Professional Documents
Culture Documents
(3) CHARITY
(See under economic regulations)
(4) FASTING
The fourth pillar of Islam is the observance of Ramadan. Ramadan is a month in the Arabian calendar, Islam’s holy month because during it
Muhammad received his initial commission as a prophet and ten years later made his historic Hijrah from Mecca to Medina. To com-
memorate these two great occasions, able-bodied Muslims not involved in crises like war or unavoidable journey fast during Ramadan.
From daybreak to the setting of the sun neither food nor drink passes their lips; after sundown they may partake in moderation. Sexual
intercourse is also prohibited during fast. Being a month in a lunar calendar, Ramadan rotates around the year. When it falls in the winter its
demands are not excessive. When, on the other hand, it falls during the scorching summers, to remain active during the long days without
so much as a drop of water is an ordeal. Why, then, does the Quran require it? For one thing, fasting makes one think, as every Jew who has
watched through the long fasts of Yom Kippur will testify. For another thing, fasting teaches self-discipline; he who can endure its demands
will have less difficulty controlling his appetites and sexual desires at other times. Fasting underscores man’s dependence upon God. Man,
says the Quran, is as frail as the rose petal; nevertheless he assumes airs and pretensions. Fasting reminds him vividly of his essential frailty
and dependence. Finally, fasting sensitizes compassion. Only those who have been hungry can know what hunger means. If a man has
himself fasted for thirty days within the year he will be apt to listen more carefully the next time he is approached by someone in need. At
the end of Ramadan commence the festival of Id Al-Fitr: The three days celebration starting from the first day Shawwal, the month that
follows Ramadan immediately. Fitr literally means ‘breaking the fast’
FASTING DURING RAMADAN
(2:183-187) O you who have attained to faith! Fasting is ordained for you as it was ordained for those before you, so that you might
remain conscious of God: [fasting] during a certain number of days? [I.e., during the twenty-nine or thirty days of Ramadan, the ninth
month of the Islamic lunar calendar (see next verse). It consists of a total abstention from food, drink and sexual intercourse from dawn
until sunset. As the Quran points out, fasting has been widely practiced at all times of man’s religious history. The extreme rigor and the
long duration of the Islamic fast - which is incumbent on every healthy adult, man or woman - fulfils, in addition to the general aim of
spiritual purification, a threefold purpose: (1) to commemorate the beginning of the Quranic revelation, which took place in the month of
Ramadan about thirteen years before the Prophet's exodus to Medina; (2) to provide an exacting exercise of self-discipline; and (3) to make
everyone realize, through his or her own experience, how it feels to be hungry and thirsty, and thus to gain a true appreciation of the needs
of the poor.] But whoever of you is ill, or on a journey, [shall fast instead for the same] number of other days; and [in such cases] it
is incumbent upon those who can afford it to make sacrifice by feeding a needy person. [I.e., those who can afford to feed a needy
person.] And whoever does more good than he is bound to do, does good unto himself thereby; for to fast is to do good unto
yourselves - if you but knew it. [This refers to a voluntary feeding of more than one needy person, or to feeding the needy for more than
the number of days required by the above ordinance. Since, however, the remaining part of the sentence speaks of the benefits of fasting as
such, it is more probable that “doing more good than one is bound to do” refers, in this context, to supererogatory fasting (such as the
Prophet sometimes undertook) apart from the obligatory one during the month of Ramadan.] It was the month of Ramadan in which the
Quran was [first] bestowed from on high as guidance unto man and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by
which to discern the true from the false. Hence, whoever of you lives to see this month shall fast throughout it; but he that is ill, or
on a journey, [shall fast instead for the same] number of other days. God wills that you shall have ease, and does not will you to
suffer hardship; but [He desires] that you complete the number [of days required], and that you extol God for His having guided
you aright, and that you render your thanks [unto Him]. And if My servants ask you about Me - behold, I am near; I respond to the
call of him who calls, whenever he calls unto Me: let them, then, respond unto Me, and believe in Me, so that they might follow the
right way. It is lawful for you to go in unto your wives during the night preceding the [day’s] fast: they are as a garment for you,
and you are as a garment for them. God is aware that you would have deprived yourselves of this right, [An allusion to the idea
prevalent among the early Muslims, before the revelation of this verse, that during the period of fasting all sexual intercourse should be
avoided, even at night-time, when eating and drinking are allowed. The above verse removed this misconception.] and so He has turned
unto you in His mercy and removed this hardship from you. Now, then, may lie with them skin to skin, and avail yourselves of that
which God has ordained for you, [An obvious stress on the God-willed nature of sexual life.] and eat and drink until you can
discern the white streak of dawn against the blackness of night, [According to all Arab philologists, the “black line” signifies the
blackness of night; and the expression “the two lines” or “streaks” denote day and night.] and then resume fasting until nightfall; but do
not lie with them skin to skin when you are about to abide in meditation in houses of worship. [It was the practice of the Prophet to
spend several days and nights during Ramadan - and occasionally also at other times - in the mosque, devoting himself to prayer and
meditation to the exclusion of all worldly activities; and since he advised his followers as well to do this from time to time, seclusion in a
mosque for the sake of meditation, called itikaf, has become a recognized - though optional - mode of devotion among Muslims, especially
during the last ten days of Ramadan.] These are the bounds set by God: do not, then, offend against them - [for] it is thus that God
makes clear His messages unto mankind, so that they might remain conscious of Him.
