2:203 Al-Baqara (The Cow)

ويدخل في ذكر الله فيها, ذكره عند رمي الجمار, وعند الذبح, والذكر المقيد عقب الفرائض، بل قال بعض العلماء: إنه يستحب فيها التكبير المطلق, كالعشر, وليس ببعيد. { فَمَنْ تَعَجَّلَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ } أي: خرج من \" منى \" ونفر منها قبل غروب شمس اليوم الثاني { فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ تَأَخَّرَ } بأن بات بها ليلة الثالث ورمى من الغد { فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ } وهذا تخفيف من الله [تعالى] على عباده, في إباحة كلا الأمرين، ولكن من المعلوم أنه إذا أبيح كلا الأمرين, فالمتأخر أفضل, لأنه أكثر عبادة. ولما كان نفي الحرج قد يفهم منه نفي الحرج في ذلك المذكور وفي غيره, والحاصل أن الحرج منفي عن المتقدم، والمتأخر فقط قيده بقوله: { لِمَنِ اتَّقَى } أي: اتقى الله في جميع أموره, وأحوال الحج، فمن اتقى الله في كل شيء, حصل له نفي الحرج في كل شيء، ومن اتقاه في شيء دون شيء, كان الجزاء من جنس العمل. { وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ } بامتثال أوامره واجتناب معاصيه، { وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ } فمجازيكم بأعمالكم، فمن اتقاه, وجد جزاء التقوى عنده, ومن لم يتقه, عاقبه أشد العقوبة، فالعلم بالجزاء من أعظم الدواعي لتقوى الله, فلهذا حث تعالى على العلم بذلك.

