Surah 22. Al-Hajj, Ayah 27

Lit., "proclaim thou the pilgrimage among the people", i.e., the believers (Tabari). Most of the commentators assume that this passage is a continuation of God's command to Abraham; but some of them - in particular, Al-Hasan al-Basri - consider it to have been addressed to the Prophet Muhammad. (Regarding the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, as instituted in Islam, see {2:196-203} and the corresponding notes.)

Lit., "lean mount" - an expression which has induced some of the commentators to assume that it denotes "a camel that has become lean on account of a long and fatiguing journey". However, the verb dammarahu or admarahu relates in classical Arabic not only to camels but also to horses, and has the meaning of "he made it [i.e., the mount] lean and fit [for racing or warl"; thus, the noun midmar signifies "a training-ground where horses are prepared for racing or war", as well as "a race-course" (Jawhari, Asas, etc.; cf. also Lane V, 1803 f.). Hence, the adjectival noun damir - especially when contrasted, as above, with the expression rijalan ("on foot") - has the connotation of "fleetness" or more properly, "fitness for speed", and may by inference be applied to every kind of "fast conveyance".

 According to Ibn Kathîr, Abraham (ﷺ) said to Allah, “But my voice cannot reach all peoples.” Allah responded, “You make the call, and We will deliver the invitation to all.”

When the Pilgrimage was proclaimed, people came to it for every quarter, near and far, on foot and mounted. The "lean camel" coming after a fatiguing journey through distant mountain roads typifies the difficulties of travel, which Pilgrims disregard on account of the temporal and spiritual benefits referred to in the next verse.