Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)

49. “Say: ‘O people! I am only a plain warner unto you.”

50. “Then those who believe and do righteous deeds, for them is forgiveness and an honourable sustenance.”

51. “And those who strive against Our signs (to reject them), they shall be the inhabitants of Hell.”

The Divine prophets (as) do not say anything from their own accord.

In the previous verses, the words were about the haste of the pagans for the Divine punishment. This matter is something which depends on the Will of Allah, the Pure Essence, and even the prophets (as) have no authority in it.

The first verse of the above verses announces as follows:

“Say: ‘O people! I am only a plain warner unto you.”

But this does not relate to the Apostle that His punishment may come to you soon or late when you disobey His commandment.

No doubt, the Prophet (S) is both a warner and a bearer of glad tidings. But, the emphasis on the subject of ‘warning’ here and the absence of mentioning ‘glad tidings’ is because of the addressees of the verse under discussion, who were some obstinate pagans, those who used to mock even the Divine chastisement.

Through the next couple of verses, the Qur’an illustrates a feature from the subject of the glad tidings and the concept of ‘warning’, and since the All-Embracing Mercy of Allah always precedes His punishment, at first it speaks of glad tidings.

The verse says:

“Then those who believe and do righteous deeds, for them is forgiveness and an honourable sustenance.”

Such persons are washed and purified with the water of forgiveness, at first and, when they find a relaxed mind and a calm conscience in them from this point of view, they will be included in kinds of graces and favours of Allah.

Regarding the fact that the Arabic word /karim/ means every honourable and worthy being, the phrase /rizq-un-karim/ (an honourable sustenance) has a vast meaning which encompasses all the valuable blessings, irrespective of spiritual and material.

Yes, the Generous Lord in that generous world will bestow the kinds of generous blessings to His believing righteous servants.

Raqib in his book, Mufradat, says: the Arabic word: /karam/ is usually applied for some good and worthy things that are very considerable. Therefore, the small good actions are not called /karam/ (generosity).

Some commentators have meant the Qur’anic phrase: /rizqun karim/ as ‘a ceaseless sustenance without blemish’, and some others have said it means as ‘a worthy sustenance’ which all are inside that consistent and universal meaning, that is, the worthy and considerable things.

Then, in the next verse, the holy Qur’an adds implying that those who tried to ruin the verses of Allah or wanted to wipe them out, imagined that they could overcome the assured will of Allah, but they are dwellers of Hell-Fire.

The verse says:

“And those who strive against Our signs (to reject them), they shall be the inhabitants of Hell.”

The Arabic word /sa‘au/ is derived from /sa‘y/ which originally means ‘to run’, and here it means effort and endeavour in the way of ruining and wasting the verses of Allah.

The Qur’anic word /mu‘ajizin/ is derived from /‘ijz/ which here means someone who wants to overcome the infinite Power of Allah.

The Qur’anic word /jahim/ is derived from /jahm/ which means the violence of the flame of fire. It is also applied for the violence of wrath. Thus, the term ‘jahim’ is somewhere which has a flaming fire, and, here, it means Hell.