فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُم مَّنَـٰسِكَكُمْ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ كَذِكْرِكُمْ ءَابَآءَكُمْ أَوْ أَشَدَّ ذِكْرًا ۗ فَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَـٰقٍ 200
Translations
And when you have completed your rites, remember Allāh like your [previous] remembrance of your fathers or with [much] greater remembrance. And among the people is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world," and he will have in the Hereafter no share.
Transliteration
Fa-idha qadaytum manasikakum fadhkuru Allaha kadhikrikum aba'akum aw ashadda dhikra. Famina an-nasi man yaqolu Rabbana atina fi ad-dunya wa ma lahu fi al-akhirati min khalaq.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands believers to remember Allah after completing the rites of Hajj with remembrance equal to or greater than how they remember their fathers, emphasizing the paramount importance of dhikr (remembrance of Allah). The second part warns against those who concern themselves only with worldly gains and have no share in the Hereafter, illustrating the spiritual danger of forgetting Allah after worship. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this ayah addresses the pre-Islamic practice of glorifying ancestors and redirects that devotion toward remembrance of Allah, while Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that true completion of Hajj requires continuous divine remembrance beyond the ritual itself.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of Hajj instructions in Surah Al-Baqarah, which is a Medinan surah. It follows verses about the rituals of Hajj and addresses believers who had just completed or were about to undertake this fifth pillar. The context reflects the early Islamic community's transition from pre-Islamic practices of ancestor veneration to monotheistic devotion.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of supplications is the supplication on the Day of Arafah' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized: 'Whoever performs Hajj for Allah's sake and does not utter obscenity or commit sin, will return as pure as the day his mother bore him' (Sahih Bukhari), connecting physical completion of Hajj to spiritual purification through remembrance.
Themes
Key Lesson
Worship and ritual are not complete without continuous remembrance of Allah; believers must prioritize their eternal relationship with the Divine over temporary worldly pursuits. The ayah teaches that true devotion extends beyond formal worship into daily life, requiring believers to maintain conscious awareness of Allah's presence and purpose at all times.