Explore Surah 22: Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) with clear English translation and insightful comments. Learn about the significance of Hajj, themes of faith, sacrifice, resurrection, and divine guidance for believers.
Surah 22: Al-Hajj – The Pilgrimage
Introduction
Surah Al-Hajj is the 22nd chapter of the Holy Qur’an. It contains 78 verses and was revealed in Medinah, although some parts are believed to have been revealed in Makkah, making it a mixed (Makki and Madani) Surah. The chapter is named Al-Hajj, which means “The Pilgrimage,” because it discusses the great ritual of Hajj, its spiritual significance, historical roots, and associated rulings.
This Surah encompasses a wide range of themes — not just Hajj, but also the Resurrection, Judgment Day, truth versus falsehood, warnings to disbelievers, and encouragement to believers. It gives clear examples from past nations that denied their prophets and were destroyed. It also explains the wisdom behind the laws of sacrifice, the importance of sincere worship, and the unity of the Muslim Ummah.
Surah Al-Hajj also includes a special permission from Allah to the believers to defend themselves through fighting, as they were being wronged and driven from their homes. This was one of the first verses that allowed the Muslims to respond to oppression with force when needed.
Importantly, this Surah reminds all of humanity to be humble before Allah, to recognize the signs in creation, and to be prepared for the coming of the Hour (Day of Judgment). It ends with a call to the believers to prostrate, worship, and strive in Allah’s cause with full dedication — just as Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) did.
In summary, Surah Al-Hajj is a powerful call to faith, action, sincerity, and unity, and it reminds us that true success lies in submitting to Allah with a clean heart.
Surah 22: Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage): Text
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious the Most Merciful
1. O humanity, be mindful of your Lord. Surely the shaking of the Last Hour is a terrible thing.
2. On that Day you will see every nursing mother forget her child, and every pregnant woman will miscarry. People will appear drunk, though they are not drunk — but the punishment of Allah is severe.
3. Yet some people argue about Allah without any knowledge, and they blindly follow every rebellious devil.
4. It has been decreed for him (the devil) that whoever follows him will be led astray, and he will drive them towards the torment of the Blaze.
5. O people, if you are in doubt about resurrection, then consider how We created you: first from dust, then from a drop of fluid, then from a clinging clot, then from a lump of flesh — partly formed and partly unformed — so that We may make it clear to you. And We settle in the womb whatever We will for a fixed term, then We bring you out as infants. Then you grow and reach maturity. Some of you die young, while others live on to the weakest stage of life, when they forget everything they once knew. And you see the earth lifeless, but when We send down rain upon it, it stirs and swells and grows every kind of beautiful plant.
6. That is because Allah is the Truth. He gives life to the dead, and He is capable of everything.
7. And the Hour will come — there is no doubt about it — and Allah will raise up those who are in the graves.
8. Yet some people argue about Allah without knowledge, guidance, or any clear scripture.
9. Twisting their necks arrogantly to mislead others from the path of Allah. For them is disgrace in this world, and on the Day of Judgment, We will make them taste the punishment of the Fire.
10. That is for what your hands have done, and Allah is never unjust to His servants.
11. Among the people is one who worships Allah on the edge — if good befalls him, he is content with it; but if he faces a trial, he turns back on his heels, losing both this world and the Hereafter. That is the clearest loss.
12. He calls besides Allah something that can neither harm him nor benefit him — that is a deep misguidance.
13. He calls on one whose harm is closer than its benefit. What an evil protector, and what an evil companion!
14. Surely Allah will admit those who believe and do good deeds into gardens under which rivers flow. Indeed, Allah does what He wills.
15. Whoever thinks that Allah will not help him in this world and the Hereafter, let him stretch a rope up to the sky, then cut it off, and see if that plan removes what enrages him.
16. And this is how We sent down this Qur’an in clear verses. And truly, Allah guides whoever He wills.
17. Indeed, those who believe, the Jews, the Sabians, the Christians, the Magians, and the polytheists — Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. Surely Allah is witness over all things.
18. Do you not see that all who are in the heavens and on the earth prostrate to Allah — the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the animals, and many among people? But many are also deserving of punishment. And whoever Allah humiliates, none can honor. Truly, Allah does whatever He wills.
19. These are two groups disputing about their Lord. As for those who disbelieve, garments of fire will be cut for them; boiling water will be poured over their heads,
20. Melting what is in their bellies as well as their skins.
21. For them are iron hooks to punish them.
22. Whenever they try to escape from it out of anguish, they will be pushed back into it and told, ‘Taste the torment of the Fire!’
