Definition of concision by omission:Omitting a word indicated by context or a clue — with the meaning complete and rhetorical power enhanced by the omission.
The verse:
"Upon the people is a pilgrimage to the House — for whoever is able to find a way to it." (3:97)
The understood omission:
"Upon the people" — meaning "it is obligatory upon the people" — the verb "is obligatory" is omitted. This omission brings:
- Implicit emphasis: a nominal sentence is more stable than a verbal one
- Magnification of the right: "upon the people Allah has" — Allah is the absolute creditor like a debt that never lapses
- Concision: one sentence combines obligation, ability, location, and condition
Other examples of concision by omission:
- "And your Lord came" (89:22) — understood: His command or power
- "Ask the town" (12:82) — understood: ask the people of the town
Al-Jurjani: "Omission when indicated by context is more eloquent than explicit mention — because it activates the listener's mind and partners them in constructing the meaning."
Question: What is the omission in "upon the people is a pilgrimage to the House"? What is the rhetorical effect of this omission?
Answer: The omission: "is obligatory." The effect: the nominal sentence is more stable, and depicting hajj as a debt owed to Allah gives it the weight of an inviolable right that never lapses.