Day 1: Surah Al-Hajj - (3/9/16) - Verses 1 to 5

بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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The best of deeds during this time is ذكر الله (Remembrance of Allah). 

The Name of the Surah: 

الحج means القصد. 

Allah is the center of your life, the One whom you are journeying to your entire life.

Theme of the Surah: 
Surah Al-Hajj is all about traveling to Allah and how Hajj has a great impact in building a Nation. When everyone knows their goal and to whom they are going to, it will build the Ummah. 

Division of the Surah:

Part #1: التذكير بيوم القيامة (Reminder of the Day of Judgement)
 - Verses 1 to 37

Part #2:  الجهاد (The Struggle)
  - Verses 38 to 60

Part #3: العبودية الخالصة لله (Directing all worship purely to Allah) - Verses 61 to 78

The beginning of Surah Al-Hajj reminds us of the Day of Judgement.

Verse 1:

"O mankind! Fear your Lord and be dutiful to Him! Verily, the earthquake of the Hour (of Judgement) is a terrible thing."

"يأيها الناس اتقوا ربكم"

Allah commands all people with Taqwa. We need to be cautious and not follow our desires. We require Taqwa especially in Hajj. Allah says in [2:197]:

"The Hajj (pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) months (i.e. the 10th month, the 11th month and the first ten days of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, i.e. two months and ten days). So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein by assuming Ihram), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj. And whatever good you do, (be sure) Allah knows it. And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness, etc.). So fear Me, O men of understanding!"

What will motivate us to practice Taqwa? Remembering the Day of Judgement

"إن زلزلة الساعة شيء عظيم" 

Verse 2:

"The Day you shall see it, every nursing mother will forget her nursling, and every pregnant one will drop her load, and you shall see mankind as in a drunken state, yet they will not be drunken, but severe will be the Torment of Allah."

This great earthquake in the Day of Judgement will be so overwhelming that on that day you will see:

1) A nursing mother, who is attached to her baby, completely forgetting her baby.

2) A pregnant woman delivering her load out of fear 

3) People looking drunk although they are not drunk

"و لأكن عذاب الله شديد"

It is the punishment of Allah which will make them act like this. This is the Day when everyone will say "نفسي نفسي" (Myself, Myself). The worldly matters which you are overly concerned about now will not amount to a thing on that day. So do not follow your desires, "اتقوا ربكم"

Being reminded of the Day of Judgement reforms our lives.

Verse 3:

"And among mankind is he who disputes concerning Allah, without knowledge, and follows every rebellious (disobedient to Allah) Shaitan (devil) (devoid of each and every kind of good)."

"و من الناس"

Allah mentions a group of people in the Dunya who follow their desires and do not practice Taqwa. There are four groups of people mentioned in this (Three bad, one good) and we are in one of these groups. 

"من يجادل في الله"

This group has a negative impact on the Ummah. They first description Allah mentions is that they argue and dispute concerning Allah. The opposite of arguing is submission and acceptance. Arguing prevents the Ummah from moving forward.

"بغير علم"

And when they argue concerning Allah, whether it is about Allahs laws or decrees, they do so without knowledge. It is just to prove themselves right.

"و يتبع كل شيطان مريد"

There is always one person who starts the argument and the rest of the people just follow him, although they do not have knowledge. One person complains, and the rest of them follow in suit. They are just following blindly.

Never argue, whether you are a person who starts the dispute or you are a follower.

Verse 4:

"For him (the devil) it is decreed that whosoever follows him, he will mislead him, and will drive him to the torment of the Fire."

"كتب عليه"

It has been prescribed and decreed on this Shaytan that people just follow and argue with, that:

"أنّه من تولّاه"

Anyone who follows and takes him as a friend

"فأنّه يضّله و يهديه إلى عذاب السّعير" 

He will misguide them from the truth and guide them to the punishment of Hellfire.

Hold yourself from arguing and do not follow someone who argues without having knowledge. 

Verse 5:

"O mankind! If you are in doubt about the Resurrection, then verily! We have created you (i.e. Adam) from dust, then from a Nutfah (mixed drops of male and female sexual discharge i.e. offspring of Adam), then from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood) then from a little lump of flesh, some formed and some unformed (miscarriage), that We may make (it) clear to you (i.e. to show you Our Power and Ability to do what We will). And We cause whom We will to remain in the wombs for an appointed term, then We bring you out as infants, then (give you growth) that you may reach your age of full strength. And among you there is he who dies (young), and among you there is he who is brought back to the miserable old age, so that he knows nothing after having known. And you see the earth barren, but when We send down water (rain) on it, it is stirred (to life), it swells and puts forth every lovely kind (of growth)."

This verse is proof for Resurrection. 

The verses about arguing are sandwiched between the verses about resurrection. This is to tell you that the one who argues has doubts about the Day of Judgement. If you are sure in the Day of Judgement and that you are going to be resurrected, you would not argue and you would practice Taqwa.

Allah sets two proof for Resurrection: 

1) Your Creation

2) Giving Life to the Dead Earth 

Your Creation

"فإنّا خلقناكم من تراب"

Your origin is dust. And there is no value to dust; we find it everywhere. 

Why are you arguing and think you are something, when you are created from dust?

"ثمّ من نطفة" 

Then from a drop, which is also a humiliated substance.

"ثمّ من علقة"

Then you were a clot clinging to the womb 

"ثمّ من مضغة"

"مخلقة و غير مخلقة لنبين لكم"

Then you looked like a chewed up piece of flesh.

Sometimes it becomes a creation and a complete baby, other times it is miscarried. Allah is Able to create you at once, without going through stages, but this is in order that your origin, the resurrection, the ability, the wisdom, the mercy of Allah becomes clear to you. 

"و نقرّ في الأرحام ما نشاء إلى أجل مسمّى"

Then Allah will cause whomever He wills to remain in the womb until their appointed time. In [16:78]:

"And Allah has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you know nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts that you might give thanks (to Allah)."

"ثم نخرجكم طفلا"

When you are born you do not have any knowledge or ability. Allah subjected a mother for you, her mercy, her milk, etc. 

"ثم لتبلغوا أشدّكم"

Then you grow and grow until you reach maturity; until your strength and mind reaches its peak - 40 years old.

"و منكم مِّن يتوفّى"

Some will depart from this Dunya earlier

"و منكم من يرد إلى أرذل العمر لكيلا يعلم من بعد العلم شيئا"

While others will be brought to the worst age where their mind and strength weakens. They have no power and no knowledge.

The strength a human being has is between two weaknesses. So why are you arguing? 

This is all a reminder for us. No matter how long you will live, in the end you will return to Allah. We need our lives to revolve around Allah and no one nor anything else. We should not make Tawaf or Sa'i around and to anything other than Allah.

Giving Life to the Dead Earth

"و ترى الأرض هامدة"

You see the earth barren 

"فإذا أنزلنا عليها الماء اهتزت وربت و أنبتت من كل زوج بهيج"

Then when Allah sends down rain it stirs and swells and all different kinds of plants grow. 

Allah, who is Able to bring life to the dead land can bring life to the dead body.

Similarly, the heart needs the Qur'an in order to revive it. We need reminders in order to wake us up.