Sūrah al-Ḥajj

People! Fear your Lord. In reality, the earthquake of the Day of Judgement is a very horrific thing indeed. The day you will see it, every suckling mother will forget her suckled child and every pregnant being will shed her burden and you will see people inebriated even though they will not be inebriated. In fact, the torment of God shall be so severe.

On the other hand, the situation of people is that there are also such [foolish] among them who without having any knowledge dispute about God and start to follow every rebellious devil about whom it has been ordained that whoever befriends him, he is bound to lead him astray and will lead him to the torment of Hell.

People! If you have any doubt on being raised to life again, then reflect that We have created you from clay, then from sperm, then from a clot of blood, then from a lump of flesh which may be completed and also remains incomplete. So that We make evident to you some facts [that you should understand]. Whatever We want, We continue to lodge in the wombs until an appointed time. Then bring you forth in the form of a child. Then give time so that you may reach your maturity. And some from you are called back early and some are made to reach pathetic [old] age so that even after knowing a lot know nothing. Similarly, you see the earth dry. Then when We rain down water on it, it becomes lush and grows and sprouts exquisite things of all kinds. All this is because God is the real Lord and because He alone gives life to the dead and because He has power over all things and because the Hereafter is certain to come; there is no doubt about its advent and because God shall certainly resurrect all those who are in the graves.

In spite of this, such are people that there are those among them also who without any knowledge, without any guidance and without any radiant book, shaking their shoulders [in arrogance] argue about God to lead people astray from the path of God. For them is humiliation in the world also, and on the Day of Judgement We shall make them taste the torment of the blazing fire – this is in exchange of your deeds which your hands had sent ahead and [God’s justice for you also] because God is not the slightest unjust to His servants.

And there are those among people also who worship God standing on the edge. Then if they received any benefit, they became satisfied with God and if they faced any trial, they turn about their heels. This cost them the world and the Hereafter too. It is this which is an open loss. They call upon other beings besides God which can neither harm nor benefit them. It is this which is extreme error. They call upon them: the very ones whose harm is nearer than their benefit. How evil are these masters and how evil are these companions of theirs [who have made them their masters! On the other hand,] those who professed faith with full sincerity and did righteous deeds, God shall definitely admit them into orchards beneath which rivers shall be flowing. Indeed, God does what He intends.

[Tell them:] He who thinks that God will never help him in this world and in the Hereafter should stretch a rope [in his imagination] towards the sky [to climb up]. Then [when grief overtakes him on seeing his destination to be far off,] he should sever it and see if this measure of his is able to alleviate his sorrow? We have revealed this Qur’ān in this manner in the form of open arguments but how can they be guided who are deprived of God’s grace because God guides whomsoever He wants to [according to His law].¹

[They argue about God. Tell them:] Those who have accepted faith and those who have adopted Judaism and the Sabaeans and the Nazarenes and the Magians and those who adhere to polytheism, God shall decide among all of them [about their disputes] on the Day of Judgement. In reality, God knows everything.

Do you not see that what is in the heavens and what is in the earth all prostrate before God alone and the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the beasts and many people as well? And there are many also for whom the torment of God has become mandatory [because they accepted the humiliation of prostrating before others]. In reality, he who is humiliated by God cannot then be given respect by anyone. Undoubtedly, God does whatever He intends [according to His law].

All these are two groups who have differed about their Lord. So, those who have refused [to accept His oneness], for them clothes of fire shall be carved out; boiling water shall be poured on them from above their heads. Whatever is inside their bellies shall melt because of it and their skins as well [from the outside]. For their punishment, there shall be iron hammers. Whenever they would desire to come out of any of its torments, they shall be shoved back into it: “Now stay in it and taste the flavour of the punishment of burning.”²

God shall however admit those who professed faith and did righteous deeds to orchards below which streams shall be flowing. There they shall be adorned with bracelets of gold and necklaces of pearls. Their clothes there shall be of silk and moreover they were blessed there by a word of pure guidance and they were shown the path [of Paradise] of the praiseworthy God.³

It is a fact that those who have rejected [God’s messenger] and now they are stopping [people] from the path of God and from the Sacred Mosque as well which We have made equally for all people whether they live there or outside it, they have committed a grave oppression. [This is because the matter of this mosque is that] he who intends some deviation, some oppression in it, We shall make him taste a painful torment.

