Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)

78. “And strive hard in (the way of) Allah as you ought to strive for him. He has chosen you and has not laid upon you any hardship in religion; the faith of your father Abraham (is yours). He named you Muslims, both before and in this (Book), that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people; therefore establish prayer and pay the poor-rate and hold fast to Allah! He is your Guardian, how excellent the Guardian and how excellent the Helper!”

We know that bearing witness needs awareness and justice, while the totality of people as a whole are neither just nor aware so that they can be witnesses over others.

Therefore, the purpose of Muslims being witness, mentioned in this holy verse, refers to some of the Muslims who not only are aware of the deeds and behaviour of people but also are both just and trust-worthy, and, as the Islamic traditions indicate, such persons can be the Prophet’s Ahl-ul-Bayt, the Immaculate Imams, to whom our deeds and behaviour are exposed.

This verse issues a command in the field of Holy Struggle with the vast meaning of the word when it says:

“And strive hard in (the way of) Allah as you ought to strive for him.…”

The majority of the Islamic commentators have not taken the concept of Holy Struggle here in the particular sense of fighting with gun against the enemy.

On the contrary, as it is understood from the lexicographical concept of the word itself, they have considered it with the meaning of any struggle and effort in the way of Allah and doing benefactions, combating against low desires (the greater warfare), and striving against the cruel unjust enemies (the lesser warfare).

The Late Tabarsi, in Majma‘-ul-Bayan, narrates from the majority of the commentators that the purpose of the Qur’anic phrase /haqqa jihadihi/ (as you ought to strive for Him) is the sincere intention and accomplishing the acts for the cause of Allah.

There is no doubt that the Qur’anic phrase /haqqa jihadihi/ has a vast meaning which envelops all the concepts from the viewpoint of quality, quantity, place, time and the like.

But since the stage of sincerity is the most difficult stage in struggling against one’s self, the Qur’an has emphasized on this stage. The penetration of evil thoughts and motivations into man’s heart (mind) and deeds are so hidden, narrow, and concealed that none can relieve him from them save the selected servants of Allah.

In these five instructions, in fact, the Qur’an has begun from the simple stage up to the last and highest stages of servitude. The beginning words are about bowing and then, superior to it, about prostration, and next to it the statement is about any worship in general.

The fulfilment of good deeds, irrespective of worships and other than them, comes later, and in the last stage, the Qur’an refers to Holy Struggle and effort and endeavour, whether they are done individually or socially, interior or exterior and related to behaviour, speech, ethics, and intention.

This is a conclusive instruction which, no doubt, leads to salvation and prosperity as its consequence.

Some Traditions About Holy Struggle

1- Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (as) said:

“Now then, surely Holy Struggle is one of the doors of Paradise which Allah has opened for His chief friends. It is the dress of piety and the protective armour of Allah and His trustworthy shield.…”1

2- Imam Sadiq (as) said:

“Holy Struggle is the most superior things next to the canonical obligations.”2

3- The same Imam (as) said:

“The alms (zakat) of the body is Holy Struggle and fasting.”3

4- Again, he (as) said:

“The alms (zakat) of bravery is Holy Struggle in the way of Allah.”4

5- Imam Sadiq (as) said:

“Holy Struggle accompanied with a just leader is obligatory.”5

6- The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“The peak of Islam is Holy Struggle in the way of Allah which is not gained save by the best of them (Muslims).”6

7- The Messenger of Allah (S) also said:

“Fighting in the way of Allah is more beloved with me than forty Hajj pilgrimages.”7

8- The holy Prophet (S) said:

“Verily Holy Struggle in the way of Allah is of the best deeds of the believers.”8

9- The Messenger of Allah (S) in his testament to Ali (as) said:

“O’ Ali! The best Holy Struggle (for a striver) is that he spends the time while he does not try to be unjust to any one.”9

10- The Messenger of Allah (S) again said:

“Verily a believer strives with his sword and his tongue.”10

In view of the fact that there may arise this thought that how it is that these heavy commandments, each of which is vaster and more conclusive than the other, have been laid upon us, the weak servants, there are some other statements in the continuation of the verse which indicate that these things are some evidences for the Grace of Allah unto the believers, and also they are the signs of the grandeur of the rank of their personality, the believers, with Him.

The verse continues saying:

“…He has chosen you…”

If you were not chosen by Allah you would not be given so many responsibilities.

Then, in the next sentence, the Qur’an says:

“…and has not laid upon you any hardship in religion;…”

That is, if you think properly these commandments are not some hard duties. On the contrary, they adapt to your pure nature and are consistent to it, and principally, since they are as some means for your perfection and every one of them has a philosophy and some clear benefits which finally reach you, they will not be bitter in your soul’s taste, and they are completely sweet and wholesome.

In the third stage of statement, it implies that this is the same religion of your father, Abraham.

The verse says:

“…the faith of your father Abraham (is yours).…”

The reason why Abraham has been called ‘father’ is either because the Arabs and Muslims of that day were mostly from the seed of Ishmael (as), or it is for the sake that they all considered Abraham very great and they respected him as a spiritual father, though his pure religion had been polluted by kinds of superstitions.

Then the Qur’an gives another idea in this field when it says:

“…He named you Muslims, both before and in this (Book)…”

And a Muslim is the one who has this honour that he is submissive to the whole commandments of Allah.

