Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage): Verses 77–78

Know that after discussing the Divine Attributes (Ilahiyyat) and Prophethood (Nubuwwat), the Almighty proceeds to discuss Divine Law (Shara'i'). This discussion is structured around four aspects:

1. Identifying the Addressee (who is commanded).
2. The nature of the commanded acts (what is commanded).
3. Mentioning what necessitates the acceptance of these commands.
4. Affirming/Reinforcing this obligation.

The First Aspect: Identifying the Addressee

This is covered by the Almighty's statement: {That is because those who disbelieved...} (referring to the context of the preceding verses).

There are two views regarding the addressee of the commands that follow:

1. All accountable persons (both believers and disbelievers), because the obligation of these matters is general for all the accountable. There is no reason to restrict it only to the believers.
2. Only the believers. This is supported because the subsequent phrases, {He has chosen you}, {He has named you Muslims}, and {and that you may be witnesses over mankind}, are only fitting for the believers.

The objection raised is: Since these duties are obligatory upon everyone, what is the benefit of specifying the believers?

The Response: Specifying them does not negate the obligation on others. This verse indicates that the believers are commanded with these things, while other verses indicate that everyone is commanded with them. Furthermore, the benefit of this specification might be that since the general address has been repeated, and only the believers have accepted it, God specifically addresses them with this discourse to encourage their perseverance in accepting it and to honor them for this affirmation.

The Second Aspect: The Commanded Acts (What is Commanded)

God mentioned four types of commands:

This is implied by the statement: {Bow down and prostrate yourselves} (اركعوا واسجدوا). This is because the most noble pillars of prayer are bowing (Ruku') and prostration (Sujud), and prayer is characterized by these two pillars. Thus, mentioning them is equivalent to mentioning the entire prayer. Ibn Abbas (RA) reported that in the early days of Islam, people would bow but not prostrate until this verse was revealed.

This is the statement: {and worship your Lord} (واعبدوا ربكم). Several interpretations are offered:

• Worship Him and worship none other besides Him.
• Worship your Lord in all commanded and forbidden matters.
• Perform bowing, prostration, and all other acts of obedience as acts of worship. It is not enough merely to perform them; if an act is not intended as worship of God, it yields no reward. This is why this phrase is connected to bowing and prostration.

This is the statement: {and do good} (وافعلوا الخير). Ibn Abbas (RA) interpreted this as maintaining kinship ties and noble character traits.

The rationale for this sequence: Prayer is a type of worship, and worship is a type of doing good. Doing good is divided into two categories: service to the worshipped (which involves honoring God's command) and benevolence toward God's creation (which involves compassion for His creatures, including kindness, charity to the poor, and good speech). Thus, God is essentially saying: "I have commanded you with prayer, but I have commanded you with something more general than prayer—worship—and I have commanded you with something more general than worship—doing good deeds."

This is the statement: {and strive in God's cause as is His due} (وجاهدوا فى الله حق جهاده). Al-Kashshaf states that (فى الله) means "for God's sake and for His purpose."

Questions regarding this phrase:

Q1: Why the possessive construction (حق جهاده - Haqqa Jihadihi) instead of (في جهاده - fi Jihadihi) or (جهادكم فيه - Jihadikum fihi)? A: The possessive relationship (Idafah) can be established through the slightest connection or specialization. Since the striving is specialized for God (as it is done for His sake), the possessive construction is valid.

Q2: What is this striving (Jihad)? A: There are several views:

1. It specifically means fighting the disbelievers, and {as is His due} means that the fighting must be purely for the sake of God, without seeking worldly gain, reputation, or spoils.
2. It means striving consistently, just as they strove in the beginning (e.g., the steadfastness shown on the Day of Badr). Umar (RA) is reported to have asked Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf if he knew they used to recite: "Strive in God's cause as is His due in the latter days, just as you strove in the beginning." Abd al-Rahman asked when that would be, and Umar replied: "When the Banu Umayyah are the rulers and the Banu Makhzum are the viziers." (Note: This addition is unlikely to be part of the Qur'an itself, but perhaps an interpretation from the Prophet (PBUH)). Ibn Abbas (RA) also narrated a reading: "Strive in God's cause as you strove the first time." When Umar asked whom they were commanded to strive against, Ibn Abbas replied: "Two clans of Quraysh: Makhzum and Abd Shams."
3. Ibn Abbas (RA) interpreted {as is His due} as: "Do not fear the blame of any blamer in God's cause."
4. Al-Dahhak interpreted it as: "Work for God with the right kind of work."
5. It means exerting one's utmost effort to establish God's religion and uphold its rights through fighting, speech, and all possible means, and restraining oneself from personal desires and inclinations.
6. Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak interpreted it as: Striving against the self and desires. When the Prophet (PBUH) returned from the Battle of Tabuk, he said: "We have returned from the lesser Jihad to the greater Jihad." It is best to apply this to all obligations: maintaining any command or prohibition is a form of striving.

