Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (6) Surah: Al-Mā’idah
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:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (6) 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.