The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 317
PT. 2 AL-BAQARAH together; and when all the pilgrims have entered ‘Arafāt, the Imām delivers a sermon, while the pilgrims do nothing but silently pray and stand still. Thereafter the pilgrim returns after sunset to Muzdalifah or Mash'ar where he says the evening and the night Prayers together and spends most of his time in prayer and meditation. Next day (i. e. the 10th) after offering his morning Prayer at Mash'arul-Harām he starts back early for Minā, where he casts pebbles (seven in number) at the three appointed pillars beginning with the Jamratul-'Aqabah, repeating this each day that he stays at Minã. The same day, i. e. the 10th, the pilgrim offers his sacrifice (goat, sheep, ram, cow, camel, etc. ), gets his head shaved, takes a bath and puts on his ordinary clothes. Thereafter he CH. 2 only during the month of Dhul- Hijjah. For the literal meanings of the words Ḥajj and Umrah see note on 2:159. The words, If you are kept back, refer to a state of affairs when a would-be pilgrim is prevented by disease, or a state of war, or some other cause, from visiting the Ka'bah to perform the Hajj or the 'Umrah. In this case the pilgrim may refrain from proceeding further and should sacrifice whatever offering is easily available, i. e. a goat, a sheep, a cow, or a camel, etc. But he should not shave his head until the offering reaches its destination, the idea being to remain in the state of Iḥrām until the offering reaches Mina which is the place meant for it. If, however, the offering cannot be sent to Mecca, it may be sacrificed by the pilgrim at the place where he is detained and the proceeds to Mecca and again meat either consumed by the pilgrim performs the circuit of the Ka'bah himself or distributed among friends, seven times and then returns to Minā relatives, neighbours, etc. It will be if he should so desire. The stay at noted that the offering of a sacrifice is Minā may last from part of a day to obligatory only when a would-be three or four days known aspilgrim is prevented from completing (i. e. the numbered days) with which the Ḥajj is completed. All this time the pilgrim should repeat, as many times as possible, the above mentioned prayer. عمرة or the Lesser Pilgrimage consists in entering into a state of (Iḥrām) in the way described above, circuiting the Ka'bah seven times, running between the Ṣafa and the Marwah and offering a sacrifice which, however, is not obligatory. Umrah may be performed at any time of the year, whereas the Ḥajj or the Greater Pilgrimage is performed 317 his Hajj or 'Umrah. In ordinary circumstances when a person performs a Hajj or an 'Umrah separately, it is only supererogatory, becoming obligatory only when the Ḥajj and the ‘Umrah are combined. The clause, should make an expiation either by fasting or almsgiving or a sacrifice, relates to such people as cannot shave their heads owing to some ailment. The alternatives mentioned are meant to suit different grades of people. Fasting is meant for the poor; feeding the needy for the pilgrims of the