Q3: Is it true, as reported from Muqatil and Al-Kalbi, that this verse is abrogated by {So fear God as much as you are able} (At-Taghabun: 16), just as {Fear God as He should be feared} (Al 'Imran: 102) is abrogated? A: This is unlikely. Obligation is conditional upon ability, as God says: {God does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear}. How could God command striving in a way that is impossible? Furthermore, Jihad was initially restricted (e.g., one person could not flee from ten), and then God lightened it by saying: {Now God has lightened the matter for you}. It is inconsistent for Him to then impose it in an unbearable manner that necessitates abrogation.

The Third Aspect: What Necessitates the Acceptance of These Commands

This involves three points:

{He has chosen you} (هو اجتباكم). This means that the obligation is an honor bestowed by God upon the servant. Since He has singled you out for this honor, He has singled you out for the greatest honors, choosing you for His service and engagement in His obedience. What rank is higher than this? What happiness surpasses this? It may also mean that He has chosen you for guidance, assistance, and facilitation.

{And He has not placed upon you in religion any hardship} (وما جعل عليكم فى الدين من حرج). This serves as an answer to an implied question: Although this obligation is an honor, it is difficult and burdensome for the soul. God answers by saying there is no hardship. Abu Hurayrah (RA) asked how this could be true when God forbade us from adultery and theft. Ibn Abbas (RA) replied: "Yes, but the heavy burdens that were upon the Children of Israel have been lifted from you."

Questions regarding Hardship (Haraj):

Q1: What is the linguistic meaning of Haraj? A: Ibn Abbas (RA) asked some members of the Huthayl tribe what they considered Haraj, and they replied: "Difficulty/Constraint (Dayyiq)." Aisha (RA) asked the Prophet (PBUH) about it, and he replied: "Difficulty/Constraint."

Q2: What is meant by Haraj in the verse? A: It refers to the allowance of concessions (Rukhas). If one cannot pray standing, they may pray sitting; if they cannot do that, they may lie down. He permitted the traveler to break the fast and shorten the prayer. Furthermore, for every sin a servant commits, God has provided a way out, either through repentance or expiation. Ibn Umar (RA) said: "Whoever receives a concession but rejects it will be tasked on the Day of Judgment to carry the weight of a dragon until judgment is passed." The Prophet (PBUH) said: "When two matters are combined, the one most beloved to God is the easier of the two." Ka'b said: "God gave this Ummah three things that He only gave to the Prophets: He made them witnesses over mankind, He placed no hardship upon them in religion, and He said, 'Call upon Me, and I will respond to you.'"

Q3: The Mu'tazila use this verse to argue against burdening someone with what they cannot bear. They argue that since God created disbelief and sin in the disbeliever/sinner and then forbade it, this constitutes the greatest hardship, which this text negates. A: The response is: When God commands a person to abandon disbelief, abandoning disbelief requires the reversal of God's knowledge (i.e., His knowledge must change from knowing the person as a disbeliever to knowing them as a believer). Commanding someone to reverse God's knowledge is the greatest hardship. Since both feet (the premise and the conclusion) are established, the question is resolved.

{The religion of your father Abraham. He named you Muslims before} (ملة أبيكم إبراهيم هو سماكم المسلمين من قبل).

There are two grammatical explanations for the accusative case (Nasb) of (ملة):

1. Al-Farra' suggests it is governed by the meaning implied in the preceding statement, as if it means: "He expanded your religion to the breadth of the religion of your father Abraham," with the direct object being omitted and the possessive noun taking its place.
2. It is in the accusative case for praise and glorification, meaning: "I mean by this religion the religion of your father Abraham."

The purpose of mentioning Abraham (PBUH) is to indicate that these commands and laws are the law of Abraham (PBUH). Since the Arabs loved Abraham (PBUH) as they were his descendants, highlighting this connection served as a reason for them to submit and accept this religion.