LUNAR CALENDAR TO OBSERVE FASTING AND HAJJ
(2:189) They will ask you about the new moons. Say: “They indicate the periods for [various doings of] mankind, including the
pilgrimage.” [The reference to lunar months arises from the fact that the observance of several of the religious obligations instituted by
Islam - like the fast of Ramadan, or the pilgrimage to Mecca (which is dealt with in verses 196-203) - is based on the lunar calendar, in
which the months rotate through the seasons of the solar year. This fixation on the lunar calendar results in a continuous variation of the
seasonal circumstances in which those religious observances are performed (e.g., the length of the fasting-period between dawn and sunset,
heat or cold at the time of the fast or the pilgrimage), and thus in a corresponding, periodical increase or decrease of the hardship involved.
In addition to this, reckoning by lunar months has a bearing on the tide and ebb of the oceans, as well as on human physiology (e.g., a
woman’s monthly courses).]
FOUR SACRED MONTHS
(9:36-37) Behold, the number of months, in the sight of God, is twelve months, [laid down] in God’s decree on the day when He
created the heavens and the earth; [and] out of these, four are sacred: this is the ever-true law [of God]. [The months spoken of here
are lunar months, progressively rotating through the seasons of the solar year (see 2:189 above). The twelve months in the Muslim calendar
are as follows: (1) Muharram, (2) Safar, (3) Rabi-ul-Awwal, (4) Rabi-ul-Akhir, (5) Jamadi-ul-Awwal, (6) Jamadi-ul-Akhir, (7) Rajab, (8)
Shaban, (9) Ramadan, (10) Shawwal, (11) Dhul-Qadah, (12) Dhul-Hijja. Since reckoning by the easily observable lunar months is more
natural than by the arbitrarily fixed months of the solar year, it is described in this passage as “the ever-true law of God”. The four “sacred
months” during which warfare was considered blasphemous in pre-Islamic Arabia - a view which was later confirmed by Islam are
Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qadah and Dhul-Hijja.] Do not, then, sin against yourselves with regard to these [months]. [In their endeavor
to obviate certain disadvantages for their trade caused by the seasonal rotation of the lunar months, the pagan Arabs used to intercalate a
thirteenth month in the third, sixth and eighth year of every eight-year period, with a view to making the lunar calendar more or less
stationary, and thus roughly corresponding to the solar year. An acceptance of this unwarranted intercalation by the Muslims would have
tied the Mecca pilgrimage as well as the fast of Ramadan to fixed seasons, and would thus have made, permanently, the performance of
these religious duties either too exacting or too easy; and in either case the believers would have been offending against the spiritual
purpose underlying these duties - which is the meaning of the words “do not sin against yourselves with regard to these months”: i.e., by
following, without any warrant from God, a custom devised by those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, to whom the sequence
refers.] The intercalation [of months] is but one more instance of [their] refusal to acknowledge the truth - [a means] by which those
who are bent on denying the truth are led astray. [The term “intercalation”, may also be translated as postponement - i.e., the
postponement of lunar months by means of the periodical intercalation of a thirteenth month, as practiced by the pre-Islamic Arabs with a
view to bringing the traditional lunar calendar, for purely worldly reasons, into accord with the solar year. The Quran describes this practice
as an additional instance of disbelief because it contravenes God’s declared will as regards the observance of the lunar calendar in respect
of various religious duties (see 2:189).] They declare this [intercalation] to be permissible in one year and forbidden in [another]
year, [An allusion to the arbitrary manner in which the pre-Islamic Arabs intercalated a thirteenth month in the third, sixth and eighth year
of every eight-year period.] in order to conform [outwardly] to the number of months which God has hallowed: and thus they make
allowable what God has forbidden. [By means of the intercalation spoken of above, the pagan Arabs did in most years keep the number
of months to twelve; but by divorcing the four “sacred months” (Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qadah and Dhul-Hijjah), from their proper lunar
context they obviously profaned and perverted the natural law.] Goodly seems unto them the evil of their own doings, since God does
not grace with His guidance people who refuse to acknowledge the truth.
(5) HAJJ
Islam’s fifth pillar is pilgrimage. Muslims – and only Muslims - are allowed to visit Mecca each year to carry out one of the most sacred
duties of their lives: the pilgrimage, known in Arabic as the Hajj. The first call to make the Hajj came thousands of years ago when Prophet
Abraham built Kabah to worship God. Once during his lifetime every Muslim who is physically and economically in a position to do so is
expected to journey to Mecca where God’s climactic revelation was first disclosed to Prophet Muhammad. The basic purpose of the
pilgrimage is to heighten the pilgrim’s devotion to God and to his revealed will, but the practice has some beneficial ancillary effects as
well. It is, for example, a reminder of the equality between man and man. Pilgrimage also provides a useful service in international
relations. It brings together people from various countries demonstrating that they have in common a loyalty that transcends the loyalties of
the warring kingdoms of man. Pilgrims pick up information about their brothers in other lands and return to their own with better
understanding of one another.
