Surah al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage ) 22 : 49

Overview (Verses 49 - 54)

A Parting of the Ways

At this point in the narrative describing the fate of past communities, and outlining the rule concerning those who persist in denying God’s messages, the sūrah addresses the Prophet instructing him to warn people and explain the inevitable outcome: Say: Mankind, I am but a plain warner, sent to you!’ Those who believe and do righteous deeds shall be granted forgiveness of sins and a most excellent sustenance; whereas those who strive against Our revelations, seeking to defeat their purpose, are destined for the blazing fire. (Verses 49-51) We note that in this context, the Prophet’s task is clearly stated as one of giving people a clear and plain warning, that leaves no room for ambiguity. This fits the immediate situation of stubborn rejection of God’s message that makes people hasten their own doom.

The final destiny is clearly stated. Those who believe and put their faith into practice, so as to ‘do righteous deeds’ will have their reward which consists of forgiveness by their Lord of all sins that they may have committed or duties they may have omitted to do. Such forgiveness is coupled with ‘a most excellent sustenance’ that they receive with dignity.

Those who endeavour to stop God’s revelations from addressing people’s hearts, and God’s laws from being implemented in their life, will be the ones to suffer in the blazing fire. The expression the sūrah uses makes them the owners of this fire, which is in stark contrast with the excellent sustenance the believers receive.

God always protects His message from the wicked designs of unbelievers who try to prevent its implementation. Similarly, He protects it from Satan’s scheming and his attempts to manoeuvre his way into the hopes entertained by God’s messengers who are, after all, human. Although God’s messengers are given immunity from Satan, their human nature makes them hope that their efforts in advocating divine faith will be enough to remove all impediments and ensure a speedy victory. Satan tries to exploit these hopes in order to force the message out of its fundamental principles and proper methods. But God renders all Satan’s schemes futile, preserves His message, making its principles and values clear, perfects His revelations and removes all doubt that may surround its values and method of action. Whenever We sent forth a messenger or a prophet before you, and he was hoping for something, Satan would throw some aspersion on his wishes. But God renders null and void whatever aspersion Satan may cast; and God makes His messages clear in and by themselves. God is All-Knowing, Wise. He may cause whatever aspersion Satan may cast to become a trial for all in whose hearts is disease and all whose hearts are hardened. Indeed, all who are thus sinning are most deeply in the wrong. And those who are endowed with knowledge may realize that this [Qur’ān] is the truth from your Lord, and thus they may believe in it, and their hearts may humbly submit to Him. God will surely guide those who believe to a straight path. (Verses 52-54) There are many reports about the events leading to the revelation of these verses, but Ibn Kathīr describes all these reports as lacking in authenticity. The most detailed of these reports is attributed to al-Zuhrī, a leading Ĥadīth scholar of the generation that followed the Prophet’s Companions. It mentions that Sūrah 53, The Star, was revealed at a time when some idolaters said to one another that they would leave Muhammad and his Companions alone if only he would say a good word about the idols they worshipped. The report goes as follows.

They felt that the Prophet did not criticize the Jews and Christians who opposed him in the same way as he denounced the practices of the idolaters. The Prophet was very grieved by their continued denial of his message and the persecution they inflicted on his Companions. He still hoped that they would be able to recognize divine guidance. God then revealed the sūrah, The Star, including the following verses: ‘Have you ever considered al-Lāt and al- `Uzzā, as well as Manāt, the third and last [of this triad]? Why [would you choose] for yourselves only male offspring, whereas to Him [you assign] females?’ (53: 19-21) At this mention of the Quraysh’s worshipped idols, Satan added the words, ‘these are the sublime birds, whose intercession is to be hoped for.’ These were nothing but the rhyming words of Satan’s invention, but they touched the hearts of all idolaters in Makkah who kept repeating them and expressing their delight to one another, claiming that Muhammad had returned to his old religion, practised by his people.
 
