Rules and Rituals of Hajj – Part 2: Commentary of the Quran (Chapter 2:199-197)By Mohammad Sobhanie

Commentary of the Quran (Chapter 2:199-197)

By: Mohammad Sobhanie

Rules and Rituals of Hajj – Part 2

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

الْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌ مَّعْلُومَاتٌ ۚ فَمَن فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ الْحَجَّ فَلَا رَفَثَ وَلَا فُسُوقَ وَلَا جِدَالَ فِي الْحَجِّ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ يَعْلَمْهُ اللَّـهُ ۗ وَتَزَوَّدُوا فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَىٰ ۚ وَاتَّقُونِ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ ﴿١٩٧﴾ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَبْتَغُوا فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۚ فَإِذَا أَفَضْتُم مِّنْ عَرَفَاتٍ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّـهَ عِندَ الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ ۖ وَاذْكُرُوهُ كَمَا هَدَاكُمْ وَإِن كُنتُم مِّن قَبْلِهِ لَمِنَ الضَّالِّينَ ﴿١٩٨﴾ ثُمَّ أَفِيضُوا مِنْ حَيْثُ أَفَاضَ النَّاسُ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّـهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٩٩﴾

Translation:

2:197 The pilgrimage of Hajj is in the well-known months, so whosoever decides to perform Hajj therein (by assuming Ihram), (should know that) there is no intimate spousal relations, nor wickedness nor quarrelling amongst one another during Hajj. And whatever good deeds you do, Allah knows it. And take provision for the journey (of Hajj), but the best provision is righteousness. And be careful (of your duty) to Me, O men of understanding!

2:198 There is no sin upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord [during Hajj by trading]. When you depart from Arafat, remember Allah at al- Mash’ar al-Haram. And remember Him, as He has guided you, for indeed, you were before that among those astray.

2:199 Then depart from the place from where [all] the people depart (al- Mash’ar al-Haram) and ask forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

Commentary: The pilgrimage of Hajj is performed in the well-known months (أَشْهُرٌ مَّعْلُومَاتٌ) of Shawwāl, Dhū al-Qa‘dah and the first 12 or 13 days of the month of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. For instance, Hajj Tamattu, as stated previously, consists of the pilgrimages Umrah and Hajj. The pilgrimage of Umrah is performed at any time during the months of Shawwāl, Dhū al-Qa‘dah or the first eight days of the month of Dhū al-Ḥijjah,. Then, it is followed by the pilgrimage of Hajj which begins on the 9^th day of the month of Dhū al-Ḥijjah.

The aforementioned verses list the rules and rituals of Hajj in addition to the rules which were stated earlier in verse 2:196.

Verse 2:197 states: “whoever decides to perform the pilgrimage of Hajj” (فَمَن فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ الْحَجَّ) “should know that there are no intimate spousal relations” (فَلَا رَفَثَ), “nor wickedness” (وَلَا فُسُوقَ) “nor quarrelling amongst one another during Hajj” (وَلَا جِدَالَ فِي الْحَجِّ). “And whatever good deed you do, be sure that Allah knows it”, (وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ يَعْلَمْهُ اللَّـهُ)”.

Verse 2:197 ends with this advice: “And take provision for the journey of Hajj, but the best provision is righteousness. And be careful of your duty to Allah (SWT), O men of understanding!” (وَتَزَوَّدُوا فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَىٰ ۚ وَاتَّقُونِ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ).

Like any other journey, the journey of Hajj requires provisions such as food, transportation, a place to stay during the journey, etc. One should also be cognizant that Hajj is a spiritual journey to seek closeness to Allah (SWT). The provision for the latter journey is piety and righteousness; a pilgrim should have spiritual and physical readiness for the journey of Hajj.

In pre-Islamic era, the pilgrimage of Hajj was considered merely a religious ceremony. Hence, business and trade were barred during the pilgrimage of Hajj. Islam overturned that norm and stated that there is no sin to seek bounty from the Lord by trading during Hajj, [Tafseer-e-Namoona, vol.2, P.56]:

لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَبْتَغُوا فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۚ…﴿١٩٨﴾

2:198 There is no sin upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord [during Hajj by trading].

Ritual of Hajj: Arafat is a barren plain some 20 kilometers south-east of Mecca. Mash’ar al-Haram and Mina are in the same vicinity, see the map below. Staying in Arafat (وُقوف فی عَرَفات), Mash’ar al-Haram (الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ) and Mina are essential elements of Hajj which are mentioned in verses 2:198-199.