Remind them when We had made the place of this House an abode for Abraham with the directive: “Do not associate anyone with Me and keep my House pure for those who circumambulate, stand, kneel and prostrate,” and had directed: “Proclaim ḥajj among the people; they will come to you on foot and also on she-camels of all sorts that have become weak [because of travelling]. They will come from all far flung mountain passes that have become deep [because of caravans travelling in them]. They will come in order to be present at their places of benefit and in certain prescribed days take the name of God on the beasts God has blessed them with.” [Slaughter them;] so, eat from them yourselves and feed the feeble needy ones as well. Then people should clean themselves of their dirt, fulfil their vows and circumambulate this ancient House.

These are the things [which Abraham was informed of. Understand them fully] and [bear in mind that] he who honours the sanctities ordained by God, then this is better for him in the eyes of his Lord. And [this also that the superstitions of these Idolaters about animals are totally baseless.] In reality, the cattle are allowed to you except those you are being told of [in the Qur’ān]. So, abstain from the filth of the idols and from the falsehood as well [which you impute to God with their reference by regarding something to be prohibited and another to be allowed] and honour His symbols while being fully devoted to God without associating partners with Him. And [remember that] he who associates partners with God, it is as if he has fallen down from the sky. Now birds will snatch him away or the wind may take him away and throw him at a far off place. These are facts; [fully understand them] and [remember that] he who reveres the symbols appointed by God, then this is from among the piety of the hearts. [These animals dedicated to God are also His symbols. But God’s directive is that] there are various benefits in them for you until an appointed time. Then they have to be taken towards that ancient House of God [for sacrifice].

For each community, We have regarded the worship of sacrifice to be a religious ritual so that whatever cattle God has given them, they pronounce God’s name on it [and of none else]. So, your God is One. Then, surrender yourselves to Him alone [and bow down before Him only] and give glad tidings [O Prophet] to those whose hearts are bent down before Him. They are those whose hearts tremble when the name of God is mentioned before them. They are steadfast on any calamity that comes their way and are diligent in the prayer and who spend [in Our cause] from whatever We have blessed them with.

[None of you should be reluctant in sacrificing camels too because] We have included sacrificial camels in the symbols of God for you. There is a lot of good for you in them. So pronounce God’s name on them as well while you make them stand in rows. Then when they fall on their sides [after being slaughtered], eat from them your selves and feed those also who [are needy but] show content and those also who come to ask in unease. We have subjugated for you these animals in this manner so that you may be grateful. Neither does their flesh reach God nor their blood; in fact, only your piety reaches Him. In this way, God has subjugated them for you so that the guidance God has blessed you with, you exalt God on it. [This is the way of those who are thorough] and [O Prophet!] Give glad tidings to those who are thorough.

[On the other hand, those who are stopping people from the path of God, for them] God’s decision is that [against them] He shall [now] defend those who have accepted faith. In reality, God does not like any deceitful ingrate. [Thus] those against whom war is waged are granted permission of war because they have been oppressed and God certainly has the power to help them. Those who were turned out of their houses without any justification only because they say: “God is our Lord.” [This permission has been granted because] if God did not continue to drive away people through one another, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques in which the name of God is abundantly taken all would have been destroyed. God shall definitely help those who will strive to help Him. Undoubtedly, God is powerful, dominant over all. Those whom if We grant sovereignty in this land shall be diligent in the prayer and pay zakāh and exhort towards good and forbid evil. [God shall definitely help them] and the fate of all matters is in the hands of God alone.

[O Prophet!] If they deny you, then why should you be surprised? Before them, the nation of Noah, the ‘Ād, the Thamūd, the nation of Abraham, the nation of Lot and the people of Madyan have also denied and Moses too had been similarly denied. Then I gave some reprieve to those who denied them; then seized them. Then, see how My curse was! So, how many a settlement have We destroyed and they were unjust. Now they are lying on their roofs. And how many wells are lying useless and how many strong palaces are left deserted. Then have these people not walked about in the earth that [after seeing these places that teach a lesson] their hearts could have become such that they could have understood from them and ears could have become such that they could have listened from them? So, the fact is that the eyes on the faces are not blind. In fact, those hearts become blind which are in the chests.

They are asking you to hasten the punishment, whereas [since God has threatened them with punishment; so] God shall never break His promise. [They should know that] one day of your Lord is equal in count to your one thousand years. [So they should also not have this audacity.] How many a settlement We similarly gave respite in spite of their oppression; then seized them and all have to return to Me alone.

Tell them: O People! I am only an open warner for you. Then those who accepted faith and did righteous deeds, for them is forgiveness and an honourable sustenance also. And those who strive to belittle Our revelations, it is they who are the companions of Hell.

