22:26 Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)

يذكر تعالى عظمة البيت الحرام وجلالته وعظمة بانيه، وهو خليل الرحمن، فقال: { وَإِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ مَكَانَ الْبَيْتِ } أي: هيأناه له، وأنزلناه إياه، وجعل قسما من ذريته من سكانه، وأمره الله ببنيانه، فبناه على تقوى الله، وأسسه على طاعة الله، وبناه هو وابنه إسماعيل، وأمره أن لا يشرك به شيئا، بأن يخلص لله أعماله، ويبنيه على اسم الله. { وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِيَ } أي: من الشرك والمعاصي، ومن الأنجاس والأدناس وأضافه الرحمن إلى نفسه، لشرفه، وفضله، ولتعظم محبته في القلوب، وتنصب إليه الأفئدة من كل جانب، وليكون أعظم لتطهيره وتعظيمه، لكونه بيت الرب للطائفين به والعاكفين عنده، المقيمين لعبادة من العبادات من ذكر، وقراءة، وتعلم علم وتعليمه، وغير ذلك من أنواع القرب، { وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ } أي: المصلين، أي: طهره لهؤلاء الفضلاء، الذين همهم طاعة مولاهم وخدمته، والتقرب إليه عند بيته، فهؤلاء لهم الحق، ولهم الإكرام، ومن إكرامهم تطهير البيت لأجلهم، ويدخل في تطهيره، تطهيره من الأصوات اللاغية والمرتفعة التي تشوش المتعبدين، بالصلاة والطواف، وقدم الطواف على الاعتكاف والصلاة، لاختصاصه بهذا البيت، ثم الاعتكاف، لاختصاصه بجنس المساجد.

هذا فيه تقريع وتوبيخ لمن عبد غير الله وأشرك به من قريش في البقعة التي أسست من أول يوم على توحيد الله وعبادته وحده لا شريك له فذكر تعالى أنه بوأ إبراهيم مكان البيت أي أرشده إليه وسلمه له وأذن له في بنائه واستدل به كثير ممن قال إن إبراهيم عليه السلام هو أول من بنى البيت العتيق وأنه لم يبن قبله كما ثبت في الصحيح عن أبي ذر قلت يا رسول الله أي مسجد وضع أول ؟ قال " المسجد الحرام " قلت ثم أي ؟ قال " بيت المقدس " قلت كم بينهما ؟ قال " أربعون سنة " وقد قال الله تعالى " إن أول بيت وضع للناس للذي ببكة مباركا " الآيتين وقال تعالى " وعهدنا إلى إبراهيم وإسماعيل أن طهرا بيتي للطائفين والعاكفين والركع السجود " وقد قدمنا ذكر ما ورد بناء البيت من الصحاح والآثار بما أغنى عن إعادته ههنا وقال تعالى ههنا " أن لا تشرك بي شيئا أي ابنه على اسمي وحدي " وطهر بيتي " قال قتادة ومجاهد من الشرك " للطائفين والقائمين والركع السجود " أي اجعله خالصا لهؤلاء الذين يعبدون الله وحده لا شريك له فالطائف به معروف وهو أخص العبادات عند البيت فإنه لا يفعل ببقعة من الأرض سواها " والقائمين " أي في الصلاة ولهذا قال " والركع السجود " فقرن الطواف بالصلاة لأنهما لا يشرعان إلا مختصين بالبيت فالطواف عنده والصلاة إليه في غالب الأحوال إلا ما استثني من الصلاة عند اشتباه القبلة وفي الحرب وفي النافلة في السفر والله أعلم.

