The Surah entitled Repentance, or At-Tawbah, was revealed in the 9th year of the Islamic calendar, and polytheists were banned from tawaf in the Ka bah altogether. The Prophet offered his pilgrimage in the following year. Hence, the duty of offering pilgrimage may have been legislated earlier, and this verse many have been revealed in the early part of the Prophet s settlement in Madinah, probably around the time of the battle of Uhud which took place in the third year of the Islamic calendar. This clear statement imposes this obligation of pilgrimage, in the terms of a right which Allah demands from all people who are able to make the journey. Allah set up on earth for His own worship.
Pilgrimage is, therefore, an assembly of great significance.
It has its historical associations which centre around the noble concept of faith which highlights the link between man and his Creator. Faith means man s spiritual response of Allah, a fact of great significance considering that only with a blow of Allah s spirit man has acquired his humanity. It is a worthy concept as a basis for human unity. Hence, it is appropriate that people should assemble every year at the Sacred Place which witnessed the birth of this call to mankind to unite on pure faith. Having provided this clarification, the surah instructs the Prophet to address the people of earlier revelation denouncing their attitude toward the truth of this message.