Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Al-Mā’idah
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَوۡفُواْ بِٱلۡعُقُودِۚ أُحِلَّتۡ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ إِلَّا مَا يُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡ غَيۡرَ مُحِلِّي ٱلصَّيۡدِ وَأَنتُمۡ حُرُمٌۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحۡكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ
(1) You who Believe, honour obligations[1090]. Livestock[1091] ˹consuming˺ has been made lawful to you, except what is recited to you[1092]. You should not pronounce hunting lawful while you are in a state of sanctity[1093]—indeed Allah decrees whatever He wants[1094].
[1090] al-ʿUqūd (lit. contracts) are the pledges that one has with God and other human beings (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī). They denote solemn undertakings or engagements involving more than one party. This opening command is a strong reminder to the Believers of their binding obligations and is meant to put them in the right frame of mind to receive the commandments that are to come. Belief is a ‘contract’ between God and the Believers and it has to be honoured.
Alternatively, these first two ayas can also be understood within the context of what is known as ʿumrat al-qaḍā’ (the ʿumrah of recompense) (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr, 1/59), which took place in the sacrosanct month of Dhū al-Qiʿdah on the year that followed the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah (the stipulates of which are probably the ‘obligations’ alluded to in this aya). As per the treaty, the Prophet (ﷺ) along with the Muslims were turned back from performing ʿumrah, only to be given license to perform it the following year. The Prophet (ﷺ) was accompanied on it by a 2,000 strong contingent of lightly armed well-built men, a fact which was pointed out to the Deniers. The call for self-restraint to curb aggression out of ‘resentment’ particularly in a sacrosanct month, not harming those who are also performing the rites, whilst probably not Muslim but nevertheless peaceful, as well as the ‘garlanded’ offerings, a pilgrimage practice that existed before Islam, lead to this reading. Yet it has to be stressed that these two ayas cannot be circumscribed by any historical reference but rather have timeless, general import as is the case with all Qur’anic ayas.
[1091] The Qur’anic term used here is bahīmat al-anʿām. The word baḥīmah refers to creatures which cannot speak and/or cannot be understood, while al-anʿām is a collective denomination for such edible grazing animals as camel, cows, goats and sheep (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah).
[1092] That is the forbidden food explained in Aya 3 below. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1093] Ḥurum, in a state of sanctity, means whether you are donning iḥrām to perform Hajj or ʿumrah, or whether you are within the inviolable precincts, the ḥaram area (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1094] A Believer’s duty is to listen and obey whatever God’s command is: “It is not for a Believer – man or woman – when Allah and His Messenger decree a matter to have any other choice in the matter. Indeed, whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has clearly gone far astray” (33: 36). The ethos of Sincere Faith, which is lead by the heart, is being evoked here.
Alternatively, these first two ayas can also be understood within the context of what is known as ʿumrat al-qaḍā’ (the ʿumrah of recompense) (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr, 1/59), which took place in the sacrosanct month of Dhū al-Qiʿdah on the year that followed the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah (the stipulates of which are probably the ‘obligations’ alluded to in this aya). As per the treaty, the Prophet (ﷺ) along with the Muslims were turned back from performing ʿumrah, only to be given license to perform it the following year. The Prophet (ﷺ) was accompanied on it by a 2,000 strong contingent of lightly armed well-built men, a fact which was pointed out to the Deniers. The call for self-restraint to curb aggression out of ‘resentment’ particularly in a sacrosanct month, not harming those who are also performing the rites, whilst probably not Muslim but nevertheless peaceful, as well as the ‘garlanded’ offerings, a pilgrimage practice that existed before Islam, lead to this reading. Yet it has to be stressed that these two ayas cannot be circumscribed by any historical reference but rather have timeless, general import as is the case with all Qur’anic ayas.
[1091] The Qur’anic term used here is bahīmat al-anʿām. The word baḥīmah refers to creatures which cannot speak and/or cannot be understood, while al-anʿām is a collective denomination for such edible grazing animals as camel, cows, goats and sheep (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah).
[1092] That is the forbidden food explained in Aya 3 below. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1093] Ḥurum, in a state of sanctity, means whether you are donning iḥrām to perform Hajj or ʿumrah, or whether you are within the inviolable precincts, the ḥaram area (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1094] A Believer’s duty is to listen and obey whatever God’s command is: “It is not for a Believer – man or woman – when Allah and His Messenger decree a matter to have any other choice in the matter. Indeed, whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has clearly gone far astray” (33: 36). The ethos of Sincere Faith, which is lead by the heart, is being evoked here.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُحِلُّواْ شَعَٰٓئِرَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا ٱلشَّهۡرَ ٱلۡحَرَامَ وَلَا ٱلۡهَدۡيَ وَلَا ٱلۡقَلَٰٓئِدَ وَلَآ ءَآمِّينَ ٱلۡبَيۡتَ ٱلۡحَرَامَ يَبۡتَغُونَ فَضۡلٗا مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرِضۡوَٰنٗاۚ وَإِذَا حَلَلۡتُمۡ فَٱصۡطَادُواْۚ وَلَا يَجۡرِمَنَّكُمۡ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوۡمٍ أَن صَدُّوكُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ أَن تَعۡتَدُواْۘ وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٰنِۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ
(2) You who Believe,[1095] do not pronounce lawful ˹violation of the sanctity of:˺ Allah’s Symbols[1096], the sacrosanct month[1097], gifted offerings[1098], garlanded sacrifices[1099], those heading for the Sanctified House who seek favour[1100] and pleasure from their Lord; ˹however˺ when you come out of iḥrām then you ˹may˺ hunt. Do not let resentment for the folk who had turned you away from the Sanctified Mosque tempt you into aggression and band together in sincere piety[1101] and Mindfulness, but do not band together unjustly and out of aggression and Be Mindful of Allah—indeed Allah is severe in Punishment.
[1095] These are some of the obligations of the Believers towards God and man.
[1096] Shaʿā’ir (lit. symbols) is the plural of shaʿīrah, which denotes everything that God made as a sign for His worship. Particularly, they also mean the rites and duties of Hajj (cf. al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). The command here warns against the violation of God’s laws and any irreverence of Divinely ordained rites, including those of Hajj (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1097] al-Shahr al-ḥarām is any of the four sacrosanct months (Dhū al-Qiʿdah, Dhū al-Ḥijjah, al-Muḥarram and Rajab, cf. al-Bukhārī: 4662, Muslim: 1679): “Indeed, the number of months ordained by Allah is twelve—in Allah’s Record since the day He created the Heavens and the Earth—of which four are sacrosanct. That is the Right Way. So do not wrong one another during these months” (9: 36). The command here is not to start a fight, nor to transgress and commit sinful deeds during these months (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1098] al-Hady, lit. sacrificial animals gifted to God. The term is limited to those animals intended for slaughter during Hajj or ʿumrah.
[1099] al-Qalā’id are hady (gifted offerings) which are collared around the neck. Garlands of bark, taken from the trees of the inviolable precinct of Makkah, (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz) were put around the necks of unaccompanied offerings: hence, they were safe to roam and graze freely (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah).
[1100] Faḍl here means gains from lawful trade. (Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1101] Cf. note on Aya 3: 92.
[1096] Shaʿā’ir (lit. symbols) is the plural of shaʿīrah, which denotes everything that God made as a sign for His worship. Particularly, they also mean the rites and duties of Hajj (cf. al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). The command here warns against the violation of God’s laws and any irreverence of Divinely ordained rites, including those of Hajj (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1097] al-Shahr al-ḥarām is any of the four sacrosanct months (Dhū al-Qiʿdah, Dhū al-Ḥijjah, al-Muḥarram and Rajab, cf. al-Bukhārī: 4662, Muslim: 1679): “Indeed, the number of months ordained by Allah is twelve—in Allah’s Record since the day He created the Heavens and the Earth—of which four are sacrosanct. That is the Right Way. So do not wrong one another during these months” (9: 36). The command here is not to start a fight, nor to transgress and commit sinful deeds during these months (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1098] al-Hady, lit. sacrificial animals gifted to God. The term is limited to those animals intended for slaughter during Hajj or ʿumrah.
[1099] al-Qalā’id are hady (gifted offerings) which are collared around the neck. Garlands of bark, taken from the trees of the inviolable precinct of Makkah, (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz) were put around the necks of unaccompanied offerings: hence, they were safe to roam and graze freely (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah).
[1100] Faḍl here means gains from lawful trade. (Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1101] Cf. note on Aya 3: 92.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
حُرِّمَتۡ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡمَيۡتَةُ وَٱلدَّمُ وَلَحۡمُ ٱلۡخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيۡرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡمُنۡخَنِقَةُ وَٱلۡمَوۡقُوذَةُ وَٱلۡمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَٱلنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ ٱلسَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيۡتُمۡ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى ٱلنُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسۡتَقۡسِمُواْ بِٱلۡأَزۡلَٰمِۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ فِسۡقٌۗ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ يَئِسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن دِينِكُمۡ فَلَا تَخۡشَوۡهُمۡ وَٱخۡشَوۡنِۚ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَٰمَ دِينٗاۚ فَمَنِ ٱضۡطُرَّ فِي مَخۡمَصَةٍ غَيۡرَ مُتَجَانِفٖ لِّإِثۡمٖ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ
(3) [1102]Forbidden for you is carrion[1103], ˹spilled˺ blood[1104], the flesh of swine, what was offered ˹as sacrifice˺ to others besides Allah[1105], the strangled[1106], the battered, the fallen, the rammed, what is mangled by beasts of prey – except those ˹of these˺ that you slaughter ˹before their dying˺[1107] – what is slaughtered at the altars of idols, and that you allot shares ˹of meat˺ by drawing lots[1108]; ˹all of ˺ that is a serious contravention[1109]. Today[1110] the Deniers have despaired of ˹undermining˺ your religion, so fear them not but fear Me[1111]; today I have perfected your religion for you[1112], finalized My Favour on you and I approve Islam as a religion for you[1113]. ˹But˺ Whoever is forced by wasting hunger ˹to eat of what is forbidden˺, not swayed by sin[1114], then Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
[1102] What follows are the types of forbidden livestock which may not be taken as food; the exception mentioned in Aya 1 above (cf. al-Rāzī). This aya can be understood in light of this: “O Believers, eat of the good things which We provided for you, and be grateful to Allah, if you indeed worship Him ˹alone˺. *Indeed He ˹Allah˺ made unlawful for you carrion, blood, swine flesh, and what was intended ˹as sacrifice˺ for others than Allah; ˹yet˺ whoever is forced ˹by necessity˺ - neither transgressing nor going to excess - he is not guilty of sin—certainly Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (2: 172-173).
[1103] al-Maytah (lit. the ˹meat of ˺ dead ˹animals˺). The ruling here does not include dead sea creatures consumed as food. Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ), when asked about performing wuḍū’ from sea water, replied: “Its water is purifying ˹ṭahūr˺ and its dead ˹maytah˺ is lawful” (Mālik: 45, Abū Dāwūd: 83, al-Tirmidhī: 69).
[1104] What is unlawful is running blood but not the blood captured in vessels after slaughter (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shinqīṭī): “Say ˹Muhammad˺: “I do not find in what has been revealed to me anything forbidden to eat except carrion, running blood, swine’s flesh – which is impure – or a sinful offering in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity – neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need – then surely your Lord is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (6: 145). This aya was revealed prior to the more detailed 5:3 here wherein God ‘perfected’ the religion for Believers.
[1105] Uhilla li-ghayr Allāh-i bih-i is any sacrificial offering over which any name other than Allah’s has been invoked (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1106] The following five categories of animals are unlawful to eat because they expired for specific reasons: al-munkhaniqah is the one that perishes because of insufficient oxygen intake, either as a result of strangulation or suffocation; al-mawqūdhah is killed by hitting with a heavy, blunt object; al-mutaraddiyah is the one that falls to death from an elevated place; al-naṭīḥah is the one that perishes because of ramming and/or butting; mā akala al-sabʿ is that which meets death as a result of being bitten by a carnivore (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī,).
[1107] This exception applies specifically to animals which meet death for certain reasons; should one catch it before it gasps its last breath and one runs the blade through its neck and spills its blood while there is still life in it (dhakāh sharʿiyyah), then it is lawful to eat (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1108] This was an Arab habit before Islam. It is called al-istiqsām bi al-azlām (lit. divining by casting lots), whereby they had three lots (flat marked pieces of wood) dedicated for divinations. On each there was written either: “My Lord commanded me”, “My Lord forbade me”, or nothing at all. A person would abide by what the lot told him, but if he drew the empty one, he recast again until he drew either one of the other two (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). Essentially here, they are forbidden to eat meat that has been divided by casting lots or other means of fallacious divination (cf. al-Jazā’irī).
[1109] Fisq is serious infringement of God’s laws. The word is derived from the imagery of a palm date coming out of its protective covering (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). Rebelling against God’s ordained laws exposes one in the same way as an uncovered palm date is exposed to the elements.
[1110] The day spoken of here is that of ʿArafah during the Prophet’s (ﷺ) Farewell Pilgrimage (ḥajjat al-wadāʿ) in the tenth year of Hijrah (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī) after the great conquest of Makkah and its fall to the Believers, and which is known as the greatest conquest (al-fatḥ al-aʿẓam). Seeing the huge numbers of Believers around the Prophet (ﷺ) on that day, their strength and the solidity of their faith, the Deniers realized, to their great dismay, that Islam as a religion was a reality they had to live with and that it would not be unravelled given the perfection of its laws.
[1111] Now that Believers have seen how strong they are, at last having the upper hand against their enemy, they are told to turn a new page in their history. They are to have no fear in applying the laws of God or in staunchly adhering to them as they were revealed without the slightest alteration.
[1112] That is by making them perform the final pillar of Islam, Hajj, which they were unable to perform before (cf. Ibn Rajab, Laṭā’if al-Maʿārif, p. 279; Ibn ʿĀshūr). Now that the community was ready to receive these rulings, which were either incomplete or not in place before, God has finalized, with full explanation, their religion.
[1113] This is the crowning statement of the whole sura. Ṭāriq Ibn Shihāb (رضي الله عنه) said: “A Jewish man went to ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) and said: “Leader of Believers, there is an aya in your Book which you recite, had it been revealed to us Jews, we would have dedicated the day on which it was revealed for festivities”. ʿUmar replied: “Which aya?” The Jew said: “… today I have perfected your religion for you, finalized My Favour on you and I approve Islam as a religion for you”. ʿUmar then said: “Indeed I know the day on which it was revealed and the place in which it was revealed. It came down to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in ʿArafāt on a Friday” (al-Bukhārī: 45, Muslim: 2017
[1114] The forbidden categories stated above can be consumed in such a scenario whereby a person is compelled by overbearing necessity. He should not be irreverent or careless of the matter, and should only eat the necessary amount to repel danger to life (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1103] al-Maytah (lit. the ˹meat of ˺ dead ˹animals˺). The ruling here does not include dead sea creatures consumed as food. Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ), when asked about performing wuḍū’ from sea water, replied: “Its water is purifying ˹ṭahūr˺ and its dead ˹maytah˺ is lawful” (Mālik: 45, Abū Dāwūd: 83, al-Tirmidhī: 69).
[1104] What is unlawful is running blood but not the blood captured in vessels after slaughter (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shinqīṭī): “Say ˹Muhammad˺: “I do not find in what has been revealed to me anything forbidden to eat except carrion, running blood, swine’s flesh – which is impure – or a sinful offering in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity – neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need – then surely your Lord is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (6: 145). This aya was revealed prior to the more detailed 5:3 here wherein God ‘perfected’ the religion for Believers.
[1105] Uhilla li-ghayr Allāh-i bih-i is any sacrificial offering over which any name other than Allah’s has been invoked (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1106] The following five categories of animals are unlawful to eat because they expired for specific reasons: al-munkhaniqah is the one that perishes because of insufficient oxygen intake, either as a result of strangulation or suffocation; al-mawqūdhah is killed by hitting with a heavy, blunt object; al-mutaraddiyah is the one that falls to death from an elevated place; al-naṭīḥah is the one that perishes because of ramming and/or butting; mā akala al-sabʿ is that which meets death as a result of being bitten by a carnivore (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī,).
[1107] This exception applies specifically to animals which meet death for certain reasons; should one catch it before it gasps its last breath and one runs the blade through its neck and spills its blood while there is still life in it (dhakāh sharʿiyyah), then it is lawful to eat (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1108] This was an Arab habit before Islam. It is called al-istiqsām bi al-azlām (lit. divining by casting lots), whereby they had three lots (flat marked pieces of wood) dedicated for divinations. On each there was written either: “My Lord commanded me”, “My Lord forbade me”, or nothing at all. A person would abide by what the lot told him, but if he drew the empty one, he recast again until he drew either one of the other two (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). Essentially here, they are forbidden to eat meat that has been divided by casting lots or other means of fallacious divination (cf. al-Jazā’irī).
[1109] Fisq is serious infringement of God’s laws. The word is derived from the imagery of a palm date coming out of its protective covering (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). Rebelling against God’s ordained laws exposes one in the same way as an uncovered palm date is exposed to the elements.
[1110] The day spoken of here is that of ʿArafah during the Prophet’s (ﷺ) Farewell Pilgrimage (ḥajjat al-wadāʿ) in the tenth year of Hijrah (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī) after the great conquest of Makkah and its fall to the Believers, and which is known as the greatest conquest (al-fatḥ al-aʿẓam). Seeing the huge numbers of Believers around the Prophet (ﷺ) on that day, their strength and the solidity of their faith, the Deniers realized, to their great dismay, that Islam as a religion was a reality they had to live with and that it would not be unravelled given the perfection of its laws.
[1111] Now that Believers have seen how strong they are, at last having the upper hand against their enemy, they are told to turn a new page in their history. They are to have no fear in applying the laws of God or in staunchly adhering to them as they were revealed without the slightest alteration.
[1112] That is by making them perform the final pillar of Islam, Hajj, which they were unable to perform before (cf. Ibn Rajab, Laṭā’if al-Maʿārif, p. 279; Ibn ʿĀshūr). Now that the community was ready to receive these rulings, which were either incomplete or not in place before, God has finalized, with full explanation, their religion.
[1113] This is the crowning statement of the whole sura. Ṭāriq Ibn Shihāb (رضي الله عنه) said: “A Jewish man went to ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) and said: “Leader of Believers, there is an aya in your Book which you recite, had it been revealed to us Jews, we would have dedicated the day on which it was revealed for festivities”. ʿUmar replied: “Which aya?” The Jew said: “… today I have perfected your religion for you, finalized My Favour on you and I approve Islam as a religion for you”. ʿUmar then said: “Indeed I know the day on which it was revealed and the place in which it was revealed. It came down to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in ʿArafāt on a Friday” (al-Bukhārī: 45, Muslim: 2017
[1114] The forbidden categories stated above can be consumed in such a scenario whereby a person is compelled by overbearing necessity. He should not be irreverent or careless of the matter, and should only eat the necessary amount to repel danger to life (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَآ أُحِلَّ لَهُمۡۖ قُلۡ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتُ وَمَا عَلَّمۡتُم مِّنَ ٱلۡجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱللَّهُۖ فَكُلُواْ مِمَّآ أَمۡسَكۡنَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱسۡمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡهِۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَرِيعُ ٱلۡحِسَابِ
(4) [1115]They ˹the Believers˺ ask you ˹Muhammad˺ about what is lawful for them ˹to eat˺; say: “Lawful for you are ˹all˺ good provisions[1116], and what ˹is caught by˺ the hunting animals[1117] that you trained according to what Allah taught you; then eat of what they catch for you[1118] and mention Allah’s Name over it; and be Mindful of Allah—Indeed Allah is swift in reckoning”.