Building of the Ka`bah and the Proclamation of the Hajj

This is a rebuke to those among Quraysh who worshipped others than Allah and joined partners with Him in the place which from the outset had been established on the basis of Tawhid and the worship of Allah Alone, with no partner or associate. Allah tells us that He showed Ibrahim the site of the `Atiq House, i.e., He guided him to it, entrusted it to him and granted him permission to build it. Many scholars take this as evidence to support their view that Ibrahim was the first one to build the House and that it was not built before his time. It was recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Dharr said, "I said, `O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, which Masjid was the first to be built' He said,

«الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَام»

(Al-Masjid Al-Haram.) I said, `Then which' He said,

«بَيْتُ الْمَقْدِس»

(Bayt Al-Maqdis.) I said, `How long between them' He said,

«أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَة»

(Forty years.)" And Allah says:

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِى بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكاً

(Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing) 3:96 until the end of following two Ayat. Allah says:

وَعَهِدْنَآ إِلَى إِبْرَهِيمَ وَإِسْمَـعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَالْعَـكِفِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ

(and We commanded Ibrahim and Isma`il that they should purify My House for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I`tikaf), or bowing or prostrating themselves.) 2:125 And Allah says here:

أَن لاَّ تُشْرِكْ بِى شَيْئاً

(Associate not anything with Me,) meaning, `Build it in My Name Alone.'

وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِىَ

(and sanctify My House) Qatadah and Mujahid said, "And purify it from Shirk.

لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَالْقَآئِمِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ

(for those who circumambulate it, and those who stand up, and those who bow, and make prostration (in prayer)) means, `and make it purely for those who worship Allah Alone, with no partner or associate.' What is meant by "those who circumambulate it" is obvious, since this is an act of worship that is done only at the Ka`bah and not at any other spot on earth.

وَالْقَآئِمِينَ

(and those who stand up) means, in prayer. Allah says:

وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ

(and those who bow, and make prostration.) Tawaf and prayer are mentioned together because they are not prescribed together anywhere except in relation to the House. Tawaf is done around the Ka`bah and prayer is offered facing its direction in the majority of cases, with a few exceptions, such as when one is uncertain of the direction of the Qiblah, during battle and when praying optional prayers while traveling. And Allah knows best.

وَأَذِّن فِى النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ

(And proclaim to mankind the Hajj) meaning, `announce the pilgrimage to mankind and call them to perform pilgrimage to this House which We have commanded you to build.' It was said that Ibrahim said: "O Lord, how can I convey this to people when my voice will not reach them" It was said: "Call them and We will convey it." So Ibrahim stood up and said, "O mankind! Your Lord has established a House so come on pilgrimage to it." It is said that the mountains lowered themselves so that his voice would reach all the regions of the earth, and those who were still in their mothers' wombs and their fathers' loins would hear the call. The response came from everyone in the cities, deserts and countryside, and those whom Allah has decreed will make the pilgrimage, until the Day of Resurrection: "At Your service, O Allah, at Your service." This is a summary of the narrations from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr and others among the Salaf. And Allah knows best. This was recorded by Ibn Jarir and by Ibn Abi Hatim at length.

يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالاً وَعَلَى كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ

(They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel,) This Ayah was used as evidence by those scholars whose view is that Hajj performed on foot by those who are able, is better than Hajj performed riding, because the phrase "on foot" is mentioned first, and because it is an indication of their keenness and resolve. Waki` narrated from Abu Al-`Umays from Abu Halhalah from Muhammad bin Ka`b that Ibn `Abbas said, "I do not regret anything except for the fact that I wish I had performed Hajj on foot, because Allah says,

يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالاً

(They will come to you on foot)." But the majority are of the view that performing Hajj while riding is better, following the example of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, because he performed Hajj riding, although his physical ability was sound.

يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ

(they will come from every Fajj) means every route, as Allah says:

وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجاً سُبُلاً

(and We placed therein Fijaj for them to pass) 21:31.

عَميِقٍ

(`Amiq) means dis- tant. This was the view of Mujahid, `Ata', As-Suddi, Qatadah, Muqatil bin Hayan, Ath-Thawri and others. This Ayah is like the Ayah in which Allah tells us how Ibrahim prayed for his family,

فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مَّنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِى إِلَيْهِمْ

(So fill some hearts among men with love towards them) 14:37. There is no one among the Muslims who does not long to see the Ka`bah and perform Tawaf, people come to this spot from every corner of the world.

And mention when We settled when We pointed out for Abraham the site of the House that he may build it — for it the House had been raised to heaven at the time of the Flood — and We commanded him saying ‘Do not ascribe any partner to Me and purify My House of graven images for those who circumambulate it and those who are resident staying therein and those who bow and prostrate al-rukka‘ and al-sujūd are the plural forms of rāki‘ and sājid respectively those praying.

