The Quran

198

Preface

لَيسَ عَلَيكُم جُناحٌ أَن تَبتَغوا فَضلًا مِن رَبِّكُم ۚ فَإِذا أَفَضتُم مِن عَرَفاتٍ فَاذكُرُوا اللَّهَ عِندَ المَشعَرِ الحَرامِ ۖ وَاذكُروهُ كَما هَداكُم وَإِن كُنتُم مِن قَبلِهِ لَمِنَ الضّالّينَ

Yusuf Ali

It is no crime in you if ye seek of the bounty of your Lord (during pilgrimage)¹. Then when ye pour down from (Mount) Arafat, celebrate the praises of God at the Sacred Monument², and celebrate His praises as He has directed you, even though, before this, ye went astray³.

Legitimate trade is allowed, in the interests both of the honest trader, who can thus meet his own expenses, and of the generality of pilgrims, who would otherwise be greatly inconvenienced for the necessaries of life. But the profit must be sought as from the “bounty of God.” There should be no profiteering, or trade “tricks.” Good honest trade is a form of service to the community, and therefore to God.
About midway between 'Arafat and Mina (see n. 217 to 2:197) is a place called Muzdalifah where the Holy Prophet offered up a long prayer. It has thus become a Sacred Monument and pilgrims are directed to follow that example on their return. A special reason for this is given in the note following.
Certain arrogant tribes living in Mecca used not to go to 'Arafat with the crowd but to stop short at Muzdalifah. They are rebuked for their arrogance and told that they must perform all the rites like the rest of the pilgrims. There is equality in Islam.