RENAISSANCE SEPTEMBER 2022

7 Monthly Renaissance September 2022 Qur’anic Exegesis S ū rah al- Ḥ ajj (1) Amin Ahsan Islahi Theme and Time of Revelation This s ū rah is among the last of the Makkan ones revealed when Muslims were being forced to migrate to other areas as a result of persecution by the Quraysh. The time of the Prophet’s migration too had drawn near. It was at that time that this s ū rah was revealed with a final warning for the Quraysh. They were warned of God’s wrath, and monotheism and the certainty of the Day of Judgement was corroborated through convincing arguments. Moreover, in light of Abraham’s preaching and of the purpose for which the House of God was built, it was explained to them that its actual worthy custodians were not the Idolaters but the Muslims whom they had deprived of it and whom they were oppressing and persecuting to expel from it. The conquest of Makkah has been hinted in verse 44 of the previous s ū rah . In this s ū rah , this hint has assumed the form of a decisive verdict. The Quraysh are regarded as traitors and usurpers and threatened with expulsion from the House and Muslims are given glad tidings that God will protect them and, after expelling the Quraysh make them its custodians. This s ū rah is Makkan, as is evident from its tone and contents. Only four of its verses (38-41) were revealed after migration to Mad ī nah. In these verses, Muslims are permitted to take up arms in defence if the disbelievers of the Quraysh try to forcibly stop them from doing ḥ ajj . God will help them. Since this stipulation is an explanation to what is stated earlier, these verses were placed here. The purpose is for the wisdom of this permission to become evident: Muslims have a right to take up arms because the occupation of the House of God by the Quraysh is an act of usurpation. Its real custodians are the Muslims and not the