قال ابن عباس: الأيام المعدودات أيام التشريق والأيام المعلومات أيام العشر. وقال عكرمة "واذكروا الله في أيام معدودات" يعني التكبير في أيام التشريق بعد الصلوات المكتوبات: الله أكبر الله أكبر. وقال الإمام أحمد: حدثنا وكيع حدثنا موسى بن علي عن أبيه قال: سمعت عقبة بن عامر قال: قال رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - "يوم عرفة ويوم النحر وأيام التشريق عيدنا أهل الإسلام وهي أيام أكل وشرب" وقال أحمد أيضا: حدثنا هشام أخبرنا خالد عن أبي المليح عن نبيشة الهذلي قال: قال رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - "أيام التشريق أيام أكل وشرب وذكر الله" ورواه مسلم أيضا وتقدم حديث جبير بن مطعم "عرفة كلها موقف وأيام التشريق كلها ذبح" وتقدم أيضا حديث عبدالرحمن بن يعمر الديلي "وأيام منى ثلاثة فمن تعجل في يومين فلا إثم عليه ومن تأخر فلا إثم عليه" وقال ابن جرير: حدثنا يعقوب بن إبراهيم وخلاد بن أسلم قالا: حدثنا هشام عن عمرو بن أبي سلمة عن أبيه عن أبي هريرة أن رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - قال "أيام التشريق أيام طعم وذكر الله" وحدثنا خالد بن أسلم حدثنا روح حدثنا صالح حدثني ابن شهاب عن سعيد بن المسيب عن أبي هريرة أن رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - بعث عبدالله بن حذافة يطوف في منى "لا تصوموا هذه الأيام فإنها أيام أكل وشرب وذكر الله عز وجل" وحدثنا يعقوب حدثنا هشام عن سفيان بن حسين عن الزهري قال: بعث رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - عبدالله بن حذافة فنادى في أيام التشريق فقال "إن هذه أيام أكل وشرب وذكر الله إلا من كان عليه صوم من هدي" زيادة حسنة ولكن مرسلة وبه قال هشام عن عبدالملك بن أبي سليمان عن عمرو بن دينار أن رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم - بعث بشر بن سحيم فنادى في أيام التشريق فقال "إن هذه أيام أكل وشرب وذكر الله" وقال هشيم عن ابن أبي ليلى عن عطاء عن عائشة قالت: نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم عن صوم أيام التشريق قال "وهي أيام أكل وشرب وذكر الله" وقال محمد بن إسحق عن حكيم بن حكيم عن مسعود بن الحكم الزرقي عن أمه قالت: لكأني أنظر إلى علي على بغلة رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - البيضاء حتى وقف على شعب الأنصار وهو يقول: يا أيها الناس إنها ليست بأيام صيام إنما هي أيام أكل وشرب وذكر الله. وقال مقسم عن ابن عباس: الأيام المعدودات أيام التشريق أربعة أيام يوم النحر وثلاثة بعده وروي عن ابن عمر وابن الزبير وأبي موسى وعطاء ومجاهد وعكرمة وسعيد بن جبير وأبي مالك وإبراهيم النخعي ويحيى بن أبي كثير والحسن وقتادة والسدي والزهري والربيع بن أنس والضحاك ومقاتل بن حيان وعطاء الخراساني ومالك بن أنس وغيرهم مثل ذلك وقال علي بن أبي طالب هي ثلاثة: يوم النحر ويومان بعده اذبح في أيهن شئت وأفضلها أولها. والقول الأول هو المشهور وعليه دل ظاهر الآية الكريمة حيث قال "فمن تعجل في يومين فلا إثم عليه ومن تأخر فلا إثم عليه" فدل على ثلاثة بعد النحر ويتعلق بقوله "واذكروا الله في أيام معدودات" ذكر الله على الأضاحي وقد تقدم أن الراجح في ذلك مذهب الشافعي رحمه الله وهو أن وقت الأضحية من يوم النحر إلى آخر أيام التشريق ويتعلق به أيضا الذكر المؤقت خلف الصلوات والمطلق في سائر الأحوال وفي وقته أقوال للعلماء أشهرها الذي عليه العمل أنه من صلاة الصبح يوم عرفة إلى صلاة العصر من آخر أيام التشريق وهو آخر النفر الآخر وقد جاء فيه حديث رواه الدارقطني ولكن لا يصح مرفوعا والله أعلم. وقد ثبت أن عمر بن الخطاب - رضي الله عنه - كان يكبر في قبته فيكبر أهل السوق بتكبيره حتى ترتج منى تكبيرا ويتعلق بذلك أيضا التكبير وذكر الله عند رمي الجمرات كل يوم من أيام التشريق وقد جاء في الحديث الذي رواه أبو داود وغيره إنما جعل الطواف بالبيت والسعي بين الصفا والمروة ورمي الجمار لإقامة ذكر الله عز وجل. ولما ذكر الله تعالى النفر الأول والثاني وهو تفرق الناس من موسم الحج إلى سائر الأقاليم والآفاق بعد اجتماعهم في المشاعر والمواقف قال "واتقوا الله واعلموا أنكم إليه تحشرون" كما قال "وهو الذي ذرأكم في الأرض وإليه تحشرون".

Remembering Allah during the Days of Tashriq - Days of Eating and Drinking

Ibn `Abbas said, `The Appointed Days are the Days of Tashriq (11-12-13th of Dhul-Hijjah) while the Known Days are the (first) ten (days of Dhul-Hijjah)." `Ikrimah said that:

وَاذْكُرُواْ اللَّهَ فِى أَيَّامٍ مَّعْدُودَتٍ

(And remember Allah during the Appointed Days.) means reciting the Takbir -- Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, during the days of Tashriq after the compulsory prayers.

Imam Ahmad reported that `Uqbah bin `Amr said that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:

«يَوْمُ عَرَفَةَ، وَيَوْمُ النَّحْرِ، وَأَيَّامُ التَّشْرِيقِ، عِيدُنَا أَهْلَ الْإسْلَامِ، وَهِيَ أَيَّامُ أَكْلٍ وَشُرْب»

(The day of `Arafah (9th of Dhul-Hijjah), the day of the Sacrifice (10th) and the days of the Tashriq (11-12-13th) are our `Id (festival) for we people of Islam. These are days of eating and drinking.)