23. But Allah will surely admit those who believe and do righteous deeds into gardens beneath which rivers flow. They will be adorned there with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments will be of silk.
24. They were guided in this life to good speech, and they were guided to the path of the Praiseworthy.
25. Surely those who disbelieve and hinder others from the path of Allah and from the Sacred Mosque — which We made for all people equally, whether resident or visitor — and whoever intends to do evil there, unjustly, We will cause him to taste a painful punishment.
26. And remember when We showed Abraham the site of the House, saying: ‘Do not associate anything with Me, and purify My House for those who circle it, and those who stand to pray, and those who bow and prostrate themselves.’
27. ‘And proclaim the pilgrimage to all people — they will come to you on foot and on every lean animal, coming from every distant path’ —
28. ‘So that they may witness benefits for themselves and mention Allah’s name during the appointed days over the animals He has provided for them. So eat from them and feed the poor and needy.’
29. Then let them cleanse themselves, fulfill their vows, and circle around the Ancient House.
30. That is the command. Whoever honors the sacred things of Allah — it is better for him with his Lord. The animals (offered for sacrifice) are lawful for you, except what has been mentioned to you before. So avoid the impurity of idols, and stay away from false speech.
31. Be sincere to Allah, not associating anything with Him. Whoever associates others with Allah, it is as if he has fallen from the sky and been snatched away by birds or carried off by the wind to a far-off place.
32. That is how it is. Whoever honors the rituals of Allah — it is truly from the piety of the heart.
33. You gain benefits from them for a limited time, then their place of sacrifice is near the Ancient House.
34. For every nation We appointed a rite of sacrifice, so that they may mention Allah’s name over the animals He provided for them. Your God is One God, so submit to Him. And give good news to the humble-hearted,
35. Those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned, who patiently endure whatever happens to them, who establish prayer, and who spend from what We have provided them.
36. And the camels and cattle We have made for you as symbols of Allah — for you is much good in them. So mention Allah’s name over them as they are lined up (for sacrifice). Then when they fall dead on their sides, eat from them and feed the needy who do not ask, and those who do. That is how We made them subject to you, so that you may be grateful.
37. It is not their meat or blood that reaches Allah — but what reaches Him is your devotion. That is how He has made them subject to you, so that you may glorify Allah for guiding you. And give good news to those who do good.
38. Surely Allah defends those who believe. Allah does not love any treacherous, ungrateful person.
39. Permission to fight is given to those who are being wronged — and Allah is capable of giving them victory.
40. They have been driven out of their homes unjustly, only because they said, ‘Our Lord is Allah.’ And had Allah not repelled some people by means of others, many monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques — where Allah’s name is often mentioned — would have been destroyed. Surely Allah helps those who help His cause — truly, Allah is Strong, Almighty.
41. Those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayer, give zakat, command what is right, and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of all matters.
42. But if they reject you, so did the people of Noah before them — and the tribes of ‘Aad and Thamud also rejected their messengers,
43. As did the people of Abraham and the people of Lot,
44. And the people of Midian. And Moses too was rejected. But I gave the disbelievers time, then I seized them — and how terrible was My punishment!
45. How many towns have We destroyed while they were doing wrong — now they lie in ruins, with wells abandoned and lofty palaces left empty.
46. Have they not traveled through the land, so that they may have hearts to understand with, or ears to listen with? It is not the eyes that are blind, but the hearts within the chests that are blind.
47. They ask you to bring the punishment quickly — but Allah never fails in His promise. Yet a day with your Lord is like a thousand years by your counting.
48. And how many towns did I delay the punishment for, though they were doing wrong? Then I seized them — and to Me is the final return.
49. Say, ‘O people, I am only a clear warner to you.’
50. So those who believe and do righteous deeds — for them is forgiveness and an honourable reward.
51. But those who strive to oppose Our signs, seeking to disprove them — they will be the people of the Hellfire.
52. We never sent a messenger or a prophet before you except that, when he recited (the message), Satan tried to interfere with his recitation. But Allah cancels out what Satan throws in, and Allah confirms His verses. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
53. So that He may make what Satan throws in a test for those whose hearts are diseased and hardened. Indeed, the wrongdoers are in deep opposition.
54. But so that those who are given knowledge may know that this is the truth from your Lord, and therefore believe in it — and their hearts submit humbly to it. And surely, Allah guides those who believe to a straight path.
