22:25 Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)

يخبر تعالى عن شناعة ما عليه المشركون الكافرون بربهم، وأنهم جمعوا بين الكفر بالله ورسوله، وبين الصد عن سبيل الله ومنع الناس من الإيمان، والصد أيضا عن المسجد الحرام، الذي ليس ملكا لهم ولا لآبائهم، بل الناس فيه سواء، المقيم فيه، والطارئ إليه، بل صدوا عنه أفضل الخلق محمدا وأصحابه، والحال أن هذا المسجد الحرام، من حرمته واحترامه وعظمته، أن من يرد فيه بإلحاد بظلم نذقه من عذاب أليم. فمجرد إرادة الظلم والإلحاد في الحرم، موجب للعذاب، وإن كان غيره لا يعاقب العبد عليه إلا بعمل الظلم، فكيف بمن أتى فيه أعظم الظلم، من الكفر والشرك، والصد عن سبيله، ومنع من يريده بزيارة، فما ظنكم أن يفعل الله بهم؟\" وفي هذه الآية الكريمة، وجوب احترام الحرم، وشدة تعظيمه، والتحذير من إرادة المعاصي فيه وفعلها.

يقول تعالى منكرا على الكفار في صدهم المؤمنين عن إتيان المسجد الحرام وقضاء مناسكهم فيه ودعواهم أنهم أولياؤه " وما كانوا أولياءه إن أولياؤه إلا المتقون " الآية وفي هذه الآية دليل على أنها مدنية كما قال في سورة البقرة " يسألونك عن الشهر الحرام قتال فيه قل قتال فيه كبير وصد عن سبيل الله وكفر به والمسجد الحرام وإخراج أهله منه أكبر عند الله " وقال ههنا" إن الذين كفروا ويصدون عن سبيل الله والمسجد الحرام " أي ومن وصفتهم أنهم مع كفرهم يصدون عن سبيل الله والمسجد الحرام أي ويصدون عن المسجد الحرام من أراده من المؤمنين الذين هم أحق الناس به في نفس الأمر وهذا الترتيب في هذه الآية كقوله تعالى " الذين آمنوا وتطمئن قلوبهم بذكر الله ألا بذكر الله تطمئن القلوب " أي ومن صفتهم أنهم تطمئن قلوبهم بذكر الله" وقوله " الذي جعلناه للناس سواء العاكف فيه والباد " أي يمنعون الناس عن الوصول إلى المسجد الحرام وقد جعله الله شرعا سواء لا فرق فيه بين المقيم فيه والنائي عنه البعيد الدار منه " سواء العاكف فيه والباد " ومن ذلك استواء الناس في رباع مكة وسكناها كما قال علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس في قوله " سواء العاكف فيه والباد " قال ينزل أهل مكة وهم في المسجد الحرام وقال مجاهد سواء العاكف فيه والباد " أهل مكة وغيرهم فيه سواء في المنازل وكذا قال أبو صالح وعبد الرحمن بن سابط وعبد الرحمن بن زيد بن أسلم وقال عبد الرزاق عن معمر عن قتادة سواء فيه أهله وغير أهله وهذه المسألة هي التي اختلف فيها الشافعي وإسحق بن راهوية بمسجد الخيف وأحمد ابن حنبل حاضر أيضا فذهب الشافعي رحمه الله إلى أن رباع مكة تملك وتورث وتؤجر واحتج بحديث الزهري عن علي بن الحسن عن عمرو بن عثمان عن أسامة بن زيد قال قلت يا رسول الله أننزل غدا في دارك بمكة ؟ فقال " وهل ترك لنا عقيل من رباع " ثم قال " لا يرث الكافر المسلم ولا المسلم الكافر " وهذا الحديث مخرج في الصحيحين وبما ثبت أن عمر بن الخطاب اشترى من صفوان بن أمية دارا بمكة فجعلها سجنا بأربعة آلاف درهم وبه قال طاوس وعمرو بن دينار وذهب إسحاق بن راهوية إلى أنها لا تورث ولا تؤجر وهو مذهب طائفة من السلف ونص عليه مجاهد وعطاء واحتج اسحاق بن راهوية بما رواه ابن ماجه عن أبي بكر بن أبي شيبة عن عيسى ابن يونس عن عمر بن سعيد بن أبي حيوة عن عثمان بن أبي سليمان عن علقمة بن نضلة قال: توفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأبو بكر وعمر وما تدعى رباع مكة إلا السوائب من احتاج سكن ومن استغنى أسكن وقال عبد الرزاق بن مجاهد عن أبيه عن عبدالله بن عمرو أنه قال لا يحل بيع دور مكة ولا كراؤها وقال أيضا عن ابن جريج كان عطاء ينهى عن الكراء في الحرم وأخبرني أن عمر بن الخطاب كان ينهى عن تبويب دور مكة لأن ينزل الحاج في عرصاتها فكان أول من بوب داره سهيل بن عمرو فأرسل إليه عمر بن الخطاب في ذلك فقال أنظرني يا أمير المؤمنين إني كنت امرأ تاجرا فأردت أن أتخذ بابين يحبسان لي ظهري قال فلك ذلك إذا وقال عبد الرزاق عن معمر عن منصور عن مجاهد أن عمر بن الخطاب قال يا أهل مكة لا تتخذوا لدوركم أبوابا لينزل البادي حيث يشاء قال وأخبرنا معمر عمن سمع عطاء يقول " سواء العاكف فيه والباد " قال ينزلون حيث شاءوا وروى الدارقطني من حديث ابن أبي نجيح عن عبدالله بن عمرو موقوفا " من أكل كراء بيوت مكة أكل نارا " وتوسط الإمام أحمد فقال تملك وتورث ولا تؤجر جمعا بين الأدلة والله أعلم وقوله " ومن يرد فيه بإلحاد بظلم نذقه من عذاب أليم " قال بعض المفسرين من أهل العربية الباء ههنا زائدة كقوله " تنبت بالدهن " أي تنبت الدهن وكذا قوله " ومن يرد فيه بإلحاد " تقديره إلحادا وكما قال الأعشى: ضمنت برزق عيالنا أرماحنا بين المراجل والصريح الأجرد وقال الآخر: بواد يمان ينبت العشب صدره وأسفله بالمرخ والشبهان والأجود أنه ضمن الفعل ههنا معنى يهم ولهذا عداه بالباء فقال " ومن يرد فيه بالحاد " أي يهم فيه بأمر فظيع من المعاصي الكبار وقوله " بظلم " أي عامدا قاصدا أنه ظلم ليس بمتأول كما قال ابن جريج عن ابن عباس هو التعمد. وقال علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس بظلم بشرك وقال مجاهد أن يعبد فيه غير الله وكذا قال قتادة وغير واحد وقال العوفي عن ابن عباس بظلم هو أن تستحل من الحرم ما حرم الله عليك من إساءة أو قتل فتظلم من لا يظلمك وتقتل من لا يقتلك فإذا فعل ذلك فقد وجب له العذاب الأليم وقال مجاهد بظلم يعمل فيه عملا سيئا وهذا من خصوصية الحرم أنه يعاقب البادي فيه الشر إذا كان عازما عليه وإن لم يوقعه كما قال ابن أبي حاتم في تفسيره حدثنا أحمد بن سنان حدثنا يزيد بن هارون أنبأنا شعبة عن السدي أنه سمع مرة يحدث عن عبدالله يعني ابن مسعود في قوله " ومن يرد فيه بإلحاد بظلم " قال لو أن رجلا أراد فيه بإلحاد بظلم وهو بعدن أبين لأذاقه الله من العذاب الأليم قال شعبة هو رفعه لنا وأنا لا أرفعه لكم قال يزيد هو قد رفعه ورواه أحمد عن يزيد بن هارون به قلت هذا الإسناد صحيح على شرط البخاري ووقفه أشبه من رفعه ولهذا صمم شعبة على وقفه من كلام ابن مسعود وكذلك رواه أسباط وسفيان الثوري عن السدي عن مرة عن ابن مسعود موقوفاً والله أعلم وقال الثوري عن السدي عن مرة عن عبدالله قال ما من رجل يهم بسيئة فتكتب عليه ولو أن رجلا بعدن أبين هم أن يقتل رجلا بهذا البيت لأذاقه الله من العذاب الأليم وكذا قال الضحاك بن مزاحم وقال سفيان الثوري عن منصور عن مجاهد إلحاد فيه لا والله وبلى والله وروي عن مجاهد عن عبدالله بن عمرو مثله وقال سعيد بن جبير شتم الخادم ظُلْمٌ فما فوقه وقال سفيان الثوري عن عبدالله بن عطاء عن ميمون بن مهران عن ابن عباس في قوله " ومن يرد فيه بإلحاد بظلم " قال تجارة الأمير فيه وعن ابن عمر بيع الطعام بمكة إلحاد وقال حبيب بن أبي ثابت " ومن يرد فيه بإلحاد بظلم " قال المحتكر بمكة وكذا قال غير واحد. وقال ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا أبي حدثنا عبدالله بن إسحاق الجوهري أنبأنا أبو عاصم عن جعفر بن يحيى عن عمه عمارة بن ثوبان حدثني موسى بن باذان عن علي بن أمية أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال " احتكار الطعام بمكة إلحاد " وقال ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا أبو زرعة حدثنا يحيى بن عبدالله بن بكير حدثنا ابن لهيعة حدثنا عطاء بن دينار حدثني سعيد بن جبير قال قال ابن عباس في قول الله " ومن يرد فيه بإلحاد بظلم " قال نزلت في عبدالله بن أنيس أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بعثه مع رجلين أحدهما مهاجر والآخر من الأنصار فافتخروا في الأنساب فغضب عبدالله بن أنيس فقتل الأنصاري ثم ارتد عن الإسلام ثم هرب إلى مكة فنزلت فيه " ومن يرد فيه بإلحاد بظلم " يعني من لجأ إلى الحرم بإلحاد يعني بميل عن الإسلام وهذه الآثار وإن دلت على أن هذه الأشياء من الإلحاد ولكن هو أعم من ذلك بل فيها تنبيه على ما هو أغلظ منها ولهذا لما هم أصحاب الفيل على تخريب البيت أرسل الله عليهم طيرا أبابيل ترميهم بحجارة من سجيل فجعلهم كعصف مأكول " أي دمرهم وجعلهم عبرة ونكالا لكل من أراده بسوء ولذلك ثبت في الحديث أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: " يغزو هذا البيت جيش حتى إذا كانوا ببيداء من الأرض خسف بأولهم وآخرهم " الحديث وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا محمد بن كناسة حدثنا إسحاق بن سعيد عن أبيه قال أتي عبدالله بن عمر عبدالله بن الزبير فقال يا ابن الزبير إياك والإلحاد في حرم الله فإني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول " إنه سيلحد فيه رجل من قريش لو توزن ذنوبه بذنوب الثقلين لرجحت " فانظر لا تكن هو وقال أيضا في مسند عبدالله بن عمرو بن العاص حدثنا هاشم حدثنا إسحق بن سعيد حدثنا سعيد بن عمرو قال أتى عبدالله بن عمر عبدالله بن الزبير وهو جالس في الحجر فقال يا ابن الزبير إياك الإلحاد في الحرم فإني أشهد لسمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول " يحلها ويحل به رجل من قريش لو وزنت ذنوبه بذنوب الثقلين لوزنتها " قال فانظر لا تكن هو لم يخرجه أحد من أصحاب الكتب من هذين الوجهين.