Imam Ahmad reported that Nubayshah Al-Hudhali said that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:

«أَيَّامُ التَّشْرِيقِ أَيَّامُ أَكْلٍ وشُرْبٍ وَذِكْرِ الله»

(The days of Tashriq are days of eating, drinking and Dhikr (remembering) of Allah.)

Muslim also recorded this Haith

We also mentioned the Hadith of Jubayr bin Mut`im:

«عَرَفَةُ كُلُّهَا مَوْقِفٌ، وَأيَّامُ التَّشْرِيقِ كُلُّهَا ذَبْح»

(All of `Arafat is a standing place and all of the days of Tashriq are days of Sacrifice. )

We also mentioned the Hadith by `Abdur-Rahman bin Ya`mar Ad-Diyli:

«وَأَيَّامُ مِنىً ثَلَاثَةٌ فَمَنْ تَعَجَّلَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ فَلَا إثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ تَأَخَّرَ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْه»

(The days of Mina (Tashriq) are three. Those who hasten in two days then there is no sin in it, and those who delay (i.e., remain in Mina for a third day) then there is no sin in it.)

Ibn Jarir reported that Abu Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:

«أَيَّامُ التَّشْرِيقِ أيَّامُ طُعْمٍ وَذِكْرِ الله»

(The days of Tashriq are days of eating and remembering Allah.)

Ibn Jarir reported that Abu Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent `Abdullah bin Hudhafah to Mina proclaiming:

«لَا تَصُومُوا هذِه الْأَيَّامَ، فَإنَّهَا أَيَّامُ أَكْلٍ وَشُرْبٍ وَذِكْرِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَل»

(Do not fast these days (i.e., Tashriq days), for they are days of eating, drinking and remembering Allah the Exalted and Most Honored.)

The Appointed Days

Miqsam said that Ibn `Abbas said that the Appointed Days are the days of Tashriq, four days: the day of the Sacrifice (10th of Dhul-Hijjah) and three days after that.

This opinion was also reported of Ibn `Umar, Ibn Az-Zubayr, Abu Musa, `Ata', Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Malik, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Yahya bin Abu Kathir, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Az-Zuhri, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ad-Dahhak, Muqatil bin Hayyan, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Malik bin Anas, and others. In addition, the apparent meaning of the following Ayah supports this opinion:

فَمَن تَعَجَّلَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ فَلاَ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَن تَأَخَّرَ فَلا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ

(But whosoever hastens to leave in two days, there is no sin on him and whosoever stays on, there is no sin on him.)

So the Ayah hints to the three days after the day of Sacrifice.

Allah's statement:

وَاذْكُرُواْ اللَّهَ فِى أَيَّامٍ مَّعْدُودَتٍ

(And remember Allah during the Appointed Days) directs remembering Allah upon slaughtering the animals, after the prayers, and by Dhikr (supplication) in general. It also includes Takbir and remembering Allah while throwing the pebbles every day during the Tashriq days. A Hadith that Abu Dawud and several others collected states:

إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الطَّوَافُ بِالْبَيْتِ وَالسَّعْيُ بَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ وَرَمْيُ الْجِمَارِ لإِقَامَةِ ذِكْرِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

(Tawaf around the House, Sa`i between As-Safa and Al-Marwah and throwing the pebbles were legislated so that Allah is remembered in Dhikr.)

When mentioning the first procession (refer to 2:199) and the second procession of the people upon the end of the Hajj season, when they start to return to their areas, after they had gathered during the rituals and at the standing places, Allah said,

وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ

(and obey Allah (fear Him), and know that you will surely be gathered unto Him.)

Similarly, Allah said:

وَهُوَ الَّذِى ذَرَأَكُمْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ

(And it is He Who has created you on the earth, and to Him you shall be gathered back.) (23:79)

And remember God by making takbīr saying Allāhu akbar ‘God is Great’ while you cast your stones at the Jamarāt during certain days numbered the three days of tashrīq. If any man hastens on his departure from Minā in two days that is on the second day of tashrīq after he has cast his stones that hastening is no sin for him; and if he delays such that he stays until the third night and cast his stones it is not a sin for him that is they have the choice of either for the sin has been precluded in both cases; if he fears God during his pilgrimage — for such a person is truly a pilgrim — and fear God and know that to Him you shall be gathered in the Hereafter that He may requite you for your deeds.

