The Visit (Umrah) for God

The Visit (Umrah) for God

Surah ‘Al-Baqarah (The Cow) – Chapter – 2)

Stage – 1, Verse – 196b of 286, Section – 24 of 40 (Part - 2)

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

  

And perform the Visit (Umrah) for Allah. And if ye are prevented, then send such offering as can be obtained with ease,

Wal-‘umrata  LIllaah.  Fa-‘in  ‘uh-sir-tum  famas-taysara  minal-hady.

Lesson

‘Al-‘umrata – (Umrah), it is called as a little Pilgrimage also. The Instructions for performing Umrah are just like the actual Pilgrimage which is performed yearly (Hajj). However, there is no restriction of duration of Pilgrimage for performing Umrah. It can be performed any time. Secondly, its rituals and traditions are less than the yearly Hajj (Pilgrimage) also.

 

Lillaah – (for Allah, for God Almighty) perform the Pilgrimage (Hajj) and Umrah (Visit) for the sake of Allah Almighty, keep your intention pure and take care honestly for those customs and orders which have been prescribed by God Almighty, be saved yourself from the matters; which are prohibited, otherwise the sake of God will remain no more.

In fact, the entire deeds and intentions should be for the pleasure of Allah Almighty, but it has been emphasized here particularly that the journey involved with the Pilgrimage and the Visit (Hajj and Umrah), in which; a lot of good and bad objects, Cruises and Entertainment can join easily. So, it is necessary that your first object should not be any other except to please God Almighty. The travel and entertainment will become automatically. The trade and business is permitted; you can get advantage of it. But you can neither make the trade – a purpose of Pilgrimage (Hajj) and nor can deal with dishonestly and theft, these are not allowed.    

‘Uh-sir-tum – (if you are prevented) this word has been derived from Ihsaar, whose literal meanings are to be surrounded or encaged. Whether this surrounding would be due to any reason, here it means ‘the individual who intends to perform the Pilgrimage but can’t reach the designation because of either any illness or enemy would have blocked his way or any seasonal or other stoppage would have intervened.

 Hady – (sacrifice) the literal meanings are ‘the offering’ which would be sent for BaytUllaah, here its aim is the animals which are required to be sacrificed during the Pilgrimage (Hajj).

In this verse, Allah Almighty has commanded the Muslims that there should be only one object to be intended i.e. the worship by means of the Pilgrimage and Visit (Hajj and Umrah), that is for pleasure and consent of Allah Almighty. Neither any kind of play nor show and pomp should be the intention from this journey, nor travel and entertainment. But the Rules, which Allah Almighty has explained, those should be acted upon. Allah almighty has kept some exemption too in this order for the excusable people. May be that an individual wears ‘Ih-raam (makes a vow of Pilgrimage) for Hajj and Umrah but unfortunately, he would either become ill in the way or happens any other difficulty or problem. For example; either he doesn’t find the way or doesn’t remain the provision for his journey etc. In all these situations, he has been commanded that he should send the animal to sacrifice to the BaytUllaah through anyone else according to his submission.

 

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)