(22:27-28) Hence, [O Muhammad,] you proclaim unto all people the [duty of] pilgrimage: [I.e., the believers. Regarding the annual
pilgrimage to Mecca, as instituted in Islam, see 2:196-203.] they will come unto you on foot and on every [kind of] fast mount, coming
from every far-away point [on earth], [Lit., “lean mount” - an expression which denotes “a camel, horse or (any fast conveyance) that
has become lean on account of a long and fatiguing journey”.] so that they might experience much that shall be of benefit to them.
[I.e., increased consciousness of God through facing the first temple ever dedicated to Him, as well as the consciousness of being part of a
brotherhood embracing all believers. Apart from these spiritual benefits, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca provides an opportunity for
believers from all parts of the world to become acquainted with the many social and political problems that confront the various
geographically separated sectors of the community.]
IHRAM
Upon reaching boundary of Mecca pilgrims take a bath and remove their usual clothes, which tend to carry clear indications of their social
status, and don two simple sheet-like garments. Two sheets of unstitched clothes will be the only clothes one will wear, izar: worn below
waist and rida: worn around the upper part of the body. Everyone as he nears Islam’s earthly focus wears the same thing. All distinctions of
rank and hierarchy are removed; prince and pauper stand before God in their undivided humanity. Women pilgrims do not put on ihram and
can perform the pilgrimage in their ordinary clothes, preferably white. Men must not cover their head and women must not cover their
faces.
PLACES WHERE IHRAM IS WORN (MIQAT)
Ihram is put on at places called miqat. These are the boundary lines of forbidden (haram) areas and no pilgrim can go beyond miqat lines
without ihram. The following places are designated for putting on ihram (miqat); (1) Dhul Hulaifa for the people of Medina, (2) Al-Juhfa
for Syrians, (3) Qarn al-Manazil for the people of Najd, (4) Yalamlam for Yemenites, (5) Dhatulrq for Iraqies, and (6) people who go to
pilgrimage by air put on ihram at Jeddah.
STATE OF IHRAM
A state of ihram is in which one is prohibited to practice certain deeds that are lawful at other times. It is a state of complete peace, self
denial and submission to God. There should not be any fighting, rudeness or even arguments during the state of ihram. These evils are
condemned under all circumstances, but the severity of these sins increases during the state of ihram. Killing and hunting of animals is also
not allowed. Pilgrims must not shave, trim their hair or nails, or have marital relations. The Hajj and Umrah are performed during such
state.
(2:197-198) And whoever undertakes the pilgrimage in those [months] shall, while on pilgrimage, abstain from lewd speech, from
all wicked conduct, and from quarrelling; and whatever good you may do, God is aware of it. And make provision for yourselves -
but, verily, the best of all provisions is God-consciousness: remain, then, conscious of Me, O you who are endowed with insight!
[However,] you will be committing no sin if [during the pilgrimage] you seek to obtain any bounty from your Sustainer. [I.e., by
trading while in the state of ihram. The endeavor “to obtain any bounty from your Sustainer” implies God-consciousness and, therefore,
constitutes a kind of worship - provided, of course, that this endeavor does not conflict with any other, more prominent religious
requirement.]
PROHIBITION OF HUNTING DURING PILGRIMAGE
(5:1) You are not allowed to hunt while you are in the state of pilgrimage. Behold, God ordains in accordance with His will. [I.e., in
accordance with a plan of which He alone has full knowledge.] (5:94-95) O you who have attained to faith! Most certainly God will try
you by means of the game which may come within the reach of your hands and your weapons [while you are on pilgrimage], so that
God might mark out those who fear Him although He is beyond the reach of human perception. [With this verse, the Quran returns to
the prohibition of hunting during pilgrimage enunciated in verse 1 of this surah. The trial arises from the fact that hunting, although lawful
in itself (and therefore included among the things which the believer may normally partake of), is prohibited in the state of pilgrimage.]
And as for him who, after all this, transgresses the bounds of what is right - grievous suffering awaits him! O you who have
attained to faith! Kill no game while you are in the state of pilgrimage. And whoever of you kills it intentionally, [The intentional
killing referred to here is only an isolated incident (or a first offence) and not a willful, persistent transgressing of the bounds of what is
right, which the preceding verse condemns so severely. The term “game” relates in this context only to edible animals: for, according to
several authentic Traditions, the killing of a dangerous or highly obnoxious animal - for instance, a snake, a scorpion, a rabid dog, etc. is
permitted even in the state of pilgrimage.] [shall make] amends in cattle equivalent to what he has killed - with two persons of probity
giving their judgment thereon - to be brought as an offering to the Kabah; [I.e., for distribution among the poor. In this context, the
Kabah signifies, metonymically, the sacred precincts of Mecca, and not only the sanctuary itself. The “two persons of probity” are
supposed to determine the approximate flesh value of the wild animal which has been killed, and to decide on this basis as to what
domestic animal should be offered in compensation.] or else he may atone for his sin by feeding the needy, or by the equivalent thereof
in fasting: [These two alternatives are open to a pilgrim who is too poor to provide a head or heads of cattle corresponding in value to the
game which he has killed, or - in the last-named alternative - too poor even to feed other poor people. Since neither the Quran nor any
authentic Tradition specifies the number of poor to be fed or the number of days of fasting, these details are obviously left to the conscience
of the person concerned.] [this,] in order that he taste the full gravity of his deed, [while] God shall have effaced the past. But
whoever does it again, God will inflict His retribution on him: for God is almighty, an avenger of evil.
