22. Sura al-Hajj

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا...

22: 34. To every people did We appoint rites (of sacrifice),

...لِيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَى مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ...

that they might celebrate the name of Allah over the sustenance He gave them from animals (fit for food),

C2810. This is the true end of sacrifice, not propitiation of higher powers, for Allah is One, and He does not delight in flesh or blood (22:37), but a symbol of thanksgiving to Allah by sharing meat with fellow-men.

The solemn pronouncement of Allah's name over the sacrifice is an essential part of the rite.

...فَإِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَلَهُ أَسْلِمُوا...

but your Allah is one Allah:

submit then your wills to Him (in Islam)

...وَبَشِّرِ الْمُخْبِتِينَ ﴿٣٤﴾

wabashshiri almukhbiteena

and give thou the Good News to those who humble themselves --

C2811. The good news: i.e. the Message of Allah, that He will accept in us the sacrifice of self for the benefit of our fellow-men.

الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ...

22: 35. - To those whose hearts, when Allah is mentioned, are filled with fear,

...وَالصَّابِرِينَ عَلَى مَا أَصَابَهُمْ...

- who show patient perseverance over their afflictions,

...وَالْمُقِيمِي الصَّلَاةِ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ﴿٣٥﴾

- keep up regular prayer,

- and spend (in charity) out of what we have bestowed upon them.

C2812. Some qualities of Allah's devotees are mentioned here, in ascending order: ]]

1. Humility before Allah makes them receptive, and prepares them to listen to Allah's Message;

2. fear of Allah, which is akin to love, touches their heart, and penetrates through their inmost being;

3. they are not afraid of anything in mortal life; they take their trials patiently, and they go on in a course of righteousness with constancy;

4. their prayer now is not a matter of form, but a real communion with Allah, with a sense of confidence such as a faithful servant feels in the presence of a kind and loving master;

5. and gratitude to Allah, as shown by practical acts of charity to all fellow-creatures.

Other versions:

22:34

And [thus it is:] unto every community [that has ever believed in Us] have We appointed

[sacrifice as] an act of worship, so that they might extol the name of God over whatever heads of cattle He may have provided for them [to this end]. 50 And [always bear in mind:] your God is the One and Only God: hence, surrender yourselves unto Him.

And give thou the glad tiding [of God's acceptance] unto all who are humble –

(22:35)

all whose hearts tremble with awe whenever God is mentioned, and all who patiently bear whatever ill befalls them, and all who are constant in prayer and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance. 51