The pilgrims of Hajj arrive at the plain of Arafat before noon on the 9^th day of Dhū al-Ḥijjah and stay there until sunset. After Maghrib and Isha prayers, the pilgrims leave Arafat for Mash’ar al-Haram. They spend the night in Mash’ar al-Haram until sunrise. At sunrise on the 10^th day of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, the pilgrims head towards Mina.

Verse 2:198 speaks about staying in Mash’ar al-Haram (الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ). “When you depart from ‘Arafat” (فَإِذَا أَفَضْتُم مِّنْ عَرَفَاتٍ) and arrive in Mash’ar al-Haram (الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ), “remember Allah at al- Mash’ar al-Haram” (فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّـهَ عِندَ الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ). “. And remember Him, as He has guided you [toward His remembrance]” (وَاذْكُرُوهُ كَمَا هَدَاكُمْ). “For indeed, you were before that among those astray.” (وَإِن كُنتُم مِّن قَبْلِهِ لَمِنَ الضَّالِّينَ).

The phrase “remember Him, as He has guided you” implies if it was not for His grace, we would not know Him to remember and seek His help and guidance.

This message is echoed in the supplication of Abu-Hamza Thumali (دعاء أبي حمزة الثمالي), which it reads:

يَا رَبِّ … بِكَ عَرَفْتُكَ وَأَنْتَ دَلَلْتَنِي عَلَيْكَ وَدَعَوْتَنِي إلَيْكَ وَلَوْلا أَنْتَ لَمْ أَدْرِ مَا أَنْتَ

O My Lord! through You have I known You, You showed me the way to You, and invited me to come towards You, Had it been not You, I would have never known who You are.

At sunrise on the 10^th day of Dhū al-Ḥijjah the pilgrims head towards Mina. In this regard, verse 2:199 states: “Then depart from the place where all the people depart from (Mash’ar al-Haram)”, (ثُمَّ أَفِيضُوا مِنْ حَيْثُ أَفَاضَ النَّاسُ).

Arafat and Mash’ar al-Haram are places of contemplation, repentance from past sins, and seeking divine mercy and forgiveness. Hence, verse 2:199 ends with this advice: “seek forgiveness of Allah (SWT)”, (وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّـهَ). “Indeed Allah (SWT) is forgiving and Merciful” (إِنَّ اللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ).

The word (افاضه) is derived from the word (فَیْض) and means flow of water. This word also is been used when people collectively move with a steady speed from place to place.

Fig: The Hajj Pilgrimage Route

 

Word-for-Word Translation:

2:197 [الْحَجُّ] For the Hajj [أَشْهُرٌ] are months [مَّعْلُومَاتٌ] well known, [فَمَن] then whoever [فَرَضَ] undertakes [فِيهِنَّ] therein [الْحَجَّ] the Hajj [فَلَا] then no [رَفَثَ] sexual relations [وَلَا] and no [فُسُوقَ] wickedness [وَلَا] and no [جِدَالَ] quarreling [فِي] during [الْحَجِّ] the Hajj [وَمَا] and whatever [تَفْعَلُوا] you do [مِنْ] of [خَيْرٍ] good [يَعْلَمْهُ] knows it [اللَّـهُ] Allah [وَتَزَوَّدُوا] and take provision [فَإِنَّ] but indeed [خَيْرَ] the best  [الزَّادِ] provision [التَّقْوَىٰ] is righteousness [وَاتَّقُونِ] and fear Me [يَا أُولِي] O men [الْأَلْبَابِ] (of) understanding!

2:198 [فَإِذَا] And when [أَفَضْتُم] you depart [مِّنْ] from [عَرَفَاتٍ] Arafat [فَاذْكُرُوا] the remember [اللَّـهَ] Allah [عِندَ] near [الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ ] al- Mash’ar al-Haram [وَاذْكُرُوهُ] and remember Him [كَمَا] as [هَدَاكُمْ] He has guided you [وَإِن] and though [كُنتُم] you were [مِّن] from [قَبْلِهِ] before it [لَمِنَ] surely among [الضَّالِّينَ] those who went astray.

2:199 [ثُمَّ] Then [أَفِيضُوا] depart [مِنْ] from [حَيْثُ] wherever [أَفَاضَ] depart [النَّاسُ] the people [وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّـهَ] and ask forgiveness of Allah [إِنَّ] indeed [اللَّـهَ] Allah [غَفُورٌ] is Oft-Forgiving [رَّحِيمٌ] Most Merciful.