Surah Al-Hajj

Ibn Marduyah narrated from Ibn Abbas and Ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them both) that it was revealed in Medina, and this is the opinion of al-Dahhak. It is also said that the entire Surah is Meccan. Abu Jafar al-Nahhas narrated from Mujahid, from Ibn Abbas, that it is Meccan except for three verses: "These two are opponents..." to the end of the three verses, for they were revealed in Medina. In another narration from Ibn Abbas, it is said it is Meccan except for four verses: "These two are opponents..." up to His saying: "the punishment of the Burning Fire."

Ibn al-Mundhir narrated from Qatadah that it is Medinan except for four verses: "And We did not send before you any messenger... [to] the punishment of a barren day," for they are Meccan. The most correct view is that it is a mixture, containing both Medinan and Meccan verses, even if there is disagreement regarding the specific determination, and this is the position of the majority.

The number of its verses is ninety-eight according to the Kufan count, ninety-seven according to the Meccan, ninety-five according to the Basran, and ninety-four according to the Syrian. The aspect of its relevance to the preceding Surah is evident.

Regarding its virtue, it has been narrated that which Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Marduyah, and al-Bayhaqi in his Sunan recorded from Uqbah ibn Amir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, has Surah Al-Hajj been favored over the rest of the Quran by two prostrations?' He said: 'Yes, so whoever does not perform them should not recite them.'" The narrations regarding the fact that it contains two prostrations are numerous and mentioned in al-Durr al-Manthur. However, Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated through the path of al-Uryan al-Mujashi'i, from Ibn Abbas, who said: "In Al-Hajj, there is one prostration, and it is the first one," as has come in a narration.

Al-Hajj: (1) O Mankind...

O mankind, fear your Lord

This is an address that encompasses all those legally responsible (mukallafin) at the time of revelation, as well as those who would subsequently join their ranks from among the existing minors who had not yet reached the age of responsibility, and those born thereafter until the Day of Resurrection. This, however, is not by way of literal inclusion according to our school, but by way of generalization (taghlib) or by generalizing the ruling through external evidence. For an address of direct address (mukhataba) does not technically include those not yet charged with religious obligations; rather, it is specific to those legally responsible who were present at the time of revelation—contrary to the Hanbalis, a group of the Salafis, and the jurists, who held that it includes everyone literally.

There is no disagreement regarding the inclusion of females, as is the case with the word "mankind" (al-nas), which indicates a plural that bears no sign of masculine or feminine gender. The disagreement only exists regarding their inclusion in the likes of the pronoun in "fear" (ittaqū) or "Muslims" (al-muslimin). The Shafi'is, the Ash'aris, and a large group of the Hanafis and Mu'tazilah have held that they are not included, whereas the Hanbalis, Ibn Dawud, and a minority of scholars have held that they are. Inclusion here, according to us, is by way of generalization (taghlib).

Some have claimed that the address is specific to the people of Mecca, but that is not the case. The intended meaning is absolute piety (taqwa), which is the avoidance of everything that constitutes a sin, whether in action or omission. Included in this, primarily, is belief in Allah the Almighty and the Last Day, as stipulated by the Sharia—yet in a manner that encompasses both the initiation and the continuity of that faith. What makes the specification of the address to the people of Mecca plausible is if "piety" is intended to mean its first rank: protection against idolatry (shirk). The mention of the title of Lordship (Rububiyya), while attached to the pronoun of the addressed, serves to reinforce the command and emphasize the necessity of compliance, both as a means of intimidation and encouragement. That is to say: beware the punishment of the Owner of your affair and your Evolver.

And His saying, "Indeed, the earthquake of the Hour is a terrible thing"

This is a justification for the imperative command, citing a terrifying event. For reflecting upon the greatness and terror of that event, and the horror of the conditions and tribulations that serve as its precursors—from which there is no refuge except by donning the garment of piety—inevitably necessitates greater care in adhering to and maintaining that piety.

