Tuesday, January 26, 2016

The best Provision and Trading during Hajj

The best Provision and Trading during Hajj

Surah ‘Al-Baqarah (The Cow) – Chapter – 2)
Stage – 1, Verses – 197b & 198a of 286, Section – 25 of 40 (Part - 2)



BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim
In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

And whatsoever good ye do Allah knoweth it. And make provision for yourselves (Hereafter); for the best provision is to ward off evil. Therefore keep your duty unto Me, O men of understanding.      
Wa  maa  taf-‘aluu min  khay-riny-ya’-lam-hullaah.  Wa  tazaw-waduu  fa-‘inna  khay-razzaadit-taqwaa. WattaquuNii  yaaa-‘ulil-‘al-baab.

Lesson

It was tradition in the Arabs during the times of ignorance that whenever they used to proceed for performing Pilgrimage, they did not take the requisites of the journey, used to go Penniless and begged from the people in the pathway. It was considered sign of grandeur near to them. Even some people used to spend lavishly their entire capital at the time of departing for Pilgrimage. They had invented this false practice themselves intentionally. Anyhow it was not the part of worship. This thing is Not acceptable to God Almighty because doing so, others have to suffer burden.

God Almighty commanded: Make provision for yourselves (amount for your necessities of the Hereafter) at the time of proceeding for the Pilgrimage. You shouldn’t put your burden upon any other. Allah Almighty knows your intentions and minds. He doesn’t like apparent exhibition and formed purity. So if you will bring the provisions for journey, it is neither a sin and nor against the goodness.

There is no doubt in it that the real thing is “to ward off evil” that is to say; keeping away naturally from the badness and being inclined towards the goodness, so we should fear God Almighty always.

To ward of evils means that we should obey entire Commands of God Almighty with full sincerity, honesty and obedience. Every work should be performed for His pleasure. In every trouble, pain, calamity, distress or misfortune, only He should be supposed as The Supporter and only He should be called for salvation. He should also be thanked in ease and comfort. Every work should be started and finished with His (God Almighty) name. We should seek His help in all fields of life. Only the lawful methods should be chosen for deciding all matters and should refrain from the forbidden. We should keep in view the fear of God Almighty every time.

It is the “ward off evil” about which we have been instructed again and again in the Holy Qur’an, because it is very important in the life of a Muslim. The human life is filled with hopelessness, distress and failure due to forgetting it. So the mankind should try every time to attain perfection in the “Fear of God Almighty” (Taqwaa). The Pilgrimage is the best source to produce Taqwaa in oneself.   
  
It is no sin for you that ye seek the bounty of your Lord (by trading).       
Laysa  ‘alaykum  junaahun  
‘an-  tab-taguu  fazlam-mir-Rab-bikum.

Lesson

Fazlan – (the Bounty of Lord) literally it means “excessive, too much, more”. Here it signifies towards the profit from trading, business, wealth and property. This word has been used in these meanings many times in Holy Qur’an.

A Companion of Holy Messenger (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him) Ibn Abbas (God Almighty be pleased with him) says that during the times of Ignorance ‘Akkaaz, Majnah and Zul-Majaaz were very big markets. During the days of Pilgrimage, trade and bargaining was at high level. After embracing Islam, the people considered that it is not reasonable to trade during the days of Hajj. They thought that the merchants who either bring their commodities to the bazaars of Minaa and Makkah or those camel drivers who bring their camels to Muzdalfah, Arfaat and Minaa for selling, their Hajj is not acceptable because where trade has entered, there is no worship anymore. Allah Almighty revealed this verse to remove this misunderstanding and cleared this matter until the Last Day (the Day of Resurrection) that Islam is not against wealth, property or worldly things but It is against the acts which make any individual careless from thinking about the religion and the Doomsday.

As Islam is the Guarantor of prosperity and success of the Day of Resurrection, likewise; It desires also the people’s worldly prosperity and welfare. And this characteristic exists in Its every kind of worship. Even the parts of Ablution, Prayers, Congregational Prayers, Fasting, Zakaah (Poor-due) and Hajj increase the human’s worldly, material, physical, economical and political prosperity and welfare along with increasing his spiritual power.

The Muslims, who come from far flung areas for performing Hajj, move by land routes, air and sea. The People of Islamic nation get together from different parts of the world. At this occasion; there can be gotten uncountable economical and commercial benefits. Keeping in view these things, Holy Qur’an permitted it that the Pilgrims’ real purpose of this Visit should be Hajj only and if they do some trade also along with it, then it is not a wrong or sin. However it is necessary that the trade shouldn’t become the object.

Saying the sentence of mir-Rab-bikum it has been told also that which livelihood or benefits you get, these aren’t the result of your personal efforts or labor. It is the Bounty of Allah Almighty only. He gives you with His blessings. Therefore, bear in mind during trading and business that whatever benefits you will get, is from God Almighty.
   
Every that work; which is performed by any individual in accord with Commands of God Almighty and he doesn’t disobey Him, Islam counts it a worship and doesn’t say it against the religion. The things, from which; Islam forbids, are - hoarding, raising prices, unlawful trading and illegal business.

Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazaar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)

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