FRESH WATER-GAME AND SEAFOOD LEGAL DURING PILGRIMAGE
(5:96) Lawful to you is all water-game, and what the sea brings forth, [The above ordinance comprises all water-game, whether derived
from seas, rivers, lakes or ponds such as fish and other marine animals which may have been cast forth by the waves onto the shore. All
kinds of water-game are lawful to a believer during the state of pilgrimage whereas hunting on land is forbidden to the pilgrim.] as a
provision for you [who are settled] as well as for travelers, although you are forbidden to hunt on land while you are in the state of
pilgrimage. And be conscious of God, unto whom you shall be gathered.
TALBIYA
After ihram, the intention to perform the pilgrimage may be expressed in these words: “O Allah! I intend to perform the pilgrimage and I
have put ihram. Make it easy for me and accept it.” Then two-rakat prayer is offered before starting the journey to Mecca. Miqat is also
called muhill which means a place of raising voices with talbiya. On entering into the state of ihram at the appointed miqat, the pilgrims
raise their voices with talbiya in the tradition of Prophet Muhammad. Talbiyah consists in reciting the following words aloud:
LABBAIKA, ALLAH HUMMAH, LABBAIKA
(Here am I, O God. Here am I in Your Presence).
LA SHARIKA LAK LABBAIKA
(You have no partner, here I am).
INN AL HAMADA WAL NIAMATA LAK
(Surely all praise and grace is for you).
WAL MULKA LA SHARIKA LAK
(And the Kingdom is yours, You have no partners).
These words of Talbiyah are often recited again and again during pilgrimage.
CIRCUMAMBULATION (TAWAF) OF THE KABAH
On reaching Mecca, pilgrims visit the grand Mosque and the Kabah sits in the center of the mosque. When they enter the building, they
recite the following verse: “O Allah. You are peace and peace comes from you. So greet us, O Allah with peace.” Tawaf or going around
the Kabah is the first act of the pilgrims on reaching Mecca and also their last act before leaving. The pilgrims go straight to the Black
Stone (Hajr-i-Aswad) and kiss it or touch it, unless prevented by the crowds, in which case, they raise their hands facing in the direction of
the Kabah and say aloud : “Allahu Akhbar” (God is Great). Tawaf begins from the Black Stone or from its corner. The pilgrims go round
the Kabah marching counter clock-wise seven times, starting and finishing each round at the corner of the Black Stone, saying , ‘Allahu
Akbar’. The pilgrims go to near the station of Abraham (Muqam-i-Abraham) and offer two-rakaat prayers. It is a place where Abraham and
Ishmael prayed (3:97 and 2:125). After this pilgrims drink water from the well of Zamzam.
KABAH AS FIRST SYMBOL OF GOD’S ONENESS
The noun Kabah by which, owing to its shape, the sanctuary has always been known denotes any “cubical building”. It would seem that he
who first built the Kabah (for, since the time of Abraham, it has been rebuilt several times, always in the same shape) consciously chose the
simplest three-dimensional form imaginable - a cube - as a parable of man’s humility and awe before the idea of God, whose glory is
beyond anything that man could conceive by way of architectural beauty. The Black Stone (Hajr-i-Aswad) is probably a meteorite, which
was laid by Prophet Abraham in south-eastern corner of Kabah. Pilgrims kiss Hajr-i-Aswad following the tradition of the Prophet
Muhammad but do not worship it. Umar ibn Khattab once said after kissing the stone, “I know for sure that you are a stone which can
neither benefit nor harm, and had I not seen Allah’s messenger kissing you I would not have kissed you.” (For the history of Kabah, see
under ISHMAEL.)
(22:26) For, when We assigned unto Abraham the site of this Temple, [I.e., the Kabah] [We said unto him:] “Do not ascribe divinity
to aught beside Me!” [In view of the oft-repeated Quranic statement that Abraham was beyond all temptation to ascribe divinity to
anything but God, it seems that the above injunction has a specific import, namely, “Do not allow this Temple to become an object of
worship, but make it clear that it is holy only by virtue of its being the first temple ever dedicated to the worship of the One God” (see
3:96).] - and: “Purify My Temple for those who will walk around it, and those who will stand before it [in meditation], and those
who will bow down and prostrate themselves [in prayer].”
SAI (HASTENING)
After completing tawaf, pilgrims perform sai or running between Safa and Marwah seven times. Safa and Marwah are two low outcrop of
rocks connected by a marble hallway in the vicinity of Kabah.
