The Quran

197

Preface

الحَجُّ أَشهُرٌ مَعلوماتٌ ۚ فَمَن فَرَضَ فيهِنَّ الحَجَّ فَلا رَفَثَ وَلا فُسوقَ وَلا جِدالَ فِي الحَجِّ ۗ وَما تَفعَلوا مِن خَيرٍ يَعلَمهُ اللَّهُ ۗ وَتَزَوَّدوا فَإِنَّ خَيرَ الزّادِ التَّقوىٰ ۚ وَاتَّقونِ يا أُولِي الأَلبابِ

Yusuf Ali

For Ḥajj are the months well-known¹. If any one undertakes that duty therein, Let there be no obscenity, nor wickedness, nor wrangling in the Ḥajj. And whatever good ye do, (be sure) God knoweth it. And take a provision² (With you) for the journey, but the best of provisions is right conduct. So fear Me, o ye that are wise.

The months well known: the months of ShawwaI, Dhual Qa'dah, and Dhual Hijjah (up to the 10th or the 13th) are set apart for the rites of Ḥajj. That is to say, the first rites may begin as early as the beginning of Shawwal, with a definite approach to Mecca, but the chief rites are concentrated on the first ten days of Dhu al Hijjah, and specially on the 8th, 9th and 10th of that month, when the concourse of pilgrims reaches its height. The chief rites may be briefly enumerated: (I) The wearing of the pilgrim garment (iḥrām) from certain points definitely fixed on all the roads to Mecca; after this the pilgrimage prohibitions come into operation and the pilgrim is dedicated to worship and prayer and the denial of vanities: (2) the going round the Ka‘ba seven times (tawaf), typifying activity, with the kissing of the little Black Stone built into the wall, the symbol of concentration in the love of God; (3) after a short prayer at the Station of Abraham (Q. 2:125), the pilgrim goes to the hills Saf a and Marwah (Q. 2:158), the symbols of patience and perseverance; (4) the great Sermon (Khutbah) on the 9th of Dhual Hijjah. when the whole assembly listens to an exposition of the meaning of Ḥajj; (5) the visit on the eighth, of the whole body of pilgrims to the Valley of Min a (about six miles north of Mecca), where the pilgrims halt and stay the night, proceeding on the ninth to the plain and hill of 'Arafat, about five miles further north, which is also called the Mount of Mercy; (5) the tenth day, the 'Id Day, the day of Sacrifice, when the sacrifice is offered in the Valley of Mina, the head is shaved or the hair trimmed, the tawaf al Ifadah and the symbolic ceremony of casting seven stones at the Evil One is performed on the first occasion; it is continued on subsequent days; both rites are connected with the story of Abraham: this is the 'Id al Adha; note that the ceremony is symbolically connected with the rejection of evil in thought, word, and deed. A stay of two or three days after this is prescribed; these days are called Tashriq days. (R).
It is recommended that pilgrims should come with provisions, so that they should not be compelled to resort to begging. But, as usual, our thought is directed at once from the physical to the spiritual. If provisions are required for a journey on earth, how much more important to provide for the final journey into the future world? The best of such provisions is right conduct, which is the same as the fear of God.