The "earthquake" (zalzala) is violent movement and intense agitation through repetition, such that it displaces things from their foundations and removes them from their centers. Attributing it to the "Hour" is either the genitive of a verbal noun to its doer—though metaphorically, as in His saying, "Rather, the plotting of the night and the day"—because the true mover is Allah the Almighty, and the object is the earth or the people; or it is an attribution to the object, treated as a direct object for the sake of expansion, as in the poet's saying, "O thief of the night, the people of the house." It has also been permitted that the genitive is in the sense of "in" (fi). Some have affirmed this, applying it to the previous verse, and some of the aforementioned have applied it to His saying, "When the earth is shaken with its [final] earthquake." It is said to occur at the second blowing of the trumpet and the establishment of the Hour. Indeed, it is narrated from Ibn Abbas that the "earthquake of the Hour" is its very establishment.

Ahmad, Sa'id ibn Mansur, 'Abd ibn Humayd, al-Nasa'i, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Hakim (who authenticated it) narrated from 'Imran ibn Husayn, who said: "When 'O mankind, fear your Lord...' was revealed until '...but the punishment of Allah is severe,' the Prophet (peace be upon him) was on a journey. He said, 'Do you know which day that is?' They said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said, 'That is the day when Allah will say to Adam (peace be upon him), "Send forth the mission of the Fire." He will say, "O Lord, what is the mission of the Fire?" He will say, "From every thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine to the Fire, and one to Paradise."'" The Muslims began to weep, so the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "Draw near, act correctly, and rejoice. For there has never been a prophethood except that before it was a period of ignorance (jahiliyya), so the count is taken from the jahiliyya. If it is complete, fine; if not, it is completed by the hypocrites. And your example among the nations is like the hair on the arm of a beast, or the mole on the side of a camel." Then he said, "I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise." They shouted "Allahu Akbar." Then he said, "I hope that you will be a third of the people of Paradise." They shouted "Allahu Akbar." Then he said, "I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise." They shouted "Allahu Akbar." He said, "I do not know if he said a third or not." The narration of the mission is mentioned in the two Sahihs and elsewhere, but in different wording. In it, similar to what is mentioned, there is support for this earthquake being on the Day of Resurrection, which is what is narrated from al-Hasan.

Ibn al-Mundhir and others narrated from 'Alqamah, al-Sha'bi, and 'Ubayd ibn 'Umayr that it will happen before the sun rises from the west, and its attribution to the "Hour" in this view is because it is one of its signs. Many reports have been transmitted regarding the occurrence of a great earthquake before the establishment of the Hour as one of its signs. However, the view that that specific earthquake is what is meant here is not fitting, as it would not serve as a justification for the command to all of mankind to practice piety. Furthermore, according to this view, it refers to its literal meaning: the violent movement of the earth. This movement occurs through the agitation of an angel, based on reports that there are veins in the earth that end at Mount Qaf, which are in the hand of an angel there; when Allah wills a matter, He commands him to move a vein, and when he moves it, the earth quakes.

According to philosophy, when vapors are trapped in the earth and thicken to the point that they cannot escape through their passages due to the earth's density and condensation, they gather and seek an exit but cannot find one, so the earth quakes. Sometimes the earthquake intensifies, the earth collapses, and fire emerges due to the intensity of the motion, which causes the vapor and smoke to ignite—especially if they have mixed into an oily state. Sometimes the substance gains enough strength to split the earth, producing terrifying sounds. Earthquakes may also occur due to the collapse of high places in the interior of the earth, causing the trapped air to ripple, thereby shaking the earth. Earthquakes rarely occur due to the falling of mountain peaks for certain reasons. Among the points that support the view that the cause is the trapping of thick vapor and its inability to escape is the frequency and intensity of earthquakes in solid ground compared to loose ground. It is obvious that if a hadith is verified regarding the cause of earthquakes, it should not be deviated from; otherwise, there is no harm in mentioning the opinion of the philosophers, as it does not contradict the belief in the Choosing Agent (al-fa'il al-mukhtar), as some have mistakenly thought.

As for the view that it refers to the Day of Resurrection, some say it is literal, while others say it is a metaphor for the horrors and tribulations of that day. Expressing it as a "thing" (shay') is an indication that human intellects are incapable of grasping its true nature, and language is too constrained to encompass it except in a vague manner. In al-Bahr, it is noted that applying "thing" to it, even though it has not yet occurred, proves that the term can be applied to that which does not yet exist. Those who forbade this have said that its application to it is to confirm its occurrence and its inevitable passage into existence.