[1115] Since what is forbidden as food is explained in the previous passage, it is only appropriate to explain what is lawful in answer to the Believers’ query. (al-Shawkānī)
[1116] al-Ṭayyibāt is all food which is useful and enjoyable causing no harm to the body or the intellect. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1117] al-Jawāriḥ (plural of jāriḥa) are animals and birds of prey such as dogs and falcons. The word originates from ijtiraḥ which means to acquire something. (Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt)
[1118] ʿAdiyy Ibn Ḥātim al-Ṭā’iyy (رضي الله عنه) said he said to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): “Messenger of Allah, I set my dog on a prey and mention Allah’s Name (tasmiyah)”. He replied: “When you set your dog and mention Allah’s Name and he catches, kills and eats, then do not eat of the prey because he caught it for himself”. Then I said: “Sometimes I set my dog on a prey and he gets joined by another dog ˹which is not mine˺ and I do not know which one of them caught it”. He answered: “Then do not eat it because you mentioned Allah’s Name for your dog not the other”. (al-Bukhārī: 5486, Muslim: 1929)
[1116] al-Ṭayyibāt is all food which is useful and enjoyable causing no harm to the body or the intellect. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1117] al-Jawāriḥ (plural of jāriḥa) are animals and birds of prey such as dogs and falcons. The word originates from ijtiraḥ which means to acquire something. (Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt)
[1118] ʿAdiyy Ibn Ḥātim al-Ṭā’iyy (رضي الله عنه) said he said to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): “Messenger of Allah, I set my dog on a prey and mention Allah’s Name (tasmiyah)”. He replied: “When you set your dog and mention Allah’s Name and he catches, kills and eats, then do not eat of the prey because he caught it for himself”. Then I said: “Sometimes I set my dog on a prey and he gets joined by another dog ˹which is not mine˺ and I do not know which one of them caught it”. He answered: “Then do not eat it because you mentioned Allah’s Name for your dog not the other”. (al-Bukhārī: 5486, Muslim: 1929)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتُۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ حِلّٞ لَّكُمۡ وَطَعَامُكُمۡ حِلّٞ لَّهُمۡۖ وَٱلۡمُحۡصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ وَٱلۡمُحۡصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ إِذَآ ءَاتَيۡتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحۡصِنِينَ غَيۡرَ مُسَٰفِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِيٓ أَخۡدَانٖۗ وَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِٱلۡإِيمَٰنِ فَقَدۡ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُۥ وَهُوَ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ
(5) Today ˹all˺ good provisions are made lawful for you; and the food of the People of the Book is lawful for you[1119], and your food is lawful for them[1120]. Chaste Believing women and chaste women of those who were given the Book before you ˹are lawful to you˺ given that you hand over their dues to them, joining ˹together with them˺ under ˹holy˺ matrimony not seeking open love[1121] or secret lovers[1122]. Whoever rejects Belief then his deeds have come to naught and in the Hereafter he shall be one of the losers.
[1119] The People of the Book (ahl al-kitāb / alladhīna ūtū-l-kitāb) of all nations are closer to and share a degree of commonality with the Believers because they are originally monotheistic, unlike the outright Associators, which makes eating their food and marrying their women lawful (Riḍā). This relationship is to be maintained, not severed.
[1120] Believers can feed them from their food. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1121] Ghayr musāfiḥīn not acting as wanton fornicators who know no limits. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Baghawī, al-Saʿdī)
[1122] Muttakhidhī akhdān not taking them to be mistresses and paramours with whom you lie down in secret. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Baghawī, al-Saʿdī)
[1120] Believers can feed them from their food. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1121] Ghayr musāfiḥīn not acting as wanton fornicators who know no limits. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Baghawī, al-Saʿdī)
[1122] Muttakhidhī akhdān not taking them to be mistresses and paramours with whom you lie down in secret. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Baghawī, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قُمۡتُمۡ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغۡسِلُواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيَكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡمَرَافِقِ وَٱمۡسَحُواْ بِرُءُوسِكُمۡ وَأَرۡجُلَكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡكَعۡبَيۡنِۚ وَإِن كُنتُمۡ جُنُبٗا فَٱطَّهَّرُواْۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرۡضَىٰٓ أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوۡ جَآءَ أَحَدٞ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡغَآئِطِ أَوۡ لَٰمَسۡتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمۡ تَجِدُواْ مَآءٗ فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدٗا طَيِّبٗا فَٱمۡسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيكُم مِّنۡهُۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجۡعَلَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّنۡ حَرَجٖ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمۡ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعۡمَتَهُۥ عَلَيۡكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ
(6) [1123]You who Believe, when you rise up for Prayer wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads, and ˹wash˺ your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of ceremonial impurity[1124] then purify yourselves[1125]; ˹but˺ if you are ill[1126], travelling, or any of you comes from a low place[1127] ˹to relieve himself ˺, or touched women[1128] and you could not find water then seek clean earth, wiping with it your faces and your hands[1129]; Allah wants not to burden you, but He wants to purify[1130] you and perfect His favour on you[1131] that you may be thankful.
[1123] All the rulings mentioned in this sura are part of the perfection of Islam.
[1124] Janābah (ceremonial impurity) is that state which follows after having sexual intercourse or discharge of sperm because of arousal.
[1125] Fa-ṭṭahharū means to wash yourselves. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
[1126] An illness which hinders people from using water. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1127] al-Ghā’iṭ originally means a depression in the land or ground lower than the surrounding area. Arabs of the time when needing to relieve themselves by urinating or excreting used to seek a low place in order to be hidden from the eyes of others. Later, the meaning was metonymically extended to mean the act of relieving one’s self. (Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah)
[1128] This could figuratively mean having sexual contact with them or literally merely touching them (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). Jurists hold different opinions on this, but the great Companion exegete, known as the interpreter of the Qur’an, Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) opines that it is a euphemism for sexual intercourse (cf. Ibn al-ʿArabī, Aḥkām al-Qur’ān, Ibn Abū Ḥātim, Jaṣṣāṣ, Aḥkām al-Qur’ān).
[1129] That is perform the act of dry ablution or tayammum.
[1130] Both bodily and spiritually. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr)
[1131] By making His laws clear and easy. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, Ibn ʿĀshūr)
[1124] Janābah (ceremonial impurity) is that state which follows after having sexual intercourse or discharge of sperm because of arousal.
[1125] Fa-ṭṭahharū means to wash yourselves. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
[1126] An illness which hinders people from using water. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1127] al-Ghā’iṭ originally means a depression in the land or ground lower than the surrounding area. Arabs of the time when needing to relieve themselves by urinating or excreting used to seek a low place in order to be hidden from the eyes of others. Later, the meaning was metonymically extended to mean the act of relieving one’s self. (Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah)
[1128] This could figuratively mean having sexual contact with them or literally merely touching them (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). Jurists hold different opinions on this, but the great Companion exegete, known as the interpreter of the Qur’an, Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) opines that it is a euphemism for sexual intercourse (cf. Ibn al-ʿArabī, Aḥkām al-Qur’ān, Ibn Abū Ḥātim, Jaṣṣāṣ, Aḥkām al-Qur’ān).
[1129] That is perform the act of dry ablution or tayammum.
[1130] Both bodily and spiritually. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr)
[1131] By making His laws clear and easy. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, Ibn ʿĀshūr)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَمِيثَٰقَهُ ٱلَّذِي وَاثَقَكُم بِهِۦٓ إِذۡ قُلۡتُمۡ سَمِعۡنَا وَأَطَعۡنَاۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
(7) [1132]And remember Allah’s favour[1133] on you and the pledge[1134] by which He bound you when you said: “We listen and we obey”—be Mindful of Allah, indeed Allah knows best what the chests hide.
[1132] This passage which strongly reminds the Believers of their binding pledge with God, including that of respecting His ordained laws, is central to the Believing community. The coming passages which talk about the ‘pledges’ God had with earlier nations and how they reneged on them are illustrative examples that are meant to drive the message home (cf. Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1133] Remembering God’s countless favours and our sincere gratitude to Him make it easier for those of Sincere Faith to follow His commands (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
[1134] To Believe in His Messenger (ﷺ) follow and support him, uphold His religion and deliver the Message to other people (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). ʿUbādah Ibn al-Ṣāmit (رضي الله عنه) said: “We swore an oath of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that we should listen and obey under all circumstances whether we liked it or not, that we would not defy those in charge of us, and that we would stand for what is right wherever we might be and never fear blame to carry out what Allah commanded” (al-Bukhārī: 7199, Muslim: 1840).
[1133] Remembering God’s countless favours and our sincere gratitude to Him make it easier for those of Sincere Faith to follow His commands (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
[1134] To Believe in His Messenger (ﷺ) follow and support him, uphold His religion and deliver the Message to other people (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). ʿUbādah Ibn al-Ṣāmit (رضي الله عنه) said: “We swore an oath of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that we should listen and obey under all circumstances whether we liked it or not, that we would not defy those in charge of us, and that we would stand for what is right wherever we might be and never fear blame to carry out what Allah commanded” (al-Bukhārī: 7199, Muslim: 1840).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّٰمِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَآءَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ وَلَا يَجۡرِمَنَّكُمۡ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوۡمٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُواْۚ ٱعۡدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ
(8) You who Believe, be firmly upright[1135] for Allah, witnesses of justice, and do not let your resentment for ˹some˺ people hold you back from being just; be just, that is closer to Mindfulness. Be Mindful of Allah—Allah is indeed Knowledgeable of what you do.
[1135] Qawwāmūn li Allāh is to be ardent upholders of God’s rights, not seeking fame or worldly gain. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُم مَّغۡفِرَةٞ وَأَجۡرٌ عَظِيمٞ
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ هَمَّ قَوۡمٌ أَن يَبۡسُطُوٓاْ إِلَيۡكُمۡ أَيۡدِيَهُمۡ فَكَفَّ أَيۡدِيَهُمۡ عَنكُمۡۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ
(11) You who Believe remember Allah’s favour on you, when some people intended to raise their hands against you and He held their hands back from ˹harming˺ you and be Mindful of Allah—on Allah let the Believers rely.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
۞ وَلَقَدۡ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِيثَٰقَ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ وَبَعَثۡنَا مِنۡهُمُ ٱثۡنَيۡ عَشَرَ نَقِيبٗاۖ وَقَالَ ٱللَّهُ إِنِّي مَعَكُمۡۖ لَئِنۡ أَقَمۡتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَيۡتُمُ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَءَامَنتُم بِرُسُلِي وَعَزَّرۡتُمُوهُمۡ وَأَقۡرَضۡتُمُ ٱللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنٗا لَّأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنكُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمۡ وَلَأُدۡخِلَنَّكُمۡ جَنَّٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُۚ فَمَن كَفَرَ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ مِنكُمۡ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ
(12) Indeed Allah had taken the pledge of the Children of Israel and We appointed twelve chieftains[1137] from among them. ˹Then˺ Allah[1138] said: “I am with you! If you keep up the Prayer, give out the prescribed alms, Believe in My Messengers and strongly support them[1139], and loan Allah a comely loan[1140], I shall atone you of your sins and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow. Whoever of you Denies after this, then he has lost the right path”.
[1137] Naqīb is the head of a clan. They were charged with taking the oaths of those for whom they were responsible such that they would listen to and obey God’s commandments. They were also required to guide and encourage Believers to adhere to these commandments. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1138] The shift from the first person to the third person pronoun, appending God’s Most High Name, Allah, to the statement of the pledge that follows in its exact wording is meant to underline the solemnity of its purport and the gravity of its dishounoring
[1139] ʿAzzara is to strongly support them against their enemies. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr)
[1140] al-Qarḍ al-ḥasan is spending in the cause of God in expectation of nothing but His reward (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Would there be one who loans Allah a comely loan, so that Allah would multiply it for him manifold—Allah tightens and loosens, and unto Him you shall return” (2: 245).
[1138] The shift from the first person to the third person pronoun, appending God’s Most High Name, Allah, to the statement of the pledge that follows in its exact wording is meant to underline the solemnity of its purport and the gravity of its dishounoring
[1139] ʿAzzara is to strongly support them against their enemies. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr)
[1140] al-Qarḍ al-ḥasan is spending in the cause of God in expectation of nothing but His reward (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Would there be one who loans Allah a comely loan, so that Allah would multiply it for him manifold—Allah tightens and loosens, and unto Him you shall return” (2: 245).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
فَبِمَا نَقۡضِهِم مِّيثَٰقَهُمۡ لَعَنَّٰهُمۡ وَجَعَلۡنَا قُلُوبَهُمۡ قَٰسِيَةٗۖ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلۡكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ وَنَسُواْ حَظّٗا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِۦۚ وَلَا تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَىٰ خَآئِنَةٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا مِّنۡهُمۡۖ فَٱعۡفُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَٱصۡفَحۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ
(13) Because of their reneging on their pledge We Damned them and caused their hearts to harden[1141]; they distort discourse from its ˹proper˺ position[1142] and forgot a portion of what they were reminded[1143]. You ˹Muhammad˺ will always unearth a treacherous act of theirs, except few of them. So forgive and pardon them—indeed Allah loves the good doers[1144].
[1141] Qulūbuhum qāsiyah means that they were made hard-hearted and heedless to admonition. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1142] Yuḥarrifūna al-kalima ʿan mawāḍiʿih; they distort the purport of God’s revealed words (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). The description employed here of how the Jews distorted the purport of their Scriptures is a very delicate one. Yuḥarrifu means to slant, to skew and to steer something away from its direction. Moreover, al-Rāzī makes a distinction between yuḥarrifūna al-kalima ʿan mawāḍʿihi (distort discourse from its ˹proper˺ position) as found in this aya and yuḥarrifūna al-kalima min baʿdi mawāḍʿihi (distort discourse from its ˹fully-known proper˺ position) as found in Aya 41 below. al-Rāzī holds it that the first means they distorted the purport and misinterpreted the Words of God; whereas the second means that they both distorted the Words of God and physically removed them from their Scriptures.
The Qur’an details some examples of forms through which this ‘distortion’ takes shape.
[1143] God’s revelation to them. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1144] al-Muḥsinīn are those who overlook any harm done to them and pardon those who injured them. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1142] Yuḥarrifūna al-kalima ʿan mawāḍiʿih; they distort the purport of God’s revealed words (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). The description employed here of how the Jews distorted the purport of their Scriptures is a very delicate one. Yuḥarrifu means to slant, to skew and to steer something away from its direction. Moreover, al-Rāzī makes a distinction between yuḥarrifūna al-kalima ʿan mawāḍʿihi (distort discourse from its ˹proper˺ position) as found in this aya and yuḥarrifūna al-kalima min baʿdi mawāḍʿihi (distort discourse from its ˹fully-known proper˺ position) as found in Aya 41 below. al-Rāzī holds it that the first means they distorted the purport and misinterpreted the Words of God; whereas the second means that they both distorted the Words of God and physically removed them from their Scriptures.
The Qur’an details some examples of forms through which this ‘distortion’ takes shape.
[1143] God’s revelation to them. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1144] al-Muḥsinīn are those who overlook any harm done to them and pardon those who injured them. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا نَصَٰرَىٰٓ أَخَذۡنَا مِيثَٰقَهُمۡ فَنَسُواْ حَظّٗا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِۦ فَأَغۡرَيۡنَا بَيۡنَهُمُ ٱلۡعَدَاوَةَ وَٱلۡبَغۡضَآءَ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۚ وَسَوۡفَ يُنَبِّئُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَصۡنَعُونَ
(14) And from those who declare themselves Christians[1145] We had taken their pledge but they forgot a portion of what they were reminded; then We incited enmity and hatred among them until the Day of Judgement[1146]—indeed Allah will ˹come˺ to tell them of what they had been crafting.
[1145] Naṣārā in a sense means those who stick up for the Truth (yanṣūrūna al-ḥaqq) (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). The nomenclature is highlighted here to underline the contradiction between their words and deeds (al-Baghawī).
[1146] The ever-raging conflict and sectarian violence among Christians is God inflicted.
[1146] The ever-raging conflict and sectarian violence among Christians is God inflicted.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ قَدۡ جَآءَكُمۡ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمۡ كَثِيرٗا مِّمَّا كُنتُمۡ تُخۡفُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٖۚ قَدۡ جَآءَكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ نُورٞ وَكِتَٰبٞ مُّبِينٞ
(15) People of the Book, here is Our Messenger coming to you to reveal[1147] to you much of what you used to hide of the Book and overlooks much[1148]—indeed there has come to you a Light from Allah and a clarifying Book[1149];
[1147] Yubayyinu (lit. to explain).
[1148] That is those segments of earlier scriptures which are of no particular use anymore. (al-Wāḥidī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1149] The Qur’an. (Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1148] That is those segments of earlier scriptures which are of no particular use anymore. (al-Wāḥidī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1149] The Qur’an. (Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَهۡدِي بِهِ ٱللَّهُ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ رِضۡوَٰنَهُۥ سُبُلَ ٱلسَّلَٰمِ وَيُخۡرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذۡنِهِۦ وَيَهۡدِيهِمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٖ مُّسۡتَقِيمٖ
(16) by it Allah guides those who follow His Pleasure to the path of peace[1150] and delivers them from utter darkness into light with His permission; He guides them to a Straight Path[1151].
[1150] Subul al-salām are the laws of Islam which lead those who Believe to deliverance and peace in this life and the Hereafter until they are safely admitted into Paradise, the Home of Peace (Dār al-Salām: cf. 10: 25). (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shinqīṭī)
[1151] This aya is central for understanding much of what is to come. The Qur’an being a Light, a Clarifying Book and the last revealed Scripture to humanity will set about detailing laws which lead people to the path of peace and delivers them from utter darkness into light. In the process it ‘reveals’ some laws found in earlier Scriptures, which were either lost or distorted beyond recognition, and overlooks many such other laws that were abrogated by those of Islam. This is meant to prove to people, the People of the Book in particular, the Truthfulness of Islam and to guide them via its Messenger (ﷺ) to God’s Pleasure, the path of peace and to the Straight Path.
[1151] This aya is central for understanding much of what is to come. The Qur’an being a Light, a Clarifying Book and the last revealed Scripture to humanity will set about detailing laws which lead people to the path of peace and delivers them from utter darkness into light. In the process it ‘reveals’ some laws found in earlier Scriptures, which were either lost or distorted beyond recognition, and overlooks many such other laws that were abrogated by those of Islam. This is meant to prove to people, the People of the Book in particular, the Truthfulness of Islam and to guide them via its Messenger (ﷺ) to God’s Pleasure, the path of peace and to the Straight Path.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
لَّقَدۡ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَۚ قُلۡ فَمَن يَمۡلِكُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـًٔا إِنۡ أَرَادَ أَن يُهۡلِكَ ٱلۡمَسِيحَ ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ وَأُمَّهُۥ وَمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعٗاۗ وَلِلَّهِ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَاۚ يَخۡلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ
(17) [1152]Deniers indeed are those who say: “Allah is the Messiah, son of Maryam”. Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Who had it in his power to have withheld Allah from annihilating the Messiah son of Maryam and his mother, and ˹for that matter˺ all that exists on Earth! To Allah belongs the dominion of the Heavens and Earth and all there is between them, He creates whatever He wills—Allah is indeed Able over everything.
[1152] The self-assuring claims of the People of the Book are debunked in this passage. This brings them back to reality with a hard-hitting logic whereby they are made to see sense, purify their Faith and join the ranks of Believers.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَقَالَتِ ٱلۡيَهُودُ وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ نَحۡنُ أَبۡنَٰٓؤُاْ ٱللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّٰٓؤُهُۥۚ قُلۡ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُم بِذُنُوبِكُمۖ بَلۡ أَنتُم بَشَرٞ مِّمَّنۡ خَلَقَۚ يَغۡفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَلِلَّهِ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَاۖ وَإِلَيۡهِ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ
(18) The Jews and Christians said: “We are the children of Allah and His beloved”. Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Why then would He Punish you for your sins?” Nay, but you are indeed humans like the rest of them that He created; He forgives whomever He wills and Punishes whomever He wills— to Allah belongs the dominion of the Heavens and Earth and all there is between them, and to Him will be the ˹final˺ Return.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ قَدۡ جَآءَكُمۡ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمۡ عَلَىٰ فَتۡرَةٖ مِّنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ أَن تَقُولُواْ مَا جَآءَنَا مِنۢ بَشِيرٖ وَلَا نَذِيرٖۖ فَقَدۡ جَآءَكُم بَشِيرٞ وَنَذِيرٞۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ
(19) People of the Book, here is Our Messenger coming to you after a long interval has lapsed[1153] since the last Messenger, lest you say: “There never came to us a harbinger of good news nor any warner!” There has come to you ˹now˺ a harbinger of good news and a warner—Allah is Able over everything.