When the Prophet completed the recitation of the sūrah, he prostrated himself, and all those present, Muslims and idolaters alike, also prostrated themselves. The only exception was al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah, an old man, who took a handful of dust and placed his forehead over it. Both parties were amazed at this common prostration when the Prophet prostrated himself. Muslims were amazed that the idolaters should prostrate themselves when they did not believe in God, particularly because they were unaware of what Satan made the idolaters hear. The idolaters, on the other hand, were reassured by what Satan had introduced through the Prophet’s hopes and implied to them that the Prophet read those words as he recited the sūrah. Hence, they prostrated themselves because their idols were praised.
 
All this was soon widely known, and Satan helped to circulate it. Before long, the news travelled to Abyssinia, where some Muslims had sought refuge, including `Uthmān ibn Maż`ūn. They were told that the people of Makkah had embraced Islam and prayed with the Prophet. They also came to know of al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah’s gesture of prostration on a handful of dust he raised to his forehead. They felt that Muslims were now safe in Makkah, which prompted some of them to speedily return. But then God nullified Satan’s aspersion and made His revelation clear and perfect, preserving it from Satanic fabrication. It was as God said: Whenever We sent forth a messenger or a prophet before you, and he was hoping for something, Satan would throw some aspersion on his wishes. But God renders null and void whatever aspersion Satan may cast; and God makes His messages clear in and by themselves. God is All-Knowing, Wise. He may cause whatever aspersion Satan may cast to become a trial for all in whose hearts is disease and all whose hearts are hardened Indeed, all who are thus sinning are most deeply in the wrong.” (Verses 52-53) When God made His judgement clear and purged from it the Satanic rhyme, the idolaters of the Quraysh increased their persecution of the Muslims.
 
Foiling Satan’s Efforts
 
In his commentary on the Qur’ān, Ibn Kathīr says that al-Baghawī includes several versions consolidated from reports by Ibn `Abbās, Muhammad ibn Ka`b and others, giving similar accounts. He then asks: “How could this take place, given that God guaranteed the Prophet’s infallibility in conveying His message?” He then quotes answers to this question by different people. One of the most interesting is that Satan could only delude the idolaters into thinking that they heard these words from the Prophet when it was not so in reality. It was all Satan’s work, not the words of God’s Messenger.
 
Al-Bukhārī reports Ibn `Abbās’s explanation, making the Arabic word, umniyyatih, rendered in translation as ‘on his wishes’, as meaning ‘his discourse’. Thus the verse means that when the Prophet spoke, Satan added something into his speech, but God causes Satan’s efforts to be futile and makes His own message clear. Mujāhid, on the other hand, explains the reference to any of God’s messengers ‘hoping for something’ as meaning his speech, or his recitation. Al-Baghawī says that most commentators say that it means his reading of God’s revelations. It is in his recitation that Satan may add something. Ibn Jarīr describes this explanation as an exercise in giving special meaning to words.
 
This is a summary of this story which is known as ‘The story of the birds, or gharānīq.’ From the point of view of its transmission, the story is very flimsy. Ĥadīth scholars maintain that it was not reported by anyone who may be graded as an accurate reporter; nor was it ever related with an uninterrupted chain of reliable transmitters. Al-Bazzār says: “We do not know that this ĥadīth was ever reported with a chain of transmitters worth mentioning, and leading to the Prophet. From the viewpoint of its subject matter, it is in conflict with a fundamental principle of faith, which is the infallibility of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the impossibility of Satan being able to introduce anything into the delivery of his message.”
 
Orientalists and opponents of Islam have taken up this report, circulated it and decorated it with much importance. The fact is that it is a false report that cannot hold its own in discussion. Indeed, it is unworthy of even being a subject of debate.
 