Questions regarding this point:

Q1: Why does it say {the religion of your father Abraham} when the addressees in the time of the Prophet (PBUH) included believers who were not his descendants? A: Two reasons:

1. Since the majority of them were his descendants (the Prophet, his clan, and all Arabs), this usage is permissible.
2. Al-Hasan said that God established the sanctity of Abraham (PBUH) for Muslims as the sanctity of a father for his son. This is supported by {The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves} (Al-Ahzab: 6), and {His wives are their mothers} (Al-Ahzab: 6).

Q2: This implies that the religion of Muhammad (PBUH) is identical to that of Abraham (PBUH), meaning the Prophet (PBUH) has no specific law, which is supported by {Follow the religion of Abraham}. A: This address was directed toward the idol worshippers. God was essentially saying: "Worship of God and abandonment of idols constitute the religion of Abraham." As for the specifics of the laws (Tafasil al-Shara'i'), they are not relevant to this context.

Q3: What is the meaning of {He named you Muslims before}? A: Two views:

1. The pronoun refers back to Abraham (PBUH). Every Prophet has an answered prayer. Abraham prayed: {Our Lord, and make us Muslims [submitting] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation to You} (Al-Baqarah: 128). God answered him by making the Ummah of Muhammad (PBUH) that nation. It is reported that the Prophet (PBUH) informed them that God would send Muhammad with a similar religion and that his Ummah would be named Muslims.
2. The pronoun refers back to God in the preceding phrase {He has chosen you}. 'Ata reported from Ibn Abbas (RA) that God named you Muslims before, meaning in all previous scriptures, and in this one (the Qur'an). This view is closer because God stated: {so that the Messenger may be a witness over you and that you may be witnesses over mankind}. This purpose is only fitting for God. This is supported by the recitation of Ubayy ibn Ka'b: {God named you Muslims}. The meaning is that in previous scriptures and in the Qur'an, God clarified your virtue over the nations and named you with this noble name for the purpose of bearing witness. Since God has honored you with this, worship Him and do not reject His commands. This is the third reason necessitating the acceptance of the commands. (The discussion on how the Prophet is a witness over us and how his Ummah are witnesses over mankind was covered in Surah Al-Baqarah, indicating that consensus is an authority.)

The Fourth Aspect: Reinforcement of What Preceded

This is the statement: {So establish the prayer and give zakah} (فأقيموا الصلاة وآتوا الزكاة). This must refer to the obligatory duties, as they are the established ones.

{And hold firmly to God} (واعتصموا بالله). This means holding fast to His rational and textual proofs, His favors, and His protection. Ibn Abbas (RA) said: "Ask God for protection from all forbidden things." Al-Qaffal said: "Make God your protection from what you fear."

{He is your protector} (هو مولاكم). He is your Master and Controller. {What an excellent protector} (فنعم المولى). God is saying: "I am your protector, indeed, I am your helper and sufficient for you."

The Mu'tazila used these verses to argue in several ways:

1. {so that you may be witnesses over mankind} implies that God wills faith for everyone, because He only makes a witness over His servants someone who is just and accepted. If He wills you to be witnesses, He wills you all to be righteous and just. Since we know some among them are sinful, this implies God willed for the sinner to be just.
2. {And hold firmly to God}—how can one hold fast to Him if evil only originates from Him?
3. {What an excellent protector}—if God created most of His servants to create disbelief and corruption in them and then punishes them, He would not be an excellent Protector; rather, the worst of protectors would be better than Him. Therefore, He must have only willed righteousness for all of them.
   • Rebuttal: If He is only the excellent Protector for the believers, why not the excellent Helper only for the believers? We say He is the Protector of both believers and disbelievers. If they claim otherwise, they contradict the Qur'an and consensus and openly insult God.
4. {He named you Muslims before} implies the establishment of divinely ordained names, as they are attributed specifically to God, not just general language.

The Response to the Mu'tazila Arguments:

• Response to Argument 1: God's willing that someone be a witness implies His willing that they be just. If willing a thing necessitates willing its prerequisites, then willing faith from a disbeliever necessitates willing the ignorance of God's knowledge (i.e., God knowing them as disbelievers), which implies God wills His own ignorance—an impossibility. If this consequence is not necessary, their argument fails.
• Response to Argument 2 (Holding fast): This argument is turned against them. God created desire in the heart of the sinner, reinforced it, created the desired object, brought it near, removed the barrier, and then subjected the sinner to devils from among men and jinn, knowing that the sinner will inevitably fall into transgression and error. Any person who acts this way in human relations would be deemed a terrible protector. If analogy holds, this is incumbent upon them; if the analogy fails, their argument collapses entirely.