[1153] The first and only Prophet of God that was sent to humanity after Jesus (عليه السلام) was Muhammad (ﷺ) (cf. al-Bukhārī: 3442, Muslim: 2365). ʿIyāḍ Ibn Ḥimār al-Mujāshiʿī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said in one of his sermons: “Indeed my Lord has commanded me to tell you something which you do not know about which He told me today. ˹Allah, glory be His said:˺… ‘I created all My servants rightly-oriented ˹to the true religion˺, then the devils came and swerved them away from their religion; they made unlawful for them what I made lawful and bade them to Associate with Me that for which I made no authority’. ˹The Messenger (ﷺ) continued˺ “Then Allah looked at the dwellers of Earth and He held them all in disfavour, Arabs and non-Arabs, except some remaining few of the People of the Book and He said: ‘I sent you to try you and try by you and I sent down to you a Book that will not be washed with water; you read it awake and asleep…’” (Muslim: 2865).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَإِذۡ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوۡمِهِۦ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ جَعَلَ فِيكُمۡ أَنۢبِيَآءَ وَجَعَلَكُم مُّلُوكٗا وَءَاتَىٰكُم مَّا لَمۡ يُؤۡتِ أَحَدٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ
(20) [1154]˹Mention Muhammad˺ When Moses said to his people: “My people, remember Allah’s favour on you when He made amongst you Prophets and kings[1155] and He gave you that which He had not given any humans ˹besides you˺”.
[1154] The following passage intertextually follows the ‘mentions’ series found in al-Baqarah (e.g. 2:40-43; 87-96) which list the recurrent flouting of the Israelites of their pledge with God. This one here tells of how they reneged on their pledge to ‘strongly support’ the Messenger of God found in Aya 5:12 above.
[1155] Mulūk (lit. kings) could have a number of meanings here. Among these are: 1) they were made masters served on by others (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī); 2) some were really made as sovereigns who ruled over people (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah); 3) they were granted their freedom, owning their own destiny, free from slavery to other people (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Saʿdī). One has to keep in mind that this interaction between Moses (عليه السلام) and his people came immediately after they were delivered by God from the tyranny of Pharaoh and his people. This fact is reflected in their reaction to Moses’ admonition, as will be discussed shortly.
[1155] Mulūk (lit. kings) could have a number of meanings here. Among these are: 1) they were made masters served on by others (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī); 2) some were really made as sovereigns who ruled over people (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah); 3) they were granted their freedom, owning their own destiny, free from slavery to other people (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Saʿdī). One has to keep in mind that this interaction between Moses (عليه السلام) and his people came immediately after they were delivered by God from the tyranny of Pharaoh and his people. This fact is reflected in their reaction to Moses’ admonition, as will be discussed shortly.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ ٱلۡمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِي كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ وَلَا تَرۡتَدُّواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَدۡبَارِكُمۡ فَتَنقَلِبُواْ خَٰسِرِينَ
(21) “My people, enter the sacred land[1156] that Allah has decreed for you and do not turn back on your heels for then you will be the losers.”
[1156] al-Arḍ al-muqaddasah is Jerusalem according to Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī and al-Shinqīṭī in al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr (1/111).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قَالُواْ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّ فِيهَا قَوۡمٗا جَبَّارِينَ وَإِنَّا لَن نَّدۡخُلَهَا حَتَّىٰ يَخۡرُجُواْ مِنۡهَا فَإِن يَخۡرُجُواْ مِنۡهَا فَإِنَّا دَٰخِلُونَ
(22) They said: “Moses, there are mighty people in it. We will not enter it until they come out of it and only then shall we enter”.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قَالَ رَجُلَانِ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَنۡعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِمَا ٱدۡخُلُواْ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡبَابَ فَإِذَا دَخَلۡتُمُوهُ فَإِنَّكُمۡ غَٰلِبُونَۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَتَوَكَّلُوٓاْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ
(23) Two ˹Allah-˺ fearing men – whom Allah favoured[1157] – said: “Enter you the gate upon them! Shall you ˹only˺ enter it, you will surely have the upper hand. Put your trust in Allah if only you are ˹truly˺ Believers”.
[1157] God favoured these two individuals by guiding them to obedience and fear of Him. Thus, they were able to stand up for the Truth (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قَالُواْ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّا لَن نَّدۡخُلَهَآ أَبَدٗا مَّا دَامُواْ فِيهَا فَٱذۡهَبۡ أَنتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَٰتِلَآ إِنَّا هَٰهُنَا قَٰعِدُونَ
(24) They said: “Moses, we shall not enter it as long as they are in it. Go then you and your Lord and fight, we are staying put here”.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قَالَ فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡۛ أَرۡبَعِينَ سَنَةٗۛ يَتِيهُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ فَلَا تَأۡسَ عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡفَٰسِقِينَ
(26) He ˹Allah˺ said: “It is then forbidden for them for forty years[1158]. They shall be lost ˹wandering˺ in the land. Be grieved[1159] not for the transgressing people”.
[1158] God, the Most Wise, decreed that they should be lost in the land for a period of 40 years as punishment for their shaky, wavering Faith. This is the generation of Israelites that accompanied Moses (عليه السلام) in their exodus from Egypt, where they were subjected to the ‘worst of suffering’ (sū’ al-ʿadhāb: 2: 49) so much so that they lost their dignity and were accustomed to humiliation and cowardice. The result of these decades of humiliation and suffering was their stance, as related in this passage, that when asked to only muster up whatever courage they had left and make a push for the city’s gate thereby giving them victory, they had nothing left to do even that much. Their attitude is all the more striking in light of the fact that they had very recently seen, and lived through, the most norm-defying of miracles (the splitting of the sea being the most obvious) and were in the assuring company of the great Prophet who was decisively instrumental in their deliverance. Such a generation would never carry out God’s command and, therefore, they had to be replaced with a new and better one that was not at home with servitude. This new generation had to be raised in the wild, strong and free, away from oppression and lack of self dignity (cf. al-Saʿdī as well).
[1159] Naturally, the Messenger of God (ﷺ), who was sent only as a “mercy to all-beings” (21: 107), would be saddened by those who stubbornly rebuffed his repeated calls, being aware of the awfully grim fate that awaited them. Knowing how hard this came down on His Messenger (ﷺ), God repeatedly reminded him of not falling prey to sadness on account of their ardent Denial.
[1159] Naturally, the Messenger of God (ﷺ), who was sent only as a “mercy to all-beings” (21: 107), would be saddened by those who stubbornly rebuffed his repeated calls, being aware of the awfully grim fate that awaited them. Knowing how hard this came down on His Messenger (ﷺ), God repeatedly reminded him of not falling prey to sadness on account of their ardent Denial.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
۞ وَٱتۡلُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَبَأَ ٱبۡنَيۡ ءَادَمَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ إِذۡ قَرَّبَا قُرۡبَانٗا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنۡ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمۡ يُتَقَبَّلۡ مِنَ ٱلۡأٓخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقۡتُلَنَّكَۖ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ
(27) Recite for them ˹Muhammad˺ the notable news of the two sons of Adam[1160] truthfully[1161] when they each made out an offering, it was accepted from one but not the other. He ˹the latter˺ said: “I shall willingly kill you!” He ˹the former˺ replied: “Indeed Allah accepts only from the Mindful”.
[1160] This story (believed to be that of Cain and Abel, or Qābīl and Habīl (cf. Ibn Kathīr and al-Shinqīṭī)) encapsulates the all too familiar human struggle between good and evil. While numerous lessons can be drawn from this story, it all boils down to the fact that when a person is so weak as not be able to prevail over their own self then this only leads to wickedness, not the least of which is committing murder, and in the end to regret and sorrow. The moral of the story can indeed be expanded beyond the singular into the collective and remains ever relevant.
[1161] Bi al-ḥaqq exactly as it happened without addition, deletion or alteration. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1161] Bi al-ḥaqq exactly as it happened without addition, deletion or alteration. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
إِنِّيٓ أُرِيدُ أَن تَبُوٓأَ بِإِثۡمِي وَإِثۡمِكَ فَتَكُونَ مِنۡ أَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلنَّارِۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَٰٓؤُاْ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
(29) “I want you to be burdened with my sin[1162] and your sin, then you become one of companions of the Fire; that is the ˹just˺ requital of the wrongdoers.”
[1162] The grave sin of killing. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
فَطَوَّعَتۡ لَهُۥ نَفۡسُهُۥ قَتۡلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُۥ فَأَصۡبَحَ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ
(30) His ˹evil whispering˺ self lured him into killing his brother; he killed him and he became one of the losers[1163].
[1163] ʿAbdullāh Ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “No soul ever gets killed unjustifiably, unless the early son of Adam shoulders some of the burden of its blood, for he was the first human to spill blood ˹on Earth˺”. (al-Bukhārī: 3335, Muslim: 1677)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ غُرَابٗا يَبۡحَثُ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ لِيُرِيَهُۥ كَيۡفَ يُوَٰرِي سَوۡءَةَ أَخِيهِۚ قَالَ يَٰوَيۡلَتَىٰٓ أَعَجَزۡتُ أَنۡ أَكُونَ مِثۡلَ هَٰذَا ٱلۡغُرَابِ فَأُوَٰرِيَ سَوۡءَةَ أَخِيۖ فَأَصۡبَحَ مِنَ ٱلنَّٰدِمِينَ
(31) Then Allah sent a raven scratching the ground to show him how to hide his brother’s ˹naked˺ corpse[1164]. He then said: “Woe is me! Was I so unable as to not be like this raven and hide my brother’s ˹naked˺ corpse!” He only then became ˹deeply˺ remorseful.
[1164] It is said that this raven was rummaging through the ground to bury another of its kind. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
مِنۡ أَجۡلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبۡنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنَّهُۥ مَن قَتَلَ نَفۡسَۢا بِغَيۡرِ نَفۡسٍ أَوۡ فَسَادٖ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعٗا وَمَنۡ أَحۡيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَآ أَحۡيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعٗاۚ وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُنَا بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرٗا مِّنۡهُم بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ لَمُسۡرِفُونَ
(32) [1165]For this reason We decreed for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a person – unless for killing another or spreading corruption in the land – it shall be as if he killed all people and whoever saves a life then it is as if he gave life to all people. Indeed our Messengers came to them with clear evidences, and then many of them still committed excesses[1166] in the land.
[1165] Given the millennia that separate this episode of Adam’s two direct descendants and the setting down of Jewish laws, what, then, is the coherence between Ayas 31and 32? Specifically, how was the story of Cain and Abel causative to the law passed to the Children of Israel? The relevance of this aya is better grasped with reference to Aya 15 above: “People of the Book, here is Our Messenger coming to you to reveal to you much of what you used to hide and overlooks much—indeed there has come to you a Light and a clarifying Book”. A similar wording of this aya (5: 32; with the notable exception that the Qur’an talks about all humans and not just Israelites,) is found in the Talmud (particularly in the Mishnah which is known as the Oral Law) in a comment on Genesis 4:10 when it is said that God spoke admonishingly to Cain for killing his brother. The exact statement is: “Therefore but a single person was created in the world, to teach that if any man has caused a single life to perish from Israel, he is deemed by Scripture as if he had caused a whole world to perish; and anyone who saves a single soul from Israel, he is deemed by Scripture as if he had saved a whole world” (Mishnah, Sanhedrin, 4:5; emphasis added). Clearly what is being brought to the fore here, which brings out the connection between the story of Cain and Abel and the Children of Israel, is textual par excellence. They ‘committed excesses’ in shedding blood and committing sins and thus this legal stipulation of theirs, which they willingly overlooked or distorted from its proper position, was ‘revealed’ in the Qur’an, which is ‘a Light and a Clarifying Book’.
One other point that needs to be clarified here and in light of the above is the applicability of this law to Muslims. The fact that this verse was ‘revealed’ as an aya of the Qur’an and not ‘overlooked’ for being irrelevant, given the overruling nature of the Islamic law, God’s last revealed canon, underlines its universal validity. The stern punishment in the next aya (5: 33) follows from the grave nature of murder which is highlighted in this aya.
[1166] Musrifūn (lit. wasteful) means unreservedly committing gravely vile deeds. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
One other point that needs to be clarified here and in light of the above is the applicability of this law to Muslims. The fact that this verse was ‘revealed’ as an aya of the Qur’an and not ‘overlooked’ for being irrelevant, given the overruling nature of the Islamic law, God’s last revealed canon, underlines its universal validity. The stern punishment in the next aya (5: 33) follows from the grave nature of murder which is highlighted in this aya.
[1166] Musrifūn (lit. wasteful) means unreservedly committing gravely vile deeds. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
إِنَّمَا جَزَٰٓؤُاْ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَيَسۡعَوۡنَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَسَادًا أَن يُقَتَّلُوٓاْ أَوۡ يُصَلَّبُوٓاْ أَوۡ تُقَطَّعَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَأَرۡجُلُهُم مِّنۡ خِلَٰفٍ أَوۡ يُنفَوۡاْ مِنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ ذَٰلِكَ لَهُمۡ خِزۡيٞ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَلَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
(33) [1167]Indeed the ˹only just˺ recompense for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and walk the land spreading corruption is that they should be relentlessly[1168] killed, crucified[1169], their hands and feet be cut off on alternate sides[1170] or they should be exiled from the land[1171]. That is disgrace for them in the worldly life, and in the Hereafter theirs is a great Punishment.
[1167] This passage, which legalizes and regulates judicious killing, deals especially with those who disrupt peace in society and willingly and wastefully destroy the lives and livelihoods of others. It is well known that this aya details the penal code for such acts as highway robbery and banditry (cf. al-Saʿdī), known in Islamic law as ḥadd al-ḥirābah (lit. the penal code of waging war). Such heinous violations of God’s laws and the rights of others are taken as waging war against God and His Messenger, because they brazenly breach religious teachings.
The particle aw (or) denotes that those in charge of the rule of law may choose from these detailed forms of punishment whatever they deem befitting, given the seriousness of the crime and the circumstances surrounding it, to make an example of the perpetrators so that no one will think of following their example (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī).
[1168] This word, ‘relentlessly’, is used to compensate for the hyperbolic form (ṣīghat al-mubālaghah) in which these types of punishment come, i.e. yuqattalū (killed), yuṣallabū (crucified), tuqaṭṭaʿa (cut off). The form employed here underlines the sternness with which these punishments are to be carried out (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1169] Yuṣallabū means crucified either prior to their killing or after their killing. It is a corrective measure that displays them as examples for others. (Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shinqīṭī)
[1170] Min khilāf that is the culprit’s right hand along with his left foot or vice versa; but not two limbs on the same side. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿUthaymīn)
[1171] Yunfaw min al-arḍ is to be expelled from his country of residence to another (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shinqīṭī); or expelled from the country where he committed his crime (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn ʿUthaymīn); or that he be incarcerated (cf. al-Ṭabarī).
The particle aw (or) denotes that those in charge of the rule of law may choose from these detailed forms of punishment whatever they deem befitting, given the seriousness of the crime and the circumstances surrounding it, to make an example of the perpetrators so that no one will think of following their example (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī).
[1168] This word, ‘relentlessly’, is used to compensate for the hyperbolic form (ṣīghat al-mubālaghah) in which these types of punishment come, i.e. yuqattalū (killed), yuṣallabū (crucified), tuqaṭṭaʿa (cut off). The form employed here underlines the sternness with which these punishments are to be carried out (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1169] Yuṣallabū means crucified either prior to their killing or after their killing. It is a corrective measure that displays them as examples for others. (Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shinqīṭī)
[1170] Min khilāf that is the culprit’s right hand along with his left foot or vice versa; but not two limbs on the same side. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿUthaymīn)
[1171] Yunfaw min al-arḍ is to be expelled from his country of residence to another (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shinqīṭī); or expelled from the country where he committed his crime (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn ʿUthaymīn); or that he be incarcerated (cf. al-Ṭabarī).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱبۡتَغُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ ٱلۡوَسِيلَةَ وَجَٰهِدُواْ فِي سَبِيلِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ
(35) [1172]You who Believe, be Mindful of Allah, seek the means ˹to be nearer˺ to Him[1173] and strive in His path, that you may be successful.
[1172] This passage is parenthetical, separating the two thematically related passages that precede and follow it and whereby both deal with the severe punishment incumbent on aggression against others (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). To be encouraged to carry out these penalties, hard as they, Believers have to be reminded of the wider issues involved: being Mindful of God and seeking His Pleasure through submission to His will, as well as the severe Punishment that God promises the Deniers who rebel against His will. Should perpetrators sincerely repent, however, and make amends, they are to be pardoned (cf. al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar): thus, the judicious employment of God’s Most Elevated Attributes – “All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” – in both instances.
[1173] Ibtaghū ilayhi al-wasīlah is to do one’s absolute best and seek out the ways and means to be closer to Godliness; by doing what pleases God Almighty. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
[1173] Ibtaghū ilayhi al-wasīlah is to do one’s absolute best and seek out the ways and means to be closer to Godliness; by doing what pleases God Almighty. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوۡ أَنَّ لَهُم مَّا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعٗا وَمِثۡلَهُۥ مَعَهُۥ لِيَفۡتَدُواْ بِهِۦ مِنۡ عَذَابِ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنۡهُمۡۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ
(36) Indeed those who Deny if they have in their possession all that the Earth holds and double the measure, so that they would ransom themselves with it, it will not be accepted from them—theirs is a painful Punishment[1174].
[1174] “Those who Deny and die as Deniers, ˹as much as˺ Earth’s fill of gold will not be accepted from them, even if they were to ransom themselves with it—for those is a painful Punishment and they will have no helpers.” (3: 91; 13:18 and 39:47)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَٱلسَّارِقُ وَٱلسَّارِقَةُ فَٱقۡطَعُوٓاْ أَيۡدِيَهُمَا جَزَآءَۢ بِمَا كَسَبَا نَكَٰلٗا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٞ
(38) The male thief and the female thief [1175] cut off their hands in retribution for what they earned; a ˹deterrent˺ chastisement[1176] from Allah—Allah is All-Prevailing, All-Wise.
[1175] That the female thief (al-sāriqah) is specifically mentioned here and is meant to leave no doubt in the minds of the receivers that the ruling applies to both sexes without discrimination. It comes from the fact that the Arabs at the time of revelation shunned women and deliberately excluded them from such grave documents of legalization and did not strictly apply their penal codes to them (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1176] Nakāl is penalization which is set as an example for others. Originally the word nakala means to prevent; it is called nakāl because it deters both the one who is punished from carrying out the crime at a subsequent time as also others from doing it. (Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah)
[1176] Nakāl is penalization which is set as an example for others. Originally the word nakala means to prevent; it is called nakāl because it deters both the one who is punished from carrying out the crime at a subsequent time as also others from doing it. (Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
أَلَمۡ تَعۡلَمۡ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ يُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَغۡفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ
(40) Did you[1177] not know that to Allah belongs the dominion of the Heavens and Earth, He Punishes whoever He wills and forgives whoever He wills—Allah is verily Able over everything.
