Al-Baqarah 2:199–207

The third verse (199): ثُمَّ أَفِيضُوا مِنْ حَيْثُ أَفَاضَ النَّاسُ وَاسْتَغْفِرُ‌وا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ‌ رَّ‌حِيمٌ,(Then, flow down from where the people flowed, and seek forgiveness from Allah. Certainly, Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful) was revealed in a particular background. The Quraysh of Arabia being the custodians of the Ka'bah کعبہ enjoyed a unique position of influence and distinction in the country. During the days of Jahiliyyah, while every-one went to ` Arafat, the Quraysh would, in order to demonstrate their unusual importance, stop at Muzdalifah and stay there. They said that, being the custodian of the Ka'bah کعبہ and the care-takers of the Har-am حرم ، it was not proper for them to go out of the limits of the, Haram حرم . Since Muzdalifah is located within the sacred limits of the Haram حرم and ` Arafat is out of it, they would seize upon the excuse, stay in Muzdalifah and it was from there that they came back. The truth was that they loved to show off their pride and arrogance and made it a point to keep common people at a distance. Their erroneous conduct thus apprehended, Allah Almighty commanded them to go where everyone goes, that is, into the plain of ` Arafat, and then, return from there with everyone else (it will be noted that in the accompanying translation of the text, the Qur'anic word afidu أَفِيضُوا has been rendered into English liter-ally with the word, 'flow' which succinctly suggests mingling with the multitude, something shunned by the Quraysh of Jahiliyyah جاھلیہ).

To begin with, behaving special and staying disconnected from others is a standing act of arrogance which must almost always be avoided, particularly during the days of Hajj where the garment of Ihram and the homogeneity of place and purpose teach the lesson that all human beings are equal, the distinction of rich and poor, learned and ignorant, big and small does not exist here, therefore, such display of assumed distinction, and that too in a state of Ihram احرام ، further increases the degree of crime.

Human equality in practice

This statement of the Holy Qur'an teaches us an important principle of social living which demands that the people of a higher status should not cut off their relations with those of a lower status; they should rather behave like members of a large family in their different forms of subsistence, stay and movement. This creates mutual brotherhood, concern and love, removes the walls between the rich and the poor, the employer and the employee. It was during his last sermon of Hajj that the Holy Prophet openly declared for all times to come that no Arab is superior to non-Arab and no white person is superior to a black person. Superiority depends on Taqwa and Ita` ah اِطاعت (the fear of Allah and the obedience to His command). Therefore, those who wanted to establish a distinct status for themselves by staying at Muzdalifah, contrary to the rest, were told that this act of theirs was a sin and they must seek forgiveness for it so that Allah Almighty may forgive them and bless them with His mercy.

The prohibition of Jahili customs at Mina

In the verses 199 to 201, some Jahili جاھلی customs have been corrected. One of these was that the Arabs of the Jahiliyyah جاھلیہ would, once they had finished their rites at ` Arafat and Muzdalifah and performed their tawaf طواف and sacrifice and stay in Mina منٰی ، hold gatherings to recite poetry and to eulogize the achievements of their forefathers. Such gatherings were obviously devoid of the remembrance of Allah. It was strange that they elected to waste such blessed days in activities which were of no consequence in relation to what they were supposed to do there. Therefore, they were told that, as soon as they have completed their Ihram احرام rites and come to stay at Mina منٰی ، they should dedicate their stay to the remembrance of Allah and leave out the practice of indulging in the reminiscences of their forefathers, specially the boastful claims about their achievements. Better still was to remember Allah, not them, and that too with greater attachment and fervor. There was nothing like being engaged in the dhikr ذکر of Allah. So, the Holy Qur an guides Muslims to shun the customs coming from the age of ignorance, especially in the great days of Hajj they have been blessed with, which are exclusively reserved for ` ibadah عبادہ and dhikr ذکر and have merits and blessings of their own, a gift from Allah which may not be available again if lost through carelessness.

In addition to that, the Hajj is a special act of worship which one gets to perform only after a long and generally exacting journey, separation from family and business and great expense of money and time. That unforeseen circumstances prevail is not a far-out prospect. It is quite possible that one fails to achieve the long-cherished objective of Hajj, in spite of all efforts and expenses. Now, if Allah Almighty has, in His infinite grace, removed all impediments and one has accomplished his Hajj obligation by successfully performing all required rites, then, the occasion calls for gratitude which further demands that one should keep busy in remembering Allah, avoid wasteful gatherings, engagements or conversations. Compared with the time spent by the people of Jahiliyyah in forefather tale-telling which brought them no benefit here, or there, the thing to do here is the dhikr of Allah which is all radiance and benefit for this world, and for the Hereafter. No doubt, contemporary Muslims do not follow the custom of Jahiliyyah any more by holding poetic recitals to eulogize their family trees, but there are thousands of Muslims from all over the world who still spend out these precious days of Hajj in wasteful gatherings, entertainments, amusements, shoppings and similar other pursuits of personal satisfaction. This verse is enough to warn them.