The commentators are divided in defining the antecedent of the Arabic pronoun /huwa/. Some of them have said that it returns to Allah. In this case it means that Allah has called you by this honourable name both in the former books and in the Qur’an.

Some others believe that it returns to Abraham, because we recite in Surah Al-Baqarah, No. 2, verse 128 that, after finishing the structure of Ka‘bah, Abraham asked Allah for some things, including this:

“Our Lord, make us submissive (Muslims) to You, and of our progeny an Ummah (a nation) submissive to You…”

But the first interpretation seems more correct, because it adapts the words next to it in the verse, where it says:

“…He named you Muslims, both before and in this (Book)…”,

and this meaning does not fit Abraham but it concerns Allah.¹

At last, the fifth and the last encouraging meaning about the Muslims has been stated here, when it introduces them as the example and paradigm of nations.

It says:

“…that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people;…”

The Arabic word /šahid/, in the sense of witness, is derived from /šuhud/ with the meaning of ‘cognizance accompanied with presence’.

This statement means that the Messenger (S) being witness over all Muslims refers to his cognizance about the deeds of his Ummah. This commentary quietly adapts to the Islamic narrations concerning the ‘exposition of deeds’, and some verses of the Qur’an which refer to it.

According to these narrations the deeds of all the members of Ummah are exposed to the Prophet (S) during every week, and his pure soul will be informed of all these things. Therefore, he is the witness over this Ummah.

And this Ummah being witness, according to some Islamic narrations, means the Immaculate ones of this Ummah, the Imams, who are also the witnesses over the deeds of people.

A tradition narrated from Ali-ibn-Mus-ar-Rida (as) indicates that he said:

“We are Allah’s authorities among His servants and we are the witnesses of Allah and His signs among people.”12

In fact, the addressee in the Qur’anic phrase /li takunu/ is apparently the whole Ummah, but, indeed, they are some of the chiefs and nobles of them. Addressing ‘the whole’ for a part of them is very common in the daily applications.

For example, we recite in Surah Al-Ma’idah, No. 5, verse 20 that, Allah, counting His blessings upon the Children of Israel, addresses them:

“…and made you kings…”

while we know that only a few of them were bestowed on this rank.

The Arabic term /šuhud/ has also another meaning which is a ‘practical witness’; viz. the criterion of measurement for the deeds of others is an example person’s actions.

In this case all the true believing Muslims are of this kind, because they are an ‘example Ummah’, or a model, with the best religion, Islam, who can be a measure and an example for measuring the personality and virtue among all nations.

A tradition from the holy Prophet (S) indicates that Allah has bestowed several virtues and superiorities on the Ummah of Islam. One of them is that in each of the former nations, their prophet was a witness over his own people, but in Islam, He has appointed all the Ummah as a witness over people.

The verse says:

“…and you may be a witness over the people.…”

This means that: as the Prophet (S) is an example for his own Ummah, you are also examples for the people of the world.²

In the meanwhile, this commentary does not contradict the former interpretation. It is also possible that all Ummah to be witnesses and the Immaculate Imams to be some model and outstanding witnesses.

At the end of this verse again the five former duties, as an emphasis, are reiterated in three concise expressive sentences, where it implies: now that the case is as such, and you have these privileges and honours, you should keep up prayer and give alms (zakat) to the due people and hold fast the religion of truth under the grace of Allah, because He is your Master, your Guardian, and the One Who succours you.

The verse says:

“…therefore establish prayer and pay the poor-rate and hold fast to Allah! He is your Guardian…”

Then the Holy Qur’an adds:

“…how excellent the Guardian and how excellent the Helper!”

In fact, the Qur’anic phrase which says:

“…how excellent the Guardian and how excellent the Helper”

is a reason on the Qur’anic sentence which says:

“…and hold fast to Allah! He is your Guardian…”.

That is, you have been commanded to hold fast the truth only under the grace of Allah, and this is for the sake that He is the Supreme and the best Guardian, the worthiest Helper.

Concerning the phrase:

“…and hold fast to Allah…”

in another occurrence the Qur’an says:

“Then as for those who believe in Allah, and hold fast to Him, shortly He will admit them to Mercy from Him and Grace; and will guide them toward Himself through a straight way”.

There is a tradition narrated from Ali-ibn-Abitalib (as) who said:

“In all your affairs hold fast to Allah. It is in this case that you can protect yourself by Him, the Pure, through a Strong Power.”14

Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (as) also said:

“Whoever holds fast to Allah, He will save him.”15

Again, it is narrated from the same Imam (as) who said:

“Whoever holds fast to Allah, never can Satan harm him.”16

Supplication

O’ Lord! Give us success and felicity so that to be an example people by means of holding Your Pure Essence and associating with people in a manner that we can be considered as models and witnesses to others.

O’ Lord! As You called us Muslims in the holy Qur’an and in Your former Heavenly Books, bestow on us success to be submissive to Your Command thoroughly.

O’ Lord! Make us victorious over the enemies who, here and there, try to attack the Qur’an and Islam, and do set us among those who do not rely on the mere name of Islam and Muslim alone, but help us to guard this honour by establishing prayer, paying the poor-rate, Holy Struggle, and holding fast to You, because You are the Excellent Guardian, the Excellent Helper.

“… and completed My favour on you, and I have chosen for you Islam as a religion, …”