The emphasis on remembering Allah in Mina

In the last of the eight verses relating to injunctions about Hajj, that is, وَاذْكُرُ‌وا اللَّـهَ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْدُودَاتٍ (And recite the name of Allah in the given number of days), the Hajj pilgrims have been asked to engage themselves in the remembrance of Allah so that their Hajj meets a perfect ending and their post-Hajj life becomes correct and fruitful. These 'given number of days' refer to (ayyam al-tashriq) ایام التشریق during which it is necessary (wajib) to say takbir (which is, اللہ اکبر اللہ اکبر لا الہ الا اللہ واللہ اکبر اللہ اکبر وللہ الحمد).

Immediately following is a clarification of the duration of stay at Mina منٰی and the deadline for throwing pebbles at the three Pillars. This was an issue debated by the people of Jahiliyyah. Some thought it was necessary to stay at Mina منٰی upto the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah and throw pebbles at the three Pillars. According to them, to come back from Mina منٰی on the 12th was impermissible and those who did so were sinners. Similarly, others regarded coming back on the 12th necessary and staying there through the 13th, a sin. Both were corrected in this verse by saying: فَمَن تَعَجَّلَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَن تَأَخَّرَ‌ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ : 'Then whoever is early (in leaving) after two days there is no sin on him and whoever remains behind, there is no sin on him ...' thereby proving that both parties calling each other sinners are involved in excess and error.

The correct position is that Hajj pilgrims have the option of acting on either of the two permissions. However, it is better and preferable to stay there through the third day (that is, 13th of Dhul-Hijjah). Jurists say that one who leaves Mina before sunset on the second day (i.e. 12th of Dhul-Hijjah), it is not necessary for him to do his ramy رَمِی (throwing of pebbles on the three Pillars) for the third day. But, should the sun set while he is still in Mina, it does not remain anymore permissible for him to leave Mina until he has done his ramy رَمِی for the third day. However, the ramy رَمِی for the third day has a special concession that it can also be done between the post-morning and pre-noon hours.

If we look at the manner in which the choice of returning from Mina has been given to the Hujjaj حَجَّاج - no sin if they return on the second day and no sin if they return on the third day - we shall realize that all this is for the convenience of one who fears Allah and obeys His commands, for he really deserves the Hajj, as said elsewhere in the Holy Qur'an إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّـهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿27﴾which means that Allah Almighty accepts (acts of prayer and worship) only from those who are God-fearing and obedient. Now, one who has been involved in sins much before Hajj, continued being negligent even during the Hajj and was callous enough not to abstain from sins even after Hajj, his Hajj is certainly not going to be of any good to him, although, the formal obligation has been validly fulfilled, releasing him from the possible crime of not having performed the Hajj.

Closing this eight-verse unit, it was said: وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُ‌ونَ (And fear Allah and be sure that you are going to be gathered before Him), where He shall make you account for all your open and hidden deeds and give you the reward and punishment for these. This last line is really the essence of all Hajj injunctions given in these verses. It means that one should keep fearing Allah during the special days of the Hajj guarding oneself from any shortcoming in the prescribed acts of Hajj, as he should keep fearing Allah after the Hajj guarding himself against any pride of performance, and keep abstaining from sins because, on the day human deeds shall be weighed on the Balance, his sins will eat away his good deeds, that is, they will nullify the effect and weight of the good deeds. In a hadith about the great ` ibadah عبادہ of Hajj, it has been said that one who returns after having accomplished his Hajj, is so cleansed of his sins as if he was born on that day. This is why those performing Hajj have been instructed to maintain the quality of Taqwa, (that vital sense of responsibility before Allah). Being one who has been purified from sins, it is necessary to take all possible precautions against what tempts man to fall into sin so that one can earn the best of both the worlds, the dunya دنیا and the akhirah آخِرَ‌ةِ. If this is not done and the performer of Hajj goes back to a life of sin, even after such a cathartic experience, he shall find that the elimination of his past sins by forgiveness is not going to be of any use to him. Contrary to this, the ` ulama' have said that one who returns from his Hajj with his heart free from the love of dunya دنیا and attracted to the concern for the akhirah آخِرَ‌ةِ , his Hajj is accepted and his sins are forgiven and his prayers are answered. From place to place during the Hajj, people pledge their obedience to Allah before His House, how can these pledges be thoughtlessly broken after the Hajj? If those who are lucky to perform their Hajj are a little more mindful of this factor, they might stay by their solemn pledge later on.

