Translation of the meanings Ayah 5 Surah Al-Mā’idah - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - The Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia

Ayah: 5

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)