AS-SAFA AND AL-MARWAH AS SYMBOL OF FAITH AND PATIENCE IN ADVERSITY
(2:158) [Hence,] behold, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are among the symbols set up by God; [The space between the two low outcrops of
rock called As-Safa and Al-Marwah, situated in Mecca in the immediate vicinity of the Kabah, is said to have been the scene of Hagar’s
suffering when Abraham, following God’s command, abandoned her and their son Ishmael in the desert. Distraught with thirst and fearing
for the life of her child, Hagar ran to and fro between the two rocks and fervently prayed to God for succor: and, finally, her reliance on
God and her patience were rewarded by the discovery of a spring - existing to this day and known as the Well of Zamzam - which saved the
two from death through thirst. It was in remembrance of Hagar’s extreme trial, and of her trust in God, that As-safa and Al-Marwah had
come to be regarded, even in pre-Islamic times, as symbols of faith and patience in adversity: and this explains their mention in the context
of the passages which deal with the virtues of patience and trust in God.] and thus, no wrong does he who, having come to the Temple
on pilgrimage or on a pious visit, strides to and fro between these two: [It is in commemoration of Hagar’s running in distress between
As-Safa and Al-Marwah that the Mecca pilgrims are expected to walk, at a fast pace, seven times between these two hillocks. Because of
the fact that in pre-Islamic times certain idols had been standing there, some of the early Muslims were reluctant to perform a rite which
seemed to them to be associated with recent idolatry. The above verse served to reassure them on this score by pointing out that this
symbolic act of remembrance was much older than the idolatry practiced by the pagan Quraysh.] for, if one does more good than he is
bound to do - behold, God is responsive to gratitude, all-knowing. [Some of the great Islamic scholars - e.g., Imam Abu Hanifah -
conclude that the walking to and fro between As-Safa and Al-Marwah is not one of the obligatory rites of pilgrimage but rather a
supererogatory act of piety. Most scholars, however, hold the view that it is an integral part of the pilgrimage.]
After the completion of ceremonies at Safa and Marwah, whether pilgrims come out of the state of ihram or not depend on whether the
person intends to do Umrah, interrupted pilgrimage, or the Hajj.
(A) UMRAH (minor pilgrimage): Any Muslim who visits the Kabah any time of the year other than the month of Dhul Hijja performs
umrah or minor pilgrimage. This consists of all ceremonies described above. After completing the ceremonies at Safa and Marwah, pilgrim
performing Umrah may shave his head or have a hair cut and then come out of the state of ihram.
(B) INTERRUPTED PILGRIMAGE (Hajj at-tammattu): If a pilgrim comes before the month of Dhul Hijja, or even a few days before the
date of the pilgrimage, he may perform umrah only and then come out of the state of ihram. He can put on ihram again along with other
pilgrims on the specified date, i.e., 8th of Dhul Hijja. This is called Hajj at-tammattu and it consists of combining Umrah and the
Pilgrimage. The pilgrim who takes advantage of this facility is obliged to sacrifice an animal (see 2:196) at the termination of the
pilgrimage or, alternatively, to fast for ten days. (2:196-197) And perform the pilgrimage and the pious visit [to Mecca] in honor of
God; and if you are held back, give instead whatever offering you can easily afford. [The Mecca pilgrimage (hajj) takes place once a
year, in the month of Dhul-Hijja, whereas a pious visit (umrah) may be performed at any time. In both hajj and umrah, the pilgrims are
required to walk seven times around the Kabah and seven times between As-Safa and Al-Marwah (see 158 above); in the course of the hajj,
they must, in addition, attend the gathering on the plain of Arafat on the 9th of Dhul-Hijja (see 2:198 below). Once pilgrimage is
undertaken, it must be completed. If one is held back or obliged to break his journey to Kabah, a symbolic completion can be made by
offering a sacrifice. Irrespective of whether they are performing a full hajj or only an umrah, the pilgrims must refrain from cutting or even
trimming the hair on their heads from the time they enter the state of pilgrimage (ihram) until the end of the pilgrimage.] And if you are
hale and secure, [Lit., “when you are safe” refers here to safety both from external dangers (e.g., war) and from illness, and is, therefore,
best rendered as hale and secure - the implication being that the person concerned is in a position, and intends, to participate in the
pilgrimage.] then he who takes advantage of a pious visit before the [time of] pilgrimage shall give whatever offering he can easily
afford; [Those who arrived in Mecca before hajj season began; having performed umrah and they stayed on for formal hajj. Above verse
relates to an interruption, for the sake of personal comfort, of the state of pilgrimage (ihram) during the time intervening between the
completion of an umrah and the performance of the hajj. The pilgrim who takes advantage of this facility is obliged to sacrifice an animal
(see verse 196 above) at the termination of the pilgrimage or, alternatively, to fast for ten days.] whereas he who cannot afford it shall
fast for three days during the pilgrimage and for seven days after your return: that is, ten full [days]. All this relates to him who
does not live near the Inviolable House of Worship. [Lit., “whose people are not present at the Inviolable House of Worship” - i.e., do
not permanently reside there for, obviously, the inhabitants of Mecca cannot remain permanently in the state of ihram.] And remain
conscious of God, and know that God is severe in retribution. [This refers not merely to a possible violation of the sanctity of the
pilgrimage but also, in a more general way, to all deliberate violations of God’s ordinances.] The pilgrimage shall take place in the
months appointed for it. [Since the hajj culminates in one particular month (namely, Dhu1-Hijja), the plural apparently refers to its annual
recurrence. It should, however, be noted that some commentators understand it as referring to the last three months of the lunar year.]
