Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Hajj Verse 37

Mufti Taqi Usmani

It is neither their flesh nor their blood that reaches Allah, but what does reach Him is the taqwā (the sense of obedience) on your part. Thus He has made them (the animals) subjugated to you, so that you proclaim Allah’s glory for the guidance He gave you. And give good news to those who are good in their deeds.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Neither their meat nor blood reaches Allah. Rather, it is your piety that reaches Him. This is how He has subjected them to you so that you may proclaim the greatness of Allah for what He has guided you to, and give good news to the good-doers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

It is neither their flesh nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is your piety that reaches Him. This is how He has subjected them to you, so that you may proclaim Allah’s greatness for having guided you. And give glad tidings to those who do good.

A. J. Arberry

The flesh of them shall not reach God, neither their blood, but godliness from you shall reach Him. So He has subjected them to you, that you may magnify God for that He has guided you. And give thou good tidings unto the good-doers.

Abdul Haleem

It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches God but your piety. He has subjected them to you in this way so that you may glorify God for having guided you. Give good news to those who do good:

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Their flesh reacheth not Allah nor their blood: but it is Piety from you that reacheth Him. Thus He hath subjected them to you, that ye may magnify Allah for He hath guided you; and bear thou glad tidings unto the welldoers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

It is not their meat nor their blood, that reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him; He has thus made them subject to you, that ye may glorify Allah for His Guidance to you and proclaim the good news to all who do right.

Abul Ala Maududi

Neither their flesh reaches Allah nor their blood; it is your piety that reaches Him. He has subjected these animals (to you) that you may magnify Allah for the guidance He has bestowed upon you. Give glad tidings, (O Prophet), to those who do good.

Ahmed Ali

It is not their meat or blood that reaches God: It is the fealty of your heart that reaches him. That is why He has subjugated them to you that you may glorify God for having shown you the way. So give glad tidings to those who are doers of good.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Never does their flesh nor their blood reach Allah, but your piety successfully reaches Him; this is how We have given them in your control so that you may speak His Greatness for guiding you; and O dear Prophet (Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) give glad tidings to the virtuous.

Ali Quli Qarai

It is not their flesh or blood that reaches Allah; rather, it is your piety that reaches Him. Thus has He disposed them for your benefit so that you may magnify Allah for His guiding you. And give good news to the virtuous.

Ali Ünal

(Bear in mind that) neither their flesh nor their blood reaches God, but only piety and consciousness of God reach Him from you. (It is for the purposes and benefits mentioned, and based on the principles mentioned) that We have put them in your service so that you must exalt God because He has guided you (to correct belief and worship and obedience to Him). Give glad tidings to those devoted to doing good, aware that God is seeing them.

Amatul Rahman Omar

It is neither their flesh nor their blood (of these sacrifices) which matters to Allâh but it is guarding against evil and devotion to duty on your part that matters to Him. Thus He has made them subservient to you that you may proclaim the greatness of Allâh for His guiding you. And give glad tidings to the doers of good to others.

English Literal

God will not take/receive its meat , and nor its blood, and but He takes/receives the fear and obedience from you, as/like that He manipulated/subjugated it for you to greaten/magnify God on what He guided you, and announce good news (to) the good doers.

Faridul Haque

Never does their flesh nor their blood reach Allah, but your piety successfully reaches Him; this is how We have given them in your control so that you may speak His Greatness for guiding you; and O dear Prophet (Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him) give glad tidings to the virtuous.

Hamid S. Aziz

The camels! We have appointed them for you as one of the symbols of Allah. Therein have you much good; so mention the name of Allah over them as they stand in a row, and when they are down (dead after slaughter) eat of them, and feed the easily contented (the poor that beg not) and him who begs with humility. Thus have We subjected them to you; per chance (or possibly), you may give thanks.

Hilali & Khan

It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him. Thus have We made them subject to you that you may magnify Allah for His Guidance to you. And give glad tidings (O Muhammad SAW) to the Muhsinun (doers of good).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And the camels, We have made them of the signs appointed by Allah for you -- for you therein is much good. So mention the name of Allah on them standing in a row. Then when they fall down on their sides, eat of them and feed the contented one and the beggar. Thus have We made them subservient to you that you may be grateful.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

There does not reach Allah their flesh nor their blood, but to Him is acceptable the guarding (against evil) on your part; thus has He made them subservient to you, that you may magnify Allah because He has guided you aright; and give good news to those who do good (to others).

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Their flesh and their food reach not Allah, but the devotion from you reacheth Him. Thus have We made them subject unto you that ye may magnify Allah that He hath guided you. And give good tidings (O Muhammad) to the good.

