Surah Al-Hajj, Ayah 21

The Reason for Revelation

It was recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Dharr swore that this Ayah --

هَـذَانِ خَصْمَانِ اخْتَصَمُواْ فِى رَبِّهِمْ

(These two opponents dispute with each other about their Lord;) was revealed concerning Hamzah and his two companions, and `Utbah and his two companions, on the day of Badr when they came forward to engage in single combat. This is the wording of Al-Bukhari in his Tafsir of this Ayah. Then Al-Bukhari recorded that `Ali bin Abi Talib said, "I will be the first one to kneel down before the Most Merciful so that the dispute may be settled on the Day of Resurrection." Qays (sub-narrator) said, "Concerning them the Ayah was revealed:

Commentary

هَـٰذَانِ خَصْمَانِ اخْتَصَمُوا (These are two opponents who have disputed about their Lord - 22:19). This verse, with its general words, deals with two sets of people, namely the Muslims and the infidels whether they belong to the earliest times or to later ages. However, the particular event in the background of which it was revealed about two groups of men who faced each other in combat on the battleground of Badr. Sayyidna Hamzah and ` Ubaidah ؓ stepped out of the Muslim ranks, whereas ` Utbah bin Rabi'ah, his son Walid and his brother Shaibah came out to challenge them. In the ensuing fight the three unbelievers were slain, Sayyidna and Hamzah ؓ emerged unscathed, while Sayyidna ` Ubaidah ؓ was mortally wounded and expired at the feet of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The revelation of this verse in relation to these warriors of the field of Badr is well established on the authority of traditions contained in Bukhari and Muslim, but it is evident that its message is not exclusive for them alone, but embraces the entire Muslim community of all times and ages.

Just as there is a Law of God for human beings, so also is there a law for the rest of the universe. As far as the rest of the universe is concerned, it follows God’s law strictly and without any deviations. It follows divine laws unitedly and with perfect harmony. It is only man who creates differences; by adopting self-made interpretations of these laws, he deviates from the straight path. In the eyes of God, the worst culprits are those who create discord on the basis of religion; who want to live with conflicts in a universe which is free of conflicts. In a world where the lesson of harmony is being demonstrated everywhere on an extremely large scale, such people concern themselves with fomenting discord and disharmony. God’s universe is a demonstration of God’s will. Those who go against this practical example set by the universe created by God, prove themselves to be deserving of God’s punishment in this world itself. On the Day of Judgement the aforesaid verdict, which is being pronounced in practice at every moment against the culprits in this world of today, will require only verbal ratification.