22  Al-Hajj

22. Surah Al-Hajj (the 22nd chapter of the Quran) translates to "The Pilgrimage." Comprising 78 verses, it stands as one of the most structurally and contextually unique chapters in the entire Quran due to its transitional placement across the two primary eras of revelation.

Proceed to Tafsir Ibn Kathir - Surah Hajj

Surah Background Information

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22:1

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22:6

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22:16

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22:24

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22:31

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22:39

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22:47

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22:56

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22:65

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22:73

Surah Background Information

Surah Al-Hajj (the 22nd chapter of the Quran) translates to "The Pilgrimage." Comprising 78 verses, it stands as one of the most structurally and contextually unique chapters in the entire Quran due to its transitional placement across the two primary eras of revelation.

1. The Composition Enigma: Makki or Madani?

The most distinguishing academic feature of Surah Al-Hajj is the consensus among classical scholars that it bridges both the Makkan and Madinan periods.

While most surahs are classified strictly as one or the other, classical exegetes like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Ashur note that Surah Al-Hajj is a hybrid composite:

• The Makkan Portion (Verses 1–24): Revealed in Makkah shortly before the Hijrah (migration) to Madinah. This section focuses on classical Makkan themes: terrifying warnings about the approach of the Day of Judgment, the mechanics of the Resurrection, and the refutation of polytheism (shirk).

• The Madinan Portion (Verses 25–78): Revealed in early Madinah, most likely during the month of Dhul-Hijjah in the first year after migration (c. 623 CE). This section introduces legislative, political, and defensive injunctions, shifting to the community-building style characteristic of Madinan revelations.

As the classical commentator Al-Naasiri remarked, it contains verses revealed by day and night, during travel and residency, in moments of war and moments of peace—making it a literary mosaic of the early Islamic transition.

2. Historical and Psychological Context

The background of this Surah is heavily rooted in the intense nostalgia and political displacement felt by the early Muslim migrants (Muhajirun).

The Pain of Exclusion

Having been violently expelled from Makkah, the Muslims arrived in Madinah. When the sacred month of Dhul-Hijjah arrived, it triggered immense grief; the pagan Quraysh elite had officially barred the Muslims from entering Makkah to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

To weaponize this situation politically and spiritually, the Quraysh claimed ownership over the Kaaba. Surah Al-Hajj was sent down at this exact psychological flashpoint to address three audiences:

Target Audience

The Surah's Message

The Polytheists of Makkah

Sternly rebuked for claiming the Kaaba as personal property when it was built by Abraham for the exclusive worship of One God.

The Wavering Believers

Admonished for entering Islam conditionally (worshipping God only when life is easy, but abandoning faith during migration and hardship).

The Sincere Muslims

Comforted regarding their exile and given the ultimate green light to defend themselves.

3. The Turning Point: The First Permission for Armed Defense

Historically, Surah Al-Hajj marks one of the most critical geopolitical shifts in Islamic history. For thirteen years in Makkah, Muslims were strictly forbidden from fighting back against torture.

Verse 39 of this Surah represents the exact moment that policy changed:

"Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory."

According to early authorities like Ibn Abbas, Zayd bin Aslam, and Urwah bin Zubair, this is historically the very first verse in the Quran that allowed Muslims to take up arms in self-defense. Immediately following this revelation, the Prophet Muhammad began organizing defensive patrols, starting with the Expedition of Waddan in Safar 2 AH.

4. Primary Themes and Legal Foundations

• The Proclamation of Ibrahim (Abraham): The Surah details how God commanded Abraham to construct the Kaaba and clear it of idols, establishing that the rites of Hajj are ancient, monotheistic, and universal—predating the Quraysh's pagan interventions.

• The Sanctity of Rites: It outlines the baseline philosophy of slaughtering sacrificial animals (Udhhiyah/Qurbani), famously stating in verse 37 that neither the meat nor the blood reaches God, but rather the internal piety (taqwa) of the believer.

• Dual Prostrations: It is highly unique as the only Surah in the Quran featuring two verses of prostration (Sajdah al-Tilawah)—verses 18 and 77.

5. Foundational Classical Sources

The context and historical background of Surah Al-Hajj are meticulously recorded in the primary layers of Islamic literature:

• Tafhim-ul-Quran (by Abul A'la Maududi): Provides the definitive chronological breakdown mapping verses 1-24 to late Makkah and verses 25-78 to the immediate emotional environment of Dhul-Hijjah 1 AH in Madinah.

• Tafsir Al-Qurtubi (Al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Quran): Details the legal analysis of the hybrid nature of the Surah, including the classifications of verses revealed while traveling (such as the opening verse regarding the earthquake of the Hour).

• Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Corroborates the historical accounts from companions confirming that Verse 39 was the catalyst for the early defensive battles against the Quraysh.

• Asbab al-Nuzul (by Al-Wahidi): Records specific situational contexts, noting that verses attacking those who "dispute about Allah without knowledge" were aimed directly at specific hostile Meccan elites like Nadr ibn al-Harith.