Some commentators have explained this verse by dwelling upon the analogy of 'father' used here, in some detail. They say that one should remember Allah as one remembered his father during his childhood when he was dependant on his father for everything. If man were to think when he is young, adult and rational, is he not far more dependent on Allah Almighty at all times and under all conditions, certainly much more than a child was on his father? As for the boastful claims about the honour of their fathers, something the people of Jdhiliyyah used to make, this verse eliminates that too by saying that real honour comes through the dhikr of Allah. (Ruh; at-Bayan)

Moderation in religious and worldly pursuits

Besides what the people of Jahiliyyah used to do during their stay at Mina, some of them had another habit during the Hajj. Normally, they would be engaged in acts of devotion to Allah, yet when it came to making a prayer, they would focus all their attention to praying for worldly needs, such as, comfort, wealth, honour and their likes, showing no concern for the life to come. It was to correct this sort of approach in supplication that it was said that there are people who would use the great occasion of Hajj to pray for the insignificant gains of the present life and forget the Hereafter. For such people the Hereafter holds nothing because their conduct shows that they have gone through the obligation of Hajj merely in a formal manner, or have done it to earn prestige in their society. To please Allah and to earn salvation in the Hereafter are objectives alien to them.

It may be noted at this point that the verse mentions those who pray by saying: رَ‌بَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا (Our Lord, give to us in this world...) which does not include the word, حَسَنَةً ; (good). This indicates that they do not care to have what is really good even in this mortal world, on the contrary, they are so drunk with their craze for material things that nothing short of a constant fulfillment of their desires would satisfy them. They just do not bother to check if it is good or bad, procured rightly or wrongly or what people think about them.

This verse extends a serious warning to those Muslims as well who prefer to pray for their material ends only even at the unique time of Hajj and at places so sacred, devoting most of their concerns towards that goal. There are many rich people who themselves pray, or request others they hold in esteem to pray for them, not for deliverance from the accounting of the Akhirah آخیرہ ، but for increase in their wealth, growth in business, and for other worldly concerns. There are many who, by their profusion in waza'if وظایف and nawafil نوافل (voluntary acts of worship), come to believe that they are very devoted, pious and special. In reality, hidden behind this facade is the same love of the mundane life. Then, there are respected people who maintain relations with pious elders of their time, as well as show their regard for deceased saints and walis اولیاء ، but the prevailing aim of such relationships is the vague hope that their دعاء and ta'widh تعویذ (prayers and spiritual charms) will work for them, worldly hardships will stay away, and their belongings shall be blessed. For such people too, this verse has special instructions. Stressed here is the fact that this whole affair rests in the hands of Allah who is All-Knowing and All-Aware. Everyone must assess his or her deeds, specially the intention behind whatever is done during the Hajj or Zia-rah زیارہ ، which includes all وظایٔف waza-'if, nawafil, du 'a- and salah.

Then, towards the later part of the verse, Allah Almighty refers to His virtuous and favoured servants - may be some of them are less prosperous in a material way - by saying:

مَّن يَقُولُ رَ‌بَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَ‌ةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ‌

And there is another among them who says: "0 our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the punishment of Fire."

The word, (hasanah حَسَنَۃ) used here is inclusive of all that is good, inwardly or outwardly. For instance, hasanah حَسَنَۃ or 'good in this world' shall include personal and family health, increase and benedictory sufficiency (barakah بَرَکَۃ) in lawful livelihood, the fulfillment of all needs, virtuous deeds, desirable morals, beneficial knowledge, honour and prestige, strength of faith, guidance into the straight path and perfect sincerity in ` ibadat عبادہ . Similarly, hasanah حَسَنَۃ or 'good in the Hereafter' shall cover everything from the Paradise, with its countless and endless blessings to the pleasure of Allah Almighty and the privilege of seeing Him.

In short, this du` a دعاء is a compendium of all prayers in as much as it encompasses the entire range of man's worldly and other-worldly objectives. Apart from enjoying peace in the world, and peace in the Hereafter, the verse, refers in the end to the safety from 'the punishment of Fire' as well. It was for this reason that the Holy Prophet ﷺ used to pray with these words very frequently:

رَ‌بَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَ‌ةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ‌

Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the punishment of Fire.

