Name: The name of this chapter is Al Hajj and it has ten sections and one hundred and seventy-eight verses. Its name is based on the command to perform Hajj which is given in this chapter. Hajj is the fourth pillar of faith in Islam. It creates a sense of love and longing in the hearts and takes faith to the level of perfection. When the love for Allah reaches its peak, one is willing to sacrifice everything one possesses for the sake of Allah, to the extent of giving up one’s life in the way of Allah. This passion was needed by the Muslims of that time because the disbelievers had decided to destroy the Muslims with their swords. Accordingly, this chapter is named Al Hajj.
Summary: This chapter begins with the mention of زَلْزَلَةَ ٱلسَّاعَةِ the shock of the Hour which is refers to the destruction of a nation opposing the truth. This is followed by the importance of accountability for one’s actions. The second section states that the truth will certainly be helped and no earthly power can stop this assistance. The third section, after mentioning the good end of the followers of the truth, states that the believers have been unjustly stopped from visiting the Ka‘bah and have been treated tyrannically in a place of sanctity. The fourth section narrates the origin of the Ka‘bah and mandates the performance of Hajj. The fifth section discusses the real rationale for sacrifice which is a necessary component of Hajj. The sixth section transitions to the necessity of fighting because the need for it had arisen and great sacrifices were required. The seventh section mentions the enemies of truth and their final sequel. The eighth section foretells the success of the believers and the ninth presents the Unity of Allah as a strong doctrine that was given to all the nations of the world and it is to this Unity that this religion invites. The last section mentions the weak and irrational nature of creeds that associate partners with Allah and give glad tidings to Muslims. It urges Muslims to uphold and spread the truth as the basis of their success.
Relation with previous chapter: The last chapter dealt generally with the triumph of prophets and the destruction of their opponents, while this chapter gives the same principle applied in more detail to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It promises that he will be given salvation from his opponents but wars would be necessary to achieve this.
Period of revelation: Some people consider this chapter to have been revealed in Madinah and others have held it to have been revealed entirely in Makkah. It is narrated by Ibn Abbas that apart from the four verses, beginning with هَـٰذَانِ خَصْمَانِ These are two adversaries in verse nineteen till verse twenty-two, this chapter is Makkan. For those four verses some consider خَصْمَانِ two adversaries to refer to the two opponents in the Battle of Badr, hence their revelation in Medina is argued. The hadith lacks an authentic chain of narration. However, the reference in this chapter to the permission to fight and to the migration of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) makes it virtually certain that the revelation of this chapter took place at the end of the Makkan period, and it is possible that some verses may have been revealed after the Migration.
Bayan-ul-Quran 