[1177] The addressee here is singular. It could mean the Prophet (ﷺ) and by the same token anyone who is legally competent (mukallaf) or the person who thinks lightly of theft and other such felonies (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, al-Qurṭubī, al-Baghawī).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
۞ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلرَّسُولُ لَا يَحۡزُنكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُسَٰرِعُونَ فِي ٱلۡكُفۡرِ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِأَفۡوَٰهِهِمۡ وَلَمۡ تُؤۡمِن قُلُوبُهُمۡۛ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْۛ سَمَّٰعُونَ لِلۡكَذِبِ سَمَّٰعُونَ لِقَوۡمٍ ءَاخَرِينَ لَمۡ يَأۡتُوكَۖ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلۡكَلِمَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَوَاضِعِهِۦۖ يَقُولُونَ إِنۡ أُوتِيتُمۡ هَٰذَا فَخُذُوهُ وَإِن لَّمۡ تُؤۡتَوۡهُ فَٱحۡذَرُواْۚ وَمَن يُرِدِ ٱللَّهُ فِتۡنَتَهُۥ فَلَن تَمۡلِكَ لَهُۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـًٔاۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يُرِدِ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمۡۚ لَهُمۡ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا خِزۡيٞۖ وَلَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٞ
(41) [1178]O Messenger do not be grieved by those who rush forth to Denial of those who said “We Believe” ˹only˺ with their tongues, while their hearts Believe not; and among the Jews are those who eagerly listen to falsities and readily lend their ears to other people who did not come to you[1179], they distort discourse from its ˹fully-known proper˺ position. They say: “If you are given this ˹judgement˺ take it, but if you are not given ˹the like of ˺ it be on your guard. Whoever Allah wants to trip ˹into misguidance˺ you can do nothing for him against Allah. Those are the ones whom Allah did not want to purify their hearts, theirs is disgrace in the worldly life and theirs in the Hereafter is a great Punishment.
[1178] This passage and the few following ones deal with the dialectical relationship that holds between the Qur’an, the final, overruling Book of God and the earlier ones. It establishes that those who were given the Book before Islam are better off either following the doctrines of the Qur’an or reinstating their own respective Scriptures in their pristine, uncorrupted conditions and devoutly acting and ruling by them. al-Barā’ Ibn ʿĀzib (رضي الله عنه) narrated that: “The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by a Jew whose face was blackened ˹with charcoal˺ and who had been flogged. Seeing this, the Prophet (ﷺ) invited the Jews and asked them: “Is this the penalty of the adulterer that you find in your Book?” They replied: “Yes”. Then he (ﷺ) summoned a learned man of theirs and said to him: “I ask you by Allah Who sent the Torah down to Moses, is this the penalty of the adulterer that you find in your Book?” He replied: “No! Had you not appealed to me in such a manner I would not have told you. The penalty that we find in our Book is stoning, but it became common in our people of high social standing and then when we caught them we used to release them. However, when we caught the beggarly in the act, we would apply the penalty ˹of stoning˺ on them. Then we said let’s convene and agree on a penalty that can be applied on both the notables and the beggarly equally and so we agreed to replace stoning by blackening the face and flogging”. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “O Allah, I shall be the first to restore Your command, when they buried it”. Then he (ﷺ) ordered the adulterer to be stoned. Then Allah sent down: “O Messenger do not be grieved by those who rush forth to Denial… If you are given ˹the like of ˺ this take it.” They ˹their scholars˺ used to say: “Go to Muhammad, and if he orders you to blacken the face and flog, then do it. But if he orders you to stone, then be wary”. Then Allah sent down: “Whoever does not judge by what Allah sent down then those are the Deniers” (5:44); “Whoever does not judge by what Allah sent down then those are the wrongdoers” (5: 45); “Whoever does not judge by what Allah sent down then those are the transgressors” (5:47). All of these were revealed regarding the Deniers” (Muslim: 1700).
[1179] They attentively heed the words of warning of other conniving men of religion who were so averse that they did not even make the effort to go to the Prophet (ﷺ) to hear what he had to say, in spite of the long period he spent in Madinah (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
The description of the insincere who eagerly and willfully lend their ears to falsities is a prime example of the social concept known as confirmation bias which highlights the tendency to search for, interpret and favour, information that affirms one’s prior beliefs and biases. To highlight how truly biased these people were, the Qur’an repeatedly employs the hyperbolic form (ṣīghat al-mubālaghah) sammāʿūna (eagerly listen to) which befittingly expresses the intensity of their aversion to the words of God’s Messenger (ﷺ).
[1179] They attentively heed the words of warning of other conniving men of religion who were so averse that they did not even make the effort to go to the Prophet (ﷺ) to hear what he had to say, in spite of the long period he spent in Madinah (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
The description of the insincere who eagerly and willfully lend their ears to falsities is a prime example of the social concept known as confirmation bias which highlights the tendency to search for, interpret and favour, information that affirms one’s prior beliefs and biases. To highlight how truly biased these people were, the Qur’an repeatedly employs the hyperbolic form (ṣīghat al-mubālaghah) sammāʿūna (eagerly listen to) which befittingly expresses the intensity of their aversion to the words of God’s Messenger (ﷺ).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
سَمَّٰعُونَ لِلۡكَذِبِ أَكَّٰلُونَ لِلسُّحۡتِۚ فَإِن جَآءُوكَ فَٱحۡكُم بَيۡنَهُمۡ أَوۡ أَعۡرِضۡ عَنۡهُمۡۖ وَإِن تُعۡرِضۡ عَنۡهُمۡ فَلَن يَضُرُّوكَ شَيۡـٔٗاۖ وَإِنۡ حَكَمۡتَ فَٱحۡكُم بَيۡنَهُم بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُقۡسِطِينَ
(42) They eagerly listen to falsities and wantonly devour illicit earnings[1180]; if they come to you then either judge between them or deny them ˹judgement˺[1181]. Should you turn away from them, they will not harm you in the least, ˹but˺ if you judge between them, then judge in fairness[1182]—Allah likes those who are fair ˹in judgement˺.
[1180] al-Suḥt means all the money which is appropriated through illegal and devious means. Suḥt originally means eradication, as ‘dirty money’ never prospers (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah). Those who are bent on legalizing money earned through illegal means will have a vested interest in not listening to the truth about its illegality.
[1181] The Prophet (ﷺ) had a choice to either pass his verdict in their case or withhold it since he was told by God that they would only carry out what confirms their bias.
[1182] al-Qisṭ is the passing of fair judgement. ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAmr (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Those who pass fair judgement (al-muqsiṭīn) are placed on pulpits of light with Allah; on the Right Side of the Most Merciful – and both His Hands are Right Hands. These are the ones who are fair in their judgement and with their household and whatever they are in charge of”. (Muslim: 1827)
[1181] The Prophet (ﷺ) had a choice to either pass his verdict in their case or withhold it since he was told by God that they would only carry out what confirms their bias.
[1182] al-Qisṭ is the passing of fair judgement. ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAmr (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Those who pass fair judgement (al-muqsiṭīn) are placed on pulpits of light with Allah; on the Right Side of the Most Merciful – and both His Hands are Right Hands. These are the ones who are fair in their judgement and with their household and whatever they are in charge of”. (Muslim: 1827)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَكَيۡفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَعِندَهُمُ ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةُ فِيهَا حُكۡمُ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّوۡنَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ذَٰلِكَۚ وَمَآ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ بِٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ
(43) But how would they seek your judgement while they ˹already˺ have the Torah which contains Allah’s judgement, and they after that turn their backs ˹to it˺[1183]; nay but these are not Believing.
[1183] This further underlines their insincerity; how could Muhammad (ﷺ) (the addressee commencing Aya 41) be hopeful that they would resort to and abide by his code of law when they were irreverent of the very code of law (the Torah) they outwardly and to all appearances subscribed to!
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَا ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةَ فِيهَا هُدٗى وَنُورٞۚ يَحۡكُمُ بِهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡلَمُواْ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَٱلرَّبَّٰنِيُّونَ وَٱلۡأَحۡبَارُ بِمَا ٱسۡتُحۡفِظُواْ مِن كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَانُواْ عَلَيۡهِ شُهَدَآءَۚ فَلَا تَخۡشَوُاْ ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱخۡشَوۡنِ وَلَا تَشۡتَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِي ثَمَنٗا قَلِيلٗاۚ وَمَن لَّمۡ يَحۡكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ
(44) Indeed We have sent down the Torah in which there is guidance and light; by it the Prophets who ˹devoutly˺ submitted, the godly[1184], and the rabbis judge among the Jews because they were entrusted with preserving the Book of Allah and that they were witnesses to it. So do not fear people but fear Me and do not trade my Signs for a pittance[1185]—whoever does not judge by what Allah sent down then those are the Deniers.
[1184] al-Rabbāniyyūn (sing. rabbānī) are men of encyclopaedic knowledge both religious and worldly. This includes the wise scholar, the Mindful jurisprudent, the reforming teacher and the person who enjoins others to uphold the lesser teachings of religion as much as the major ones (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt).
[1185] Those who were entrusted with preserving the Book of God, the Torah, at the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) are especially cautioned not to make fear of influential people nor following their vain desires and greed put them off from fulfilling their task of safeguarding it against alteration and distortion (cf. Ibn ʿĀdil). The guardians of Divine law should bear the fear of God first and foremost in their minds and not that of fellow men. They should pronounce the judgement of God as found in His Writ irrespective of the status or influence of the person who is affected by it. Nor are they to be swayed by bribes and worldly gains (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1185] Those who were entrusted with preserving the Book of God, the Torah, at the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) are especially cautioned not to make fear of influential people nor following their vain desires and greed put them off from fulfilling their task of safeguarding it against alteration and distortion (cf. Ibn ʿĀdil). The guardians of Divine law should bear the fear of God first and foremost in their minds and not that of fellow men. They should pronounce the judgement of God as found in His Writ irrespective of the status or influence of the person who is affected by it. Nor are they to be swayed by bribes and worldly gains (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَكَتَبۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ فِيهَآ أَنَّ ٱلنَّفۡسَ بِٱلنَّفۡسِ وَٱلۡعَيۡنَ بِٱلۡعَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَنفَ بِٱلۡأَنفِ وَٱلۡأُذُنَ بِٱلۡأُذُنِ وَٱلسِّنَّ بِٱلسِّنِّ وَٱلۡجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٞۚ فَمَن تَصَدَّقَ بِهِۦ فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٞ لَّهُۥۚ وَمَن لَّمۡ يَحۡكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ
(45) And We decreed[1186] for them in it that: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth and that wounds are reciprocated; whoever forgoes ˹his right˺ out of charity then that would be an atonement ˹of sins˺ for him[1187]—whoever does not judge by what Allah sent down then those are the wrongdoers[1188].
[1186] This aya alludes to the law known as lex talionis (law of retaliation/reciprocal justice) which states that justice should be carried out: ʿayin tachat ʿayin, “an eye for an eye”, as told in the Torah (Exodus xxi, 24) but which was distorted from its proper, fully-known position. Here the Qur’an ‘reveals’ and re-establishes this principle and warns against distorting it.
[1187] A person who is injured should not be driven by vindictiveness and the desire to exact revenge. This spirit of forgiveness is not only encouraged by God but is also generously rewarded for (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1188] al-Úālimūn also means the unjust. Those who judge between people with rulings other than those of God will inevitably do wrong to one of the two arbitrating parties.
[1187] A person who is injured should not be driven by vindictiveness and the desire to exact revenge. This spirit of forgiveness is not only encouraged by God but is also generously rewarded for (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1188] al-Úālimūn also means the unjust. Those who judge between people with rulings other than those of God will inevitably do wrong to one of the two arbitrating parties.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَقَفَّيۡنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِم بِعِيسَى ٱبۡنِ مَرۡيَمَ مُصَدِّقٗا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةِۖ وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلۡإِنجِيلَ فِيهِ هُدٗى وَنُورٞ وَمُصَدِّقٗا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةِ وَهُدٗى وَمَوۡعِظَةٗ لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ
(46) And in their steps[1189] We sent ʿĪsā ˹Jesus˺, son of Maryam, confirming that which preceded him of the Torah[1190] and We granted him the Evangel in which there is guidance and light and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah and guidance and admonishment to the Mindful[1191].
[1189] That is in the steps of the “Prophets who ˹devoutly˺ submitted” (5: 44). (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr)
[1190] Muṣaddiq is in one sense bearing out the Torah and its laws especially those that were not abrogated by the Evangel that he was given. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr)
[1191] Mindfulness (taqwā) is the main driver behind engagement in pious deeds. People will carry out acts of worship according to the degree of their Mindfulness; the more they have of it, the more devout they are and the firmer their Belief in God’s revelations (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
[1190] Muṣaddiq is in one sense bearing out the Torah and its laws especially those that were not abrogated by the Evangel that he was given. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr)
[1191] Mindfulness (taqwā) is the main driver behind engagement in pious deeds. People will carry out acts of worship according to the degree of their Mindfulness; the more they have of it, the more devout they are and the firmer their Belief in God’s revelations (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَلۡيَحۡكُمۡ أَهۡلُ ٱلۡإِنجِيلِ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فِيهِۚ وَمَن لَّمۡ يَحۡكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡفَٰسِقُونَ
(47) Let the people of the Evangel judge according to what Allah sent down in it—whoever does not judge by what Allah sent down, then those are the ˹real˺ transgressors.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَأَنزَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ مُصَدِّقٗا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَمُهَيۡمِنًا عَلَيۡهِۖ فَٱحۡكُم بَيۡنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ لِكُلّٖ جَعَلۡنَا مِنكُمۡ شِرۡعَةٗ وَمِنۡهَاجٗاۚ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمۡ أُمَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ فِي مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمۡۖ فَٱسۡتَبِقُواْ ٱلۡخَيۡرَٰتِۚ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ جَمِيعٗا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ فِيهِ تَخۡتَلِفُونَ
(48) And We sent down to you ˹Muhammad˺ the Book with the Truth[1192], confirming that which preceded it of the Book[1193] and a ˹supreme˺ authority over[1194] it. Judge then between them with what Allah sent down and do not follow their desires over the Truth that came to you. To each of you ˹nations˺ we have given a ˹different˺ law and way ˹of life˺; had Allah wished, He could have made you into one nation but He wants to test you by what He gave you[1195]. Then vie in a race to good deeds, to Allah you shall all return and then He will tell you ˹the Truth˺ of what you used to differ over.
[1192] The Qur’an was Truthfully sent down bearing nothing but the Truth (bi al-ḥaqq) (cf. Ibn Kathīr, Abū Ḥayyān, Riḍā). “We have sent it ˹the Qur’an˺ down in Truth, and with the Truth it has come down” (17: 105).
[1193] al-Kitāb is a generic noun for all previous Divinely revealed Scriptures.
[1194] Muhaymin is encompassing the laws and dictates found in earlier Scriptures; establishing those which are still valid and overruling those which are not. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1195] This aya occurring in this final sura of the Qur’an sets the course for peaceful coexistence in the community. A fact borne out by millennia of example setting, whereby non-Muslim societies (known as dhimmiyyūn) lived and prospered in peace amidst largely Muslim communities and states.
Principally, although the law (shirʿah) and way of life (minhāj) are different, the Divinely ordained religion is, in essence, the same. Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I, amongst all people, have more of a right to Jesus, son of Maryam, both in this life and the Hereafter! Prophets are half brothers. Their mothers are different but their religion is the same” (al-Bukhārī: 3443, Muslim: 2365). God Almighty, to Whom all people are returned, will be the Judge between the different nations.
[1193] al-Kitāb is a generic noun for all previous Divinely revealed Scriptures.
[1194] Muhaymin is encompassing the laws and dictates found in earlier Scriptures; establishing those which are still valid and overruling those which are not. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1195] This aya occurring in this final sura of the Qur’an sets the course for peaceful coexistence in the community. A fact borne out by millennia of example setting, whereby non-Muslim societies (known as dhimmiyyūn) lived and prospered in peace amidst largely Muslim communities and states.
Principally, although the law (shirʿah) and way of life (minhāj) are different, the Divinely ordained religion is, in essence, the same. Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I, amongst all people, have more of a right to Jesus, son of Maryam, both in this life and the Hereafter! Prophets are half brothers. Their mothers are different but their religion is the same” (al-Bukhārī: 3443, Muslim: 2365). God Almighty, to Whom all people are returned, will be the Judge between the different nations.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَأَنِ ٱحۡكُم بَيۡنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡ وَٱحۡذَرۡهُمۡ أَن يَفۡتِنُوكَ عَنۢ بَعۡضِ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيۡكَۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَٱعۡلَمۡ أَنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُصِيبَهُم بِبَعۡضِ ذُنُوبِهِمۡۗ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرٗا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَفَٰسِقُونَ
(49) Hence judge between them with what Allah sent down and do not follow their desires and beware of them lest they tempt you away from some of what Allah sent down to you. But if they turn away, know you then that Allah wants to afflict them with some of their sins—indeed a great many people are transgressors.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
أَفَحُكۡمَ ٱلۡجَٰهِلِيَّةِ يَبۡغُونَۚ وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ حُكۡمٗا لِّقَوۡمٖ يُوقِنُونَ
(50) Is it so that they desire the ruling of ignorance[1196]; ˹but˺ who gives a better ruling than Allah to those of firm faith[1197]!
[1196] Those who do not submit to the ruling of God and His Messenger (ﷺ) are only opting for the ruling of ignorance (ḥukm al-jāhiliyyah) itself; nothing but groundless laws set by people following their vain desires and basing them not on any of the Books of God which are light and guidance to people.
[1197] Those of firm Faith (yūqinūna), which is free from imperfection, will be led by their sincere Faith to seek out and abide by none but the ruling of God. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1197] Those of firm Faith (yūqinūna), which is free from imperfection, will be led by their sincere Faith to seek out and abide by none but the ruling of God. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
۞ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ ٱلۡيَهُودَ وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰٓ أَوۡلِيَآءَۘ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءُ بَعۡضٖۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمۡ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنۡهُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
(51) [1198]You who Believe, do not take the Jews and Christians as allies; they are the allies of one another. Whoever of you takes them as allies then he is one of them[1199]—indeed Allah does not guide the wrongdoers.
[1198] This passage along with the next two beginning with the call: “You who Believe”, chart out another dimension for the Believing community, besides unquestioningly adhering to the rule of God, i.e. how to relate to others who oppose their religion. Having seen the hostility of the People of the Book towards the Messenger (ﷺ) and their stiff resistance to his Message and for the many ways in which they tried to defy Islam and steer it away from its course, Believers are told to not take these as awliyā’ (lit. allies). Wilāyah (lit. alliance) is “built upon harmony and agreement…”, both of which are non-existent in such a relationship (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1199] Whoever aligns himself with them, aids them against the Believers and opts for their religion over Islam is one of them. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 7/194, al-Shinqīṭī)
[1199] Whoever aligns himself with them, aids them against the Believers and opts for their religion over Islam is one of them. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 7/194, al-Shinqīṭī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
فَتَرَى ٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٞ يُسَٰرِعُونَ فِيهِمۡ يَقُولُونَ نَخۡشَىٰٓ أَن تُصِيبَنَا دَآئِرَةٞۚ فَعَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَأۡتِيَ بِٱلۡفَتۡحِ أَوۡ أَمۡرٖ مِّنۡ عِندِهِۦ فَيُصۡبِحُواْ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَسَرُّواْ فِيٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ نَٰدِمِينَ
(52) You ˹Muhammad˺ see those in whose hearts is disease[1200] ˹eagerly˺ rush to ˹align themselves with˺ them. They say: “We fear that the cycle will turn against us!” Then may Allah bring victory or an affair[1201] from His Own that they will become regretful for what they secretly harboured.
[1200] The hypocrites whose faith is insincere. (Ibn ʿUthaymīn)
[1201] In the likely case that God grants His sincere servants victory over their enemies or that He should cause an affliction to befall their detractors, these feigned ‘precautionary measures’ of the hypocrites will turn into regrets. (al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Shinqīṭī)
[1201] In the likely case that God grants His sincere servants victory over their enemies or that He should cause an affliction to befall their detractors, these feigned ‘precautionary measures’ of the hypocrites will turn into regrets. (al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Shinqīṭī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَهَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَقۡسَمُواْ بِٱللَّهِ جَهۡدَ أَيۡمَٰنِهِمۡ إِنَّهُمۡ لَمَعَكُمۡۚ حَبِطَتۡ أَعۡمَٰلُهُمۡ فَأَصۡبَحُواْ خَٰسِرِينَ
(53) ˹Upon that˺ The Believers will say: “Are these ˹really˺ the ones who swore by Allah with their most solemn oaths that they were ˹in all honesty˺ with you?”[1202] Their deeds were rendered void, and they became losers[1203].