55. Yet those who disbelieve will continue to doubt it until the Hour comes suddenly upon them, or the punishment of a barren (hopeless) Day comes upon them.
56. On that Day, all control will belong to Allah. He will judge between them. So those who believed and did good deeds will be in Gardens of Delight.
57. But those who disbelieved and denied Our signs — for them will be a humiliating punishment.
58. And those who emigrated for Allah’s sake and were then killed or died — Allah will surely provide them with a good provision. And truly, Allah is the Best of Providers.
59. He will surely admit them to a place they will be pleased with. Truly, Allah is All-Knowing, Most Forbearing.
60. So it is. Whoever responds with the same force as he was harmed, and then is wronged again — Allah will certainly help him. Indeed, Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving.
61. That is because Allah causes the night to enter into the day and the day to enter into the night, and because Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.
62. That is because Allah is the Truth, and what they call upon besides Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Most Great.
63. Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky, and the earth becomes green? Surely Allah is Subtle and All-Aware.
64. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Surely Allah is the Rich One, the Praiseworthy.
65. Do you not see that Allah has subjected to you everything on the earth, and the ships that sail through the sea by His command? He holds back the sky from falling on the earth, except by His permission. Surely Allah is Compassionate and Merciful to mankind.
66. And it is He who gave you life, then will cause you to die, then will bring you back to life. Surely, man is ungrateful.
67. For every community We appointed a way of worship which they are to observe. So do not let those (who disbelieve) argue with you about this matter. Call them to your Lord — surely you are on the straight path.
68. And if they argue with you, say: ‘Allah knows best what you are doing.’
69. Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection concerning what you used to dispute.
70. Do you not know that Allah knows whatever is in the heavens and the earth? Surely all of this is in a Book — that is easy for Allah.
71. Yet they worship besides Allah things for which He has sent no authority, and about which they have no knowledge. And the wrongdoers will have no helper.
72. When Our clear verses are recited to them, you can see denial on the faces of the disbelievers. They nearly attack those who recite Our verses to them. Say, ‘Shall I tell you of something far worse than this? It is the Fire which Allah has promised to those who disbelieve. What a terrible end!’
73. O people, here is an example — so listen carefully. Those whom you call upon besides Allah can never create even a fly, even if they all came together for it. And if the fly were to take something from them, they would not be able to retrieve it. Weak are the seeker and the one being sought!
74. They do not truly value Allah as He deserves, for Allah is indeed Strong and Almighty.
75. Allah chooses messengers from among the angels and from among humans. Surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.
76. He knows what lies before them and behind them, and to Allah all matters return.
77. O you who believe, bow, prostrate, worship your Lord, and do good, so that you may succeed.
78. And strive in Allah’s cause with the effort He deserves. He has chosen you and placed no hardship on you in the religion — the way of your forefather Abraham. He named you ‘Muslims’ earlier and in this (Revelation), so that the Messenger may be a witness over you, and you may be witnesses over humanity. So establish prayer, give zakat, and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector — and what a wonderful protector and helper He is! 0 0 0
Comment
Surah Al-Hajj is a chapter that teaches us about faith, worship, the afterlife, and sacrifice. Even though it is named after the pilgrimage (Hajj), it talks about many important subjects.
The Surah begins by warning us about the Day of Judgment. It describes how scary and serious that day will be — people will panic, even a mother may forget her baby. This is to help us understand that this life is not forever, and we should be prepared for what comes after.
Then, Allah talks about people who argue without any knowledge. Some of them only believe in Allah when life is going well, but as soon as they face a difficulty, they give up. This teaches us that true faith stays strong in both good times and hard times.
Allah reminds us of how we were created from nothing and how He brings life to dead land by sending rain. These signs help us understand that resurrection is possible — if Allah can bring life from dry soil, He can bring the dead back to life too.
The Surah also talks about Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah. It tells us that it was Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) who was ordered by Allah to build the Ka‘bah and invite people to come for pilgrimage. Even today, people from all around the world answer that call. It shows that Hajj connects us to the history of faith and unity.
The Surah tells us that Allah does not need meat or blood from the animals we sacrifice. What He wants is our sincerity, thankfulness, and obedience.
One very important lesson from this Surah is that Allah gave permission to Muslims to defend themselves when they were being harmed and kicked out of their homes. Islam teaches peace, but it also allows self-defense when people are treated unfairly.
The Surah also reminds us to think about the past — many powerful people and cities were destroyed because they rejected the truth. These are not just stories — they are warnings to help us choose the right path.