A Warning to Those Who hinder Others from the Path of Allah and from Al-Masj id Al-Haram and Who seek to do Evil Actions therein

Allah rebukes the disbelievers for preventing the believers from coming to Al-Masjid Al-Haram and performing their rites and rituals there, claiming that they were its guardians,

وَمَا كَانُواْ أَوْلِيَآءَهُ إِنْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُ إِلاَّ الْمُتَّقُونَ

(and they are not its guardians. None can be its guardians except those who have Taqwa) 8:34. In this Ayah there is proof that it was revealed in Al-Madinah, as Allah says in Surat Al-Baqarah:

يَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ قُلْ قِتَالٌ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ وَصَدٌّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَكُفْرٌ بِهِ وَالْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِخْرَاجُ أَهْلِهِ مِنْهُ أَكْبَرُ عِندَ اللَّهِ

(They ask you concerning fighting in the Sacred Months. Say, "Fighting therein is a great (transgression) but a greater (transgression) with Allah is to prevent mankind from following the way of Allah, to disbelieve in Him, to prevent access to Al-Masjid Al-Haram, and to drive out its inhabitants) 2:217 And Allah says here:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ

(Verily, those who disbelieved and hinder (men) from the path of Allah, and from Al-Masjid Al-Haram) meaning, not only are they disbelievers, but they also hinder people from the path of Allah and from Al-Masjid Al-Haram. They prevent the believers who want to go there from reaching it, although the believers have more right than anyone else to go there. The structure of this phrase is like that to be found in the Ayah:

الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلاَ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

(Those who believed, and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.) 13:28 Not only are they believers, but their hearts also find rest in the remembrance of Allah.