[1202] Upon seeing how deeply regretful and sorrowful the hypocrites will be when the pathetic charade that they maintained is blown apart, the Believers will ask this question wonderingly. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, al-Qurṭubī)
[1203] Besides earning the Wrath of God and having their thin cover blown, all what they bargained for and threw their weight behind came to nothing. Thus, the magnitude of their loss.
[1203] Besides earning the Wrath of God and having their thin cover blown, all what they bargained for and threw their weight behind came to nothing. Thus, the magnitude of their loss.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَن يَرۡتَدَّ مِنكُمۡ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَسَوۡفَ يَأۡتِي ٱللَّهُ بِقَوۡمٖ يُحِبُّهُمۡ وَيُحِبُّونَهُۥٓ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ يُجَٰهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوۡمَةَ لَآئِمٖۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤۡتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
(54) You who Believe, whoever of you renounces his religion[1204], then Allah will ˹soon enough˺ bring forth ˹in your stead˺ people whom He Loves and they ˹truly˺ love Him, lenient to the Believers, stern towards the Deniers, they strive hard in the path of Allah fearing no reproach from anyone who reproaches; that is the Grace of Allah, He grants it to whoever He wishes—Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.
[1204] Flouting the commandment of not aligning one’s self with the enemies of the Believers is considered a renouncement of religion.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُمۡ رَٰكِعُونَ
(55) Indeed your ˹true˺ ally is none but Allah, His Messenger and the Believers; they keep up the Prayer, give out the prescribed alms and ˹humbly˺ prostrate ˹themselves˺[1205].
[1205] “The Believers, both men and women, are allies of one another. They enjoin good and forbid evil, keep up Prayer and give out the prescribed alms, and obey Allah and His Messenger. It is they who will be shown Allah’s Mercy. Surely Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.” (9: 71)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُواْ دِينَكُمۡ هُزُوٗا وَلَعِبٗا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ وَٱلۡكُفَّارَ أَوۡلِيَآءَۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ
(57) [1206]You who Believe, do not take those who playfully take your religion as ˹an object of ˺ mockery and scorn among those who were given the Book before you and the Deniers as allies—be Mindful of Allah if only you were ˹truly˺ Believers.
[1206] In the face of deeply set opposition and profound hostility, the bar of counterargument is raised over the next few ayas up to Aya 81. It leaves no doubt in the minds of the addressee as to where each party stands; what is spoken of here is justification enough for not taking them as allies besides the Believers.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَإِذَا نَادَيۡتُمۡ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱتَّخَذُوهَا هُزُوٗا وَلَعِبٗاۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ قَوۡمٞ لَّا يَعۡقِلُونَ
(58) When you call for Prayer[1207] they playfully take it ˹as an object of ˺ mockery and scorn. That because they are people who do not reason[1208].
[1207] al-Ṣalāh (Prayer) is singled out because it is the most outwardly distinctive feature that defines the Believing community and sets it apart from the rest.
[1208] Taking those who attend to Prayer for laughing stock just shows how ignorant these people were; either they just could not grasp the essence of devotional worship (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī), or they were so taken away by antipathy that they derided what they knew was real.
[1208] Taking those who attend to Prayer for laughing stock just shows how ignorant these people were; either they just could not grasp the essence of devotional worship (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī), or they were so taken away by antipathy that they derided what they knew was real.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قُلۡ يَٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ هَلۡ تَنقِمُونَ مِنَّآ إِلَّآ أَنۡ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبۡلُ وَأَنَّ أَكۡثَرَكُمۡ فَٰسِقُونَ
(59) Say: “People of the Book, do you begrudge us only because we Believed in Allah, what was sent to us and what was sent before and ˹hold˺ that most of you are transgressors?
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قُلۡ هَلۡ أُنَبِّئُكُم بِشَرّٖ مِّن ذَٰلِكَ مَثُوبَةً عِندَ ٱللَّهِۚ مَن لَّعَنَهُ ٱللَّهُ وَغَضِبَ عَلَيۡهِ وَجَعَلَ مِنۡهُمُ ٱلۡقِرَدَةَ وَٱلۡخَنَازِيرَ وَعَبَدَ ٱلطَّٰغُوتَۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ شَرّٞ مَّكَانٗا وَأَضَلُّ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ
(60) Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Shall I tell you of a worst case before Allah? Those whom Allah Damned, became Wrathful with, and who He turned some of them into apes, swine and worshippers of ˹false˺ idols. These are in a worst position and are further away from the right path”[1209].
[1209] These home truths cum historical allusions are brought up here in rebuttal of the opposition and to bring them to see reason (cf. Ibn Jazarī).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَإِذَا جَآءُوكُمۡ قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَقَد دَّخَلُواْ بِٱلۡكُفۡرِ وَهُمۡ قَدۡ خَرَجُواْ بِهِۦۚ وَٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡتُمُونَ
(61) When they come to you they say: “We Believe!” While ˹in fact˺ they entered with Denial ˹in their hearts˺, and ˹truly˺ they have come out with it[1210]—Allah knows most what they used to hide.
[1210] For an example of this stratagem, cf. 3: 72.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَتَرَىٰ كَثِيرٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ يُسَٰرِعُونَ فِي ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٰنِ وَأَكۡلِهِمُ ٱلسُّحۡتَۚ لَبِئۡسَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ
(62) You see ˹Muhammad˺ many of them rushing into sin, aggression and devouring illicit earnings—sordid indeed is what they are used to committing.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
لَوۡلَا يَنۡهَىٰهُمُ ٱلرَّبَّٰنِيُّونَ وَٱلۡأَحۡبَارُ عَن قَوۡلِهِمُ ٱلۡإِثۡمَ وَأَكۡلِهِمُ ٱلسُّحۡتَۚ لَبِئۡسَ مَا كَانُواْ يَصۡنَعُونَ
(63) Would not the godly and the rabbis admonish them against speaking sinfully and devouring illicit earnings? Sordid indeed is what they are used to doing[1211].
[1211] There is a subtle difference between the two verbs used in Ayas 62 and 63, translated as ‘committing’ and ‘doing’, respectively. The employment of each is very becoming of the case at hand. The first yaʿmal (lit. to do) is said of the actions of the ordinary folk whose ‘doing’ is usually spurred by instinct and is not much thought-out. Whereas yaṣnaʿ (lit. to do) in the latter aya is said of the men of letters among them. The ‘makings’ of the educated who are leaders of society, contrary to the former, are usually deliberate and well-thought-out beyond the mundane and expected (cf. al-ʿAskarī, al-Furūq al-Lughawiyyah).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَقَالَتِ ٱلۡيَهُودُ يَدُ ٱللَّهِ مَغۡلُولَةٌۚ غُلَّتۡ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَلُعِنُواْ بِمَا قَالُواْۘ بَلۡ يَدَاهُ مَبۡسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيۡفَ يَشَآءُۚ وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرٗا مِّنۡهُم مَّآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ طُغۡيَٰنٗا وَكُفۡرٗاۚ وَأَلۡقَيۡنَا بَيۡنَهُمُ ٱلۡعَدَٰوَةَ وَٱلۡبَغۡضَآءَ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۚ كُلَّمَآ أَوۡقَدُواْ نَارٗا لِّلۡحَرۡبِ أَطۡفَأَهَا ٱللَّهُۚ وَيَسۡعَوۡنَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَسَادٗاۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ
(64) The Jews said: “The Hand of Allah is shackled!”[1212] May their ˹own˺ hands be shackled and Damned they are for their saying. Nay but His Hands are ˹widely˺ outstretched; He spends as He wills[1213]. Surely what was sent to you ˹Muhammad˺ from your Lord will increase many of them in rebellion and Denial[1214]. We have cast enmity and hatred[1215] among them until the Day of Judgement; whenever they flame the fire of war, Allah extinguishes it[1216]; they walk the land sowing corruption—Allah Loves not the corruptors.
[1212] By this, they metaphorically accused Almighty God, Glory be His, of meanness, close-fistedness and parsimony, meaning that He withholds His benevolence from them (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ, 4/412-413, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). This utterance echoes their equally macabre saying in 3: 181: “Allah is poor and we are rich”. This is yet another example highlighting how audacious they had become in their rebelliousness against God, not only by their sinful actions and their flouting of His law but more seriously by slandering and speaking profanely against His Most Exalted Self. For this, they deservedly earned His Wrath and Damnation.
[1213] People, especially the less religiously devout, will easily deny the innumerable bounties that God bestowed on them and will only look at what He withheld from them out of His infinite Wisdom, or the affliction that was made to befall them: “And He has granted you all that you asked Him for. If you tried to count Allah’s Blessings, you would never be able to number them. Indeed humankind is truly unfair, totally ungrateful” (14: 34). Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Verily the Right Hand of Allah is full and spending cannot diminish it. It incessantly exudes day and night. Might you ponder all that He spent since He created the Heavens and Earth, then ˹know that˺ that did not decrease ˹aught˺ of what His Right Hand holds” (al-Bukhārī: 7419, Muslim: 993).
[1214] Their hearts, being so permeated with disease, will only interpret God’s most luminous Signs that were revealed to His Messenger as confirmation of their doubts: “Whenever a sura is revealed, some of them ask ˹mockingly˺: “Which of you has this increased in Faith?” As for the Believers, it has increased them in Faith and they rejoice. *But as for those with sickness in their hearts, it has increased them only in wickedness upon their wickedness, and they die as Deniers” (9: 124-125); “Say, ˹Muhammad˺: “It ˹the Qur’an˺ is a guide and a healing to the Believers. As for those who Deny, there is deafness in their ears and blindness to it ˹in their hearts˺” (41:44).
[1215] “Their ˹the Jews˺ malice for each other is intense: you think they are united, yet their hearts are divided” (59:14). Compare with 5: 15 above.
[1216] As a result of their internal division and lack of unity they failed to prevail over their enemies. Whenever they intended to wage war their efforts were frustrated and they could not join ranks or rally forces; God wanted them to fail (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1213] People, especially the less religiously devout, will easily deny the innumerable bounties that God bestowed on them and will only look at what He withheld from them out of His infinite Wisdom, or the affliction that was made to befall them: “And He has granted you all that you asked Him for. If you tried to count Allah’s Blessings, you would never be able to number them. Indeed humankind is truly unfair, totally ungrateful” (14: 34). Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Verily the Right Hand of Allah is full and spending cannot diminish it. It incessantly exudes day and night. Might you ponder all that He spent since He created the Heavens and Earth, then ˹know that˺ that did not decrease ˹aught˺ of what His Right Hand holds” (al-Bukhārī: 7419, Muslim: 993).
[1214] Their hearts, being so permeated with disease, will only interpret God’s most luminous Signs that were revealed to His Messenger as confirmation of their doubts: “Whenever a sura is revealed, some of them ask ˹mockingly˺: “Which of you has this increased in Faith?” As for the Believers, it has increased them in Faith and they rejoice. *But as for those with sickness in their hearts, it has increased them only in wickedness upon their wickedness, and they die as Deniers” (9: 124-125); “Say, ˹Muhammad˺: “It ˹the Qur’an˺ is a guide and a healing to the Believers. As for those who Deny, there is deafness in their ears and blindness to it ˹in their hearts˺” (41:44).
[1215] “Their ˹the Jews˺ malice for each other is intense: you think they are united, yet their hearts are divided” (59:14). Compare with 5: 15 above.
[1216] As a result of their internal division and lack of unity they failed to prevail over their enemies. Whenever they intended to wage war their efforts were frustrated and they could not join ranks or rally forces; God wanted them to fail (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَلَوۡ أَنَّ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱتَّقَوۡاْ لَكَفَّرۡنَا عَنۡهُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمۡ وَلَأَدۡخَلۡنَٰهُمۡ جَنَّٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
(65) [1217]Had the People of the Book ˹truly˺ Believed and were Mindful, We would have surely absolved them of their misdeeds and admitted them into the Gardens of bliss[1218];
[1217] The crux of the matter and the essence of the difference is that the People of the Book were not humble enough to be able to see the Truth and purify their Faith, with the notable exception of those mentioned in Ayas 82-83 below. The Messenger of God (ﷺ) is urged to starkly lay this fact bare for them. This passage sums up much of the above.
[1218] Paradise. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
[1218] Paradise. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَلَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ أَقَامُواْ ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةَ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡهِم مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ لَأَكَلُواْ مِن فَوۡقِهِمۡ وَمِن تَحۡتِ أَرۡجُلِهِمۚ مِّنۡهُمۡ أُمَّةٞ مُّقۡتَصِدَةٞۖ وَكَثِيرٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ سَآءَ مَا يَعۡمَلُونَ
(66) and had they upheld the Torah and the Evangel and what was sent down to them from their Lord, they would have eaten ˹blissfully˺ from above them and from under their feet[1219]; among them there is an upright[1220] nation, yet many of them are vile indeed for what they commit.
[1219] God will bless those who devoutly follow His doctrines with plentiful provisions, rain and all sorts of produce which grows because of it (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī). This is a lasting promise of God’s: “Had the people of the towns Believed and been Mindful, We would surely have opened unto them blessings from Heaven and Earth” (7: 96); “I ˹Noah˺ said, “Ask forgiveness of your Lord: He is Ever-Forgiving. *He will send down abundant rain from the sky for you; *and He will support you with wealth and children, and make for you gardens and rivers”. (71: 10-12).
[1220] Muqtaṣidah carrying out their duties without adding to or overlooking what is asked of them (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī). The word relates to iqtiṣād which is a state of being moderate, not going to extremes (cf. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Kafawī, al-Kulliyāt).
[1220] Muqtaṣidah carrying out their duties without adding to or overlooking what is asked of them (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī). The word relates to iqtiṣād which is a state of being moderate, not going to extremes (cf. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Kafawī, al-Kulliyāt).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
۞ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلرَّسُولُ بَلِّغۡ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ مِن رَّبِّكَۖ وَإِن لَّمۡ تَفۡعَلۡ فَمَا بَلَّغۡتَ رِسَالَتَهُۥۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡصِمُكَ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ
(67) O Messenger, convey what came down to you from your Lord ˹fully˺[1221], but if you do not do ˹that˺, then you would have failed to deliver His Message; Allah will ˹certainly˺ shield you from people—surely Allah does not guide the Denying people[1222].
[1221] The Prophet (ﷺ) is urged to deliver the Message in full without holding any of it back out of fear of people or other worldly considerations (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). ʿĀ’ishah (i) said: “Whoever tells you that Muhammad (ﷺ) held back any part of what came down to him, then he surely lies ˹to you˺. ˹How so when˺ Allah says: “O Messenger, deliver what came down to you from your Lord ˹fully˺…” (al-Bukhārī: 4612).
[1222] “Truly those for whom the Word of your Lord has come due will not Believe,*even if every Sign were to come to them—until they see the painful Punishment” (10: 96-97).
[1222] “Truly those for whom the Word of your Lord has come due will not Believe,*even if every Sign were to come to them—until they see the painful Punishment” (10: 96-97).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قُلۡ يَٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ لَسۡتُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَيۡءٍ حَتَّىٰ تُقِيمُواْ ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةَ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡۗ وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرٗا مِّنۡهُم مَّآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ طُغۡيَٰنٗا وَكُفۡرٗاۖ فَلَا تَأۡسَ عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ
(68) Say ˹Muhammad˺: “People of the Book! You stand on no ˹solid˺ ground unless you uphold the Torah and the Evangel and what was sent down to you from your Lord; verily what was sent down to you ˹Muhammad˺ from your Lord will ˹only˺ increase many of them in rebellion and Denial[1223], so do not be grieved for the Denying people.
[1223] This sad fact is reasserted here after its first mention in 5: 64 above, so that the deliverer of the Message is prepared for their reaction, and so that it does not come any harder for him (ﷺ).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَٱلصَّٰبِـُٔونَ وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ
(69) Certainly, the Believers[1224], the Jews, the Sabians and the Christians whoever ˹truly˺ Believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good among them, they will have neither fear nor will they grieve[1225].
[1224] Among the followers of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr)
[1225] This aya is almost a verbatim replica of Aya 2: 62. This applies to those who came before Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was sent. Thereafter, whoever seeks a religion other than Islam it will not be accepted from him and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers (2: 85), (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr). “The religion with Allah is Islam. The ones who were given the Book only differed after ˹true˺ knowledge came to them, out of transgression among themselves. Whoever Denies Allah’s Signs, then Allah is swift in reckoning. *If they argue with you ˹Muhammad˺, say: “I have devoutly submitted my face to Allah along with those who follow me”. Say to those who were given the Book and the illiterates: “Do you devoutly submit?” If they devoutly submit then they are guided, but if they turn away, then you are tasked with nothing more than delivering ˹the Message˺ and Allah is indeed All-Seeing of ˹His˺ servants” (3: 19-20). Furthermore, Ibn ʿĀshūr opines that this aya is meant to show these people that the Door to God is easy to arrive at and that seeking refuge with Him is not beyond their reach, but they have to Believe, align themselves with the Believers and do good deeds.
[1225] This aya is almost a verbatim replica of Aya 2: 62. This applies to those who came before Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was sent. Thereafter, whoever seeks a religion other than Islam it will not be accepted from him and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers (2: 85), (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr). “The religion with Allah is Islam. The ones who were given the Book only differed after ˹true˺ knowledge came to them, out of transgression among themselves. Whoever Denies Allah’s Signs, then Allah is swift in reckoning. *If they argue with you ˹Muhammad˺, say: “I have devoutly submitted my face to Allah along with those who follow me”. Say to those who were given the Book and the illiterates: “Do you devoutly submit?” If they devoutly submit then they are guided, but if they turn away, then you are tasked with nothing more than delivering ˹the Message˺ and Allah is indeed All-Seeing of ˹His˺ servants” (3: 19-20). Furthermore, Ibn ʿĀshūr opines that this aya is meant to show these people that the Door to God is easy to arrive at and that seeking refuge with Him is not beyond their reach, but they have to Believe, align themselves with the Believers and do good deeds.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
لَقَدۡ أَخَذۡنَا مِيثَٰقَ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ وَأَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡهِمۡ رُسُلٗاۖ كُلَّمَا جَآءَهُمۡ رَسُولُۢ بِمَا لَا تَهۡوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُهُمۡ فَرِيقٗا كَذَّبُواْ وَفَرِيقٗا يَقۡتُلُونَ
(70) Indeed, We took the pledge of the Children of Israel[1226] and We sent them Messengers. Whenever a Messenger brought them that which was not to their liking, they declared false a party ˹of the Messengers˺ and another party they would kill.
[1226] Cf. 5: 12 above.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَحَسِبُوٓاْ أَلَّا تَكُونَ فِتۡنَةٞ فَعَمُواْ وَصَمُّواْ ثُمَّ تَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ثُمَّ عَمُواْ وَصَمُّواْ كَثِيرٞ مِّنۡهُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرُۢ بِمَا يَعۡمَلُونَ
(71) They thought that there would be no trial[1227]; they were blinded and deafened, then Allah relented towards them, after that a great many of them were blinded and deafened—indeed Allah is All-Seeing of what they commit.
[1227] They deceived themselves by airily thinking that they would not be ‘tried’ for their grievous offences. Such self-deceit blinded and deafened them to seeing and hearing the Truth, thus they will not find a way to it. Even after God relented towards them and guided them at a certain juncture of time, a great many of them still fell back into their old ways (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
لَقَدۡ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَۖ وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ يَٰبَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمۡۖ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَمَأۡوَىٰهُ ٱلنَّارُۖ وَمَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ مِنۡ أَنصَارٖ
(72) Deniers indeed are those who say: “Allah is the Messiah, son of Maryam”.[1228] ˹While˺ The Messiah ˹himself ˺ said[1229]: “Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Indeed whoever Associates with Allah, then Allah will surely forbid him ˹entry into˺ Paradise and his home will be Hellfire—the wrongdoers will never have helpers”.