The Qur’ānic text itself contains what refutes the claim, namely that such a single event was the reason for the revelation of these verses, which clarify a rule applicable to all divine messages and all God’s messengers: “Whenever We sent forth a messenger or a prophet before you, and he was hoping for something, Satan would throw some aspersion on his wishes. But God renders null and void whatever aspersion Satan may cast; and God makes His messages clear in and by themselves.” (Verse 52) This statement refers to a general rule indicating a characteristic common to all messengers who are, after all, human beings. This rule is not, for certain, contrary to the principle of the messengers’ infallibility.
 
When God’s messengers are entrusted with delivering His message to mankind, they love nothing better than to see people flock to them and realize that all the goodness they advocate comes from God, so that they accept it. But there are numerous impediments that stand in their way. God’s messengers are human beings, with a limited lifespan. They know this fact well. Hence, they hope to persuade people to accept their message without delay. They may wish to give people a period of grace in respect of habits and traditions that are close to their hearts. They may think that if they can attract people to accept divine guidance while giving them this period of grace, they will then be able to wean them off such useless rituals, habits and traditions. They may also wish to compromise with them over a small portion of their desires so as to attract them to the faith, and hope to subsequently eliminate such lingering desires through education. They may entertain other wishes concerning the spread of their message and its gaining supremacy. But God wants His message to follow its own principles and to be guided by its own values. People can choose to believe or not. According to divine standards, which are not subject to human weaknesses and mistakes, the divine message makes its true gains by following its own principles and values, even though it may lose individuals at the start. Strict adherence to principles and values inevitably wins over those people, or others better than them. What is more is that the message remains pure, intact and faultless.
 
Satan may find in such hopes and wishes, as well as their expressions, a chance to plot against the message and force it out of its tried and tested method. He endeavours to raise doubts in people’s minds about its integrity. But God makes all Satan’s endeavours come to nothing. He spells out the final ruling on people’s words and actions, instructing His messengers to make His verdict clear to people, including what the messengers themselves might have done by mistake. This was the case with regard to some actions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which were subject to clear verdicts in the Qur’ān.
 
Thus does God foil Satan’s scheming and make His revelations clear so that the right course to be followed is clearly mapped. “God is All-Knowing, Wise.” Those with sickness and disbelief in their hearts and minds find in such situations fertile ground for controversy: “All who are thus sinning are most deeply in the wrong.” (Verse 53) At the opposite end, people endowed with true knowledge and wisdom are reassured by God’s clear verdict: “And those who are endowed with knowledge may realize that this [Qur’ān] is the truth from your Lord, and thus they may believe in it, and their hearts may humbly submit to Him. God will surely guide those who believe to a straight path.” (Verse 54)
 
Messengers’ Great Hopes
 
We find some examples during the Prophet’s life and in Islamic history to confirm this. Thus there is no need for the sort of unsupported interpretation reported by some scholars.
 
One such example is that of the incident involving Ibn Umm Maktūm, a poor and blind Companion of the Prophet. He once went to the Prophet and asked him repeatedly to teach him something of what he had been taught by God. The Prophet was very busy speaking to al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah and a number of Quraysh notables, entertaining hopes that they might accept Islam. Ibn Umm Maktūm did not know that the Prophet was busy, but the Prophet was unhappy about his repeated request, and this was clear on his face. This was the subject of a strong reproach of the Prophet by God: “He frowned and turned away when the blind man came to him. How could you tell? He might have sought to purify himself. He might have been reminded and the reminder might have profited him. But to the one who considered himself self-sufficient you were all attention. Yet the fault would not be yours if he remained uncleansed. As to him who comes to you with zeal, and with a feeling o f fear in his heart, him you ignore. No indeed! This is an admonition. Let him who will, bear it in mind.” (80: 1-12)
 
Thus, God set the message back on its right course, holding on to its proper standard and appropriate values. The Prophet’s behaviour in this incident was also corrected. His motive was his desire to see those Quraysh notables become Muslims, because that would have ensured that large numbers of their followers would do likewise. But God explained to the Prophet that maintaining the proper Islamic values in addressing the message to people is far more important than gaining a few notables to the cause. Satan’s attempts to divert the advocacy of the message through the Prophet’s hopes was thus rendered futile. God made His message clear, and the believers were reassured.
 
