Surat Al Ma'idah (1-10)

Surat Al Ma'idah

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالعُقُودِ أُحِلَّتْ لَكُمْ بَهِيمَةُ الأَنْعَامِ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ غَيْرَ مُحِلِّي الصَّيْدِ وَأَنْتُمْ حُرُمٌ إِنَّ اللهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ} [المائدة: 1]

1- O believers, fulfill the covenants that were taken from them, such as the lawful and prohibition, ordinances and prescribed punishments, and your dealings with the people. Allah made lawful for you livestock:  camels, cows, and sheep, except what is recited to you in the Qur'an in the third Ayah of this Surah. It is not permissible to hunt them nor to eat their meats during Ihram (ritual state for Hajj and `Umrah) with Hajj or `Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage). Allah legislates lawful and prohibitions as He likes and He is Wise in all He commands and prohibits. So, there is no objection to His Commands and no one is able to discuss His judgment .

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا لَا تُحِلُّوا شَعَائِرَ اللهِ وَلَا الشَّهْرَ الحَرَامَ وَلَا الهَدْيَ وَلَا القَلَائِدَ وَلَا آَمِّينَ البَيْتَ الحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَرِضْوَانًا وَإِذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فَاصْطَادُوا وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآَنُ قَوْمٍ أَنْ صَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ المَسْجِدِ الحَرَامِ أَنْ تَعْتَدُوا وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى البِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالعُدْوَانِ وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ إِنَّ اللهَ شَدِيدُ العِقَابِ} [المائدة: 2]

2- O believers, do not go easy with the things that Allah prohibited regarding the rites of Hajj and the signs by which a pilgrim knows that his Hajj rituals have been accepted. Therefore, beware not to make lawful what Allah prohibited and do not fight during the Sacred Months:  Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Al Muharram, and Rajab. Do not abandon offering sacrificial animals in the Sacred House of Allah, such as camels, cows, and sheep. Do not forget to distinct them from other animals in order to keep them safe from the corrupters. Do not show hostility to those who visit the Sacred House seeking sustenance and commerce or devotion to get the pleasure of Allah —according to their claim, so do not stop or terrify them because anyone enters the House will be safe. Then the Ayah was abrogated by Allah's Saying:  "O you who believe (in Allah's Oneness and in His Messenger (Muhammad)! Verily, the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, and in the Message of Muhammad) are Najasun (impure) . So let them not come near Al Masjid-Al Haram (at Makkah) after this year, and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you if He will, out of His Bounty. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise." [Surat At-Tawbah:  28]. And His Saying:  "Then when the Sacred Months (the first, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikun wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Surat At-Tawbah:  5]. When you end the state of Ihram, it is lawful for you to hunt. Do not let the enmity of some people who had prevented you from entering the House before to oppress them by killing them and taking their money. Help one another to do righteous deeds, to forbearance and amnesty, to obedience and fear, to piety and treating people kindly; and the best of all is to have them all. Do not cooperate for sin and disbelief, oppression and sin, and evil and falsehood. Fear Allah in all your affairs including the commands and interdictions that were mentioned before because His Punishment is severe for those who disobey Him .

{حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ المَيْتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ الخِنْزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللهِ بِهِ وَالمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالمَوْقُوذَةُ وَالمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَا أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ وَأَنْ تَسْتَقْسِمُوا بِالأَزْلَامِ ذَلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ اليَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ اليَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلَامَ دِينًا فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ فِي مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍ لِإِثْمٍ فَإِنَّ اللهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ} [المائدة: 3]

3- Allah prohibited for you eating animals that died forcibly, the spilled blood, and pork; all these kinds are impure. Allah mentioned pork because it is the meant because people used to raise their voices when slaughtering it for other than Allah by saying:  in the name of Lat and `Uzza. We forbade you to eat animals that were died by strangling, the one that is beaten to death, the one that falls from a high place and dies, the one which dies because of horning, and the animal that was killed by beasts except what you are able to slaughter before it does whether suffocated, died by sharp tool, fell from a high place, killed by horn, and the remnants of beasts. It is prohibited to eat sacrificial animals that were slaughtered on the rocks around the Ka`bah which the Arabs used to do in the Pre-Islamic Period. It is prohibited for you to use arrows of luck or to make a decision. They used to write "do", the second is "do not", and the third arrow is empty. The people of the Pre-Islamic Period used to follow them and when a person chooses the empty arrow, he tries again. The arrows are pieces of wood which have no feathers nor blade. So, dealing with arrows is a kind of error, ignorance, and polytheism and when a believer hesitates in a matter, he practices worship and seeks guidance from Allah .

The religion of Islam became powerful and complete, so no polytheist would ever dream that you revert to polytheism after that day. Therefore, do not fear from them when they disagree with you nor to fear that they be superior to you, but you should fear My Punishment if you disobey My Commands and stick to My Straight Path to make you superior to them in this world and in the Hereafter. On the Day of `Arafah (9^th of Dhul-Hijjah) from the Farewell Hajj, this great Surah was revealed including this honorable Ayah. "This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you," so you do not need any other religion nor a prophet after your Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) because he is the seal of prophets. Moreover, your religion is the last religion, and abrogates previous religions, therefore, no ruling should be taken but from it. The meaning of completion:  The completion of comprehensive matters which contain the command with analogical deduction. The Qur'an combined all rulings together in most cases. I had completed My Favor on you and kept My Promise in his saying (He may be Glorified):  "And so that I may complete My Blessings on you and that you may be guided." [Surat Al Baqarah:  150]. O Muslims, I have chosen Islam for you and satisfied to be your religion, so, approach it and hold firm with it because it is the truth from your Lord, which contains your happiness, glory and victory and it is your support on the Day of Recompense. Whoever is obliged by necessity to eat something of these prohibited matters, such as famine and fears to die, he should not eat over his need because Allah does not punish him for that, but forgives because He is the Most Merciful with him where He permitted the unlawful in the time of need .

{يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ وَمَا عَلَّمْتُمْ مِنَ الجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ اللهُ فَكُلُوا مِمَّا أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ إِنَّ اللهَ سَرِيعُ الحِسَابِ} [المائدة: 4]

4- They ask you about the matters that were made lawful for them, tell them:  Allah permitted lawful things for you as they are approved by natural disposition, so do not keep away from them. It was made lawful for you to eat what your trained animals hunt, such as lions and birds, dogs and hawks which you trained to hunt. You teach them some proprieties through training, so they go, stop, and come back when you tell them, and they catch the game for their owners without eating from it. So, eat of what these animals catch for you, and do not eat from the game they eat, and mention the name of Allah upon sending them for hunt. Fear Allah in all these prohibited matter and do not approach them because He reckons for everything and He is Swift in reckoning when He starts it .

{اليَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَهُمْ وَالمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ المُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَا آَتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِي أَخْدَانٍ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالإِيمَانِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ وَهُوَ فِي الآَخِرَةِ مِنَ الخَاسِرِينَ} [المائدة: 5]

5- As Allah completed the religion and bestowed His Favor on you, He had completed His Favor by permitting the lawful things. The sacrificial animals of the People of the Book are lawful for them as you are permitted to feed them from your sacrifices. Allah made lawful for you to marry free women from the believing women as well as the People of the Book if you give them their dowry, seeking to safeguard yourselves by lawful marriage while you do not want to commit adultery or take them as mistresses. Whoever disbelieves in Allah and all teachings of Islam is ruined in this worldly life, lost the full reward, and became one of the residents of Hell, moreover, if he is a disbeliever, his actions will not be counted in the first place. If a person is a Muslim and dies as disbeliever, his entire actions will be lost and he is doomed .

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى المَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الكَعْبَيْنِ وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُوا وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ مَرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنَ الغَائِطِ أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ مِنْهُ مَا يُرِيدُ اللهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَكِنْ يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ} [المائدة: 6]

6- O believers, if you intend to offer Salah, you should perform ablution before it. You should wash your faces, your hands to the elbows, wipe on your heads with wet hands, and wash your feet to the ankles. If you are in the state of major impurity, take a ritual bath. If you are sick and harmed by using water,  you are traveling, came after relieving yourselves,  or you touch women —no matter the disagreement between the commentators and jurists in terms of having sexual intercourse or touching the skin— and you do not find water to perform ablution, you may perform dry ablution with pure dust or anything that comes from soil such as sand, rocks, and anything else:   Wipe your faces with it then your hands to the elbows (this is only the view of the Hanafi which is weak). Allah does not want to make ablution and dry ablution difficult for you, but He wants to purify your bodies and souls. Ablution and other sorts of cleaning the body expiate sins in order that Allah completes His Favor on you by the commands that He ordained for you and perhaps you may reflect on that and thank Allah for the concessions He made easy for you.

{وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمِيثَاقَهُ الَّذِي وَاثَقَكُمْ بِهِ إِذْ قُلْتُمْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ إِنَّ اللهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ} [المائدة: 7]

7- O Muslims, remember the favor of Allah on you, which is Islam and the pledge which He took from you by compliance and obedience. Allah (May He be Exalted) says:  "and they say, "We hear, and we obey." or what they used to undertake and promise the Prophet (peace be upon him) to do at embracing Islam, such as compliance and obedience in easy times as well as hard times. So, fear Allah, do not forget the greatest blessing that Allah bestowed on you, and keep your promises which you gave to Allah. Let it be known that Allah is All Aware of what is hidden in your hearts and with the thoughts and the secrets that you keep in your hearts, so fear Allah and obey Him .

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ للهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالقِسْطِ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآَنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَى أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ إِنَّ اللهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ} [المائدة: 8]

8- O believers, stick to the due rights that you have to fulfill truly and faithfully not out of hypocrisy and ostentation. And do not let the hatred of some of you make you oppress them nor treat them unjustly, but treat them justly even if they treated you badly  Your justice with them is nearer to the pleasures of Allah and fearing of His torment. Al Razy (may Allah show mercy to him) said:  the Ayah pays great attention to the obligation of applying justice to infidels who are the enemies of Allah (He may be Exalted), so how will He treat the believers who are His Righteous Servants and His most beloved ones? So, keep on fearing and obeying Allah because He is All Aware with all your actions and certainly, He shall reward you for them

.

{وَعَدَ اللهُ الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ} [المائدة: 9]

9- Allah promised those who believe, affirm their faith, and act righteously sincerely that they shall be forgiven and their final abode will be Paradise .

{وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآَيَاتِنَا أُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الجَحِيمِ} [المائدة: 10]

10- As for those who disbelieve in Allah, and deny the clear Ayahs and miracles that were sent to His prophets, they shall be among the dwellers of Hell and will abide therein forever