[1228] Aya 5: 17 and its subject – the Christian creed – is revisited here. The specific aspects addressed being Jesus’s Lordship and the Trinity.
[1229] Cf. Luke 4: 8; Matthew 4: 10.
[1229] Cf. Luke 4: 8; Matthew 4: 10.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
لَّقَدۡ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَٰثَةٖۘ وَمَا مِنۡ إِلَٰهٍ إِلَّآ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞۚ وَإِن لَّمۡ يَنتَهُواْ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
(73) Deniers indeed are those who say: “Allah is one of three!” There never would ever be a God but One[1230]. If they do not desist from what they say, those of them who Deny will be touched by a painful Punishment.
[1230] “Allah has never had ˹any˺ offspring, nor is there any god besides Him. Otherwise, each god would have taken away what he created, and they would have tried to dominate one another. Glorified is Allah above ˹all˺ what they claim!” (23: 91); “Had there been other gods besides Allah in the Heavens or Earth, both ˹realms˺ would have surely been corrupted. So Glorified is Allah, Lord of the Throne, far above what they claim” (21: 22).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
مَّا ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ إِلَّا رَسُولٞ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُۥ صِدِّيقَةٞۖ كَانَا يَأۡكُلَانِ ٱلطَّعَامَۗ ٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ ثُمَّ ٱنظُرۡ أَنَّىٰ يُؤۡفَكُونَ
(75) The Messiah son of Maryam is no more than a Messenger who comes in a line of ˹many˺ Messengers and his mother is an affirmer of Truth[1231], they both used to eat food[1232]. Look how We lay plain the Signs for them and look how they turn away ˹from the Truth˺.
[1231] She holds the high rank of ṣiddīqūn (Affirmers of the Truth, cf. 4: 69 and 66:12). She cannot, however, be venerated way beyond this rightful station to that of divinity, cf. 5: 116 below.
[1232] Emblematic of their mortality is that both Jesus and his mother needed food for their sustenance. Very much unlike the self-sustaining God, Glory be His, in order to remain alive they had to depend on other creatures and vegetation etc. for food. A real God is not this helpless. “He ˹Allah˺ feeds, and never is He fed” (6: 14). (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1232] Emblematic of their mortality is that both Jesus and his mother needed food for their sustenance. Very much unlike the self-sustaining God, Glory be His, in order to remain alive they had to depend on other creatures and vegetation etc. for food. A real God is not this helpless. “He ˹Allah˺ feeds, and never is He fed” (6: 14). (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قُلۡ يَٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ لَا تَغۡلُواْ فِي دِينِكُمۡ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوٓاْ أَهۡوَآءَ قَوۡمٖ قَدۡ ضَلُّواْ مِن قَبۡلُ وَأَضَلُّواْ كَثِيرٗا وَضَلُّواْ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ
(77) [1233]Say: “People of the Book, do not take an extremely hard line on your religion, that is besides the Truth, and do not follow the desires of ˹those˺ folk[1234] who ˹themselves˺ had become misguided before, led a great many astray and missed the right path ˹themselves˺”.
[1233] Cf. 4: 171: “People of the Book, do not take an extremely hard line on your religion and say nothing about Allah except the Truth; the Messiah, ʿĪsā son of Maryam is no more than a Messenger of Allah, and His word that He cast to Maryam, and a soul from Him. Believe then in Allah and His Messengers, and say not: “Three”. Desist ˹from saying this˺ for your own good; indeed Allah is none but one God, far exalted is He above having a child. To Him belongs what is in the Heavens and Earth—sufficient is Allah as Keeper.”
[1234] Their misguided/misguiding religious leaders. (Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1234] Their misguided/misguiding religious leaders. (Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
لُعِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۢ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ عَلَىٰ لِسَانِ دَاوُۥدَ وَعِيسَى ٱبۡنِ مَرۡيَمَۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَواْ وَّكَانُواْ يَعۡتَدُونَ
(78) The Deniers among the Children of Israel were damned by the tongue of Dāwūd ˹David˺ and ʿĪsā son of Maryam[1235] for their disobedience and persistent aggression.
[1235] Cf. the diatribe of the hypocritical Israelite priests as in for instance Matthew 23: 13-38.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
تَرَىٰ كَثِيرٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ يَتَوَلَّوۡنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْۚ لَبِئۡسَ مَا قَدَّمَتۡ لَهُمۡ أَنفُسُهُمۡ أَن سَخِطَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَفِي ٱلۡعَذَابِ هُمۡ خَٰلِدُونَ
(80) You ˹Muhammad˺ will see many of them align themselves with the Deniers; sordid indeed is what they have laid themselves out for, that which Allah abhorred, and forever will they abide in Punishment.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَلَوۡ كَانُواْ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡهِ مَا ٱتَّخَذُوهُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءَ وَلَٰكِنَّ كَثِيرٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ فَٰسِقُونَ
(81) Were they truly Believing in Allah, the Prophet and what was sent down to him[1236], they would not have taken them as allies, but many of them are ˹in Truth˺ transgressors.
[1236] Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his Message. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
۞ لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ ٱلنَّاسِ عَدَٰوَةٗ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱلۡيَهُودَ وَٱلَّذِينَ أَشۡرَكُواْۖ وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقۡرَبَهُم مَّوَدَّةٗ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا نَصَٰرَىٰۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنۡهُمۡ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهۡبَانٗا وَأَنَّهُمۡ لَا يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ
(82) [1237]You ˹Muhammad˺ will find the bitterest of people in their enmity to Believers are the Jews and those who Associate, while you will find the nearest in affection towards the Believers are those who declare themselves Christians. That is because among them are ˹sincere˺ priests and monks[1238] and that they do not disdain ˹the Truth˺.
[1237] Here, the preceding lengthy argumentation with the People of the Book is rounded off. The Prophet (ﷺ) is told of the reality of the matter in assertive terms: while those who have vested interest in Denying, seeing that the new Message clashes with their worldly gains and benefits will declare nothing but acrimony towards it and thus will never admit the Truth, those who are purer in Faith, being humble and sincere disciples of the Scripture (qissisīn/priests) and/or strict appliers of its dictates (ruhbān/monks), will open up their hearts to the Truth, admit it willingly and bear witness to it.
[1238] The reason being that the former (priests) are devoted to learning while the latter (monks) are those who have renounced the world and lead ascetical lives (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). One such godly scholar was Waraqah Ibn Nawfal; ʿĀ’ishah (i) in the hadith of the beginning of waḥy (revelation) said: “When the Prophet (ﷺ) went back to ˹his wife˺ Khadījah ˹after receiving the first Message via Gabriel (عليه السلام)˺ with a trembling heart˺ she took him along to Waraqah Ibn Nawfal, who had become Christian reading the Evangel in Arabic. He asked him: “What do you see?” When he told him, Waraqah said: “This is the nomos (al-nāmūs) that Allah sent down to Moses. Would your day ˹of hardship˺ come upon me, I shall surely stand firmly by your side!” (al-Bukhārī: 3392, Muslim: 160).
[1238] The reason being that the former (priests) are devoted to learning while the latter (monks) are those who have renounced the world and lead ascetical lives (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). One such godly scholar was Waraqah Ibn Nawfal; ʿĀ’ishah (i) in the hadith of the beginning of waḥy (revelation) said: “When the Prophet (ﷺ) went back to ˹his wife˺ Khadījah ˹after receiving the first Message via Gabriel (عليه السلام)˺ with a trembling heart˺ she took him along to Waraqah Ibn Nawfal, who had become Christian reading the Evangel in Arabic. He asked him: “What do you see?” When he told him, Waraqah said: “This is the nomos (al-nāmūs) that Allah sent down to Moses. Would your day ˹of hardship˺ come upon me, I shall surely stand firmly by your side!” (al-Bukhārī: 3392, Muslim: 160).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَإِذَا سَمِعُواْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ تَرَىٰٓ أَعۡيُنَهُمۡ تَفِيضُ مِنَ ٱلدَّمۡعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّۖ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱكۡتُبۡنَا مَعَ ٱلشَّٰهِدِينَ
(83) When they hear what was sent down to the Messenger[1239], you will see their eyes swell with tears because of the Truth they knew. ˹Hence˺ They say: “Our Lord we Believe, so count us among the witnesses.”
[1239] The Qur’an that was sent down to Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَمَا لَنَا لَا نُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَا جَآءَنَا مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَنَطۡمَعُ أَن يُدۡخِلَنَا رَبُّنَا مَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ
(84) Why should we ever not Believe in Allah and the Truth that came to us[1240]; we are desirous that our Lord will admit us ˹into Paradise˺ along with the righteous.
[1240] “Indeed there are among the People of the Book those who Believe in Allah, what has been sent down to you ˹Muhammad˺ and what had been sent down to them, humbling themselves before Allah and do not trade off the Signs of Allah for a pittance; for those is their reward with their Lord—Allah is swift in reckoning” (3: 199); “˹As for˺ those ˹Faithful˺ to whom We had given the Book before this ˹Qur’an˺, they do Believe in it. *When it is recited to them, they declare: “We Believe in it. This is definitely the Truth from our Lord. We had already submitted before this” (28: 52-53).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
فَأَثَٰبَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا قَالُواْ جَنَّٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَاۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ
(85) Allah rewarded them for their saying Gardens under which rivers flow, forever they abide therein—that indeed is the reward of the good doers.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُحَرِّمُواْ طَيِّبَٰتِ مَآ أَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ وَلَا تَعۡتَدُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِينَ
(87) [1242]You who Believe, do not pronounce unlawful the good provisions that Allah made lawful for you[1243]; do not transgress, surely Allah Loves not the transgressors.
[1242] Now that the all important issue of the creed of the People of the Book has been made plain, the discourse again picks up on the laws that are set for the Believing community, reiterating and expounding them. This is to drive home the Message that these laws are ever binding and should not be taken liberty with. Nor are they to be disregarded, or licentiously treated with, as did earlier nations.
[1243] “Do not falsely declare with your tongues: “This is lawful, and that is unlawful”, fabricating lies against Allah. Indeed, those who fabricate lies against Allah will never succeed” (16: 116). Anas Ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) narrated that: “Some men came upon the chambers of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) asking about his worship. When answered they felt that it was not enough ˹for them˺. Then they said to themselves: “How great the difference is between us and the Prophet (ﷺ), he was forgiven all his past and future misdeeds by Allah!” Then one of them said: “I shall Pray all night long and never sleep!” Another said: “I shall fast all year long and never break it!” And a third said: “I shall shun women and never ever marry!” The Prophet (ﷺ) then came and said: “Are you the ones who said so and so? By Allah I am the most fearful and Mindful of Allah among all here, but I fast and I break my fasting, I Pray and I sleep and I marry women. Whoever renounces my way (Sunnah) has nothing to do with me!” (al-Bukhārī: 5063, Muslim: 1401).
[1243] “Do not falsely declare with your tongues: “This is lawful, and that is unlawful”, fabricating lies against Allah. Indeed, those who fabricate lies against Allah will never succeed” (16: 116). Anas Ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) narrated that: “Some men came upon the chambers of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) asking about his worship. When answered they felt that it was not enough ˹for them˺. Then they said to themselves: “How great the difference is between us and the Prophet (ﷺ), he was forgiven all his past and future misdeeds by Allah!” Then one of them said: “I shall Pray all night long and never sleep!” Another said: “I shall fast all year long and never break it!” And a third said: “I shall shun women and never ever marry!” The Prophet (ﷺ) then came and said: “Are you the ones who said so and so? By Allah I am the most fearful and Mindful of Allah among all here, but I fast and I break my fasting, I Pray and I sleep and I marry women. Whoever renounces my way (Sunnah) has nothing to do with me!” (al-Bukhārī: 5063, Muslim: 1401).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَكُلُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ حَلَٰلٗا طَيِّبٗاۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنتُم بِهِۦ مُؤۡمِنُونَ
(88) Eat of what Allah provided for you, that is lawful and good, and be Mindful of Allah in Whom you Believe[1244].
[1244] “Believers, eat of the good things which We provided for you, and be grateful to Allah, if you indeed worship Him ˹alone˺” (2: 172); “Eat and drink, but do not waste. Surely He does not like the wasteful” (7: 31).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِٱللَّغۡوِ فِيٓ أَيۡمَٰنِكُمۡ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا عَقَّدتُّمُ ٱلۡأَيۡمَٰنَۖ فَكَفَّٰرَتُهُۥٓ إِطۡعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَٰكِينَ مِنۡ أَوۡسَطِ مَا تُطۡعِمُونَ أَهۡلِيكُمۡ أَوۡ كِسۡوَتُهُمۡ أَوۡ تَحۡرِيرُ رَقَبَةٖۖ فَمَن لَّمۡ يَجِدۡ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَٰثَةِ أَيَّامٖۚ ذَٰلِكَ كَفَّٰرَةُ أَيۡمَٰنِكُمۡ إِذَا حَلَفۡتُمۡۚ وَٱحۡفَظُوٓاْ أَيۡمَٰنَكُمۡۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ
(89) [1245]Allah will not hold you accountable for thoughtlessly swearing ˹by Him˺[1246] but He will hold you to account over the solemn oaths you make; the atonement of which is feeding ten destitutes out of the average ˹food˺ that you feed your households, or clothing them, or manumitting a slave; whoever could not find ˹the means to any of these˺ then let him fast for three days. That is the atonement of ˹breaking˺ your oaths if you swear; ˹but˺ guard your oaths—thus Allah explains to you His Signs so that you might be thankful.
[1245] It is not unusual that some would, in a fit of rage or by way of affirming their commitment, habitually swear to something which may be considered as a breach of God’s boundaries. Although God will call to account only over those oaths which one takes whilst being fully aware of their gravity (cf. 2: 225), Believers are nonetheless told to guard their oaths (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1246] Unintentionally saying: “Yes, by God”, or: “No, by God” out of habit. (Ibn Kathīr, al-Bukhārī: 6663)
[1246] Unintentionally saying: “Yes, by God”, or: “No, by God” out of habit. (Ibn Kathīr, al-Bukhārī: 6663)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡخَمۡرُ وَٱلۡمَيۡسِرُ وَٱلۡأَنصَابُ وَٱلۡأَزۡلَٰمُ رِجۡسٞ مِّنۡ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ فَٱجۡتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ
(90) [1247]You who Believe, intoxicants, gambling, altars ˹of idolatry˺[1248] and casting lots ˹for divination˺[1249] are nothing but defilement of the making of Satan, so steer clear from it ˹all˺, so that you might be successful.
[1247] Some of what they used to habitually consume and practice in the age of ignorance, before the advent of Islam is picked up on here to clearly demarcate the boundaries of the Believing society. The awful reality of what had been the norm is exposed and is warned against in the strongest of terms (cf. al-Rāzī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1248] al-Anṣāb are stones or idols which are erected for worship and sacrificial offerings. (Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Azharī, Tahdhīb al-Lughah; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah)
[1249] Cf. 5: 3 above.
[1248] al-Anṣāb are stones or idols which are erected for worship and sacrificial offerings. (Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Azharī, Tahdhīb al-Lughah; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah)
[1249] Cf. 5: 3 above.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيۡنَكُمُ ٱلۡعَدَٰوَةَ وَٱلۡبَغۡضَآءَ فِي ٱلۡخَمۡرِ وَٱلۡمَيۡسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمۡ عَن ذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ وَعَنِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِۖ فَهَلۡ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ
(91) Satan wants nothing but to sow enmity and hatred among you through intoxicants and gambling, and repel you from the remembrance of Allah[1250] and Prayer, will you not ˹then˺ desist?
[1250] Dhikr Allah is the remembrance and mentioning of God. In Islam it is a noteworthy act of worship through which one gains God's Pleasure and great reward, wards off the devil and disquieting thoughts, and gains comfort and peace in one’s heart and life: “Verily in mentioning Allah do hearts find comfort” (13: 28); the Prophet (ﷺ) was asked: “Which deed is seen as the best by Allah?” He replied: “That you die with your tongue moist with mentioning Allah” (al-Bukhārī, Khalq Afʿāl al-ʿIbād: 281; al-Ṭabarānī, al-Kabīr: 93); Muʿādh (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Never has a human done a thing more likely to save him from Allah’s Punishment than mentioning Allah, Glory be His” (Aḥmad: 4/239). Ibn al-Qayyim in al-Wābil al-Ṣayyib lists more than a hundred benefits and advantages for this act of worship. Little wonder, then, that Satan, man’s arch-enemy, is bent on driving people away from it and other acts of obedience to God, notably Prayer.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَٱحۡذَرُواْۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّيۡتُمۡ فَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّمَا عَلَىٰ رَسُولِنَا ٱلۡبَلَٰغُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ
(92) Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and be on your guard. But should you turn away, then know that Our Messenger’s duty is nothing but clear delivery ˹of the Message˺.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
لَيۡسَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ جُنَاحٞ فِيمَا طَعِمُوٓاْ إِذَا مَا ٱتَّقَواْ وَّءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ ثُمَّ ٱتَّقَواْ وَّءَامَنُواْ ثُمَّ ٱتَّقَواْ وَّأَحۡسَنُواْۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ
(93) [1251]There is no ˹blame of ˺ sin for those who Believe and do good deeds over what they used to savour[1252] ˹in the past˺ if they: became Mindful, Believed and did good deeds; then became Mindful and Believed; then became Mindful and perfected ˹their deeds˺—Allah loves those who perfect ˹their deeds˺[1253].
[1251] The reason for this aya’s revelation is narrated by Anas (رضي الله عنه) whereby: “I was doling out wine to others in the house of Abū Ṭalḥah when the Messenger (ﷺ) ordered someone to call out to people that wine was made unlawful. At that Abū Ṭalḥah said to me: “Get out and drain the wine ˹vessels˺”. I went out and drained them and they ran in the roads of Madinah. Then some people said ˹wonderingly˺: “Some ˹of us˺ were killed while it was in their bellies!” Then Allah sent down: “There is no ˹blame of ˺ sin for those who Believe and do good deeds over what they used to savour if they…” (al-Bukhārī: 2464, Muslim: 1980). This aya is the last and final aya that was sent down regarding the ruling of wine and (other) intoxicant consumption and which forbids it once and for all. The other two being Ayas 2: 219 and 4: 43.
[1252] That is before the ruling came down. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
[1253] These three parallel structures, along with the employment of the coordinator thumma (then), which signifies a longish separating period in-between, are meant to heighten the effect of the seriousness of this ruling (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). What used to take place before is pardoned, but Believers are made fully aware not to fall victim to this sin again, hence drawing deeply on the power of their Faith.
[1252] That is before the ruling came down. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
[1253] These three parallel structures, along with the employment of the coordinator thumma (then), which signifies a longish separating period in-between, are meant to heighten the effect of the seriousness of this ruling (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). What used to take place before is pardoned, but Believers are made fully aware not to fall victim to this sin again, hence drawing deeply on the power of their Faith.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَيَبۡلُوَنَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنَ ٱلصَّيۡدِ تَنَالُهُۥٓ أَيۡدِيكُمۡ وَرِمَاحُكُمۡ لِيَعۡلَمَ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَخَافُهُۥ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِۚ فَمَنِ ٱعۡتَدَىٰ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَهُۥ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ
(94) You who Believe, Allah shall test you with some game ˹well˺ within the reach of your hands and spears, so that Allah may Know[1254] he who fears Him in secret[1255]. Whoever transgresses after this, then his is a painful Punishment.
[1254] The kind of knowledge which is made apparent to people according to which some are rewarded and others punished. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1255] “Those who fear their Lord in secret, theirs is forgiveness and a great reward” (67: 12). Restraining one’s self from sinning while hidden from the eyes of others and that the sin being so tantalizingly facile is a great test of Faith.
