Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (1) Surah: Al-Mā’idah
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 Yet it has to be stressed that these two ayas cannot be circumscribed by any historical reference but rather have timeless, general import as is the case with all Qur’anic ayas.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:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (1) 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.