'idah (3) and Surah An-Nahl (115).
➍ With {فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الْاَوْثَانِ … : ’’ اُحِلَّتْ لَكُمُ الْاَنْعَامُ ‘‘}, Allah has commanded the permissibility of those cattle which the polytheists had declared forbidden, such as Bahirah, Saibah, etc., and with {’’ اِلَّا مَا يُتْلٰى عَلَيْكُمْ ‘‘}, He declared forbidden those animals which the polytheists had made lawful, such as animals slaughtered in the name of others besides Allah and carrion, etc. The reason for the polytheists declaring some animals forbidden and some lawful was idol worship, and this was a clear lie and slander against Allah, claiming that this ruling of lawful and unlawful was from Him. Therefore, Allah commanded to avoid both shirk and falsehood, and said to avoid this filth which is in the form of idols, and to avoid false speech. That is, the polytheists had associated idols with Allah and attributed to Allah the making of certain things lawful or unlawful—so you must avoid this shirk and this lie and slander. {’’ قَوْلَ الزُّوْرِ ‘‘} is a general word, so it includes giving false testimony, slandering someone, in short, any kind of lying, and all are forbidden. {’’ الرِّجْسَ ‘‘} means filth, {’’ مِنْ ‘‘} is to explain, that filth can be physical, but especially the command is to avoid that spiritual filth which is in the form of idols. Ibn Juzayy says: {’’ مِنْ لِبَيَانِ الْجِنْسِ كَأَنَّهُ قَالَ الرِّجْسُ الَّذِيْ هُوَ الْأَوْثَانُ۔‘‘}
