Tafsir of Al-Hajj 22:29

"Then let them end their untidiness..."

In its origin, al-tafath refers to filth and dirt. According to Qutrub, a man’s tafath is the accumulation of dirt on him during his travels. Abu Muhammad al-Basri said: Al-tafath is from al-taff, which is the dirt under the fingernails, with the 'fa' transformed into 'tha', as in the word maghthur. A group here interprets it as the hair, excessive fingernails, and the like.

"End" (qada') originally means to cut and separate; here it is used metaphorically to mean removal. That is, let them remove that [dirt] by clipping the nails, trimming the mustache and sideburns—as in a narration from Ibn Abbas—plucking the underarm hair, and shaving the head and the pubic area. It is also said that qada' is the opposite of ada' (performance), and the discourse implies an omitted genitive noun: "let them perform the removal of their tafath." It is expressed in this way because, due to the passage of time required for its removal, the act is considered a qada' (fulfillment) of what has lapsed.

Ibn Abi Shaybah, ‘Abd ibn Humayd, Ibn Jarir, and Ibn al-Mundhir narrated from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: Al-tafath is the entire ritual (nusuk), including standing at Arafah, the ritual walk (sa'y) between Safa and Marwah, and the stoning of the pillars. According to this, qada' means ada' (performance), as if it were said: "Let them perform their rituals." Expressing the rituals as tafath is because the rituals necessitate the former [the state of being unkempt], for pilgrims remain unkempt and dusty until they exit the state of ihram.

It is also said that the intent behind removing the tafath in the aforementioned sense is the fulfillment of all the rituals, as they cannot occur except after it; thus, it is as if he meant that the qada' of the tafath is the qada' of the entire ritual by way of metaphor. This is supported by what a group narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: "The qada' of tafath is the qada' of the entire ritual."

"And let them fulfill their vows..." This refers to the acts of righteousness they vow during their Hajj. According to Ibn Abbas, this is specified as the vows they make regarding the sacrifice of camels. According to ‘Ikrimah, these are the obligatory requirements of Hajj. According to Mujahid, it refers to what has become obligatory of Hajj and the sacrificial offerings, and whatever a person vows; thus, the vow refers to the obligatory in an absolute sense, metaphorically. Shu'bah recited from Asim: wa-li-yuttawwifu (with a shaddah on the ta).

"And let them circumambulate..." This refers to the Tawaf al-Ifadah, which is the Tawaf al-Ziyarah that is one of the pillars of Hajj, through which the final release (tahalul) from ihram is achieved. It is paired with the removal of tafath in the previous sense. This is narrated from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, al-Dahhak, and a group. Indeed, al-Tabari said—even if it is not universally accepted—that there is no disagreement among the exegetes that it is the Tawaf al-Ifadah, and this takes place on the Day of Sacrifice. It is also said to be the Tawaf al-Sadr (the Farewell Circumambulation), though there is disagreement over whether this is counted among the rituals.

"...the Ancient House." Al-Bukhari in his Tarikh, al-Tirmidhi (who classified it as hasan), al-Hakim (who authenticated it), Ibn Jarir, al-Tabarani, and others narrated from Ibn al-Zubayr that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Allah only named the House the 'Ancient' (al-'atiq) because He emancipated (a'taqahu) it from the tyrants, so no tyrant has ever prevailed over it."

Ibn Abi Najih and Qatadah held this view. Tubba' intended to destroy it, but was struck by hemiplegia; it was suggested to him to desist, and it was said: "It has a Lord who defends it," so he left it and clothed it; he was the first to clothe it. Abrahah intended it, and what befell him befell him. As for al-Hajjaj, he did not intend to gain mastery over the House, but Ibn al-Zubayr took refuge in it, so the possibility arose of his attacking it, after which he rebuilt it. Perhaps what occurred by the Qarmatians—even though they took the Black Stone and it remained with them for seventy years—is of this type. Regarding what is said to happen at the end of time—the destruction of the House by the Abyssinians and the casting of its stones into the sea—if authentic, it is one of the signs of the Hour that cannot be refuted as a violation of the principles otherwise said to be constant. Other responses have been given to this.

It is narrated from Mujahid that it was only named as such because no one has ever owned its site. In another narration from him, it is because it was emancipated from drowning during the time of the Flood. Ibn Jubayr stated that al-'atiq means "excellent" (al-jayyid), from their saying "the choice of horses" ('itaq al-khayl) and "the choice of birds." It is also said that it is a fa'il form in the meaning of muf'il, i.e., "liberating" the necks of sinners; the attribution of liberation to it is metaphorical, for the Exalted One liberates their necks due to their circumambulating it.

Al-Hasan and Ibn Zayd said: Al-'atiq means the ancient, for it is the first House established for mankind. This is the most immediate meaning, unless you know that if a hadith is authentic, one should not turn away from it. Furthermore, its preservation from tyrants and its remaining for a long age, magnified, with people coming to it from every deep mountain pass, is solely by the will of Allah, built upon profound wisdom.

Some atheists claimed that it was built under the honor of Saturn, with Aquarius rising as one of its two houses, and that it has auspicious alignments, necessitating its preservation from tyrants and its remaining magnified for a long age; they call it, for this reason, the "House of Saturn." They have strayed far in this. We shall demonstrate, if Allah wills, the error of those who speak of the influence of the rising stars with a complete demonstration. And Allah is the One whose help is sought.