سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 97
فِيهِ ءَايَـٰتٌۢ بَيِّنَـٰتٌ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ۖ وَمَن دَخَلَهُۥ كَانَ ءَامِنًا ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ حِجُّ ٱلْبَيْتِ مَنِ ٱسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿97﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
In it are manifest signs (for example), the Maqâm (place) of Ibrâhîm (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah ) is a duty that mankind owes to Allâh, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allâh], then Allâh stands not in need of any of the ‘Âlamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فِيهِ
fīhi
In it
ءَايَـٰتٌۢ
āyātun
(are) signs
بَيِّنَـٰتٌۭ
bayyinātun
clear
مَّقَامُ
maqāmu
standing place
إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ۖ
ib'rāhīma
(of) Ibrahim
وَمَن
waman
and whoever
دَخَلَهُۥ
dakhalahu
enters it
كَانَ
kāna
is
ءَامِنًۭا ۗ
āminan
safe
وَلِلَّهِ
walillahi
And (due) to Allah
عَلَى
ʿalā
upon
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
the mankind
حِجُّ
ḥijju
(is) pilgrimage
ٱلْبَيْتِ
l-bayti
(of) the House
مَنِ
mani
(for one) who
ٱسْتَطَاعَ
is'taṭāʿa
is able
إِلَيْهِ
ilayhi
to [it]
سَبِيلًۭا ۚ
sabīlan
(find) a way
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
كَفَرَ
kafara
disbelieved
فَإِنَّ
fa-inna
then indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
غَنِىٌّ
ghaniyyun
(is) free from need
عَنِ
ʿani
of
ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
l-ʿālamīna
the universe
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 97) ➊ {وَ لِلّٰهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ:} The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Islam is built upon five things: the testimony that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and (the testimony) that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His servant and His Messenger, establishing prayer, giving zakah, performing Hajj, and fasting in Ramadan.” [ بخاری، الإیمان، باب دعاؤکم إیمانکم : ۸، عن ابن عمر رضی اللہ عنہما] Hajj is obligatory once in a lifetime upon every sane and adult Muslim who has the ability to reach the Ka’bah. [ مسلم، الحج، باب فرض الحج مرۃ فی العمر : ۱۳۳۷ ]
➋ {مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ اِلَيْهِ سَبِيْلًا :} The explanation of “ability” in the hadith is provision for the journey and a means of transport. [ ترمذی، الحج، باب ما جاء من التغلیظ… : ۸۱۲، عن علی رضی اللہ عنہ عن رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ] Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has graded it Hasan in Sahih al-Targhib, and Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) also says the same. [ ہدایۃ المستنیر ]
The meaning of “ability” also includes the route being safe, and there being no fear of loss of life or wealth, and for a woman, it is also necessary to have a mahram with her. It is understood from the hadith that if one has financial ability but not physical ability, then someone else may perform Hajj on his behalf. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that a woman from the tribe of Khath’am came and asked: “O Messenger of Allah! The obligation of Hajj that Allah has placed upon His servants has come upon my father while he is very old and cannot sit firmly on a mount, so may I perform Hajj on his behalf?” He said: “Yes!” And this was during the Farewell Hajj. [ بخاری، جزاء الصید، باب حج المرأۃ عن الرجل : ۱۸۵۵ ]
Similarly, if Hajj was obligatory upon someone, but he neglected it out of laziness and died, then Hajj will be performed from his inheritance. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ فَاقْضِ اللّٰهَ فَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِالْقَضَاءِ ] “Fulfill Allah’s debt, for He is more deserving that it be fulfilled.” [ بخاری، الأیمان والنذور، باب من مات و علیہ نذر : ۶۶۹۹۔ مسلم : ۱۱۴۸ ] From an authentic hadith, it is understood that the person who performs Hajj on behalf of another should have already performed Hajj for himself. [ أبو داوٗد، المناسک، باب الرجل یحج عن غیرہ : ۱۸۱۱، عن ابن عباس رضی اللہ عنہما ]
➌ {وَ مَنْ كَفَرَ:} From this it is understood that not performing Hajj despite having the ability is disbelief, and whoever disbelieves, then what worth does that poor soul have, for Allah is free of need from all the worlds. The difference between abandoning the five pillars of Islam and abandoning other things is that abandoning any of these five causes the foundation of Islam to collapse. Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated with a chain from Abu Bakr Isma’ili al-Hafiz (may Allah have mercy on him) from the Commander of the Faithful, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), that he said: “Whoever has the means to perform Hajj and does not do so, it is the same for him whether he dies as a Jew or a Christian.” Imam Ibn Kathir said: “This chain is Sahih up to Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).”
➋ {مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ اِلَيْهِ سَبِيْلًا :} The explanation of “ability” in the hadith is provision for the journey and a means of transport. [ ترمذی، الحج، باب ما جاء من التغلیظ… : ۸۱۲، عن علی رضی اللہ عنہ عن رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ] Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has graded it Hasan in Sahih al-Targhib, and Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) also says the same. [ ہدایۃ المستنیر ]
The meaning of “ability” also includes the route being safe, and there being no fear of loss of life or wealth, and for a woman, it is also necessary to have a mahram with her. It is understood from the hadith that if one has financial ability but not physical ability, then someone else may perform Hajj on his behalf. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that a woman from the tribe of Khath’am came and asked: “O Messenger of Allah! The obligation of Hajj that Allah has placed upon His servants has come upon my father while he is very old and cannot sit firmly on a mount, so may I perform Hajj on his behalf?” He said: “Yes!” And this was during the Farewell Hajj. [ بخاری، جزاء الصید، باب حج المرأۃ عن الرجل : ۱۸۵۵ ]
Similarly, if Hajj was obligatory upon someone, but he neglected it out of laziness and died, then Hajj will be performed from his inheritance. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ فَاقْضِ اللّٰهَ فَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِالْقَضَاءِ ] “Fulfill Allah’s debt, for He is more deserving that it be fulfilled.” [ بخاری، الأیمان والنذور، باب من مات و علیہ نذر : ۶۶۹۹۔ مسلم : ۱۱۴۸ ] From an authentic hadith, it is understood that the person who performs Hajj on behalf of another should have already performed Hajj for himself. [ أبو داوٗد، المناسک، باب الرجل یحج عن غیرہ : ۱۸۱۱، عن ابن عباس رضی اللہ عنہما ]
➌ {وَ مَنْ كَفَرَ:} From this it is understood that not performing Hajj despite having the ability is disbelief, and whoever disbelieves, then what worth does that poor soul have, for Allah is free of need from all the worlds. The difference between abandoning the five pillars of Islam and abandoning other things is that abandoning any of these five causes the foundation of Islam to collapse. Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated with a chain from Abu Bakr Isma’ili al-Hafiz (may Allah have mercy on him) from the Commander of the Faithful, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), that he said: “Whoever has the means to perform Hajj and does not do so, it is the same for him whether he dies as a Jew or a Christian.” Imam Ibn Kathir said: “This chain is Sahih up to Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).”
