Surah Al-Hajj O Mankind! Have fear of your Lord; the catastrophic earthquake of the Hour of doom will be terrible indeed. Imagine if this headline were to appear in a newspaper, what would our reaction be? Would we just keep reading placidly and then put it out of our minds and continue with our daily routine as if we had not read anything? Oh no! We will be scared to death and will start calling people and everyone would be asking: O, God! What do we do now? What can we do to save ourselves? This horrifying news is, in fact, the opening Ayat of Surah-Al-Hajj: {1} O people! Fear (the punishment from) your Lord; surely the earthquake of the hour (of judgment) is a grievous thing. After the headline, what do we read? We immediately go for the details of that news, especially if it s a shocking one; to get more clues and to get a complete picture. That has been given in the next verse; as Allah goes on to describe what people will go through, on that day: {2} On the day when you shall see it, every nursing mother will forget her nursling, and every pregnant woman shall lay down her burden, and you shall see men intoxicated, and they shall not be intoxicated but the chastisement of Allah will be severe. See how Allah touches the very core of our emotions with this vivid description. And we must remember that these are not just examples but it
is a certainty that is really going to happen. What kind of fear will it be that it will make a mother forget her nursling? A mother cannot forget her child at any stage but especially when she is breast-feeding, then emotionally and physically there is such a strong bond of continuous dependence and intimacy that even when they are both asleep a mother s heart is alert and conscious. But Allah is telling us here that the terror of the earthquake will cause mothers to forget their most precious babies. Not only mothers but everyone will be terrified out of their minds, so much, that they will appear as if they are drunk. We need to use our imagination to feel the fear of that day now, today, this moment, so that we might correct our ways and start off in the right direction before it s too late. The opening words: O Mankind! reminds one of the fact that Quran is for the entire humanity. It is the right of every person on this earth to know about the truth of his destiny. So in the next one Ayat Allah has encompassed all the basic proofs of His being the Lord of the universe and the master of the Day of Judgment. Allah asks Man are you in disbelief about the resurrection?. O people! if you are in doubt about the raising,. Why don t you look at your own self? Where were you before you were born? Just remember your biological origin: then surely We created you from dust, then from a small seed, then from a clot, then from a lump of flesh, complete in make and incomplete, that We may make clear to you; and We cause what We please to stay in the wombs till an appointed time, And you don t need any proof to believe that you are born as an infant, grow old and die, you see the manifestation of Allah s power over life and death all around you.:
then We bring you forth as babies, then that you may attain your maturity; and of you is he who is caused to die, and of you is he who is brought back to the worst part of life, so that after having knowledge he does not know anything; and you see that the dead earth is brought back to life: and you see the earth sterile land, but when We send down on it the water, it stirs and swells and brings forth of every kind a beautiful herbage. Have you ever asked yourself, Who is the one to do it all? {6} This is because Allah is the Truth and because He gives life to the dead and because He has power over all things So why can t you be made to rise from the graves? {7} And because the hour is coming, there is no doubt about it; and because Allah shall raise up those who are in the graves. Allah says those who argue about these facts are doing so without any proof: {8} And among men there is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge and without guidance and without an illuminating book, And then there are those whose belief is on the edge. A religion of convenience..
{11} And among men is he who serves Allah (standing) on the verge, so that if good befalls him he is satisfied therewith, but if a trial afflict him he turns back headlong; he loses this world as well as the hereafter; that is a manifest loss. A manifest Loss? why? Because this is the picture of a confused person who wants to please Allah, but only on the surface. His faith is not real enough to bear any hardship, so if a trial comes his way, he runs back to hide in his refuge of worldly pleasures. Such a person is deprived of the real peace and security of Allah s friendship in this world and so his life is a constant misery of fear and anxiety and he loses all rewards of Akhirah because he never took the trouble to do anything for it. That is why Allah says : he loses this world as well as the hereafter But what harm can these hypocrites do, except to themselves. The entire universe is in submission to Allah: {18} Do you not see that Allah is He, Whom obeys whoever is in the heavens and whoever is in the earth, and the sun and the moon and the stars, and the mountains and the trees, and the animals and many of the people; and many there are against whom chastisement has become necessary; and whomsoever Allah abases, there is none who can make him honorable; surely Allah does what He pleases. Allah doesn t want us to stay in any illusion that we can get away with any disobedience towards Him. So the warnings are made in very clear words: {19} then (as to) those who disbelieve, for them are cut out garments of fire, boiling water shall be poured over their heads.
