( ثُمَّ ) (Then..): here indicates the lagging in time, and it supports the saying of scholars that it is necessary to stay at night at Muzdalifah; because in (then) there is a sign that after you stay at Muzdalifah, ( أَفِيضُوا ) (depart..), which refers to the second departure from Muzdalifah to Mina.

( النَّاسُ ) (the people..): Some scholars said in the interpretation of (people) that it is a reference to the equality between people; because, in the hajj pilgrimage, you do not find any difference between the rich and the poor, between the strong and the weak, or between a prince and an ordinary person. It is a similar scene of the Day of Judgement, where people are equal in dress and even in supplication, asking one Lord, especially in Arafat, where all the pilgrims meet at the same time, whereas you do not find that crowd in Tawaaf, since not all pilgrims gather for tawaaf at the same time. After the pilgrims come down from Arafat, some of them stay in Muzdalifah, some move to Mina, others circumambulate the house (Ka‘ba), and some walk back and forth between Safa and Marwa. As the “Hajj is Arafat”, therefore, at the sunset of the day of Arafah in the farewell sermon, the Prophet (saws) said to Bilal:

“O Bilal, ask the people to be quiet and listen to me.” Bilal stood up and asked the people to be quiet and listen to the Prophet (saws). When the people were quiet, the Prophet (saws) said: “O people, a little while ago Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to me. Gave me salutations from Allah and informed me that Allah has forgiven those who spend the Day at `Arafah and those who stop at Al-Mash`ar Al-Haram (the Sacrosanct Place), and that He has guaranteed their debts.”[1]

This standing of Arafat, it is a thanking, thoughtfulness, and closeness to Allah (swt), all under the remembrance of Allah (swt).

( النَّاسُ ) (the people..): Another scholars claim that it refers to Ibrahim (PBUH) because he is as described by Allah (swt) in the Holy Qur’an was as a “nation” as this verse illustrates:

 {إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِّلَّهِ حَنِيفًا }

(Indeed, Abraham was a [comprehensive] leader, devoutly obedient to Allah, inclining toward truth.)  (Al-Nahl: 120)

He is an individual, but in him, all the attributes and the best traits of the individuals in the nation are gathered, and if a person possessed the talents of all people, he would be a nation himself, so Allah (swt) described Ibrahim (PBUH) as a nation.

Another interpretation that Quraysh and their allies, who used to be called Al-Hums, used to stay in Al-Muzdalifah while the rest of the Arabs would stand at `Arafat. Hence Allah (swt) stated: ( ثُمَّ أَفِيضُوا مِنْ حَيْثُ أَفَاضَ النَّاسُ ) (Then depart from the place from where [all] the people depart).

( إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ) (Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful): Why does Allah (swt) say, (Allah is Forgiving and Merciful)? Because regardless your best effort, you will not be able to fulfill Allah’s rights to perfection. If we worship Allah (swt) all our lives, we would not thank him enough for just one blessing that he bestowed upon us, such as the blessing of sight, the blessing of speech, the blessing of hearing, the blessing of life, or any of His graces (swt). Therefore, when Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) saw the Prophet (saws) offering prayer at night (for such a long time) that his feet used to crack, she said:

“O Allah’s Messenger! Why do you do it since Allah has forgiven you your faults of the past and those to follow?” He (saws) said,

“Shouldn’t I love to be a thankful slave (of Allah)?’[2]

This is the meaning of worship; to be thankful for grace, and to be patient in calamity. This is the meaning of true worship of Allah (swt).

[1] Al-Tamheed li-ma fi al-Muata’ mina al-Ma‘ani wa al-Asaanid, vol. 1, 128.

[2] Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Interpretation, Chapter: Surah Al-Fath, Hadith No. 4557.