Subsequently, the Prophet treated Ibn Umm Maktūm very kindly, welcomed him whenever he saw him, saying: “Welcome to the man on whose account God reproached me.” The Prophet would ask him if he could help him in any way. Furthermore, the Prophet chose Ibn Umm Maktūm to deputize for him in Madīnah more than once when he was away on a journey or expedition.
 
Another incident is related by Muslim in his collection of authentic aĥādīth. “Sa`d ibn Abī Waqqāş reports: Six of us were with the Prophet when some unbelievers asked him to turn us away so that they could have his full attention. With me was `Abdullāh ibn Mas`ūd, a man from the Hudhayl tribe, Bilāl and two other men whose names I have forgotten. The Prophet felt whatever he might have felt, and thoughts occurred to him. But God revealed to him the verse that says: “Do not drive away those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking only to win His pleasure.” (6: 52)
 
Again in this incident, God sets the message back on its proper course, rendering futile Satan’s attempts to divert it by agreeing to the wishes of the Quraysh elders. They wanted to retain their position of distinction and not mix with the poor and weak. To maintain proper Islamic values is far more important than those notables, even though they might have accepted Islam, together with thousands others of their followers. God knows best the source of strength for His message. Such strength is derived from maintaining proper values that brook no compromise based on personal preference or social tradition.
 
A third example may be seen in the case of Zaynab bint Jaĥsh, the Prophet’s cousin whom he married to Zayd ibn Ĥārithah. Prior to Islam, Zayd was the Prophet’s adopted son. But God wanted to stop adoption altogether, giving Qur’ānic orders that forbade calling someone the son or daughter of anyone other than their own parents: “He never made your adopted sons truly your sons ... Call them by their real fathers’ names: this is more equitable in God’s sight.” (33: 4-5) Zayd was very dear to the Prophet. This is why he chose his own cousin to be Zayd’s wife, but their life together was not smooth.
 
Prior to Islam, the Arabs did not approve of a man marrying the divorcee of his adopted son. But God wanted to put an end to this, as He stopped calling a son or daughter after anyone other than their real fathers. He told His Messenger to marry Zaynab after Zayd had divorced her, so that his marriage might be the practical action that put an end to the effects of adoption. But the Prophet concealed this when Zayd complained to him that his life with Zaynab could not go on. He told him to hold on to his wife, thinking of what people would say when he married her after Zayd had divorced her. He continued to keep this whole thing to himself, until Zayd actually divorced his wife. God then revealed in the Qur’ān what thoughts were in the Prophet’s mind, making clear the rules He wished to put in place on this whole issue: “You said to the one to whom God had shown favour and to whom you had shown favour, ‘Hold on to your wife, and remain God-fearing!’ Thus would you hide within yourself something that God was about to bring to light – for you feared [what] people [might think], whereas it was God alone of whom you should stand in awe! Then, when Zayd had come to the end of his union with her, We gave her to you in marriage, so that no blame should attach to the believers for [marrying] the spouses of their adopted children when the latter have come to the end of their union with them. Thus, God’s will was done.” (33: 37)
 
`Ā’ishah was right when she said: “Had Muhammad concealed anything God revealed to him in His book, he would have suppressed the statement: “Thus would you hide within yourself something that God was about to bring to light – for you feared [what] people [might think], whereas it was God alone of whom you should stand in awe” (33: 37)
 
Thus God made His law very clear, exposing the thoughts entertained by His own Messenger, concerning people’s dislike of his marriage to the divorcee of his former adopted son. But Satan’s attempts to achieve gain in this way were brought to nothing. Yet those with sick or hardened hearts will continue to exploit this event in their attempts to show Islam in a bad light. Such is the meaning we feel these verses convey. It is God who gives guidance and shows the right way.