Commentary

The previous verse contains a warning of severe punishment to the infidels who prevented the Muslims from entering the Sacred Mosque and the precincts of Haram. This verse describes the eminence and the superior status of the Baitullah which magnifies manifold the evil of their deeds.

The start of founding the structure of the House of Allah (the Holy Ka'bah)

وَإِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لِإِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ مَكَانَ الْبَيْتِ (And [ remember ] when We pointed out for Ibrahim the place of the House - 22:26.) The word بَوَّء literally means ` to assign to someone a place for his residence.' The verse calls to attention the fact that Allah assigned to Sayyidna Ibrahim علیہ السلام a place where Baitullah was located. There is a hint here that he was not settled there already, since he migrated here from Syria. And a reference to مَکَانَ البَیت (the place of the House) suggests that the House of Allah pre-existed the arrival of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، because according to reliable traditions its first foundations were laid about the time when Sayyidna 'Adam (علیہ السلام) was sent upon the earth and he, and the prophets who came after him, used to make tawaf (circumambulation) around it. At the time of Deluge in the days of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) its upper-structure was removed but the foundations remained intact. Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was brought to this place and commanded by Allah Ta’ ala أَن لَّا تُشْرِ‌كْ بِي شَيْئًا (Do not associate with Me any one - 22:26). It is quite evident that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) could not commit shirk, because he had himself suffered considerable torment at the hands of polytheists after they accused him of having destroyed their idols. The intention here is to warn the people at large against the great sin of polytheism. The second command was وَطَهِّرْ‌ بَيْتِيَ (purify My House - 22:26), even though the House of Allah did not exist at that time. But the fact of the matter is that Baitullah is not just a structure of bricks and mortar, rather the term encompasses that entire piece of sacred land where Baitullah once stood and whose structure Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) was now commanded to raise once again on the original foundations. As for the command to purify the place, Qurtubi says that in those days the tribes of Jurhum (جُرھَم) and Amalakites (عمالقہ) had placed idols there, which they worshipped. (Qurtubi) Another view is that this command is for the future generations not only to keep the place free from infidelity and polytheism but also to pay special attention to its external cleanliness and purity.

When We built for Abraham the place of the House: “Associate nothing with Me, and make My house pure for those who circumambulate, stand, and bow in prostration.” Ibn ʿAṬāÌ said, “We gave him the success to build the House, We gave him the ability to do so, We helped him with it, and We said to him, 'Associate nothing with Me,' that is, 'Do not have any regard for the House and do not look at the fact that you built it.'” He is saying, “We gave Abraham ability and We gave him means, tools, strength, skill, power, and help so that he could build the house of the Kaabah as We wanted and commanded. Then We said to him, 'Do not look at what you have done and what you have made. Look at Our success- giving and Our help. Do not look at your striving but see Our desire and solicitude.” O chevalier! The servant was given two eyes so that with one eye he would see the attributes of his own soul's blights and with the other eye the gentle attributes of the Real's generosity. With one eye he sees His bounty, with the other eye his own acts. When he sees His bounty, he boasts of it, and when he sees his own acts he shows poverty. When he sees the generosity of the Begin- ningless, he becomes joyful, and when he sees the footsteps of dust's nonexistence, he becomes needful. That distracted man of ʿIrāq [Shiblī], burnt by the fire of separation, used to say, “Would that I were fuel for the furnace and had not heard this tale!” Sometimes he would say, “Where are the proximate angels and residents of the Holy Pali- sades?! Let them spread their carpets before the throne of my good fortune and the chair of my exaltedness!” Sometimes my hands are full of silver, sometimes I'm poor. Sometimes my heart's elated, sometimes wounded. Sometimes I'm behind the people, sometimes ahead- I indeed am the chameleon of the days. And make My house pure. In the tongue of learning, this is the Kaabah, but according to the expla- nation by allusion, the meaning is, “Empty your heart of all things save the remembrance of God.” He is saying, “Occupy your heart totally with My remembrance and do not give any stranger or other access to it, for the heart is the container of the wine of My affection and love.