The Issue of renting Houses in Makkah

الَّذِى جَعَلْنَـهُ لِلنَّاسِ سَوَآءً الْعَـكِفُ فِيهِ وَالْبَادِ

(which We have made (open) to (all) men, the dweller in it and the visitor from the country are equal there) meaning that they prevent people from reaching Al-Masjid Al-Haram, which Allah has made equally accessible to all in Shari`ah, with no differentiation between those who live there and those who live far away from it.

سَوَآءً الْعَـكِفُ فِيهِ وَالْبَادِ

(the dweller in it and the visitor from the country are equal there,) Part of this equality is that everyone has equal access to all parts of the city and can live there, as `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas concerning the Ayah:

سَوَآءً الْعَـكِفُ فِيهِ وَالْبَادِ

(the dweller in it and the visitor from the country are equal there,) He Ibn `Abbas said: "Both the people of Makkah and others can stay in Al-Masjid Al-Haram."

سَوَآءً الْعَـكِفُ فِيهِ وَالْبَادِ

(the dweller in it and the visitor from the country are equal there,) Mujahid said, "The people of Makkah and others are equally allowed to stay there." This was also the view of Abu Salih, `Abdur-Rahman bin Sabit and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. `Abdur-Razzaq narrated from Ma`mar, from Qatadah who said: "Its own people and others are equal therein." This is the issue about which Ash-Shafi`i and Ishaq bin Rahwayh differed in the Masjid of Al-Khayf, when Ahmad bin Hanbal was also present. Ash-Shafi`i was of the opinion that the various parts of Makkah can be owned, inherited and rented, and he used as evidence the Hadith of Usamah bin Zayd who said, "I said, O Messenger of Allah, will you go and stay tomorrow in your house in Makkah" He said,

«وَهَلْ تَرَكَ لَنَا عَقِيلٌ مِنْ رِبَاعٍ؟»

(Has `Aqil left us any property) Then he said,

«لَا يَرِثُ الْكَافِرُ الْمُسْلِمَ وَلَا الْمُسْلِمُ الْكَافِر»

(A disbeliever does not inherit from a Muslim and a Muslim does not inherit from a disbeliever.) This Hadith was recorded in the Two Sahihs. He also used as evidence the report that `Umar bin Al-Khattab bought a house in Makkah from Safwan bin Umayyah for four thousand Dinars, and made it into a prison. This was also the view of Tawus and `Amr bin Dinar. Ishaq bin Rahwayh was of the opinion that they (houses in Makkah) could not be inherited or rented. This was the view of a number of the Salaf, and Mujahid and `Ata' said likewise. Ishaq bin Rahwayh used as evidence the report recorded by Ibn Majah from `Alqamah bin Nadlah who said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu Bakr and `Umar died, and nobody claimed any property in Makkah except the grazing animals. Whoever needed to live there would take up residence there, and whoever did not need to live there would let others take up residence there." `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, "It is not allowed to sell or rent the houses of Makkah." He also said, narrating from Ibn Jurayj: "`Ata' would not allow people to charge rent in the Haram, and he told me that `Umar bin Al-Khattab did not allow people to put gates on the houses of Makkah because the pilgrims used to stay in their courtyards. The first person to put a gate on his house was Suhayl bin `Amr. `Umar bin Al-Khattab sent for him about that and he said, `Listen to me, O Commander of the faithful, I am a man who engages in trade and I want to protect my back.' He said, `Then you may do that."' `Abdur-Razzaq recorded from Mujahid that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "O people of Makkah, do not put gates on your houses, and let the bedouins stay wherever they want." He said: Ma`mar told us, narrating from someone who heard `Ata' say about the Ayah, x

سَوَآءً الْعَـكِفُ فِيهِ وَالْبَادِ

(the dweller in it and the visitor from the country are equal there, ) "They may stay wherever they want." Ad-Daraqutni recorded a saying reported from `Abdullah bin `Amr: "Whoever charges rent for the houses of Makkah, consumes fire." Imam Ahmad took a middle path, according to what his son Salih narrated from him, and he said, "They may be owned and inherited, but they should not be rented, so as to reconcile between all the proofs." And Allah knows best.