It is masnun to make this prayer particularly while making tawaf. This verse also corrects those ignorant dervishes (so called mystics) who think that real ` ibadah عبادہ lies in praying for the Hereafter alone and claim that they do not, on that count, care much about the mortal world. In reality, such a claim is false, for man depends on fulfilling his worldly needs not only for his life and sustenance, but also for performing the acts of worship and obedience. Without these, serving the objectives of faith would become impossible. Therefore, the blessed practice of the prophets of Allah has been that they prayed to Allah for the good of both the worlds. One who thinks that praying to Allah for the fulfillment of his worldly needs is against the norms of piety and spiritual dignity is unaware of the great station of prophet hood, and ignorant of man's own role in this mortal world. So, what is required is that one should not focus all his attention on his material needs as if they were the very purpose of life, but he should, along with it, show far more concern for what would happen to him in the Hereafter, and pray for it.

In the concluding part of this verse, the end of the other class of people who pray for the good of the dunya دنیا (mortal world) and akhirah آخِرَ‌ةِ (Hereafter) both has been stated by saying that they will be rewarded in both the worlds for their correct and righteous conduct and for their prayers. Following that, it has been said: وَاللَّهُ سَرِ‌يعُ الْحِسَابِ (And Allah is swift at reckoning) because His all-pervading knowledge and most perfect power is sufficient to assess the life-long deeds of each and every person who ever breathed in His creation; for this He needs none of those computing mechanisms and means on which only man depends. So, the time will soon come when He shall make man account for what he did, and it will be on the basis of that accounting that he will spread out His reward and punishment.

The emphasis on remembering Allah in Mina

In the last of the eight verses relating to injunctions about Hajj, that is, وَاذْكُرُ‌وا اللَّهَ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْدُودَاتٍ (And recite the name of Allah in the given number of days), the Hajj pilgrims have been asked to engage themselves in the remembrance of Allah so that their Hajj meets a perfect ending and their post-Hajj life becomes correct and fruitful. These 'given number of days' refer to (ayyam al-tashriq) ایام التشریق during which it is necessary (wajib) to say takbir (which is, اللہ اکبر اللہ اکبر لا الہ الا اللہ واللہ اکبر اللہ اکبر وللہ الحمد).

Immediately following is a clarification of the duration of stay at Mina منٰی and the deadline for throwing pebbles at the three Pillars. This was an issue debated by the people of Jahiliyyah. Some thought it was necessary to stay at Mina منٰی upto the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah and throw pebbles at the three Pillars. According to them, to come back from Mina منٰی on the 12th was impermissible and those who did so were sinners. Similarly, others regarded coming back on the 12th necessary and staying there through the 13th, a sin. Both were corrected in this verse by saying: فَمَن تَعَجَّلَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَن تَأَخَّرَ‌ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ : 'Then whoever is early (in leaving) after two days there is no sin on him and whoever remains behind, there is no sin on him ...' thereby proving that both parties calling each other sinners are involved in excess and error.

The correct position is that Hajj pilgrims have the option of acting on either of the two permissions. However, it is better and preferable to stay there through the third day (that is, 13th of Dhul-Hijjah). Jurists say that one who leaves Mina before sunset on the second day (i.e. 12th of Dhul-Hijjah), it is not necessary for him to do his ramy رَمِی (throwing of pebbles on the three Pillars) for the third day. But, should the sun set while he is still in Mina, it does not remain anymore permissible for him to leave Mina until he has done his ramy رَمِی for the third day. However, the ramy رَمِی for the third day has a special concession that it can also be done between the post-morning and pre-noon hours.

If we look at the manner in which the choice of returning from Mina has been given to the Hujjaj حَجَّاج - no sin if they return on the second day and no sin if they return on the third day - we shall realize that all this is for the convenience of one who fears Allah and obeys His commands, for he really deserves the Hajj, as said elsewhere in the Holy Qur'an إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿27﴾which means that Allah Almighty accepts (acts of prayer and worship) only from those who are God-fearing and obedient. Now, one who has been involved in sins much before Hajj, continued being negligent even during the Hajj and was callous enough not to abstain from sins even after Hajj, his Hajj is certainly not going to be of any good to him, although, the formal obligation has been validly fulfilled, releasing him from the possible crime of not having performed the Hajj.