Muhammad Sarwar

It is not the flesh and blood of your sacrifice that pleases God. What pleases God is your piety. God has made subservient to you the sacrificial animals so that perhaps you will glorify Him; He is guiding you. (Muhammad), give the glad news (of God's mercy) to the righteous people.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Their flesh and blood does not reach Allah rather it is piety from you that reaches Him. As such He has subjected them to you, in order that you exalt Allahfor guiding you. And give glad tidings to the generous.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is Taqwa from you that reaches Him. Thus have We made them subject to you that you may proclaim Allah's greatness for His guidance to you. And give glad tidings to the doers of good.

Wahiduddin Khan

Their flesh and blood do not reach God: it is your piety that reaches Him. Thus God has subjected them to you, so that you may glorify Him for the guidance He has given you. Give glad tidings to those who do good.

Talal Itani

Neither their flesh, nor their blood, ever reaches God. What reaches Him is the righteousness from you. Thus He subdued them to you, that you may glorify God for guiding you. And give good news to the charitable.

Tafsir jalalayn

Neither their flesh nor their blood shall reach God, that is, neither of these shall be raised up to Him; rather it is your piety that shall reach Him, that is, it is your righteous action, performed purely for Him, together with [your] faith, that shall be raised up to Him. Thus has He disposed them for you, that you may magnify God for His guiding you, for His pointing out to you the [ritual] ceremonies of His religion and the rites of His pilgrimage. And give good tidings to the virtuous, namely, those who affirm the Oneness [of God].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Goal of the Udhiyyah (Sacrifice) according to Allah is the Sincerity and Taqwa of His Servant

Allah says;this sacrifice is prescribed for you so that you will remember Him at the time of slaughter, for He is the Creator and Provider. Nothing of its flesh or blood reaches Him, for He has no need of anything other than Himself. During the time of Jahiliyyah, when they offered sacrifices to their gods, they would put some of the meat of their sacrifices on their idols, and sprinkle the blood over them. But Allah says;

لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاوُهَا

It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah,

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn Jurayj said,

"The people of the Jahiliyyah used to put the meat of their sacrifices and sprinkle the blood on the House, and the Companions of the Messenger of Allah said, "We have more right to do that."

Then Allah revealed the words;

لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاوُهَا وَلَكِن يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَى مِنكُمْ

It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is Taqwa from you that reaches Him.

That is what He will accept and reward for, as mentioned in the Sahih,

إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَا إِلَى أَلْوَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُم

Allah does not look to your appearance or your colors, but He looks to your hearts and deeds.

And in the Hadith;

Indeed charity falls in the Hand of Ar-Rahman before it falls in the hand of the one asking.

كَذَلِكَ سَخَّرَهَا لَكُمْ

Thus have We made them subject to you,

meaning, `for this purpose We have subjugated the Budn for you,'

لِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ

that you may proclaim Allah's greatness for His guidance to you.

means, that you may glorify Him for guiding you to His religion and His way which He loves and is pleased with, and has forbidden you to do all that He hates and rejects.

وَبَشِّرِ الْمُحْسِنِينَ



And give glad tidings to the doers of good.

means, `give good news, O Muhammad, to those who do good,' i.e., whose deeds are good and who remain within the limits prescribed by Allah, who follow that which has been prescribed for them, who believe in the Messenger and follow that which he has conveyed from his Lord.

Note;
The Udhiyyah is Sunnah, Mustahabbah One animal is sufficient on behalf of all the members of one household.
Ibn Umar said,
"The Messenger of Allah continued to offer sacrifice for ten years."
This was recorded by At-Tirmidhi.
Abu Ayub said;
"At the time of the Messenger of Allah, a man would sacrifice a sheep on behalf of himself and all the members of his household, and they would eat from it and feed others, until the people started boasting (by sacrificing more than one) and things reached the stage that you see now."

This was recorded by At-Tirmidhi, who graded it Sahih, and by Ibn Majah.

Abdullah bin Hisham used to sacrifice one sheep on behalf of his entire family; this was recorded by Al-Bukhari.

Concerning how old the sacrificial animal should be, Muslim recorded from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah said;

لَاا تَذْبَحُوا إِلاَّ مُسِنَّةً إِلاَّ أَنْ تَعْسُرَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَذْبَحُوا جَذَعَةً مِنَ الضَّأْن


Do not sacrifice any but mature animals, and if that is not possible, then sacrifice a young sheep.