[1255] “Those who fear their Lord in secret, theirs is forgiveness and a great reward” (67: 12). Restraining one’s self from sinning while hidden from the eyes of others and that the sin being so tantalizingly facile is a great test of Faith.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَقۡتُلُواْ ٱلصَّيۡدَ وَأَنتُمۡ حُرُمٞۚ وَمَن قَتَلَهُۥ مِنكُم مُّتَعَمِّدٗا فَجَزَآءٞ مِّثۡلُ مَا قَتَلَ مِنَ ٱلنَّعَمِ يَحۡكُمُ بِهِۦ ذَوَا عَدۡلٖ مِّنكُمۡ هَدۡيَۢا بَٰلِغَ ٱلۡكَعۡبَةِ أَوۡ كَفَّٰرَةٞ طَعَامُ مَسَٰكِينَ أَوۡ عَدۡلُ ذَٰلِكَ صِيَامٗا لِّيَذُوقَ وَبَالَ أَمۡرِهِۦۗ عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَمَّا سَلَفَۚ وَمَنۡ عَادَ فَيَنتَقِمُ ٱللَّهُ مِنۡهُۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٞ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٍ
(95) You who Believe, do not kill game while you are in a state of sanctity[1256], whoever kills any intentionally, then his penalty is ˹to compensate for it with one of ˺ the livestock equal to what he killed – so judged by two of you who are of sound judgement[1257] – as a gifted offering reaching the Kaʿbah[1258], or atoning ˹for it with providing˺ food for the destitute, or the equivalent of that in fasting, so that he may taste the consequence of his action. Allah has overlooked what took place in the past, but whoever does it anew, then Allah takes revenge on him—Allah is All-Prevailing, capable of vengeance[1259].
[1256] Ḥurum, in a state of sanctity, refers to whether you are donning iḥrām to perform Hajj or ʿumrah, or whether you are within the inviolable precincts, the ḥaram area (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1257] Dhawā ʿadl (lit. two possessors of fairness) are two people known for their upright character and fair-mindedness (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
[1258] This compensative offering (hady) should reach the sanctified precincts (ḥaram), which is what is meant by the Kaʿbah here (cf. al-Qurṭubī, who cites the unanimity of exegetes over this issue), be slaughtered within its bounds and distributed to the needy among its inhabitants. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1259] Dhū intiqām (revenge, vengeance, retribution), is not an absolute Attribute or Name of Almighty God, but rather is bound by limitation to certain instances (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn). Hence why I have chosen here not to capitalize it as I always do with other Divine Names or Attributes.
[1257] Dhawā ʿadl (lit. two possessors of fairness) are two people known for their upright character and fair-mindedness (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
[1258] This compensative offering (hady) should reach the sanctified precincts (ḥaram), which is what is meant by the Kaʿbah here (cf. al-Qurṭubī, who cites the unanimity of exegetes over this issue), be slaughtered within its bounds and distributed to the needy among its inhabitants. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1259] Dhū intiqām (revenge, vengeance, retribution), is not an absolute Attribute or Name of Almighty God, but rather is bound by limitation to certain instances (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn). Hence why I have chosen here not to capitalize it as I always do with other Divine Names or Attributes.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
أُحِلَّ لَكُمۡ صَيۡدُ ٱلۡبَحۡرِ وَطَعَامُهُۥ مَتَٰعٗا لَّكُمۡ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِۖ وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ صَيۡدُ ٱلۡبَرِّ مَا دُمۡتُمۡ حُرُمٗاۗ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِيٓ إِلَيۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ
(96) The game of the sea and its food[1260] is lawful to you; an enjoyment for you and other wayfarers; ˹however still˺ unlawful to you is the game of the land as long as you are in a state of sanctity. Be Mindful of Allah to Whom you shall be gathered.
[1260] The game of the sea (ṣayd al-baḥr) and its food (ṭaʿāmuh) are the sea creatures that you fish alive and the dead ones that you scoop out, respectively. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
۞ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡكَعۡبَةَ ٱلۡبَيۡتَ ٱلۡحَرَامَ قِيَٰمٗا لِّلنَّاسِ وَٱلشَّهۡرَ ٱلۡحَرَامَ وَٱلۡهَدۡيَ وَٱلۡقَلَٰٓئِدَۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِتَعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ
(97) [1261]Allah made the Kaʿbah, the Sanctified House, a bastion ˹of well-being˺[1262]; as well as the sacrosanct month, gifted offerings, garlanded sacrifices ˹are instituted for good cause[1263]˺. That, so you may know that Allah ˹perfectly˺ Knows what is in the Heavens and Earth—verily Allah Knows everything.
[1261] Although it seamlessly flows from the previous passage, this aya and the next can be further read within the light of Aya 5: 2 above. Here, the reason for how much stake God places on the violation of these Symbols of His (عز وجل) is stated; there has got to be a place and a time where all people and creatures feel safe and in harmony under their Creator’s will.
[1262] Qiyām traces its meaning to erectness and/or taking care of affairs (cf. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). That God made the Kaʿbah qiyāman li al-nās signifies both their religious, e.g. Prayers, Hajj, ʿumrah, etc., and worldly affairs, e.g. trade in all sorts of produce, getting together and knowing each other, etc., are upheld and safeguarded in and around it (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī).
Even before Islam, the Sanctified House was a source of guidance to people through which some were constantly reminded of God, especially those known as al-Aḥnāf (the rightly inclined), and a great source of worldly gains to all Arabs who visited it, but especially a great source of power, wealth and prestige to the Qurayshites (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). “They said ˹to you Muhammad˺, “If we were to follow ˹True˺ guidance with you, we would certainly be snatched away from our land!” Have We not established for them a safe haven ˹in Makkah˺ to which fruits of all kinds are brought as a provision from Us? But most of them do not realize ˹this favour˺” (28: 57).
[1263] People will feel safe for their lives and livelihoods during the sacrosanct months, and thus prosper. They will also put these offerings to good use and from which they will eat and manufacture different artifacts from their hides (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī). These are also meant to instill the virtue of self restraint in people.
[1262] Qiyām traces its meaning to erectness and/or taking care of affairs (cf. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). That God made the Kaʿbah qiyāman li al-nās signifies both their religious, e.g. Prayers, Hajj, ʿumrah, etc., and worldly affairs, e.g. trade in all sorts of produce, getting together and knowing each other, etc., are upheld and safeguarded in and around it (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī).
Even before Islam, the Sanctified House was a source of guidance to people through which some were constantly reminded of God, especially those known as al-Aḥnāf (the rightly inclined), and a great source of worldly gains to all Arabs who visited it, but especially a great source of power, wealth and prestige to the Qurayshites (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). “They said ˹to you Muhammad˺, “If we were to follow ˹True˺ guidance with you, we would certainly be snatched away from our land!” Have We not established for them a safe haven ˹in Makkah˺ to which fruits of all kinds are brought as a provision from Us? But most of them do not realize ˹this favour˺” (28: 57).
[1263] People will feel safe for their lives and livelihoods during the sacrosanct months, and thus prosper. They will also put these offerings to good use and from which they will eat and manufacture different artifacts from their hides (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī). These are also meant to instill the virtue of self restraint in people.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
مَّا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلۡبَلَٰغُۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تُبۡدُونَ وَمَا تَكۡتُمُونَ
(99) The Messenger’s duty is nothing but delivery ˹of the Message˺—Allah Knows what you reveal and what you conceal[1264].
[1264] Fully realizing that God surely watches over their actions and is aware of their intentions, and now that His Message has been clearly delivered by the Messenger (ﷺ), Believers are left to their consciences and are warned, on pain of a severe punishment, against violating His commands. However, they are also to realize that God overlooks the sins of those of His servants who repent to Him, and being the Most Merciful, He will not burden anyone with that which he cannot bear (cf. 3: 286).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قُل لَّا يَسۡتَوِي ٱلۡخَبِيثُ وَٱلطَّيِّبُ وَلَوۡ أَعۡجَبَكَ كَثۡرَةُ ٱلۡخَبِيثِۚ فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ يَٰٓأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ
(100) Say ˹Muhammad˺: “The evil and the good are not equal even though the abundance of the evil may fascinate you”. So fear Allah, people of sound reason, so that you might be successful[1265].
[1265] People are reminded of this fact so that they persevere in the constant fight against temptation. Ironically, evil might be the more conspicuous of the two and readily strikes the eye, at which the person wonders and/or is allured (aʿjaba) by it, but this does not make it the more virtuous of the two. Belief and Denial, obedience and rebellion, and lawful and forbidden deeds are not one and the same and that more people are, in fact, Denying, rebelling and committing forbidden deeds does not make evil justifiable or lawful. In the end, those who are Mindful and are really of sound enough reason to pay heed will be the ones who will eventually attain success. “And ˹surely˺ the final round is for the Mindful” (7: 128).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَسۡـَٔلُواْ عَنۡ أَشۡيَآءَ إِن تُبۡدَ لَكُمۡ تَسُؤۡكُمۡ وَإِن تَسۡـَٔلُواْ عَنۡهَا حِينَ يُنَزَّلُ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ تُبۡدَ لَكُمۡ عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهَاۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٞ
(101) [1266]You who Believe, do not ask about matters, which if explained to you would displease you. But if you ask about them while the Qur’an is being sent down, they will be explained to you[1267]. Allah overlooked them[1268]—Allah is indeed All-Forgiving, All-Forbearing[1269].
[1266] Believers are urged here to uphold and hold tightly to what was delivered to them by the most trustworthy Messenger (ﷺ) (cf. 3: 103). Questions, and especially contrived questions, when responded to will inevitably widen the circle of Divine ordinances and this might make it difficult for Believers to act on them. God, in His infinite wisdom, perfected His religion, ensuring it was not onerous for people so that it would be easy for them to follow in order to win His great rewards: “Allah wants not to burden you, but He wants to purify you and perfect His favour on you that you may be thankful” (5: 6, cf. also 22: 78). Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “People, Allah has ordained Hajj for you so perform it”. A man stood up and said: “Every year, Messenger of Allah?” The Messenger did not answer him until he repeated the question three times. Then he said: “Had I said: “Yes”, then it would be binding and you would not be able to bear it”. Then he added: “You should not be pestering me with questions when I hold my peace. What brought about the ruination of those who came before you is their persistence in asking questions and incessantly counselling their Prophets. If I command you something, do it as much as you can and if I warn you against a matter avoid it altogether” (Muslim: 1337). Saʿd Ibn Abī Waqqāṣ (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The bearer of the most grievous of sins among the Muslims is the one who asks a question about something which was not declared unlawful ˹in the first place˺ but which was pronounced so because of this question” (al-Bukhārī: 7289, Muslim: 2358). This outlook captures the essence of Islam, the most perfect of all religions, which is very much in tune with human nature.
[1267] It is alright to ask sincere questions about a portion of the Qur’an that one cannot understand and/or to make sure of a particular ruling. Such questions deserve to be answered as much as they are warranted and legitimate (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, Ibn Rajab, al-Saʿdī).
[1268] This could mean that: 1) God overlooked your questioning and does not hold you to account for your oversight (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī); 2) God warned you against such questioning but allows it once a revelation with its regard comes down from Him (Ibn ʿĀshūr); 3) what was not mentioned in the Qur’an is part of what He pardoned so do not bring these up since they were not brought up by God Himself (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1269] “If Allah were to punish people for what they have committed, He would not have left a single living being on the back of Earth. But He delays them for an appointed term. And when their time arrives, then surely Allah is All-Seeing of His servants” (35: 45).
[1267] It is alright to ask sincere questions about a portion of the Qur’an that one cannot understand and/or to make sure of a particular ruling. Such questions deserve to be answered as much as they are warranted and legitimate (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, Ibn Rajab, al-Saʿdī).
[1268] This could mean that: 1) God overlooked your questioning and does not hold you to account for your oversight (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī); 2) God warned you against such questioning but allows it once a revelation with its regard comes down from Him (Ibn ʿĀshūr); 3) what was not mentioned in the Qur’an is part of what He pardoned so do not bring these up since they were not brought up by God Himself (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1269] “If Allah were to punish people for what they have committed, He would not have left a single living being on the back of Earth. But He delays them for an appointed term. And when their time arrives, then surely Allah is All-Seeing of His servants” (35: 45).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قَدۡ سَأَلَهَا قَوۡمٞ مِّن قَبۡلِكُمۡ ثُمَّ أَصۡبَحُواْ بِهَا كَٰفِرِينَ
[1270] These people did not ask these questions out of a genuine need for knowledge but instead due to a lack of sincere willingness to carry out what they were commanded to: it was just too convenient for them to disregard what was explained to them. (Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
مَا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنۢ بَحِيرَةٖ وَلَا سَآئِبَةٖ وَلَا وَصِيلَةٖ وَلَا حَامٖ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَفۡتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡكَذِبَۖ وَأَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡقِلُونَ
(103) [1271]Allah allowed none ˹of the so-called˺ baḥīrah, nor sā’ibah, nor waṣīlah, nor ḥām but the Deniers fabricate lies against Allah; most of them have no sense.
[1271] As much as people are warned against asking questions about matters which were not ordained on them, they are not to abide by laws which were also not decreed by God (cf. Ibn ʿĀdil). The four categories mentioned in this aya are those states of livestock which Arab pagans forbade use of, or did so for specific idolatry practices. They are, as ordered here: baḥīrah, a she-camel which has given five live births and whose ear they would slit and make its riding and milking forbidden; sā’ibah, a she-camel, a cow, goat or ewe which they would set free to roam and graze in fulfillment of an oath or as an act of obedience to their gods; waṣīlah, the seventh live birth of a livestock. If it were male they would slaughter it, but if it were female they would pronounce its meat and milk forbidden for women; ḥām, a male livestock which successfully breeds ten live births, which they would announce as ‘protected’ (or pensioned) and so not use it for riding or conveying loads (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah). They inherited these groundless, seemingly devotional, laws from their forefathers, whom they venerated, but whom had no knowledge of God’s laws. They lacked Divine inspiration, a fact which rendered them senseless, following their own desires and superstitions.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ تَعَالَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَإِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ قَالُواْ حَسۡبُنَا مَا وَجَدۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ ءَابَآءَنَآۚ أَوَلَوۡ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَا يَهۡتَدُونَ
(104) When it is said to them: “Come to what Allah sent down and to the Messenger”. They say: “Good enough for us are the ways of our forefathers”. Would this ˹be the case˺ even if their forefathers had no knowledge nor were they able of finding the way[1272].
[1272] “Should they be told: “Follow what Allah sent down”, they would say: “Nay, we would only follow that which we found our fathers doing”; ˹Would they˺ Even if their fathers were mindless of everything, nor were they guided” (2: 170). Their pretext is ever-ready whenever they are called on to follow God’s commands; they have their old habits to fall back on (cf. also 31: 20-21 and 37: 69-70).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ عَلَيۡكُمۡ أَنفُسَكُمۡۖ لَا يَضُرُّكُم مَّن ضَلَّ إِذَا ٱهۡتَدَيۡتُمۡۚ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ جَمِيعٗا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ
(105) You who Believe, guard your own selves; those who lose the path will not harm you if you find the way[1273]. To Allah you shall all return and then He will tell you ˹the Truth˺ of what you used to do[1274].
[1273] This is the limit of the Believers’ duty of call and propagation of the laws of God. Once they have delivered the Message as it should duly be, they are not responsible for the actions of those who rebuff them. “You ˹Muhammad˺ surely cannot guide whoever you like, but it is Allah Who guides whoever He wills, and He Knows best who are ˹fit to be˺ guided” (28: 56). (Ibn ʿĀshūr)
[1274] God, Who Knows everything and has a minutely detailed record of it (cf. 18: 49), will be the final Judge. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
[1274] God, Who Knows everything and has a minutely detailed record of it (cf. 18: 49), will be the final Judge. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ شَهَٰدَةُ بَيۡنِكُمۡ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ حِينَ ٱلۡوَصِيَّةِ ٱثۡنَانِ ذَوَا عَدۡلٖ مِّنكُمۡ أَوۡ ءَاخَرَانِ مِنۡ غَيۡرِكُمۡ إِنۡ أَنتُمۡ ضَرَبۡتُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَأَصَٰبَتۡكُم مُّصِيبَةُ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۚ تَحۡبِسُونَهُمَا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَيُقۡسِمَانِ بِٱللَّهِ إِنِ ٱرۡتَبۡتُمۡ لَا نَشۡتَرِي بِهِۦ ثَمَنٗا وَلَوۡ كَانَ ذَا قُرۡبَىٰ وَلَا نَكۡتُمُ شَهَٰدَةَ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّآ إِذٗا لَّمِنَ ٱلۡأٓثِمِينَ
(106) [1275]You who Believe, the testimony of any of you who is attended by death should be witnessed by two ˹people˺ of sound judgement from within you – or two from without you[1276] – ˹that is˺ at the time of making the will as you set about the land ˹travelling˺ and the calamity of death befalls ˹any of ˺ you. Should you have doubts ˹about their testimony˺[1277] stand them[1278] up from after the Prayer[1279] and they ˹should˺ swear by Allah that: “We do not seek ˹by this oath˺ some monetary reward; ˹nor do we favour a beneficiary˺ even if he were a relative ˹of ours˺ and ˹that˺ we would not withhold ˹any part of ˺ Allah’s testimony[1280]. If we do that, then we are but sinful.”
[1275] This aya and the two that follow are said to be the most complex in the whole Qur’an in terms of grammatical structure, interpretation and legal ruling (cf. Makkī Ibn Abū Ṭālib, Mushkil Iʿrāb al-Qur’ān, al-Samīn al-Ḥalabī, al-Durr al-Maṣūn). The great attention to detail found here indicates the importance of inheritance laws in Islam and which merited much detailed accounts in the Qur’an, especially in Sura al-Nisā’. Needless to say, no single translation can capture the totality of the complexity of the issues implicated in these ayas and over which scholars of Islam have long pondered. The reason for the revelation, as narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) does, however, shed light on the issue at hand: “A ˹Muslim˺ man from the clan of Banū Sahm set out on a journey along with Tamīm al-Dārī and ʿAdiyy Ibn Baddā’ ˹before they became Muslim˺. This man died in a land where there were no Muslims. When his two companions came back with his inheritance, ˹his folk˺ missed a ˹pricey˺ silver bowl embellished with gold leaves. The Messenger (ﷺ) made them swear an oath ˹when they were brought before him˺. The bowl had been found in Makkah and its new owners had said: “We bought it from Tamīm and ʿAdiyy”. Then two relatives of the deceased stood witness and swore: “In all solemnity, our testimony is more worthy than their testimony; the bowl belonged to our dead relative”. With this regard the aya was revealed” (al-Bukhārī: 2780).
[1276] If two Muslims cannot be found at the time of a person’s death, being significant as it is, two non-Muslims can be asked to bear witness to the will. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1277] They are made to take such an oath because the judge has justifiable doubts about their truthfulness not because they are non-Muslim (cf. Riḍā, Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
[1278] The two non-Muslim witnesses (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). When doubted, it has to be made absolutely sure that their testimony is trustworthy and that if challenged, albeit by Muslims, the challengers will undergo equally scrupulous measures.
[1279] That they deliver such a weighty testimony after Prayer shows the great solemnity of the oath being undertaken. Prayers are usually attended by a congregation of people, and one realizes the significance of one’s oath should one be brought before the public (cf. Abū Ḥayyān). On the other hand, those witnesses who are humbled by Prayer, and remembrance of God, would find it hard to give false testimony (cf. al-Rāzī).
