Expedition Think: The Announcement of Hajj by Abraham

to the The Kaaba in Makkah

The Pilgrimage (22:27-29)

22:27

وَأَذِّن فِى ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًۭا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍۢ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍۢ ٢٧

Call ˹all˺ people to the pilgrimage.[1] They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel from every distant path,

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

[1] According to Ibn Kathîr, Abraham (ﷺ) said to Allah, “But my voice cannot reach all peoples.” Allah responded, “You make the call, and We will deliver the invitation to all.”

and announce among people about (the obligation of) Hajj, so that they should come to you on foot, and on every camel turned lean, traveling through every distant hilly pathway,

— T. Usmani

22:28

لِّيَشْهَدُوا۟ مَنَـٰفِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ فِىٓ أَيَّامٍۢ مَّعْلُومَـٰتٍ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّنۢ بَهِيمَةِ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ ۖ فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا۟ ٱلْبَآئِسَ ٱلْفَقِيرَ ٢٨

so they may obtain the benefits ˹in store˺ for them,[1] and pronounce the Name of Allah on appointed days over the sacrificial animals He has provided for them. So eat from their meat and feed the desperately poor.

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

[1] Spiritual benefits such as prayers, pilgrimage, and forgiveness of sins, as well as worldly benefits such as meeting Muslims from everywhere and trading.

so that they witness benefits for them, and recite Allah’s name in specified days, over the provision He gave them from the cattle. “So, eat thereof and feed the distressed, the poor.”

— T. Usmani

22:29

ثُمَّ لْيَقْضُوا۟ تَفَثَهُمْ وَلْيُوفُوا۟ نُذُورَهُمْ وَلْيَطَّوَّفُوا۟ بِٱلْبَيْتِ ٱلْعَتِيقِ ٢٩

Then let them groom themselves,[1] fulfil their vows, and circle the Ancient House.”

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

[1] Shaving their hair, clipping nails, and taking a shower.

Then, they must remove their dirt, and fulfill their vows, and make Tawāf of the Ancient House.”

— T. Usmani

[https://quran.com/22/27-29]

Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ commanded Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) to purify His House (Q2:125, Q22:26), and then announce the Pilgrimage to The Ancient House (Q22:27-29).

So, Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) and his son Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام) purified The Ancient House, and then Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) announced the Pilgrimage to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ 's House.

He was told that when he (Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام)) makes the announcement, people from far away lands will come to make pilgrimage, travelling across large distances, through difficult terrains.

So:

the House is purified
the idols have been removed
the worship is of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ alone
pilgrims from distant places are coming to witness the benefits
pilgrims recite Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ 's name upon the animals given to them for food
pilgrims eat from the sacrificed animals, and feed the distressed and the poor
pilgrims tidy themselves, removing the uncleanliness accumulated upon them
pilgrims fulfill their vows (نُذُورَهُمْ)
pilgrims perform tawaf (circumambulate) the Ancient House of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎

This means that either there were monotheist Muslims living in distant lands during the lifetime of Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) and they were able to respond to the call of Hajj (Pilgrimage), or that Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) was able to successfully preach to, and convert many people to the True Deen of Islam, far and wide across the world.

This means he was either able to travel widely himself, and that he had the means of communication to preach and invite others to the religion he followed, or that there lived monotheists before and during the time of Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام). The Quran informs is that Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) was a Hanif (Q6:79, Q6:161).

The Quran, Surah as-Saffat, ayat 83, informs that Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) was from the 'religious persuasion' (شِيۡعَتِهٖ) of Noah (Nuh عليه السلام). So, it would not be a far stretch to assume that there were other people also who were on the monotheism preached by Noah (Nuh عليه السلام). Moreover, some jewish scholars (links below) also quote sources which leads them to believe that Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) lived with Noah (Nuh عليه السلام) for several years.

Surah alHajj, last ayat, states:

The Pilgrimage (22:78)

وَجَـٰهِدُوا۟ فِى ٱللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِۦ ۚ هُوَ ٱجْتَبَىٰكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍۢ ۚ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ۚ هُوَ سَمَّىٰكُمُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِى هَـٰذَا لِيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ ۚ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ هُوَ مَوْلَىٰكُمْ ۖ فَنِعْمَ ٱلْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ ٱلنَّصِيرُ ٧٨

Strive for ˹the cause of˺ Allah in the way He deserves, for ˹it is˺ He ˹Who˺ has chosen you, and laid upon you no hardship in the religion—the way of your forefather Abraham. ˹It is Allah˺ Who named you ‘the ones who submit’[1] ˹in the˺ earlier ˹Scriptures˺ and in this ˹Quran˺, so that the Messenger may be a witness over you, and that you may be witnesses over humanity. So establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and hold fast to Allah. He ˹alone˺ is your Guardian. What an excellent Guardian, and what an excellent Helper!

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

[1] i.e., Muslims.

Struggle for (seeking the pleasure of) Allah, a struggle that is owed to Him. He has chosen you and did not impose any hardship on you in the religion, the faith of your father Ibrāhīm. He (Allah) named you as Muslims earlier and also in this (Qur’ān), so that the Messenger becomes a witness to you, and you become witnesses to (other) people. So establish Salāh, pay Zakāh and hold fast to Allah. He is your patron. So, how excellent He is as a patron, and how excellent as a supporter!

— T. Usmani

[https://quran.com/22/78]

Muslims call themselves Ummat e Muhammadi (The Ummah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ).

The Quran, Surah an-Nahl, ayat 120 states about Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) as an Ummat:

The Bee (16:120)

إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةًۭ قَانِتًۭا لِّلَّهِ حَنِيفًۭا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ١٢٠

Indeed, Abraham was a model of excellence: devoted to Allah, ˹perfectly˺ upright—not a polytheist—

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

Surely, Ibrāhīm was an Ummah (a whole community in himself), devoted to Allah, a man of pure faith; and he was not among the Mushriks (i.e. those who associate partners with Allah)

— T. Usmani

[https://quran.com/16/120]

So, instead of assuming that Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) and his household were the only Muslims, other than his cousin Lot (Lut عليه السلام) and his family, may be we should start acknowledging that human history has always been remarkable and advanced; that there have always existed monotheists and polytheists, and the struggle between truth and falsehood is at least as ancient as recorded history, or more.

...

References & Links

Abraham's Early Life (Jewish learning)

Related posts in my blogs:

The Ancient House

Wronging the Nafs - II (The Forbidden & The Sacred)

No ilah but Allah لا إله إلا الله

With Our Hands

The Blessing of Cattle

Ancient (الۡعَتِيۡقِ)

The Example of The Fly

The Hajj