(C) HAJJ AL-QIRAN: Qiran literally means uniting. It consists of entering into the state of ihram with intention of performing both Umrah
and Hajj together without leaving the state of ihram after umrah, during the month of Dhul Hijja.
LEAVING MECCA TO MINA (8th of Dhul Hijja)
All pilgrims continue their journey on 8th of Dhul Hijja to Mina, the next step in the performance of the pilgrimage. Mina is located about 3
miles from Mecca. The pilgrims have to reach Mina before noon and offer their prayers and sleep in Mina and offer Morning Prayer on the
9th of Dhul Hijja.
HALTING (WAQUF) AT ARAFAT (9th of Dhul Hijja)
On the 9th of Dhul Hijja, all pilgrims leave Mina after sunrise and reach Arafat by noon. The Arafat plain is a valley surrounded by dry and
barren mountains. It is located 6 miles from Mina and nine miles from Mecca. Staying in the plain of Arafat is the essential part of the
pilgrimage. Any pilgrim who fails to reach Arafat has not performed the pilgrimage.
NIGHT AT MUZDALIFAH
After sunset, on the 9th of Dhul Hijja, all pilgrims set out to Muzdalifah, a place between Arafat and Mina. Muzdalifah is a narrow valley
between two mountains and according to the legend, the armies of Abrahah, Abyssinian governor of Yemen, who invaded Mecca, were
destroyed. (2:197) And when you surge downward in multitudes from Arafat, [The gathering of all pilgrims on the plain of Arafat, east
of Mecca, takes place on the 9th of Dhu1-Hijja and constitutes the climax of the pilgrimage. The pilgrims are required to remain until
sunset on that plain, below the hillock known as Jabal ar-Rahmah (“the Mount of Grace”) - a symbolic act meant to bring to mind that
ultimate gathering on Resurrection Day, when every soul will await God’s judgment. Immediately after sunset, the multitudes of pilgrims
move back in the direction of Mecca, stopping overnight at a place called Muzdalifah, the “holy place” referred to in the next clause of this
sentence.] remember God at the holy place, and remember Him as the One who guided you after you had indeed been lost on your
way [Lit., “and remember Him as He has guided you, although before that you had indeed been among those who go astray”.] (2:199-202)
and surge onward together with the multitude of all the other people who surge onward, [Thus the pilgrims are called upon to
submerge their individualities, at that supreme moment of the pilgrimage, in the consciousness of belonging to a community of people who
are all equal before God, with no barrier of race or class or social status separating one person from another.] and ask God to forgive you
your sins: for, verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace. And when you have performed your acts of worship, [continue
to] bear God in mind as you would bear your own fathers in mind - nay, with a yet keener remembrance! [This may be a reference to
the custom of the pre-Islamic Arabs to extol, on the occasion of various gatherings, the greatness and the supposed virtues of their
ancestors. Some of the earliest Islamic scholars, however are of the opinion that what is meant here are actual fathers (or, by implication,
both parents), whom a child usually considers to be the embodiment of all that is good and powerful.] For there are people who [merely]
pray, “O our Sustainer! Give us in this world” - and such shall not partake in the blessings of the life to come. But there are among
them such as pray, “O our Sustainer! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come, and keep us safe from suffering
through the fire”: it is these that shall have their portion [of happiness] in return for what they have earned. And God is swift in
reckoning.
RETURN TO MINA - THE DAY OF SACRIFICE (10th of Dhul-Hijja)
The pilgrims leave Muzdalifah for Mina after the Morning Prayer on the 10 th of Dhul Hijja. On reaching Mina they throw stones at three
pillars representing the devil. After ceremony of stones, pilgrims offer their sacrifice. It is the day which is celebrated as Id-Adha
throughout the Muslim world and animals are sacrificed in commemoration of the great sacrifice of Ishmael by his father Abraham. Id Al-
Adha is a four days festival starting on the tenth day of Dhul-Hijja.
(22:28) They might extol the name of God on the days appointed [for sacrifice], over whatever heads of cattle He may have
provided for them [to this end]: [The repeated Quranic insistence on pronouncing the name of God whenever one slaughters an animal is
meant to make the believers realize the awfulness of taking life, and the solemn nature of the trust which God has conferred upon them in
the permission to eat the flesh of animals. As regards the “days appointed” spoken of above, they apparently denote the Festival of
Sacrifices (Id Al-Adha), which falls on the 10th of the lunar month of Dhul-Hijja, as well as the next three days, marking the end of the
pilgrimage.] eat, then, thereof, and feed the unfortunate poor. [Whereas the pilgrims are merely permitted to eat some of the flesh of the
animals which they have sacrificed, the feeding of the poor is mandatory and constitutes thus, the primary objective of these sacrifices.
