The exegesis of the Holy Quran verses, especially those related to the rulings of Hajj, opens a profound window to understanding the deep connection between Sharia and spirituality. Verse 203 of Surah Al-Baqarah, examined in this treatise, stands as an eminent exemplar of this link, intertwining the rulings of the days of Tashreeq with exalted concepts such as remembrance (dhikr), piety (taqwa), and resurrection (hashr). This study adopts a scientific and systematic approach to a comprehensive analysis of this verse and, relying upon the content of the provided lectures, extracts key points, exegetical analyses, and supplementary explanations. The objective is to offer an interpretation that elucidates not only the apparent rulings but also the inner wisdom and spiritual meanings of the verse for expert audiences and academic environments.
وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَعْدُودَاتٍ ۚ فَمَنْ تَعَجَّلَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ تَأَخَّرَ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ لِمَنِ اتَّقَى ۗ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ ٢٠٣
Translation: And remember Allah during the appointed days. So whoever hastens on the two days, there is no sin upon him; and whoever delays, there is no sin upon him, for those who fear Allah. And fear Allah and know that you will be gathered to Him.
Verse 203 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with a coherent structure, comprises three main elements: the remembrance of Allah during the appointed days (ayym maddt), flexibility concerning hastening or delaying during the days of Tashreeq, and the emphasis on piety (taqwa) and resurrection (hashr) as the ultimate purpose of deeds. These elements, placed respectively at the beginning, middle, and end of the verse, signify the profound connection between external rulings and spiritual content. The remembrance of Allah, as the introductory axis, calls for attention and concentration on the truth of monotheism, while the flexibility in rulings demonstrates the breadth and ease of Sharia. Piety and resurrection, as the conclusion, introduce the final goal of actions as the return to Allah.
Verse 203 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with a wise structure, presents the rulings of Hajj in a spiritual framework. Emphasising remembrance of Allah, flexibility in rulings, and centrality of piety and resurrection, it invites towards a holistic understanding of worship that attends not only to appearances but to their essence and truth.
The opening phrase of the verse, وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَعْدُودَاتٍ, emphasises the importance of remembering Allah during the days of Tashreeq. This emphasis responds to the Jahili culture which, after the rites of Hajj, engaged in boasting, war cries (rajz), and self-praise. The Holy Quran, by inviting remembrance of Allah, guides this culture towards monotheism and spirituality. The remembrance in this verse denotes not merely verbal recall but a heartfelt and epistemic attention to the divine truth that prevents heedlessness following the rites of Hajj.
The remembrance during the appointed days, especially in the form of اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ عَلَى مَا هَدَانَا، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ, constitutes a monotheism-centred dhikr distinct from other forms of remembrance. This particular dhikr, uttered on the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth of Dhu al-Hijjah, stresses the centrality of Allah and abstention from all ostentation. Because of its focus on monotheism, it is distinguished from other dhikrs which might be motivated by non-divine incentives.
The concept of remembrance in the Quran encompasses diverse dimensions and types, including monotheistic, devotional (wily), intrinsic, practical, initial, final, and intermediate forms. This classification reveals the depth and breadth of the concept within the Quranic epistemological system. For instance, monotheistic remembrance, highlighted in verse 203, emphasises focus on Allah and avoidance of other than Him. The proposal for regulating remembrance, analogous to natural sciences such as physics and chemistry, underscores the necessity of systematising religious concepts to avoid dispersion and unscientific interpretations.
The remembrance of Allah in verse 203 transcends mere verbal action and constitutes an invitation towards cultural and spiritual transformation. By supplanting Jahili war cries and emphasising monotheism, it guides pilgrims towards the divine truth. The regulation and classification of remembrance provide a means for the scientific and systematic revival of religious concepts.
The phrase لِمَنِ اتَّقَى in verse 203 sets piety as the condition exempting one from sin when hastening or delaying during the days of Tashreeq. This condition signifies the centrality of piety in the valuation of deeds. Piety, as an inner and epistemic state, directs outward actions toward the divine objective. The repetition of piety in لِمَنِ اتَّقَى and وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ underlines its importance, while the linguistic distinctiondeclarative and imperativereflects different stages of piety.
The repeated phrase فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ stresses flexibility in the rulings of Hajj. This flexibility, permitting hastening on two days or delaying on the third without sin, is conditional upon piety. It manifests the breadth and ease of Sharia and avoids unnecessary rigidity. Such flexibility, contrary to uniformity seen in some religious approaches, points to the diversity and attractiveness of Quranic rulings.
The phrase لِمَنِ اتَّقَى is expressed declaratively with a jussive certainty, which ranks above the imperative. The combination of لـ and مَن confers universal generality, encompassing all humans within the scope of piety. This universality reflects the expansiveness of piety as a foundational principle in the Quranic value system. In contrast, وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ is an imperative in the plural form, representing a general call towards piety.
Piety in verse 203 serves as the axis for valuing Hajj deeds, and flexibility in the rulings, conditional upon it, illustrates the expansiveness of Sharia. The linguistic distinction between لِمَنِ اتَّقَى and وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ clarifies different stages of piety and emphasises its comprehensiveness. These features present the Quran as a dynamic and adaptable system.
