Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 202

The Order for Remembrance of Allah and seeking Good in this Life and the Hereafter upon completing the Rites of Hajj

Allah commands that He be remembered after the rituals are performed.

كَذِكْرِكُمْ ءَابَآءَكُمْ

(...as you remember your forefathers)

Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn `Abbas said, "During the time of Jahiliyyah, people used to stand during the (Hajj) season, and one of them would say, `My father used to feed (the poor), help others (end their disputes, with his money), pay the Diyah (i.e., blood money),' and so forth. The only Dhikr that they had was that they would remember the deeds of their fathers. Allah then revealed to Muhammad :

فَاذْكُرُواْ اللَّهَ كَذِكْرِكُمْ ءَابَآءَكُمْ أَوْ أَشَدَّ ذِكْرًا

It may be noted at this point that the verse mentions those who pray by saying: رَ‌بَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا (Our Lord, give to us in this world...) which does not include the word, حَسَنَةً ; (good). This indicates that they do not care to have what is really good even in this mortal world, on the contrary, they are so drunk with their craze for material things that nothing short of a constant fulfillment of their desires would satisfy them. They just do not bother to check if it is good or bad, procured rightly or wrongly or what people think about them.

This verse extends a serious warning to those Muslims as well who prefer to pray for their material ends only even at the unique time of Hajj and at places so sacred, devoting most of their concerns towards that goal. There are many rich people who themselves pray, or request others they hold in esteem to pray for them, not for deliverance from the accounting of the Akhirah آخیرہ ، but for increase in their wealth, growth in business, and for other worldly concerns. There are many who, by their profusion in waza'if وظایف and nawafil نوافل (voluntary acts of worship), come to believe that they are very devoted, pious and special. In reality, hidden behind this facade is the same love of the mundane life. Then, there are respected people who maintain relations with pious elders of their time, as well as show their regard for deceased saints and walis اولیاء ، but the prevailing aim of such relationships is the vague hope that their دعاء and ta'widh تعویذ (prayers and spiritual charms) will work for them, worldly hardships will stay away, and their belongings shall be blessed. For such people too, this verse has special instructions. Stressed here is the fact that this whole affair rests in the hands of Allah who is All-Knowing and All-Aware. Everyone must assess his or her deeds, specially the intention behind whatever is done during the Hajj or Zia-rah زیارہ ، which includes all وظایٔف waza-'if, nawafil, du 'a- and salah.

Prayers, especially those offered during the pilgrimage, are an outward manifestation of an inward state. Whatever one cherishes in one’s heart, one expresses in prayer. One who has set his mind on worldly riches and grandeur will concentrate on little else when he prays to God, whereas one who seeks the next world, with its infinite happiness and blessings, will make this the central theme of his devotions. This prayer on the part of the believer is not a request for worldly riches. Material gain and worldly wealth are only parts of a ‘test paper’. And no one would like to pray to increase the difficulty of his ‘test paper’. This prayer is more like asking God to give him what is best for man in the eyes of God in this world and what is best for man in the eyes of God in the Hereafter. Therefore, the best prayer for man is to say to his Lord, ‘O my God, give me in this world whatever You see is good for this world, and give me in the next life whatever You see is good for that world and save me from eternal doom.’