Apart from this, they are meant to commemorate Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his first-born son (Ishmael) after he dreamt that God
demanded of him this supreme sacrifice (see 37:102-107); furthermore, they are a reminder that God is the Provider of all sustenance and
the One who gives life and deals death, and that all must return to Him; and lastly, they are to be symbols of each believer’s readiness to
sacrifice himself in the cause of truth.] (22:30-31) All this [is ordained by God]; and if one honors God’s sacred commandments, it
will redound to his own good in his Sustainer’s sight. And all [kinds of] cattle have been made lawful to you [for sacrifice and food],
save what is mentioned to you [as forbidden]. [See 5:3. Once again, the Quran stresses the principle that everything that has not been
explicitly forbidden is per se lawful.] Shun, then, [all that God has forbidden and, most of all,] the loathsome evil of idolatrous beliefs
and practices; and shun every word that is untrue, [Lit., “idols”, denotes not merely actual, concrete images of false deities but also, in
its widest sense, everything that is associated with false beliefs and practices or with a tendency to worship false values: hence the
subsequent injunction to shun every word that is untrue.] [inclining] towards God, [and] turning away from all that is false, [For an
explanation of the term hunafa (sing. hanif ), see 2:135.] without ascribing divine qualities to aught beside Him: for he who ascribes
divinity to aught but God is like one who is hurtling down from the skies - whereupon the birds carry him off, or the wind blows
him away onto a far-off place. (22:34-38) And [thus it is:] unto every community [that has ever believed in Us] have We appointed
[sacrifice as] an act of worship, so that they might extol the name of God over whatever heads of cattle He may have provided for
them [to this end]. [I.e., as a conscious, selfless offering in His name of something that one cherishes as necessary and valuable, and not as
an attempt to “propitiate” Him who is far above anything that resembles human emotion. (See also verse 36 below.)] And [always bear in
mind:] your God is the One and Only God: hence, surrender yourselves unto Him. And you give the glad tiding [of God’s
acceptance] unto all who are humble - all whose hearts tremble with awe whenever God is mentioned, and all who patiently bear
whatever ill befalls them, and all who are constant in prayer and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance.
[See 2:3.] And as for the sacrifice of cattle, We have ordained it for you as one of the symbols set up by God, [See verse 32 above.] in
which there is [much] good for you. Hence, extol the name of God over them when they are lined up [for sacrifice]; and after they
have fallen lifeless to the ground, eat of their flesh, and feed the poor who is contented with his lot [and does not beg], as well as him
who is forced to beg. It is to this end that We have made them [I.e., the sacrificial animal.] subservient to your needs, so that you
might have cause to be grateful. [But bear in mind:] never does their flesh reach God, and neither their blood: it is only your God-
consciousness that reaches Him. It is to this end that We have made them subservient to your needs, so that you might glorify God
for all the guidance with which He has graced you. And you give this glad tiding unto the doers of good: Verily, God will ward off
[all evil] from those who attain to faith; [and,] verily, God does not love anyone who betrays his trust and is bereft of gratitude. [See
4:106.]
(2:196) And do not shave your heads until the offering has been sacrificed; [Lit., "until the offering has reached its destination" - i.e., in
time or in place; according to Razi, the time of sacrifice is meant here, namely, the conclusion of the pilgrimage, when those who
participate in the hajj are expected - provided they can afford it - to sacrifice a sheep, a goat, or the like, and to distribute most of its flesh in
charity.] but he from among you who is ill or suffers from an ailment of the head shall redeem himself by fasting, or alms, or [any
other] act of worship. [Persons who are ill or suffer from an ailment which necessitates the cutting or shaving of one’s hair are exempted
from this prohibition.]
TAWAF AL-IFADA IN MECCA
After the sacrifice, pilgrims come out of the state of ihram and proceed to Mecca for tawaf al-Ifada on that day and go round the Kabah
seven times and then walk between Safa and Marwah.
(22:29) Thereafter let them bring to an end their state of self-denial, [In Tabari’s opinion, the above phrase signifies “then let them
complete the acts of worship incumbent on them by virtue of their pilgrimage”. Other commentators, however, understand the prohibition
of enjoying, while in the actual state of pilgrimage, certain bodily comforts like cutting or shaving one’s hair (see 2:196), wearing any
clothing but the simple, unsewn pilgrim’s garb (ihram), indulging in sexual intercourse (2:197), etc. Consequently, they explain the above
phrase as meaning “let them bring to an end the condition of self-denial which was incumbent on them during pilgrimage”.] and let them
fulfill the vows which they [may] have made, and let them walk [once again] around the Most Ancient Temple. [I.e., around the
Kabah (see 2:125), thus completing the pilgrimage.]