It ends beautifully by telling the believers to pray, give charity, worship Allah sincerely, and never give up. We are reminded that we are part of the legacy of Prophet Ibrahim, and that we were called Muslims by Allah Himself. That name comes with honour and responsibility. 0 0 0
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Surah Al-Hajj: Additional Study
Frequently Asked Questions on Surah Al-Hajj
Q1. What is Surah Al-Hajj about?
Surah Al-Hajj, meaning The Pilgrimage, speaks about the rituals of Hajj, the Day of Judgment, sacrifice for the sake of Allah, and the unity of believers in worship.
Q2. How many verses are there in Surah Al-Hajj?
Surah Al-Hajj has 78 verses.
Q3. Where was Surah Al-Hajj revealed?
It is unique because it contains verses revealed both in Makkah and in Madinah.
Q4. Why is it called Al-Hajj?
It is called Al-Hajj because it discusses the pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Makkah and highlights its spiritual, historical, and religious significance.
Q5. What is the main message of Surah Al-Hajj?
The main message is the importance of worshiping Allah sincerely, preparing for the Day of Judgment, performing sacrifice, and uniting in obedience to God.
Q6. What lessons can we learn from Surah Al-Hajj?
It teaches that life is a test, true honor comes from piety, and sacrifice is not about flesh or blood but about faith and devotion to Allah.
Q7. How does Surah Al-Hajj connect to modern life?
It reminds us of equality among all people during Hajj, the need for spiritual sacrifice, and living with humility and obedience to God in daily life.
MCQs on Surah Al-Hajj
Q. What is the central theme of Surah Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)?
(a) The life of Prophet Ibrahim
(b) The importance of pilgrimage, sacrifice, and worship of Allah
(c) The laws of trade and commerce
(d) The story of the people of Aad
Ans: (b) The importance of pilgrimage, sacrifice, and worship of Allah.
Explanation: Surah Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) highlights the significance of Hajj as a spiritual journey of devotion, unity, and equality. It teaches that sacrifice is not about flesh and blood but about the sincerity of the heart. The Surah also emphasizes worship of Allah alone, preparing for the Day of Judgment, and living with humility and obedience. This makes the central theme revolve around faith, sacrifice, and submission to Allah.
Q2. Why is Surah Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) considered unique in the Quran?
(a) Because it is the shortest Surah in the Quran
(b) Because it was revealed in both Makkah and Madinah
(c) Because it only talks about Prophet Ibrahim
(d) Because it has more than 200 verses
Ans: (b) Because it was revealed in both Makkah and Madinah.
Explanation: Surah Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) is unique because it contains verses revealed in both Makkah and Madinah. Most Surahs are either Makkan or Madinan, but this Surah combines both. The Makkan verses focus on belief in the Hereafter, accountability, and Allah’s power, while the Madinan verses highlight rituals of Hajj, sacrifice, and rules related to worship. This dual nature gives it a special place in the Quran.
Q3. What lesson does Surah Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) give about sacrifice?
(a) Sacrifice is only about the animals offered
(b) Sacrifice means giving wealth to the poor
(c) Sacrifice is about faith, sincerity, and devotion to Allah
(d) Sacrifice is about celebrating festivals
Ans: (c) Sacrifice is about faith, sincerity, and devotion to Allah.
Explanation: In Surah Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage), Allah makes it clear that the flesh or blood of the sacrificed animals does not reach Him, but it is the piety and sincerity of the believer’s heart that matters. This lesson shows that the true purpose of sacrifice is not physical but spiritual: submitting to Allah, strengthening faith, and showing devotion. It teaches Muslims to connect sacrifice with humility, gratitude, and sincerity in their worship.
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The Call of Worship – Surah Al-Hajj
Surah Al-Hajj speaks loud and clear,
Of a sacred journey believers hold dear.
The house of Allah, where hearts unite,
A place of prayer, of peace, of light.
The pilgrims gather from far and wide,
In humble robes, with no pride.
Standing together, equal in grace,
Seeking forgiveness in a holy place.
Surah Al-Hajj reminds each soul,
That sacrifice is faith’s true goal.
Not flesh, not blood, but hearts sincere,
Are what to Allah are precious and near.
It calls to patience, to truth, to stand,
To walk in worship, hand in hand.
Surah Al-Hajj is a timeless guide,
For life, for death, for the world’s divide.
In trials and tests, the lesson is plain,
Faith and submission will never be vain.
Surah Al-Hajj shows the pilgrim’s way,
To live for Allah, by night and day. 0 0 0
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