A pious elder said: When I returned from Hajj, it was by chance that a suggestion of sin crept into my heart whereupon I heard a voice from the Unseen: Didn't you perform the Hajj? Didn't you perform the Hajj? This voice became a wall between me and that sin. Allah Almighty protected me.'

As against this, there is the case of another pious man from Turkey, who was a disciple of the famous Maulana Jami. He was in such an unusual state of spiritual excellence in his normal life that he used to observe a halo of radiance over his head. He went to perform his Hajj, but after his return he discovered that he has lost that unusual state totally. He talked about it to his master, Maulana Jami. He said: 'Before your Hajj, you had the gift of humbleness, you wept before Allah thinking of yourself as a sinner. After your Hajj, you became proud and picked up the airs of someone righteous, spiritually elevated. Therefore, this very Hajj of yours became the cause of your pride and that is why you lost that state of radiance.'

The emphasis on Taqwa (the fear of Allah) towards the conclusion of Hajj injunctions has yet another secret. It goes without saying that Hajj is a great act of ` ibadah. Once it has been accomplished, that eternal adversary of man, the Satan شیطان ، generally injects into man's heart the thought of self-righteousness which simply ruins all his deeds. Therefore, the final word said was about the need to fear Allah and the necessity to obey Him, not only before the Hajj and during the Hajj, but also after the Hajj when one must become much more particular in fearing Allah and alert in abstaining from sins by conscious effort, lest all that one has done in the form of the ` ibadah of Hajj goes waste.

اللھم وفقنا لما تحب وترضی من القول والعمل والنیہ

O Allah, give us the ability to do what You love and are pleased with - in word, deed and intention.

And remember God in certain numbered days, but if someone hastens on after two days, no sin shall be upon him. There are three sorts of remembrance: The remembrance of habit, the remembrance of calculation, and the remembrance of companionship. The remembrance of habit has no worth, for it is the se- cret core's heedlessness. The remembrance of calculation has no adornment, for its goal is seeking the wage. The remembrance of companionship is a deposit, for the tongue of him who remembers is a loan in the midst. The remembrance of the fearful is from dread of being cut off, the remembrance of the hopeful is from wishing to find what they seek, and the remembrance of the lovers is from the tenderness of burning. The fearful heard the call of the threat with the ear of fear and clung to supplication. The hopeful heard the call of the promise with the ear of hope and clung to laudation. The lovers heard the call beforehand with the ear of love and did not mix with pretexts. The remembrance of the Beginningless reached the recognizers and they fled from effort to their lot. And remember God in certain numbered days, but if someone hastens on after two days.... This is the attribute of the end of the ritual and the final acts of the hajj. Now let us offer com- prehensive words comprising all the waymarks and rituals along with allusions and subtle points. Know that there are two sanctuaries: the outward sanctuary and the inward sanctuary. The outward sanctuary surrounds the Kaabah, and the inward sanctuary surrounds the heart of the faith- ful. In the midst of the outward sanctuary is the Kaabah, the kiblah of the faithful, and in the midst of the inner sanctuary is a Kaabah that is the target of the All-Merciful's gaze. The former is the goal of the pilgrims, and the latter the locus of lights, so he is upon a light from his Lord [39:22]. The former is free from the hands of evil-doers and unbelievers, and the latter is free from seeing and thinking about others. If some article is found in the outward sanctuary, it is left there so that its owner may appear and find it. If some article is found in the inward sanctuary, there is no way to go after it, for it is nothing but God's secret.