الآية رقم (198) - لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَبْتَغُواْ فَضْلاً مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَإِذَا أَفَضْتُم مِّنْ عَرَفَاتٍ فَاذْكُرُواْ اللّهَ عِندَ الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ وَاذْكُرُوهُ كَمَا هَدَاكُمْ وَإِن كُنتُم مِّن قَبْلِهِ لَمِنَ الضَّآلِّينَ

(198) - (There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord. But when you depart from 'Arafat, remember Allah at al- Mash'ar al-Haram. And remember Him, as He has guided you, for indeed, you were before that among those astray.)

The difference between Hajj and Umrah is the standing in ‘Arafat, as the Prophet (saws) said: “Hajj is Arafat…” [1]

( لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ ) (There is no blame upon..): The there is no sin upon you. As Allah (swt) orders to refrain from sexual relations, disobedience and disputing in Hajj, He (swt) allows the trading in it. The meaning here is that, there is no blame upon you to seek the favor of Allah (swt) which refers to trade. Allah (swt) in another Surah says:

 {فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ }

(disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah.)  (Al-Jumua: 10)

The proof of this meaning is what Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported, as narrated in Al-Bukhari :

“Ukaz, Mijannah and Thul-Majaz were markets during the pre-Islamic period. The Companions disliked trading there in the occasions until the following verse of the Noble Qur’an was revealed, ( There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord ) in the season of Hajj.[2]

This proves the permissible to do trade in Hajj along with the worship and ritual deeds.

( أَفَضْتُم ) (depart from ‘Arafat..): What does the Arabic root word (Ifadah) mean? If this word is used to describe a glass of water, then it refers to what has overflowed after it is full, departed from it and overflowed of the existing. So, when you look at Arafat, you see it is overflowing, as if it is a full cup. Since that time until now it overflows, and has never stopped in a season of Hajj. So this word is very precise in this verse.

(  فَإِذَا أَفَضْتُم مِّنْ عَرَفَاتٍ) (But when you depart from ‘Arafat..): In Arafat, this great place, the Muslim remember his Lord, acknowledge his guilt. There are many opinions as to why it has this name, that none of them is preferable over the others:

1- It is named Arafat because when Adam (PBUH) and Eve descended to earth:

 { وَقُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ ۖ وَلَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ }

(And We said, “Go down, [all of you], as enemies to one another, and you will have upon the earth a place of settlement and provision for a time.”.)  (Al-Baqara: 36)

Adam (PBUH) descended in one place, while Eve descended in another.

They kept searching for each other until they met at this location on a mountain that is called Arafat.

2- When the Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) saw himself in a dream sacrificing his son Ismael, this event which is mentioned in Holy Qur’an:

 {فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ }

(And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, “O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.)  (As-Saaffaat: 102)

Ibrahim (PBUH) wanted to be sure that this was a revelation not just a vision, he rushed among Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat, and when he knew that it was a revelation, he was in Arafat location.

3- While the archangel Jibril (PBUH) was teaching Ibrahim (PBUH) the rituals of Hajj, Jibril would then ask: Did you learn this? To which Ibrahim (PBUH) would rely: I learned (Araft – in Arabic language).

4- Another opinion is that it is called Arafat because it is the place where people meet (yataaraf– in Arabic language) each other and where they know (Ya’rifu– in Arabic language) their guilts.

Generally, Arafat is the place where Muslims come to meet their Lord (swt), admitting their sins in that honorable place which reminds us of the Prophet’s (saws) standing at the farewell Hajj, and his sermon in which he bid farewell to the Muslim nation and to the coming generations of Muslims. He (saws) stood at the buttom of Mount Arafat after the demise of the day (sunset) of Arafat, he (saws) declared the general principles and rights of people, the truth of religion, and His (saws) will for all mankind:

“O People, lend me an attentive ear of my sayings, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. (Therefore, listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today). O People, just as you regard this month, this day, and this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust.  Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds, and I have informed. Whoever has entrusted goods, he has to return the goods entrusted to their rightful owners.

O People Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion.  He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, and they have rights over you too. It is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste. If they do, then Allah (swt) has authorized you to leave them in the beds and to beat them with unprecedented beatings. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners, committed helpers, and have nothing to them. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under a trust from God and with His permission. So understand my sayings, I have informed you.

I leave behind me two clear things, the Quran and my example, the Sunnah, and if you follow these you will never go astray. O People, listen to me in earnest, learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim, which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Therefore, do not do injustice to yourselves. O Allah do I have informed them.” [3]

“Do not revert to disbelief after me by striking (cutting) the necks of one another”.[4]

Therefore, who cut the people’ necks are the infidels; they are the killers, the criminals of the extremist terrorist movements that used the killing. This is the real disbelief.

These are the commandments of the Prophet of Allah (swt) in the location of Arafa. The greatest thing that a Muslim pilgrim feels while standing in Arafat is the echo of these words of our Prophet (saws), the Prophet of humanity.

( فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّه ) (remember Allah..): We note that, in all the movements that are related to the pilgrim include the remember of Allah (swt).

( عِندَ الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ ) (But when you depart from ‘Arafat, remember Allah at al- Mash’ar al-Haram): This is the first depart to al- Mash’ar al-Haram (sacred landmark) which is Muzdalifah.

( وَاذْكُرُوهُ كَمَا هَدَاكُمْ وَإِن كُنتُم مِّن قَبْلِهِ لَمِنَ الضَّالِّينَ ) (And remember Him, as He has guided you, for indeed, you were before that among those astray): So, the verse repeats the topic of remembrance of Allah (swt); people before Islam used to perform pilgrimage in ignorance, they used to recite poems and boast about parents and relatives. Allah (swt) wanted to purify the tendency of man to direct to Him (swt), not to any other. Verify, nothing but Allah (swt) should be remembered when you are in a state of worship, for that, these verses confirm the remembering of Allah (swt).

[1] Sunan An-Nasa’I, The Book of Hajj, Chapter of standing in Rafat , Hadith No (3016).

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book of Tafsir, chapter of Al-Baqara explanation, Hadith No (4247).

[3] Sirah of Ibn Hisham, Part2, Pages (603-605).

[4] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book of afflictions, Hadith No (6667)