وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا لِّيَذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّنۢ بَهِيمَةِ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ ۗ فَإِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ فَلَهُۥٓ أَسْلِمُوا۟ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُخْبِتِينَ 34
Translations
And for every [religious] community We have appointed a rite [of sacrifice] that they may mention the name of Allāh over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. For your god is one God, so to Him submit. And, [O Muḥammad], give good tidings to the humble [before their Lord]
Transliteration
Wa-likulli ummatin jaAAalna mansakan liyadhkuroo isma Allahi AAala ma razaqahum min bahimati al-anAAami fa-ilahukum ilahun wahidun falahu aslimoo wa-bashshiri al-mukhbitīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah has prescribed for each community a rite of sacrifice (mansak) through which they remember Allah's name over the livestock He has provided them, establishing that all worship is directed to the One God alone. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that sacrificial rites across communities share the common purpose of honoring Allah and demonstrating submission, while Al-Tabari notes that 'mansak' refers to the prescribed rituals and the place of worship, with the ultimate goal being remembrance of Allah's blessings and unity of purpose.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan Surah Al-Hajj, which discusses the rites of pilgrimage and sacrifice. It comes in the context of explaining the universal nature of Allah's commands across different prophetic communities, affirming that sacrifice is not unique to Islam but a longstanding practice ordained by Allah for spiritual purification and gratitude.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'There is no deed on the Day of Arafah more beloved to Allah than spilling blood (sacrifice), for on the Day of Resurrection it will come with its horns, hair, and hooves' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, Jabir ibn Abdullah reported that the Prophet said: 'For every hair of the sacrifice, you receive a reward' (Ibn Majah).
Themes
Key Lesson
Every act of worship, including sacrifice, should be performed with conscious remembrance of Allah and gratitude for His blessings, reinforcing that all our deeds are an expression of sincere submission to the One God. This teaches believers that ritual observance without spiritual consciousness is incomplete, and that obedience to Allah's commands—whether in pilgrimage, sacrifice, or daily life—is fundamentally an acknowledgment of His unity and our absolute dependence on His provision.
Related Ayahs
حُنَفَآءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِۦ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ ٱلطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِى بِهِ ٱلرِّيحُ فِى مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ
Inclining [only] to Allāh, not associating [anything] with Him. And he who associates with Allāh - it is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or the wind carried him down into a remote place.
لِّيَشْهَدُوا۟ مَنَـٰفِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ فِىٓ أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَـٰتٍ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّنۢ بَهِيمَةِ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ ۖ فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا۟ ٱلْبَآئِسَ ٱلْفَقِيرَ
That they may witness [i.e., attend] benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allāh on known [i.e., specific] days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.
لَكُمْ فِيهَا مَنَـٰفِعُ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ثُمَّ مَحِلُّهَآ إِلَى ٱلْبَيْتِ ٱلْعَتِيقِ
For you therein [i.e., the animals marked for sacrifice] are benefits for a specified term; then their place of sacrifice is at the ancient House.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱرْكَعُوا۟ وَٱسْجُدُوا۟ وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ وَٱفْعَلُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ۩
O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord and do good - that you may succeed.