{20} With it shall be melted what is in their bellies and (their) skins as well. {21} And for them are whips of iron. Side by side is the gentle and loving assurance to those who believe in Allah and do good deeds for His pleasure: {23} Surely Allah will make those who believe and do good deeds enter gardens beneath which rivers flow; they shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and (with) pearls, and their garments therein shall be of silk. Instead of passing judgments on the Quran that why is it so frightening and why Allah is so cruel, we should focus our attention on how to ensure a place in Paradise because this is the balance of Quran that it gives you the clear picture of both the ends and then leaves you to decide which one you want to make your goal. There have been people like Ibrahim (a.s) who built the house of worship according to Allah s command. He is a symbol of trust and complete submission: {26} And when We assigned to Ibrahim the place of the House, saying: Do not associate with Me aught, and purify My House for those who make the circuit and stand to pray and bow and prostrate themselves. {27} And proclaim among men the Pilgrimage: they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every remote path,
When you see the millions of people gathered at Hajj, try and go back in time and remember how it all started and how Allah has made it into such a place which makes people return to it again and again. The efforts of one Man, Ibrahim (a.s) against the barren land and His unwavering faith in his Lord and today if we think of doing anything for Allah we start by this doubt but.what can I do? and what difference can I make? forgetting that the actual power is with Allah and if we just trust in Him, then He can make miracles happen. That is why Allah honours those who submit themselves before Him: { 34} so your god is One God, therefore to Him should you submit, and give good news to the humble, {35} (To) those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned, and those who are patient under that which afflicts them, and those who keep up prayer, and spend (benevolently) out of what We have given them. I read this ayat again and again and the more I pondered over it, the more I felt enveloped by an overwhelming love for Allah and His book, the Wonderful Quran. What a complete guide we have to lead us out of our confusions and show us the light. No wonder Quran has been called a Nur (light). For most of us, the biggest doubt about Allah is that if He loves us and is so Merciful then why are people in such miseries? why doesn t He help us? Look at the words: give good news.. It means that our actual life has yet to start; this one is just an examination hall in which we all have to go through trials. Our main problem is that we have started to think of it as our permanent residence, and so we want everything to be perfect and flawless here. Allah is telling us here that a wonderful Paradise has been prepared for all those who submit to the will of Allah and in difficult times they are patient. They remain true to their commitment and establish salat, which means they maintain their contact with Allah, and find peace in sharing what Allah has blessed them with. They are rewarded in this world too because after every test Allah increases them in their faith.
And Allah has promised His special support for those who support His religion: { 40} and surely Allah will help him who helps His cause; most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty. But it is a fact that no matter how the truth is presented before people, there are sure to be some, who deny it. Allah talks about how he meted out His punishment to such wrong doers: {45} So how many a town did We destroy while it was unjust, so it was fallen down upon its roofs, and (how many a) deserted well and palace raised high. They did have eyes but their hearts remained blind to the truth: {46} Have they not travelled in the land so that they should have hearts with which to understand, or ears with which to hear? For surely it is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts which are in the breasts. I read somewhere that eyes have sight and hearts have insight, which is so true. If we continue to see and make use of Allah s creation but in our hearts we don t feel the presence of Allah then it means that our hearts have really gone blind. We find in a Hadees of the Prophet, Muhammad (s.a.w) that he told his companions the remedy to cure such hearts; 1) Frequent remembrance of death and 2) The recitation of the Quran. In the Quran Allah repeatedly invites man to see.
{65} Do you not see that Allah has made subservient to you whatsoever is in the earth and the ships running in the sea by His command? And He withholds the heaven from falling on the earth except with His permission; most surely Allah is Compassionate, Merciful to men. But inspite of these clear signs of Allah, people make idols and think them as Gods. Allah gives them the true picture through this example: {73} O people! a parable is set forth, therefore listen to it: surely those whom you call upon besides Allah cannot create a fly, though they should all gather for it, and should the fly snatch away anything from them, they could not take it back from it, weak are the invoker and the invoked. Isn t this amazing!! How Allah has ripped apart the false supremacy that people attach to their self created gods by showing their helplessness against the most despicable of all creatures, a poor fly. Allah says if they all gather forces they cannot create a single fly. And forget about creation, they cannot even retrieve even a small speck of something that a fly snatches away from them. So how can you worship such powerless gods?? What a sad reality it is, that we have not recognized yet, the true glory of Allah. If we had known how great He is, then our lives would have been totally different and our first and foremost priority would have been to serve Allah in the best way that we can: {74} They have not estimated Allah with the estimation that is due to Him; most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty. And if we want to have success then our goal should be the following Ayat:
{77} O you who believe! bow down and prostrate yourselves and serve your Lord, and do good that you may succeed. But this is not complete without the next Ayat that follows right after it and is one of the most magnificent in the Quran: {78} And strive hard in (the way of) Allah, (such) a striving a is due to Him; He has chosen you and has not laid upon you an hardship in religion; the faith of your father Ibrahim; He named you Muslims before and in this, that the Messenger may be a bearer of witness to you, and you may be bearers of witness to the people; therefore keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and hold fast by Allah; He is your Guardian; how excellent the Guardian and how excellent the Helper! Jihad is the word that has been the most misinterpreted by the critics of Islam. We must understand that it doesn t stand for military aggression only. Jihad has a vast scope and literally it means to strive. In Islam it refers to the efforts made towards establishing the religion of Allah, in our individual and social lives. And we must remember that by doing Jihad we are not doing any favor on Allah. Rather He has honored us by choosing us for this prestigious job. What better thing than being His chosen person? And listen to His assurance that He is your helper and friend, so are we not interested in the friendship of the Lord of the universe?