A Warning to Those Who want to commit Evil Actions in the Haram

وَمَن يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ نُّذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

(and whoever inclines to evil actions therein or to do wrong, him We shall cause to taste from a painful torment.)

بِظُلْمٍ

(or to do wrong,) means, he aims deliberately to do wrong, and it is not the matter of misunderstanding. As Ibn Jurayj said narrating from Ibn `Abbas, "This means someone whose actions are intentional." `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "The evil action of Shirk." Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said: "The evil action is allowing in the Haram what Allah has forbidden, such as mistreating and killing, whereby you do wrong to those who have done you no wrong and you kill those who have not fought you. If a person does this, then he deserves to suffer a painful torment."

بِظُلْمٍ

(or to do wrong,) Mujahid said, "To do some bad action therein. This is one of the unique features of Al-Haram, that the person who is about to do some evil action should be punished if this is his intention, even if he has not yet commenced the action." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded in his Tafsir that `Abdullah (i.e., Ibn Mas`ud) commented about the Ayah,

وَمَن يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ

(and whoever inclines to evil actions therein or to do wrong,) "If a man intends to do some evil action therein, Allah will make him taste a painful torment." This was also recorded by Ahmad. I say, its chain is Sahih according to the conditions of Al-Bukhari, and it is more likely Mawquf than Marfu`. And Allah knows best. Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "Insulting a servant and anything more than that is (counted as) wrongdoing." Habib bin Abi Thabit said:

وَمَن يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ

(and whoever inclines to evil actions therein or to do wrong,) "Hoarding (goods) in Makkah." This was also the view of others.

وَمَن يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ

(and whoever inclines to evil actions therein or to do wrong,) Ibn `Abbas said, "This was revealed about `Abdullah bin Unays. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent him with two men, one of whom was a Muhajir and the other from among the Ansar. They began to boast about their lineages and `Abdullah bin Unays got angry and killed the Ansari. Then he reverted from Islam (became an apostate) and fled to Makkah. Then these words were revealed concerning him:

وَمَن يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ

(and whoever inclines to evil actions therein or to do wrong,) meaning, whoever flees to Al-Haram to do evil actions, i.e., by leaving Islam." These reports indicate some meanings of the phrase "evil actions", but the meaning is more general than that and includes things which are more serious. Hence when the owners of the Elephant planned to destroy the House (the Ka`bah), Allah sent against them birds in flocks,

تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ - فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُولِ

(Striking them with stones of Sijjil. And He made them like (an empty field of) stalks (of which the corn has been eaten up by cattle).) 105:4-5. means He destroyed them and made them a lesson and a warning for everyone who intends to commit evil actions there. Hence it was reported in a Hadith that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«يَغْزُو هَذَا الْبَيْتَ جَيْشٌ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانُوا بِبَيْدَاءَ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ خُسِفَ بِأَوَّلِهِمْ وَآخِرِهِم»

(This House will be attacked by an army, then when they are in a wide open space, the first of them and the last of them will be swallowed up by the earth.)

Truly those who disbelieve and who bar from the way of God from obedience to Him and from the Sacred Mosque which We have assigned as a holy rite and a place of devotion for mankind equally for the dweller the one who resides therein and the visitor the passer-by; and whoever seeks to commit sacrilege therein the bā’ of bi-ilhādin ‘sacrilege’ is extra by doing wrong in other words for such a reason committing what is forbidden even if he should curse the Mosque’s attendant We shall make him taste a painful chastisement that is some such chastisement from this last clause one may derive the predicate of the introductory particle inna ‘truly’ and it is this ‘We shall make them taste a painful chastisement’.

Commentary

In the previous verse, mention was made of the mutual hostility between the believers and infidels. One aspect of this hostility has been described in this verse, namely that among the infidels there are those who not only persist in error themselves but also prevent others from following the path of virtue. Those were the people who prevented the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his companions when they wanted to enter the Sacred Mosque wearing the pilgrim's garb. Traditionally the Sacred Mosque and that part of Makkah which has an essential role in the rituals of the pilgrimage was not their property and they had no right to deny entry to anyone. The place is open to everyone, whether a local resident or a visitor. The verse goes on to say that anyone who commits an impious act in the Sacred Mosque, (meaning the whole of حَرَم Haram), such as preventing people from entering the Mosque, will be made to suffer severe chastisement from Allah, especially if he is also a polytheist as was the case with the infidels of Makkah. They will be liable for double punishment, one for being non-believers and second for preventing others to enter the Sacred Mosque for pilgrimage. Although all sinful acts especially shirk and kufr are forbidden and are great crimes and sins which are liable to punishment at all times and in all places, but such acts carried out in the حَرَم Haram enhance the crime double-fold, and hence referred here for their special importance.

يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ (Prevent (people) from the way of Allah - 22:25) The words سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ (the way of Allah) mean Islam and the sense of the verse is that these people not only repudiate Islam themselves but also prevent others from accepting it.

Their second offence is that they stop the Muslims from entering the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Haram) (22:25). In reality Al-Masjid Al-Haram is the name of the mosque which is built around بَیت اللہ (House of Allah - the Holy Ka'bah), and it is a very important part of حَرَم haram of Makkah. However, the term Al-Masjid Al-Haram is usually used for the whole of haram of Makkah, as is the case under this episode. Thus the infidels of Makkah excluded the Muslims not only from the Sacred Mosque but also from the precincts of haram of Makkah (as is evident from numerous traditions), and the words اَلمَسجِد الحَرَام used in this verse cover the entire haram. The Holy Qur'an has at another place used the word اَلمَسجِد الحَرَام under this episode in the meaning of the whole area of حَرَم Haram: وَصَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَ‌امِ. (48:25)

The meaning of equal rights of all Muslims within Haram of Makkah

According to al-Durr al-Manthur the term Al-Masjid Al-Haram in the present context means the entire haram as reported from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ . The entire Muslim Ummah and all the jurists are unanimous on the fact that all those areas of Makkah and the haram where the essential rituals of the pilgrimage are performed, such as the space between Safa and Marwah, where the pilgrims perform سَعِی Sa'y, and all the open areas of Mina, ` Arafat and Muzdalifah are waqf for the benefit of the entire Muslim ummah and have never been, nor can ever be, owned by individuals. Some jurists apply this principle to the private houses in Makkah and the open lands in the area of haram to infer that these too are waqf for all the Muslims, that a Muslim can stay anywhere he likes and that the sale or letting out these properties on rent is not permissible. However, there are other jurists who do not accept this view and believe that the ownership of these properties can vest in private individuals and the houses can be sold or let out on rent. It is well established that Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ purchased the house of Safwan Ibn Umayyah in Makkah for use as prison for the criminals. As for Imam Abu Hanifah (رح) ، both views are attributed to him in different reports, but the hanaff jurists have issued their Fatwa (ruling) in favour of the latter view. (Ruh ul-Ma` ani) This verse mentions certain areas of haram where entry was denied to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his companions by the infidels of Makkah, but these areas are waqf by consensus of ummah and nobody can be denied access to them.

وَمَن يُرِ‌دْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ (And whoever intends therein to commit deviation with injustice - 22:25.) The word إِلْحَادٍ literally means deviation from the right path. While Mujahid and Qatadah have interpreted this word to mean unbelief and denial of the Oneness of Allah (kufr and shirk) other commentators have given this word its literal meaning which embraces all kinds of sins so much so that even hurling abuses to one's servant is also included in it.

Sayyidna ` Ata' ؓ has further enlarged the scope of the meaning of this word by declaring that ilhad within the precincts of haram means entering it without wearing the pilgrims garb (ihram), or violating any of the prohibition inside the haram, such as hunting or cutting down trees within its limits. It needs to be clarified here that all things forbidden by the religious code are forbidden everywhere and will attract punishment wherever committed; and the specific reference to haram in this verse is to emphasize the fact that just as a good deed performed within its limits will be generously rewarded, similarly a sin committed there will attract the most severe punishment. (Mujahid). Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ has related another interpretation of the word ilhad to mean that whereas at any other place the mere intention to commit a sin does not constitute a sin unless it is actually committed, within the limits of the haram even the resolve to commit a sin is punishable, as if it has actually been committed. Qurtubi has adopted this interpretation from Ibn ` Umar ؓ and lends his own support to it. Whenever Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Umar ؓ went for the pilgrimage, he used to set up two tents - one within the limits of haram and the other outside it. If ever an occasion arose when he needed to scold or rebuke any one of his households, he would do it in the tent which he had set up outside the limits of haram. When people asked him the reason for this, his answer was that the words کلَّا واللہ or بلٰی واللہ which a person normally uses when angry also constitute إلحَاد فی الحَرَم (committing an act of sin within the precincts of haram). (Mazhari)