Closing this eight-verse unit, it was said: وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُ‌ونَ (And fear Allah and be sure that you are going to be gathered before Him), where He shall make you account for all your open and hidden deeds and give you the reward and punishment for these. This last line is really the essence of all Hajj injunctions given in these verses. It means that one should keep fearing Allah during the special days of the Hajj guarding oneself from any shortcoming in the prescribed acts of Hajj, as he should keep fearing Allah after the Hajj guarding himself against any pride of performance, and keep abstaining from sins because, on the day human deeds shall be weighed on the Balance, his sins will eat away his good deeds, that is, they will nullify the effect and weight of the good deeds. In a hadith about the great ` ibadah عبادہ of Hajj, it has been said that one who returns after having accomplished his Hajj, is so cleansed of his sins as if he was born on that day. This is why those performing Hajj have been instructed to maintain the quality of Taqwa, (that vital sense of responsibility before Allah). Being one who has been purified from sins, it is necessary to take all possible precautions against what tempts man to fall into sin so that one can earn the best of both the worlds, the dunya دنیا and the akhirah آخِرَ‌ةِ. If this is not done and the performer of Hajj goes back to a life of sin, even after such a cathartic experience, he shall find that the elimination of his past sins by forgiveness is not going to be of any use to him. Contrary to this, the ` ulama' have said that one who returns from his Hajj with his heart free from the love of dunya دنیا and attracted to the concern for the akhirah آخِرَ‌ةِ , his Hajj is accepted and his sins are forgiven and his prayers are answered. From place to place during the Hajj, people pledge their obedience to Allah before His House, how can these pledges be thoughtlessly broken after the Hajj? If those who are lucky to perform their Hajj are a little more mindful of this factor, they might stay by their solemn pledge later on.

A pious elder said: When I returned from Hajj, it was by chance that a suggestion of sin crept into my heart whereupon I heard a voice from the Unseen: Didn't you perform the Hajj? Didn't you perform the Hajj? This voice became a wall between me and that sin. Allah Almighty protected me.'

As against this, there is the case of another pious man from Turkey, who was a disciple of the famous Maulana Jami. He was in such an unusual state of spiritual excellence in his normal life that he used to observe a halo of radiance over his head. He went to perform his Hajj, but after his return he discovered that he has lost that unusual state totally. He talked about it to his master, Maulana Jami. He said: 'Before your Hajj, you had the gift of humbleness, you wept before Allah thinking of yourself as a sinner. After your Hajj, you became proud and picked up the airs of someone righteous, spiritually elevated. Therefore, this very Hajj of yours became the cause of your pride and that is why you lost that state of radiance.'

The emphasis on Taqwa (the fear of Allah) towards the conclusion of Hajj injunctions has yet another secret. It goes without saying that Hajj is a great act of ` ibadah. Once it has been accomplished, that eternal adversary of man, the Satan شیطان ، generally injects into man's heart the thought of self-righteousness which simply ruins all his deeds. Therefore, the final word said was about the need to fear Allah and the necessity to obey Him, not only before the Hajj and during the Hajj, but also after the Hajj when one must become much more particular in fearing Allah and alert in abstaining from sins by conscious effort, lest all that one has done in the form of the ` ibadah of Hajj goes waste.

اللھم وفقنا لما تحب وترضی من القول والعمل والنیہ

O Allah, give us the ability to do what You love and are pleased with - in word, deed and intention.

In the previous verses, it was said that there are two kinds of those who make prayers. Some wish to have everything right here in this world, others pray for the good of both worlds, the mortal and the eternal. In the present verse, the same two kinds have been identified as those who are hypocritical and those who are sincere.

Verses 204-206 refer to a hypocrite, Akhnas ibn Shurayq known for his eloquence. He would come to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and try to impress him with his sworn allegiance to Islam, but no sooner did he walk out of his company than he would get busy with his anti-Muslim mischief-making. Any effort to make such a person fear Allah takes him to the other extreme when he pleases his pride through sin. So, the Hell is enough for him.'

Commentary

The last verse (207) portrays the true, the sincere Muslim who would stake his very life to achieve the good pleasure of Allah Almighty. This verse has been revealed to honour the sincere Companions who offered unmatched sacrifices in the way of Allah. It has been reported by Hakim, Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim ؓ ، with sound authorities, that this verse was revealed in connection with a particular event relating to the blessed Companion Suhayb al-Rumi ؓ . It has been reported that soon after he left Makkah on his emigration route to Madinah, he was accosted on his way by a group of disbelievers of the Quraysh. Seeing this, Companion Suhayb dismounted, took position, pulled out all the arrows from his quiver and said to the group: '0 tribe of Quraysh, you all know that I am far better in archery than any of you here. My arrow never misses its target. Now, I swear by Allah that you shall not reach me until there remains even one arrow in my quiver. Then, after arrows, I shall use my sword as long as I can. Only after that you can do what you can. However, if you want to make a deal, I can tell you where my money is in Makkah. You go and take that and let me go my way.' The confronting group of Quraysh agreed to do so. When Companion Suhayb reached Madinah, safe and unharmed, he went to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and told him everything about the incident. Upon this, he said twice:

ربح البیع ابا یحییٰ ربح البیع ابا یحییٰ

Profitable was your deal Abu Yahya, profitable was your deal Abu Yahya!

The revelation of the verse under reference in connection with this particular event confirms the blessed comment made by the Holy Prophet ﷺ .

However, some commentators cite similar events relating to other noble Companions as the background of the verse's revelation (Mazhari).