Tafseer of The Pilgrimage · Al-Hajj · 22:34
And for all religion We have appointed a rite [of sacrifice] that they may mention the name of Allah over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. For your god is one God, so to Him submit. And, [O Muhammad], give good tidings to the humble [before their Lord]
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The Exalted, Whose remembrance is exalted, says: ( وَلِكُلّ أُمَّةٍ ) "And for every community" — that is to say: for every community that has preceded you among the people of faith in Allah, O people, We have appointed a sacrifice whose blood they shed, ( لِيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللهِ عَلى ما رَزَقَهُمْ مِنْ بَهِيمَةِ الأنْعام ) "that they may mention the name of Allah over what He has provided for them of grazing livestock (anʿām)." This was said thus because some animals do not belong to the livestock (anʿām), such as horses, mules, and donkeys. And it is said: livestock are called "bahāʾim" because they do not speak.
In accordance with what we have said concerning the explanation of His word ( جَعَلْنا مَنْسَكا ) "We have appointed a rite," the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
*Mention of who said that: Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to all of us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: ( وَلِكُلّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنا مَنْسَكا ) "And for every community We have appointed a rite," he said: the shedding of blood ( لِيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللهِ عَلَيْها ) "that they may mention the name of Allah over it."
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, the like of it.
And His word: ( فَإِلَهُكُمْ إلَهُ وَاحِدٌ ) "Your God is one God" — the Exalted, Whose remembrance is exalted, says: Avoid then the abomination of the idols, and avoid the speaking of falsehood, for your God is one God who has no partner; so worship Him, and devote divinity to Him alone. And His word: ( فَلَهُ أسْلِمُوا ) "so submit to Him" — He says: submit then to your God through obedience, and be humble before Him through the acknowledgment of servitude. And His word: ( وَبَشِّرِ المُخْبِتِينَ ) "and give glad tidings to the humble" — the Exalted, Whose remembrance is exalted, says: and give glad tidings, O Muḥammad ﷺ, to those who humbly submit themselves to Allah through obedience, who surrender themselves to Him in servitude, who turn to Him in repentance. And we have already set forth the meaning of humble submission (al-ikhbāt) with its proof-texts in what has passed of this book of ours.
The people of interpretation have differed concerning what is meant by it in this place. Some of them said: what is meant by it is: and give glad tidings to those who are at ease and full of trust in Allah.
*Mention of who said that: Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: ( وَبَشِّرِ المُخْبِتِينَ ) "and give glad tidings to the humble," he said: those who are at ease and full of trust.
Abū Kurayb related to me, saying: Ibn Yamān related to us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, his word: ( وَبَشِّرِ المُخْبِتِينَ ) — those who are at ease and full of trust in Allah.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to all of us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, his word: ( وَبَشِّرِ المُخْبِتِينَ ) he said: those who are at ease and full of trust.
Al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq related to us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: ( وَبَشِّرِ المُخْبِتِينَ ) he said: the humble.
And others said concerning it that which: Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Muslim related to us, on the authority of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aws, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Aws, he said: the humble (al-mukhbitūn): they are those who do no wrong, and when wrong is done to them, they take no revenge.
Muḥammad ibn ʿUthmān al-Wāsiṭī related to me, saying: Ḥafṣ ibn ʿUmar related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Muslim al-Ṭāʾifī related to us, saying: ʿUthmān ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aws related to me, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Aws, the like of it.
