THIS SURAH OPENS with an emotional appeal, highlighting the terrifying aspects of the Day of Judgement, designed to shock humans and shake their consciousness.
Humankind, have fear of your Lord. The suddering on the Day of Judgement shall be tremendous. When that Day comes, every nursing mother shall forsake her infant, every pregnant female shall deliver her burden, and you shall see people reeling like drunkards although they are not drunk..(1-2)
This life is a term for testing, trials, and tribulation, during which man is free to choose and decide the direction he wishes to take in life. He meets with good as well as bad fortune, and his ability to cope with both is put to the test. To simply shrug off one's responsibilities and explain away these trials and ordeals as "predetermined" and therefore "pointless" would be foolish and disgraceful. The essence of Islam is submission to God and total acceptance of His will, whether good or bad. Success lies in the recognition of God's will: otherwise, man is welcome to challenge that will and see how far he can go.
Within the context of justifiable war and self-defense, comes a passage introducing the topic which gives the surah its title: Hajj, or pilgrimage to Makkah. When one looks closely at the rituals of Hajj, performed once a year, it becomes immediately clear that it is a magnificent and inspiring demonstration of man's devotion to God. It is a mess celebrationof tawhid, held at a time and in a place designated by God Almighty Himself, bringing people together from all corners of the globe. This excellent and worthy tradition was established many centuries ago by Abraham. The surah says: "We guided Abraham to the site of the mosque (the Ka'bah) and said to him, "Never take other gods besides Me...."' (26). There is nothing in the Hajj rituals that is without a purpose or religious signifance.
Let us take the tawaf, or circumbulation of the Ka'abah. It is a form of prayer and an occasion for praising and glorifying God Almighty. Tradition and convention in religious practise, like in anything else, have their own intrinsic value and significance. Rationality and logic are not the only factors that determine such value and significance. The Ka'abah is venerated for its universal symbolism as the first house built on earth exclusively for the worship and praise of the One God. It is the citadel of tawhid.
The Hajj, as a fundamental obligatory religious duty, is a good case in point. When the Muslims were first directed to perform it, the Prophet instructed them on how to do so, saying: "Take your (Hajj) rituals from me." He showed them what they were required to do and how they were to do it, and he also explained the significance of the rituals, thus establishing the Hajj as an ordered and precisely timed and coordinated event composed of a set of actions and undertakings that translate the principle of tawhid into practise.
An important ritual during the Hajj is the slaughter of animals on the tenth day of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, to which th surah refers: "Their meat and blood are of no benefit to God; it is your piety that will carry weight with Him" (37). The Hajj is a perfect manifestation of Islamic values based on equality and lack of discrimination between people.
The surah closes with a statement expressing the essence of the overall task of the world's Muslim community. This task was handed down from God to the Prophet, who faithfully passed it on to the Muslims, who then assumed the responsibility of passing it on to the rest of mankind.
Let us take the tawaf, or circumbulation of the Ka'abah. It is a form of prayer and an occasion for praising and glorifying God Almighty. Tradition and convention in religious practise, like in anything else, have their own intrinsic value and significance. Rationality and logic are not the only factors that determine such value and significance. The Ka'abah is venerated for its universal symbolism as the first house built on earth exclusively for the worship and praise of the One God. It is the citadel of tawhid.
The Hajj, as a fundamental obligatory religious duty, is a good case in point. When the Muslims were first directed to perform it, the Prophet instructed them on how to do so, saying: "Take your (Hajj) rituals from me." He showed them what they were required to do and how they were to do it, and he also explained the significance of the rituals, thus establishing the Hajj as an ordered and precisely timed and coordinated event composed of a set of actions and undertakings that translate the principle of tawhid into practise.
An important ritual during the Hajj is the slaughter of animals on the tenth day of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, to which th surah refers: "Their meat and blood are of no benefit to God; it is your piety that will carry weight with Him" (37). The Hajj is a perfect manifestation of Islamic values based on equality and lack of discrimination between people.
The surah closes with a statement expressing the essence of the overall task of the world's Muslim community. This task was handed down from God to the Prophet, who faithfully passed it on to the Muslims, who then assumed the responsibility of passing it on to the rest of mankind.
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