THE KORAN. SURAH 22. AL-HAJJ* INTRODUCTORY ARTICLE, TRANSLATED FROM ARABIC AND COMMENTS BY V. D. USHAKOV Surah 22 is called Hajj, because many of its lines (ayats 25-38) are devoted to an important religious rite of Muslims, designated by this word. Hajj (hajj) is a pilgrimage to Mecca, to the Holy Mosque and to the sacred "black stone" - the Kaaba, one of the five "pillars" (rukn) of Islam, mandatory for every Muslim who is able to perform it. Other parts of the Surah refer to the need for firmness of faith, the obligation to fulfill the Lord's precepts, the good reward for pious believers, and the severe punishment for sinners and apostates. The surah also speaks about the omnipotence of God and His great deeds as a Creator, and in some verses - about the machinations of evil forces against the Prophet Muhammad and his companions. However, it is noted that hostile forces will be defeated, and the good cause of the young monotheistic religion-Islam-will certainly prevail. In our time, when certain religious and political circles try to oppose one faith to another, take on the role of indisputable judges on matters of Faith, considering only their religion the best, the most correct, while making aggressive, and sometimes criminal, far-reaching conclusions from these premises, it is very important to pay attention to those ayats of this article. surahs (22: 17,69), from which it follows that God is the Only Judge capable of judging human differences in matters of Faith. Thus, Ayat 22: 17 says: "On the Day of Resurrection, the Lord will judge: those who believe [in the Qur'an], and the Jews, and the Sabeans, [that the stars are worshipped], and the Christians, and those who worship fire, and those who give themselves up to many gods" (22:17). Naturally, it does not say that the Lord will show His mercy to all representatives of these beliefs. However, God's mercy to the righteous Jews, Christians, and Sabeans is described in Verses 2: 62 and 5: 69. Even to the polyth ... Читать далее