22:34

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٖ جَعَلۡنَا مَنسَكٗا لِّيَذۡكُرُواْ ٱسۡمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّنۢ بَهِيمَةِ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِۗ فَإِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞ فَلَهُۥٓ أَسۡلِمُواْۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلۡمُخۡبِتِينَ

Walikulli ommatin jaAAalna mansakan liyathkuroo isma Allahi AAala ma razaqahum min baheemati alanAAami failahukum ilahun wahidun falahu aslimoo wabashshiri almukhbiteena

And for all religion We have appointed a rite [of sacrifice] that they may mention the name of Allah over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. For your god is one God, so to Him submit. And, [O Muhammad], give good tidings to the humble [before their Lord]

Word by word
  1. وَلِكُلِّAnd for every
  2. أُمَّةٖnation
  3. جَعَلۡنَاWe have appointed
  4. مَنسَكٗاa rite
  5. لِّيَذۡكُرُواْthat they may mention
  6. ٱسۡمَ(the) name
  7. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  8. عَلَىٰover
  9. مَاwhat
  10. رَزَقَهُمHe (has) provided them
  11. مِّنۢof
  12. بَهِيمَةِ(the) beast
  13. ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِۗ(of) cattle
  14. فَإِلَٰهُكُمۡAnd your God
  15. إِلَٰهٞ(is) God
  16. وَٰحِدٞOne
  17. فَلَهُۥٓso to Him
  18. أَسۡلِمُواْۗsubmit
  19. وَبَشِّرِAnd give glad tidings
  20. ٱلۡمُخۡبِتِينَ(to) the humble ones
Al-Hajj · 22:34Madinah

Every nation had a rite; the God is One.

Many rites, one Lord, and good news for the humble


Across the nations
every nationgiven a rite
to
mention His nameover His provision
because
your God is Oneso submit to Him
Who gets good news
the loud and proudwho show off
the humblecontent, submitting

Ibn Kathir says sacrifice in Allah's name was prescribed for all nations. Laws differed between prophets, but every messenger called to worship Allah alone. Mujahid said the humble here are those who find contentment in their faith.

You meet someone from another background whose grandparents also gave thanks before slaughter, or fasted, or prayed. The verse says that echo is not an accident: one Lord sent the call through many prophets.

My worship is just my culture's habit.

Every true rite pointed to the same One God; mine is an answer to Him.

Try this

Say Bismillah and Allahu Akbar before your next meal, slowly, meaning it.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that they may mention the Name of Allah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food. And your God is One God, so you must submit to Him Alone. And give glad tidings to the Mukhbitin (34)Whose hearts are filled with fear when Allah is mentioned, and the patient who bear whatever may befall them, and who perform the Salah, and who spend out of what We have provided for them (35)

Rites of Sacrifice have been prescribed for every Nation in the World

Allah tells us that sacrifice and shedding blood in the Name of Allah has been prescribed for all nations. 'Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn 'Abbas said,

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا

(And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies,) "Festivals." 'Ikrimah said, "Sacrifices."

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا

(And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies,) Zayd bin Aslam said, "This means Makkah; Allah did not appoint religious ceremonies anywhere else for any nation."

لِّيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ

(that they may mention the Name of Allah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food.) It was recorded in the Two Sahihs that Anas said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ brought two fat, horned rams; he said Bismillah and Allahu Akbar, then he put his foot on their necks.

فَإِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَلَهُ أَسْلِمُوا

(And your God is One God, so you must submit to Him Alone.) Your God is One, even though the Laws of the Prophets may vary and may abrogate one another. All of the Prophets called mankind to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate.

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ

(And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (saying): None has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me.)(21:25). Allah says:

فَلَهُ أَسْلِمُوا

(so you must submit to Him Alone.) meaning, submit to His commands and obey Him in all sincerity.

وَبَشِّرِ الْمُخْبِتِينَ

(And give glad tidings to the Mukhbitin.) Mujahid said about Mukhbitin, "Those who find contentment in their faith." Ath-Thawri said, "Those who find contentment in their faith and who accept the decree of Allah and submit to Him." It is better to interpret it by what comes next, which is:

الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ

(Whose hearts are filled with fear when Allah is mentioned,) meaning, their hearts fear Him.

وَالصَّابِرِينَ عَلَىٰ مَا أَصَابَهُمْ

(and the patient who bear whatever may befall them) meaning, of afflictions.

وَالْمُقِيمِي الصَّلَاةِ

(and who perform the Salah,) they fulfill the duties which Allah has enjoined upon them, the duty of performing the obligatory prayers.

وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

(and who spend out of what We have provided for them.) the good provision which Allah has given them. They spend on their families and servants, and on the poor and needy; they treat people kindly while remaining within the limits set by Allah. This is in contrast to the hypocrites, who are the opposite of all this, as we have discussed in the Tafsir of Surah Bara'ah; to Allah be praise and blessings.