[O Prophet!] Whichever messenger or prophet We sent before you was faced with the situation that whenever he desired something, Satan caused disruption in his desire. Then God obliterates this disruption of Satan; then God strengthens His revelations and God is knowing and wise. This happens so that God makes this disruption of Satan a means of trial for those who have the ailment [of hypocrisy] in their hearts and whose hearts have become hard. In reality, these unjust people have gone very far in [their] hostility. And this also happens because those who have been given the knowledge of the Book of God should fully know that the truth has come from your Lord. So, their faith should be strengthened on it and their hearts bow down before it. And it is God’s decision that He shall definitely show the straight path to those who have accepted faith.

On the other hand, those who have decided to deny, they will remain in doubt about this knowledge until when suddenly the Hour of Judgement hovers over their heads or the torment of a baleful day descends on them. [They should remember this that] on that Day God alone shall have all authority. He shall decide between them. Then those who would have accepted faith and would have also done righteous deeds shall be in orchards of delight and those who have denied and rejected Our revelations, then it is for them that there is a humiliating torment.

The people who migrated in the way of God [because of being helpless due to their oppression], then were killed or died a natural death, God shall certainly grant them a good sustenance. Indeed, it is God Who provides the best sustenance. He shall definitely take them to a place with which they shall be pleased. Indeed, God is aware of everyone’s circumstances; He is very gracious.

Thus will this happen and [moreover] he who avenges [an act of injustice] the way it was inflicted on him, then he is subjected to oppression, God shall definitely help him. [However, if he forgives a little, it is better]. Undoubtedly, God is Forgiving, Merciful.

[God shall definitely help him.] This is because it is God Who makes the night enter the day and the day enter the night and because God hears all and sees all. This is because it is God Who is the truth and all which they invoke besides God are false and because God alone is the Supreme, the Greatest.

[He shall definitely help however adverse are the circumstances.] Do you not see that God sent down water from the sky; then, through it, the earth becomes lush green? In reality, God is very discerning, aware [of everything]. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. In reality, only God is self-sufficient and only He has all praiseworthy attributes.

Do you not see that God has put all things of the earth to your service and the ship also? It sails in the sea at His bidding. And He is holding the sky lest it should fall down on the earth except if only He permits. Certainly, God is very Gracious and Ever-Merciful. It is He Who has given life to you. Then He gives death; then He shall bring you back to life. In reality, a human being is very ungrateful.

[They object: “Why is the new sharī‘ah different?” Tell them:] We have prescribed a path for each community that they may tread on it. [Now also We have done the same.] So they must not be able to dispute with you in any way in this matter. Hence, pay no heed and keep calling towards your Lord. Surely, you are on the straight path. If even then they are after arguing with you, tell them: God very well knows what you are doing. God will decide between you on the Day of Judgement in what you have been differing. Do you not know that everything of the heavens and the earth is in God’s knowledge? All this is preserved in a register. In reality, this is very easy for God.

They worship besides God those about which God has revealed no sanction and about which they have no knowledge also. [These foolish people think that in the Hereafter they will help them.] In reality, no one will be the helper of these unjust people. When Our plain revelations are recited before them, you see revulsion on the faces of these disbelievers. It is as if they will attack those who are reciting Our revelations to them. Tell them: Should I inform you of a thing of greater revulsion than this? The fire of Hell! God has promised it to the disbelievers and it is a very evil abode.

People! [If you want to understand the reality of these deities, then] an example is cited: So, listen to it attentively. In reality, those who you invoke besides God cannot create merely a fly even if all of them try to. And if that fly snatches something from them, they cannot even snatch it back. Those who desire are frail and that what they desire are absolutely frail too. They have not recognized the importance of God the way it should be. Indeed, God is powerful, dominant upon all.

[It is because of this attitude of disregard for God that they regard the angels to be deities.] God selects [His] messengers from the angels as well as from human beings. [How can they share in Godhead because of this?] In reality, God [Himself] hears and sees all. He knows what is behind and before these [angels] and all matters turn to Him only.

Believers! [Their era has ended and now your era is beginning. So,] kneel and prostrate and worship your Lord and do righteous deeds that you may succeed. And [moreover, to discharge the responsibilities of your status,] strive in the way of God in the most befitting way. He has selected you and not placed any constraint on you in [the] sharī‘ah [He has given you]. He has chosen the community of your father – Abraham – for you. It was he who had earlier named you Muslim and in this [Qur’ān] also [your name is Muslim]; chosen you so that the messenger bears witness [to this religion] before you and you bear witness [to it] before all the people of the world. So, be diligent in

the prayer and pay zakāh and hold strongly to God. He only is your Guardian. So, what a good guardian and what a good helper!