AYYAM AT-TASHRIQ IN MINA (11TH, 12TH AND 13TH OF DHUL HIJJA)
The pilgrims come back to Mina again after tawaf al-Ifada and remain there for 2-3 days known as Ayyam al-Tashriq and complete the
remaining ceremonies of throwing stones during these days. (2:203) And bear God in mind during the appointed days; [These are the
days following the “Festival of Sacrifices” (Id al-adha), which takes place on the 10th of Dhu1-Hijja. The pilgrims are obliged to spend at
least two of these days in the valley of Mina, about half-way between Arafat and Mecca.] but he who hurries away within two days shall
incur no sin, and he who tarries longer shall incur no sin, provided that he is conscious of God. Hence, remain conscious of God,
and know that unto Him you shall be gathered.
RETURN TO MECCA (TAWAF AL-WIDA) After staying in Mina for 2-3 days, the pilgrims return to Mecca on the 12 th or 13th day of
Dhul-Hijja and perform farewell (wida) tawaf of the Kabah seven times before leaving home. Visit to Medina after pilgrimage is
recommended but is not part of the rites of pilgrimage.
RITES OF PILGRIMAGE AND THEIR SYMBOLIC MEANING
(22:32-33) This is [to be borne in mind]. And anyone who honors the symbols set up by God [shall know that] verily, these [symbols
derive their value] from the God-consciousness in the [believers’] hearts. [Lit., “God’s symbols”, which in this context refers to the
rites of pilgrimage (see 5:2). This stress on the symbolic character of all the rites connected with the pilgrimage is meant to draw the
believer’s attention to the spiritual meaning of those rites, and thus to warn him against making, unthinkingly, a sort of fetish of them. The
symbols referred to here relate not only to the sacrificial animals, but comprise all the rites, actions and places connected with the
pilgrimage, all of which have symbolic meaning.] In that [God-consciousness] you shall find benefits until a term set [by Him is
fulfilled], [I.e., until the end of your lives.] and [you shall know that] its goal and end is the Most Ancient Temple. [It is the realization
of God’s oneness and uniqueness - symbolized by the Kabah (the Most Ancient Temple) - is the goal and end of all true God-
consciousness.]
OFFEND NOT AGAINST THE SYMBOLS SET UP BY GOD
(5:2) O you who have attained to faith! Offend not against the symbols set up by God, nor against the sacred month [of pilgrimage],
nor against the garlanded offerings, [This is a reference to the animals which are brought to Mecca at the time of pilgrimage, to be
sacrificed there in the name of God and most of their flesh distributed among the poor. In order to mark out such animals, and to prevent
their being inadvertently used for profane (e.g., commercial) ends, garlands are customarily hung around their necks. See also 2:196. - The
term “God’s symbols”, occurring earlier in this sentence, denotes the places reserved for particular religious rites (e.g., the Kabah) as well
as the religious rites themselves. See 2:158, where As-Safa and Al-Marwah are described as symbols set up by God. In the above context,
the rites of pilgrimage, in particular, are alluded to.] nor against those who flock to the Inviolable Temple, seeking favor with their
Sustainer and His goodly acceptance; and [only] after your pilgrimage is over are you free to hunt.
KABAH AS GOD’S SYMBOLS FOR MANKIND
(5:97-100) God has laid down that the Kabah, the Inviolable Temple, shall be a symbol for all mankind; [All hunting, whether by
pilgrims or non-pilgrims, is prohibited in the vicinity of the Kabah - i.e., within the precincts of Mecca and its environs - because it is a
sanctuary (see 2:125) for all living beings.] and [so, too,] the sacred month [of pilgrimage] and the garlanded offerings [are symbols]
meant to make you aware that God is aware of all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth, and that God has full knowledge of
everything. [The garlanded offerings are a reference to the sacrificial animals. Thus, the pilgrimage and the rites connected with it are
stated to be a symbol of man’s self-surrender to God.] Know that God is severe in retribution - and that God is much-forgiving, a
dispenser of grace. No more is the Apostle bound to do than deliver the message [entrusted to him]: and God knows all that you do
openly, and all that you would conceal. Say: “There is no comparison between the bad things and the good things, even though very
many of the bad things may please you greatly. Be, then, conscious of God, O you who are endowed with insight, so that you might
attain to a happy state!”
“O ye men! harken unto my words and take ye them to heart! Know ye that every Muslim is a brother to every other Muslim, and that ye
are now one brotherhood.” These notable words, spoken by the Prophet during his “farewell pilgrimage” to Mecca shortly before his death,
epitomize one of Islam’s loftiest ideals and strongest emphases. The brotherhood of Islam is a reality. All the elements of Islam – the
sacrifice, the prayer, the individual connection to God, the equality between races and nationalities – come together when the pilgrims
perform Hajj. The essential meaning of this rite is brought out well by the late Iranian philosopher Ali Shariati: “As you circumambulate
and move closer to Kabah, you feel like a small stream merging with a big river. Carried by a wave you lose touch with the ground.
Suddenly, you are floating, carried on by the flood. As you approach the center, the pressure of the crowd squeezes you so hard that you are
given a new life. You are now part of the people; you are now a man, alive and eternal. The Kabah is the world’s sun whose face attracts
you into its orbit. You have become part of this universal system. Circumambulating around Allah, you will soon forget yourself. You have
been transformed into a particle that is gradually melting and disappearing. This is absolute love at its peak.”