[1280] Shahādat Allāh, the testimony is ascribed to God to indicate its significance and because He, Glory be His, commanded preserving and not withholding it. (Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀdil)
[1276] If two Muslims cannot be found at the time of a person’s death, being significant as it is, two non-Muslims can be asked to bear witness to the will. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1277] They are made to take such an oath because the judge has justifiable doubts about their truthfulness not because they are non-Muslim (cf. Riḍā, Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
[1278] The two non-Muslim witnesses (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). When doubted, it has to be made absolutely sure that their testimony is trustworthy and that if challenged, albeit by Muslims, the challengers will undergo equally scrupulous measures.
[1279] That they deliver such a weighty testimony after Prayer shows the great solemnity of the oath being undertaken. Prayers are usually attended by a congregation of people, and one realizes the significance of one’s oath should one be brought before the public (cf. Abū Ḥayyān). On the other hand, those witnesses who are humbled by Prayer, and remembrance of God, would find it hard to give false testimony (cf. al-Rāzī).
[1280] Shahādat Allāh, the testimony is ascribed to God to indicate its significance and because He, Glory be His, commanded preserving and not withholding it. (Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀdil)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
فَإِنۡ عُثِرَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنَّهُمَا ٱسۡتَحَقَّآ إِثۡمٗا فَـَٔاخَرَانِ يَقُومَانِ مَقَامَهُمَا مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتَحَقَّ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡأَوۡلَيَٰنِ فَيُقۡسِمَانِ بِٱللَّهِ لَشَهَٰدَتُنَآ أَحَقُّ مِن شَهَٰدَتِهِمَا وَمَا ٱعۡتَدَيۡنَآ إِنَّآ إِذٗا لَّمِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
(107) ˹But˺ If they are found ˹indeed˺ sinful ˹perjurers˺ then two other ˹witnesses˺ of those entitled as immediate ˹inheritors˺, should stand in their place, swearing by Allah that: “In all solemnity, our testimony is more worthy than their testimony; we did no wrong ˹to them˺ or ˹else˺ we are among the unjust”.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
ذَٰلِكَ أَدۡنَىٰٓ أَن يَأۡتُواْ بِٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ عَلَىٰ وَجۡهِهَآ أَوۡ يَخَافُوٓاْ أَن تُرَدَّ أَيۡمَٰنُۢ بَعۡدَ أَيۡمَٰنِهِمۡۗ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱسۡمَعُواْۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلۡفَٰسِقِينَ
(108) That ˹conduct with the witnesses˺ is surer so that they[1281] deliver the testimony truthfully, or fear that their oaths will be reverted ˹to the inheritors˺ after they swore theirs[1282]. Be Mindful of Allah and listen[1283]—Allah does not guide the transgressors.
[1281] The two original witnesses. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1282] Knowing that they can be challenged by the deceased’s relatives, they will not be inclined to lie fearing that their testimony is overruled and they are exposed and shamed as liars. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1283] Listen to what you are being told and obey it. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr)
[1282] Knowing that they can be challenged by the deceased’s relatives, they will not be inclined to lie fearing that their testimony is overruled and they are exposed and shamed as liars. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1283] Listen to what you are being told and obey it. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
۞ يَوۡمَ يَجۡمَعُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَآ أُجِبۡتُمۡۖ قَالُواْ لَا عِلۡمَ لَنَآۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّٰمُ ٱلۡغُيُوبِ
(109) [1284]On the Day when Allah gathers the Messengers and says ˹to them˺: “What response did you receive?” They would say: “We have no knowledge[1285], verily You are the All-Knower of what is hidden.”
[1284] When people are told to be Mindful of God and pay heed to His commands and adhere to His laws, they are reminded of the very weighty Day of Judgement on which they will be gathered before the All-Knower of all that is hidden from other people, Messengers included. Although, on the face of it, the ones who are being addressed are the most honourable infallible Messengers of God (عز وجل), those who are mostly intended by it are those to whom they were sent. In this way, a stark, subtly indirect warning is implicated. (cf. al-Rāzī).
[1285] This answer could mean: 1) that they had no knowledge of what their followers’ hearts really held; 2) that they had no knowledge of what their followers did after their deaths (this reading is borne out by Jesus’ (عليه السلام) testimony before God as told in Aya 5: 117 below); 3) that what they had was perceived knowledge (ẓann) but not true knowledge that would stand in the trial on the Day of Judgement; 4) that they, being fully cognizant of God Almighty’s absolute Knowledge, Wisdom and Fairness and knowing that their answer would not be of real use, deferred the answer to Him out of homage (cf. al-Rāzī).
[1285] This answer could mean: 1) that they had no knowledge of what their followers’ hearts really held; 2) that they had no knowledge of what their followers did after their deaths (this reading is borne out by Jesus’ (عليه السلام) testimony before God as told in Aya 5: 117 below); 3) that what they had was perceived knowledge (ẓann) but not true knowledge that would stand in the trial on the Day of Judgement; 4) that they, being fully cognizant of God Almighty’s absolute Knowledge, Wisdom and Fairness and knowing that their answer would not be of real use, deferred the answer to Him out of homage (cf. al-Rāzī).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
إِذۡ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَٰعِيسَى ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ ٱذۡكُرۡ نِعۡمَتِي عَلَيۡكَ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَتِكَ إِذۡ أَيَّدتُّكَ بِرُوحِ ٱلۡقُدُسِ تُكَلِّمُ ٱلنَّاسَ فِي ٱلۡمَهۡدِ وَكَهۡلٗاۖ وَإِذۡ عَلَّمۡتُكَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةَ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلَۖ وَإِذۡ تَخۡلُقُ مِنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيۡـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيۡرِ بِإِذۡنِي فَتَنفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيۡرَۢا بِإِذۡنِيۖ وَتُبۡرِئُ ٱلۡأَكۡمَهَ وَٱلۡأَبۡرَصَ بِإِذۡنِيۖ وَإِذۡ تُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ بِإِذۡنِيۖ وَإِذۡ كَفَفۡتُ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ عَنكَ إِذۡ جِئۡتَهُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ فَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحۡرٞ مُّبِينٞ
(110) [1286]When ˹on that Day˺ Allah says: “ʿĪsā son of Maryam, remember my favour on you and your mother, when I aided you with the Holy Spirit; you were made to talk to people while in the cradle, and as a grown man; when I taught you the Book, the Wisdom, the Torah and the Evangel; when you used to form the shape of a bird from clay with My permission and you would blow ˹your breath˺ into it and it became a ˹living˺ bird with My permission; you would cure the born blind and the leper with My permission; when you would bring the dead to life with My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from ˹harming˺ you[1287] as you brought them clear evidences, and those of them who Denied said ˹indignantly˺: “This is nothing but sheer sorcery!”
[1286] For some detailed background on what follows cf. 3: 42-52. Jesus (عليه السلام) of all the other Messengers is singled out here and is minutely ‘questioned’ because the most deserving of admonishment are those who claim to be his followers. Other nations may have Denied their Messengers but these made the single and most false claim about God Almighty Himself, whereby He has a wife and a child, and around which they built their whole religion. The favours detailed here show in reality that Jesus is no more than a mere human Messenger of God (cf. al-Rāzī). “Indeed the example of Jesus with Allah is like that of Adam; He created him from dust and said: “Be!” and he was” (3: 59).
[1287] “They ˹the Deniers among the Children of Israel˺ plotted and Allah planned—Allah is verily the best of planners. *When Allah said: “ʿĪsā, I shall bring your term ˹on Earth˺ to an end, elevate you to Me, purify you from those who Denied and make those who follow you ˹prevail˺ over those who Deny until the Day of Judgement. Then your ˹humans’˺ return will be to Me and I shall judge between you over that which you used to differ on” (3: 54-55).
[1287] “They ˹the Deniers among the Children of Israel˺ plotted and Allah planned—Allah is verily the best of planners. *When Allah said: “ʿĪsā, I shall bring your term ˹on Earth˺ to an end, elevate you to Me, purify you from those who Denied and make those who follow you ˹prevail˺ over those who Deny until the Day of Judgement. Then your ˹humans’˺ return will be to Me and I shall judge between you over that which you used to differ on” (3: 54-55).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَإِذۡ أَوۡحَيۡتُ إِلَى ٱلۡحَوَارِيِّـۧنَ أَنۡ ءَامِنُواْ بِي وَبِرَسُولِي قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَٱشۡهَدۡ بِأَنَّنَا مُسۡلِمُونَ
(111) And when I inspired[1288] the disciples to Believe in Me and in My Messenger. They said: “We Believe, and bear witness that we are devoutly surrendered![1289]”
[1288] Awḥā (lit. to inspire) means He (عز وجل) threw in their hearts. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[1289] For a more detailed account of this incident see 3: 52-53: When ʿĪsā sensed their ˹ardent˺ Denial, he said: “Who are my helpers ˹in the way˺ to Allah?” The disciples said: “We are the helpers of ˹the way of ˺ Allah. We Believe in Allah. And bear witness that we are devoutly surrendered ˹to Him˺”. *“Our Lord, we have Believed in what you have brought down and we have sent the Messenger, so write us down among the witnesses”.
[1289] For a more detailed account of this incident see 3: 52-53: When ʿĪsā sensed their ˹ardent˺ Denial, he said: “Who are my helpers ˹in the way˺ to Allah?” The disciples said: “We are the helpers of ˹the way of ˺ Allah. We Believe in Allah. And bear witness that we are devoutly surrendered ˹to Him˺”. *“Our Lord, we have Believed in what you have brought down and we have sent the Messenger, so write us down among the witnesses”.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
إِذۡ قَالَ ٱلۡحَوَارِيُّونَ يَٰعِيسَى ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ هَلۡ يَسۡتَطِيعُ رَبُّكَ أَن يُنَزِّلَ عَلَيۡنَا مَآئِدَةٗ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِۖ قَالَ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ
(112) When the disciples said: “ʿĪsā son of Maryam, can your Lord send down to us a table laid[1290] from the sky.” He said: “Be Mindful of Allah, if you are truly˺ Believers![1291]”
[1290] Mā’idah in Arabic is a table laden with food. A table without food is called khiwān. What is asked for here is the food itself, which could metonymically be called ‘table’ (cf. Ibn Manẓūr, Lisān al-ʿArab, Ṭanṭāwī, al-Wasīṭ): thus, my choice in the translation.
[1291] Given the illocutionary force of the Arabic original, Jesus’s response here amounts to a challenging retort meant to make them behave more sensibly and in accordance with their Faith.
[1291] Given the illocutionary force of the Arabic original, Jesus’s response here amounts to a challenging retort meant to make them behave more sensibly and in accordance with their Faith.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قَالُواْ نُرِيدُ أَن نَّأۡكُلَ مِنۡهَا وَتَطۡمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُنَا وَنَعۡلَمَ أَن قَدۡ صَدَقۡتَنَا وَنَكُونَ عَلَيۡهَا مِنَ ٱلشَّٰهِدِينَ
(113) They said: “We ˹just˺ want to eat from it; and for our hearts to be comforted; and so we know ˹for certain˺ that you tell us the Truth; and that we may be witnesses to it[1292].”
[1292] They wanted to bear witness to this miraculous Sign and tell the others about it (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr) thus extending their Faith to others with certitude.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ ٱللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَآ أَنزِلۡ عَلَيۡنَا مَآئِدَةٗ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيدٗا لِّأَوَّلِنَا وَءَاخِرِنَا وَءَايَةٗ مِّنكَۖ وَٱرۡزُقۡنَا وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلرَّٰزِقِينَ
(114) [1293]ʿĪsā son of Maryam said: “O Allah, our Lord send down to us a table laid from the sky to be a festive occasion for us – the first and last of us [1294] – and a Sign from You. Give us our sustenance; You are the best of providers.”
[1293] There is no favour that God would ever bestow upon His allies that parallels this feast. Simple as it could have been, it provided the Believers with a most needed, assuring and timely evidence that God, with all His Might, was on their side as He always will be with those who are sincerely devoted to Him.
However, this aya should be read within the context of the trying circumstance which Jesus and this company of his staunchest supporters found themselves in at the time of this request. Given their very small number and the great bloodthirsty mobs calling for the murder of their leader that they were pitted against, even the most devout of Believers can be shaken at such times (cf. the account of the psychological state of Believers when they saw their enemy in the Battle of the Trench/Confederates 33:10-11) but where their sincere Faith and trust in God got them through. This is an ever-lasting lesson to Believers that heartens them to stand firm in the face of adversity and prepares them for the trials they will come up against throughout all times and ages. Cf. the ‘title’ section to this sura’s introduction.
[1294] Awwalinā wa ākhiranā (lit. our first and last) means Jesus’s generation and those that were to come after it. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
However, this aya should be read within the context of the trying circumstance which Jesus and this company of his staunchest supporters found themselves in at the time of this request. Given their very small number and the great bloodthirsty mobs calling for the murder of their leader that they were pitted against, even the most devout of Believers can be shaken at such times (cf. the account of the psychological state of Believers when they saw their enemy in the Battle of the Trench/Confederates 33:10-11) but where their sincere Faith and trust in God got them through. This is an ever-lasting lesson to Believers that heartens them to stand firm in the face of adversity and prepares them for the trials they will come up against throughout all times and ages. Cf. the ‘title’ section to this sura’s introduction.
[1294] Awwalinā wa ākhiranā (lit. our first and last) means Jesus’s generation and those that were to come after it. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قَالَ ٱللَّهُ إِنِّي مُنَزِّلُهَا عَلَيۡكُمۡۖ فَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بَعۡدُ مِنكُمۡ فَإِنِّيٓ أُعَذِّبُهُۥ عَذَابٗا لَّآ أُعَذِّبُهُۥٓ أَحَدٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ
(115) Allah said: “I shall surely send it down to you, but any of you who Denies after this I shall Punish him ˹such˺ a Punishment that I never inflict the like of which on any other in the world.”
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَإِذۡ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَٰعِيسَى ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ ءَأَنتَ قُلۡتَ لِلنَّاسِ ٱتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَٰهَيۡنِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۖ قَالَ سُبۡحَٰنَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِيٓ أَنۡ أَقُولَ مَا لَيۡسَ لِي بِحَقٍّۚ إِن كُنتُ قُلۡتُهُۥ فَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتَهُۥۚ تَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي نَفۡسِي وَلَآ أَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي نَفۡسِكَۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّٰمُ ٱلۡغُيُوبِ
(116) When ˹on the Day of Judgement˺ Allah says[1295]: “ʿĪsā son of Maryam, did you, yourself, say to people: “Take me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?”” He said: “All glory is Yours! Never will I say that which I have no right to. Had I said it, You would have known it. You Know what goes on within me and I do not know what You hold. You are verily the Knower of all that is Unseen.”
[1295] This is further admonishment for those who claim to be followers of Jesus (عليه السلام) but who distorted his teachings, albeit him being the direct addressee (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr). God wants him to stand witness against them as will every Messenger against his nation: “How ˹will they fare˺, when we bring forward a witness from every nation, and We bring you ˹Muhammad˺ as witness against these” (4: 41).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
مَا قُلۡتُ لَهُمۡ إِلَّا مَآ أَمَرۡتَنِي بِهِۦٓ أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمۡۚ وَكُنتُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ شَهِيدٗا مَّا دُمۡتُ فِيهِمۡۖ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيۡتَنِي كُنتَ أَنتَ ٱلرَّقِيبَ عَلَيۡهِمۡۚ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ شَهِيدٌ
(117) “I ˹only˺ said to them what You told me to, that ˹you should˺: “Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord”. I was a witness over them as long as I was among them, But when You brought my term ˹on Earth˺ to an end[1296], You became ˹the sole˺ Watcher over them[1297]—You are Witness over everything”.
[1296] “When Allah said: “ʿĪsā, I shall bring your term ˹on Earth˺ to an end, elevate you to Me…” (3: 55).
[1297] Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that: “One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood before us delivering an admonishing sermon. He said: “People, you will be gathered before Allah ˹on the Day of Judgement˺ barefooted, naked and uncircumcised: “As We initiated the first creation, so shall We return it. It is a promise of Ours that We will do this” (21:104)…. A group of men among my nation will be brought and taken to the left flank ˹towards Hellfire˺, and I say: “My Lord, my people!” And it will be said to me: “You do not know what they forged after you”. I will reply to that the very same reply that the righteous servant ˹Jesus (عليه السلام)˺ said: “I was a witness over them as long as I was among them, But when You brought my term ˹on Earth˺ to an end, You became ˹the sole˺ Watcher over them—You are Witness over everything” *“If you Punish them, then they are ˹only˺ Your servants, but if You forgive them, then You are truly the All-Prevailing, All-Wise” (5: 117-118). Then it will be said to me: “They kept on turning on their heels ˹away from your teachings˺ ever since you left them””. (al-Bukhārī: 2447, Muslim: 2860)
[1297] Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that: “One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood before us delivering an admonishing sermon. He said: “People, you will be gathered before Allah ˹on the Day of Judgement˺ barefooted, naked and uncircumcised: “As We initiated the first creation, so shall We return it. It is a promise of Ours that We will do this” (21:104)…. A group of men among my nation will be brought and taken to the left flank ˹towards Hellfire˺, and I say: “My Lord, my people!” And it will be said to me: “You do not know what they forged after you”. I will reply to that the very same reply that the righteous servant ˹Jesus (عليه السلام)˺ said: “I was a witness over them as long as I was among them, But when You brought my term ˹on Earth˺ to an end, You became ˹the sole˺ Watcher over them—You are Witness over everything” *“If you Punish them, then they are ˹only˺ Your servants, but if You forgive them, then You are truly the All-Prevailing, All-Wise” (5: 117-118). Then it will be said to me: “They kept on turning on their heels ˹away from your teachings˺ ever since you left them””. (al-Bukhārī: 2447, Muslim: 2860)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قَالَ ٱللَّهُ هَٰذَا يَوۡمُ يَنفَعُ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ صِدۡقُهُمۡۚ لَهُمۡ جَنَّٰتٞ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدٗاۖ رَّضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ
(119) Allah says: “This is the Day on which the Truthfulness of the Truthful avails them; for them are Gardens under which rivers flow forever after they abide therein; Allah is Pleased with them[1298] and they are pleased with Him—that indeed is the greatest gain”.
[1298] Anas Ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Then their Lord, Glory is His, will reveal Himself to them ˹the companions of Paradise˺ and say: “Ask Me and I shall give you!” They ask Him for His Pleasure and He says: “My Pleasure admitted you into My abode ˹Paradise˺ and bestowed on you honour from Me. Ask Me and I shall give you!” They ask Him ˹again˺ for His Pleasure. Then He makes them bear witness that they gained His Pleasure”. (al-Albānī, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb: 3761)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
لِلَّهِ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا فِيهِنَّۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرُۢ
(120) To Allah belongs the dominion of the Heavens, Earth and ˹all˺ that is within them; He is Able over everything[1299].
[1299] This is the message the Believers are forever after left with. It constitutes two parts, both of which are repeated several times in this sura. The first part is a reminder of God’s Absolute Sovereignty over the Heavens, the Earth and all that exists within them. It is repeated in Ayas 17, 18, 40 and 120, all coming after talk of God Almighty’s Ability to Punish as well as Forgive. The second part, whereby God is Able over everything, closely relates to the first one and follows after it as seen in the ayas where it is mentioned: 17, 19, 40, 117 and 120. Both amount to the same effect, i.e. the All-Sovereign, All-Able God disposes of the affairs of His creation at will and no force will ever be able to counter His will. So, people need to be fully Mindful of Him at all times no matter what the circumstances might be; no matter how adverse they come to be.
To be able to sincerely Believe in Him, be Mindful of Him and worship Him as closely and devoutly as possible, the next sura, al-Anʿām, provides a detailed account of God’s Oneness and the Uniqueness of His Attributes: none is worthy of worship besides Him.
To be able to sincerely Believe in Him, be Mindful of Him and worship Him as closely and devoutly as possible, the next sura, al-Anʿām, provides a detailed account of God’s Oneness and the Uniqueness of His Attributes: none is worthy of worship besides Him.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the meanings Surah: Al-Mā’idah
Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings of the Noble Qur’an into English - in progress - translated by Dr. Walid Bleihesh Al-Omari.