Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)

29. “Then let them get cleaned (smarten themselves) and fulfil their vows, and let them circumambulate the Ancient House (the Ka‘bah).”

In some worships, like prayer, hygiene and cleanliness is the condition to begin them, and in some others, like Hajj, it is a part of them, while in some instances, like studying or recitation of the Qur’an as well as while one keeps to the mosques, it is counted as the condition of its perfection.

However, the practice of cleaning off dirt and removing filth is a severe command, not a mere recommendation, as the verse implies that the pilgrims of the Sacred Mosque when they have offered sacrifice on the day of sacrifice they should get cleaned and smarten themselves.

By the way, the dirt and filth is from the person himself, but the advantages of Hajj are from the grace of Allah which He has appointed for him.

However, following the statements about the rites of Hajj, which were dealt with through the former verses, this holy verse refers to another part of the rites of Hajj.

At first, it says:

“Then let them get cleaned (smarten themselves) and fulfil their vows…”

After that, they must circumambulate the Ka‘bah, the House which Allah has made secure from the evil of accidents and has made it free.

The verse continues saying:

“…and let them circumambulate the Ancient House (the Ka‘bah).”

The Arabic word /tafth/, as many of the philologists and famous commentators have said, means: dirt and the extra things of the body, like nail and some of its hair. Some other commentators said: it is originally called to the dirt under the nail, and the like.¹

In some Islamic narrations, this phrase has repeatedly been rendered into: ‘paring the nails, cleaning the body, laying aside the pilgrim garment’. In other words, this phrase refers to the act of ‘hair cut’ which is one of the rites of Hajj. In some narrations, it has also been rendered into ‘shaving the head’ which is one of the way of ‘hair cut’.

In Kanz-ul-‘Irfan, Ibn-‘Abbas has been narrated that upon the commentary of this verse, he said:

“The purpose of it is the accomplishment of all the rites of Hajj.”2

Thus, on the day of Feast Sacrifice and in the ground of Muna, beside Mecca, there are three obligatory acts for the pilgrims:

1. Throwing seven small pebbles toward the rank of Satan, this is called: “Stone-throwing”.

2. The act of sacrifice, which was formerly referred to in the explanation of the previous holy verse.

3. Shaving the head or cutting hair and nail, which have been mentioned in this holy verse as obligatory, and after that putting an end to wearing the pilgrim garment, on that day or the days follow, there comes the turn of fulfilment the circumambulation of pilgrimage in the Sacred Mosque and its prayer, and running between Safa and Marwah mountains, Nisa’ circumambulation (circumambulating of Ka‘bah) and its circumambulation prayer, all of which must be performed.

Some have narrated, of course, that the objective of the last phrase of the abovementioned verse is Nisa’ circumambulation after which the sexual intercourse with wives will become allowed.

This ritual circumambulation is done after the Hajj circumambulation, because after the Hajj circumambulation everything will become permissible except one’s wife, and after the performance of Nisa’ circumambulation one’s wife will become permissible, too.

It is interesting that in a tradition narrated from Imam Sadiq (as) he commented on the beginning phrase of this verse as ‘meeting Imam’; and when he (as) was asked for more explanation about that subject and on the commentary of the abovementioned verse in connection with paring the nails and the like, the Imam (as) added:

“The Qur’an has an exterior and an interior.”

That is, the question of ‘meeting Imam’, here, relates to the interior of the verse.²

This tradition may refer to a delicate point, indicating that pilgrim of the Sacred Mosque, as he cleanses the dirt of the body after performing the rites of Hajj, similarly he must remove the pollution of his soul and mind by meeting the Imam (as) who is his leader, in particular that during some long periods, the tyrannical Caliphs, in ordinary conditions, did not allow people to have such a meeting. Thus, the best opportunity for reaching this aim could be obtained in the rites of Hajj.

Concerning this subject, Imam Baqir (as), in a tradition, said:

“The completion of Hajj (for a person) is meeting the Imam.”4

In fact, both of them are of the kinds of cleanliness: one is purification of outside from dirt and pollutions, and the other is purification of interior from the dirt of negligence and ethical ungodliness.

The purpose of the phrase ‘fulfil their vows’ is that, at the advent of Islam, a great deal of people used to make a vow with the intention that if they succeeded to go to Mecca, in addition to the rites of Hajj, they would offer some extra sacrifices, and give some alms, or do some benevolence; and sometimes it happened that they forgot their vows when they reached home. The Qur’an emphasizes that none should ever neglect to fulfil one’s vows.

Why Has the Ka‘bah Been Called: Bayt-ul-‘Atiq (the Ancient House)?

The Arabic word /’atiq/ is derived from /rataqa/ which means to become free from the bond of captivity. The usage of this word for Ka‘bah may be for this view that the Ka‘bah is free from the bond of ownership of the mortals and in no time it had a possessor, save Allah, and it had ever been free from the domination of the tyrants, like ’Abraham.

Concerning Ka‘bah, Imam Baqir (as) said:

“It has neither a dweller nor a possessor, but it is a Free House.”5

One of the meanings of /‘atiq/ is ‘honored’ and ‘worthy’. This concept is clearly seen in the House of Ka‘bah, too.

Another meaning of /‘atiq/ is ‘ancient’; as Raqib cites in Mufradat:

“‘Atiq is something which is prior from the point of time, or place, or rank.”

This is also clear that the Sacred Mosque is the oldest center of Monotheism, and as the Qur’an says, it is the first House which was set up for human beings as a guidance.

However, it is possible that this word used for the Sacred House is because of all these privileges that it has, though every one of the commentators has pointed to a part of them, or in each of different narrations some particular points have been referred to separately.

Upon the objective of the Arabic term /tawaf/, mentioned in the last sentence of the abovementioned verse, the opinions of the commentators are divided.

(We know that after the performance of sacrifice in Mecca, pilgrims must accomplish two circumambulations, one of which is usually known as the circumambulation of Hajj (pilgrimage), and the second one is called Nisa’ circumambulation.)

Some of the jurisprudents and commentators believe that since there is no condition mentioned in the text of the verse, then its concept is general and envelops both the circumambulation of Hajj (pilgrimage) and Nisa’ circumambulations and the circumambulation of ‘Umrah (lesser pilgrimage)³

It is in the case that some others believe that the objective of it is only the circumambulation of pilgrimage (Hajj) which will be obligatory after coming out from the pilgrim garment.

But as it was pointed out before, in the numerous holy narrations quoted from the Ahl-ul-Bayt (as), there has been declared that the purpose of it is ‘Nisa’ circumambulation’.

Imam Sadiq (as) upon the commentary of the Qur’anic sentence which says:

“…and fulfil their vows, and let them circumambulate the ancient house (the Ka‘bah)”,

said:

“The purpose is Nisa’ circumambulation”.7

And this very meaning has been narrated from Imam Ali-ibn-Mus-ar-Rida (as), too⁴ . This is the same circumambulation which the Sunnites called in Arabic /Tawaf-i-Wida‘/ (Farewell circumambulation).

However, according to the Islamic narrations, the last commentary seems stronger, specially that from the first phrase of the verse this may also understood that besides purifying the body from dirt and extra hairs, to complete it, some perfume should be used too.

And we know that using perfume in Hajj is allowed only after circumambulation running and pilgrimage; and naturally there remains no other obligatory circumambulation, in this situation, except Nisa’ circumambulation.