of Nekounam, (Session 1746)
Surah Al-Hajj, the twenty-second chapter of the Holy Qur'an, comprising seventy-eight verses, presents the profound divine realities before the eyes of humanity like a clear mirror. This Surah, transcending its titular reference to the ritual of Hajj, encompasses a wide array of fundamental concepts such as monotheism, resurrection, social ethics, and human power. In this treatise, through a deep contemplation of the verses of this Surah, an exploration is conducted into concepts such as the earthquake of the Resurrection, the capabilities and limitations of human beings, the characteristics of the ideal Islamic society, and the position of the ritual of Hajj as a symbol of the power of the Islamic nation. The aim is to convey the messages of this Surah in a lucid and dignified language within a scientific and coherent framework, so that it may serve as a guiding light illuminating the path of human perfection.
Surah Al-Hajj begins with a clear and impactful address calling mankind to God-consciousness. This call, like a voice from the depths of existence, invites humans to reflect on the Divine grandeur and their own position before it. The first verse of the Surah, referring to the earthquake of the Hour, presents a magnificent image of a transformation in the order of existence that is not merely a physical event, but a symbol of profound change in the essence of human beings and the universe.
O mankind, fear your Lord; indeed, the convulsion of the [final] Hour is a terrible thing.
This verse, like a clarion call, awakens humans from negligence toward awareness. The earthquake of the Hour mentioned here is not solely a natural occurrence but a symbol of immense upheavals in the existential structure of man and cosmos. The intensity of this transformation is such that it disrupts human psychological and spiritual equilibrium, confronting him with the naked truth of existence.
The second verse of Surah Al-Hajj, with a remarkable depiction, portrays the state of people on the Day of Resurrection:
The Day you see it, every nursing mother will be distracted from that [child] she was nursing, and every pregnant woman will abort her pregnancy, and you will see the people [appearing] intoxicated while they are not intoxicated; but the punishment of Allah is severe.
This verse, employing metaphorical and impassioned language, speaks of a state in which humans fall into a form of intoxication before the Divine magnitude and the severity of the Resurrections torment. However, this intoxication is not derived from grape or date wine, but from the terror and psychological pressure of Divine punishment. This depiction, like a masterful painting, vividly displays the depth of the impact of the Resurrection on the psyche and body of man. Nursing mothers, symbolising affection and love, forget their children, and pregnant women, who carry the burden of life within them, lose their unborn children. These images clearly manifest the fragility of humans before Divine grandeur.
Surah Al-Hajj introduces man as a capable being who can attain the heights of perfection. Nevertheless, this intrinsic power is constrained by two major obstacles, namely ignorance and heedlessness. Ignorance, like a dark veil, prevents the comprehension of truth, and heedlessness, like a heavy sleep, diverts man from attention to reality. These two factors even transform religion, which is the guide to felicity, into a counter-value.
One of the key verses in this regard is verse 11 of Surah Al-Hajj, which refers to the instability of the faith of some people:
And among the people is he who worships Allah on an edge [i.e., with hesitation]; if he is touched by good, he is reassured by it, but if he is struck by trial, he turns on his face [to the other direction]. He has lost this world and the Hereafter. That is what is the manifest loss.
This verse, as a warning, speaks of those whose faith is weak and unstable. Such individuals, faced with the slightest divine tests, instead of progressing on the path of monotheism, slide into loss in both this world and the Hereafter. This depiction indicates that human power, without awareness and avoidance of heedlessness, leads to downfall rather than ascension.
A notable point in the analysis of this Surah is the reference to various forms of intoxication that disrupt human balance. The Qur'an in the second verse mentions intoxication caused by punishment, yet this intoxication is not limited to the torment of Resurrection. Human beings can enter states of intoxication due to various factors including wealth, power, knowledge, pain, poverty, or fear. These intoxications, originating from psychological and spiritual disorders, prevent man from the path of perfection.
Surah Al-Hajj introduces the ideal Islamic society as one possessing two fundamental characteristics: pure speech (ayyib min al-qawl) and a commendable path (ir al-amd). These two attributes act like wings guiding society towards elevation and felicity.
And they were guided to good speech and guided to the path of the Praiseworthy.
Pure speech is truthful discourse, free from falsehood and hypocrisy, which like a refreshing breeze connects hearts. The commendable path is one in which divine values and righteous deeds prevail and which is free from corruption and deviance. This society contrasts sharply with the dysfunctional society described in verses 25 and 31, which suffers from polytheism, oppression, and deviation.
One of the main obstacles to the realisation of the ideal society is polytheism, which Surah Al-Hajj severely condemns:
And whoever associates others with Allah - it is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or the wind carried him away to a remote place.
This verse, with a vivid metaphor, likens polytheism to a great fall from the sky of perfection to the lowest place. Whether in the form of idol worship or hypocrisy and showiness, polytheism deprives man of Divine protection and exposes him to destruction.
