Surat Al Ma'idah (101-110)

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْ أَشْيَاء إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ وَإِن تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْهَا حِينَ يُنَزَّلُ الْقُرْآنُ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ عَفَا اللّهُ عَنْهَا وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ} [المائدة: 101]

101- O believers, do not ask about things that are futile because if you know their answers, they will harm you and if you asked about them in the time of revelation, they will appear to you. A wise person does not do something that hurts him. Moreover, Allah pardons your past questions by not putting hardship over you, so do not ask them again. He (Glory be to Him) is frequent in forgiving the sins of His Servants, forbearing, overlooks their sins and does not punish them as soon as they commit them, but explains  and respite them until they know their faults and repent of them.

{قَدْ سَأَلَهَا قَوْمٌ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحُواْ بِهَا كَافِرِينَ} [المائدة: 102]

102- A group of people, who were before you, asked their prophets similar questions which they were answered, but later on they became disbelievers because they did not act upon them; therefore, they were perished, such as the people of Thamud when they asked Salih for a she-camel.

{مَا جَعَلَ اللّهُ مِن بَحِيرَةٍ وَلاَ سَآئِبَةٍ وَلاَ وَصِيلَةٍ وَلاَ حَامٍ وَلَـكِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ} [المائدة: 103]

103- Allah did not reveal or decree the following things:

Al Bahirah  a slit-eared she-camel that used to be offered to idols.

As-Sa`ibah: which they dedicate for their alleged idols, so nothing is borne on their backs.

And Al Wasilah: The she-camel that begets a she-camel for the first time then it is followed by another she-camel without begetting a he-camel in between which were also offered to their idols.

Al Ham: A bull that ruts its female-camels and produce ten times of birth or indefinite number because they exempt it from carrying anything.

All these cases and actions are rejected because they were innovated by the Pre-Islamic Period that were not legislated by Allah, however the disbelievers do this and draw near to Allah by these actions and say: Allah commanded us to do so, but they were liars, and most of them did not know that these claims were not true because they imitated their forefathers and this was the result of their blind imitation.

{وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْاْ إِلَى مَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ قَالُواْ حَسْبُنَا مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءنَا أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئاً وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ} [المائدة: 104]

104- If it is said to the polytheists: come and abide by the rulings that Allah revealed, lawful and prohibitions, and to Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) upon whom these rulings were revealed so that you could know the truth and distinct between the lawful and prohibition. However, they would answer: It is enough to follow the actions of our forefathers and do not follow the steps of others because they have full right and on the right track.

However, why they imitate their forefathers without sense or thinking? If the forefathers were ignorant and deviants like them who do not understand the truth and are not guided, so how would they follow them in this case?

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ لاَ يَضُرُّكُم مَّن ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ إِلَى اللّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعاً فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ} [المائدة: 105]

105- O believers, save yourselves and reform them by doing good and staying away from sins, and exert your full power and energy and you shall not be harmed by aberrance and corruption if you do what you are commanded and were from the guided ones. Allah does not punish you with the sins of others and your final destination will be to Allah on the Day of Recompense, whether the straying and the guided. He shall inform each person with the type of their actions and retribution whether good or bad.

There is nothing in this Ayah to indicate the permissibility of leaving the command of enjoining good and forbiddance of evil if this is possible. Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: This Ayah was revealed in regard of a group of people who will come after us if they say something, it shall not be accepted from them.

{يِا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ شَهَادَةُ بَيْنِكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ حِينَ الْوَصِيَّةِ اثْنَانِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ أَوْ آخَرَانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ إِنْ أَنتُمْ ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَأَصَابَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةُ الْمَوْتِ تَحْبِسُونَهُمَا مِن بَعْدِ الصَّلاَةِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِاللّهِ إِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ لاَ نَشْتَرِي بِهِ ثَمَناً وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَى وَلاَ نَكْتُمُ شَهَادَةَ اللّهِ إِنَّا إِذاً لَّمِنَ الآثِمِينَ} [المائدة: 106]

106- O believers: If death approaches one of you and he bequeathed something, it is obligatory on you that two witnesses, who should be just Muslims, testify to the bequest.

The witnesses may be two non-Muslims if you were traveling and death approaches you then you bequeathed to them or made them witnesses over the bequest. These are two conditions to accept the testimony of non-Muslim: bequest and traveling, and no Muslim was with the bequeather then some heirs accused them with laying and treason in terms of their bequest or the wealth they were entrusted. Lock them after the Salah and ask them. They should make an oath with Allah (Who is Glorified) in all religions and say: We do not make a false oath for taking something from the people or take a right that we deny even if the witnessed for was a near relative, so we do not be partial for him.

We do not conceal the testimony and if we do or distort it, we are disobedient and deserve the punishment.

It seems that making an oath by Allah is for the non-Muslim witnesses, but the Muslim witnesses should not make an oath.

Al Qurtuby reported in his Tafsir on the authority of some people that these three Ayahs are the most problematic Ayahs in the Qur'an: in parsing, meaning, and arbitration! You may look up the details in the specialized books.

{فَإِنْ عُثِرَ عَلَى أَنَّهُمَا اسْتَحَقَّا إِثْماً فَآخَرَانِ يِقُومَانُ مَقَامَهُمَا مِنَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَحَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الأَوْلَيَانِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِاللّهِ لَشَهَادَتُنَا أَحَقُّ مِن شَهَادَتِهِمَا وَمَا اعْتَدَيْنَا إِنَّا إِذاً لَّمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ} [المائدة: 107]

107- If it appears that the two witnesses who are entitled to save the bequest hide something from the bequest or take something through betrayal and lie, two other heirs representing the deceased may raise a claim to prove that the two witnesses had taken something from the bequest. The heirs should bear witness that their oath is more truthful than the previous witnesses and we did not exceed the limits of truth in this oath. Moreover, we did not oppress anyone and if we did, we would expose ourselves to the wrath and the punishment of Allah.

{ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَن يَأْتُواْ بِالشَّهَادَةِ عَلَى وَجْهِهَا أَوْ يَخَافُواْ أَن تُرَدَّ أَيْمَانٌ بَعْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللّهَ وَاسْمَعُواْ وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ} [المائدة: 108]

108- The ruling which We ordained and decreed regarding making the non-Muslim witnesses swear is the best way for the witnesses to deliver their testimony properly for fear of punishment. This is the best action if they fear that their oath is to be rejected after witnessing against the heirs. They should make an oath against their betrayal and lie so that they may be exposed before people and pay a fine. If this takes place, it will be a rebuke for them not to lie again. So, fear Allah, keep away from lie and betrayal, and listen to the advice of your Lord and His Intimidation and obey Him. Verily, He (Glory be to Him) does not guide those who disobey Him and disobey His Shari`ah because they do not deserve guidance in the first place.

{يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ اللّهُ الرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أُجِبْتُمْ قَالُواْ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ} [المائدة: 109]

109- When Allah gathers the sent prophets on the Day of Recompense, He shall ask them: How did your people answer you in the world when you called them to my obedience and my Shari`ah? They shall say in amaze because of the terrible actions of that Day and out of discipline with the Lord (may He be Glorified and Exalted): We have no knowledge except what You taught us and You are more knowledgeable than we; you know the hidden, but we do not know except what we see.

{إِذْ قَالَ اللّهُ يَا عِيسى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ اذْكُرْ نِعْمَتِي عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى وَالِدَتِكَ إِذْ أَيَّدتُّكَ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ تُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلاً وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَالتَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِي فَتَنفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيْراً بِإِذْنِي وَتُبْرِئُ الأَكْمَهَ وَالأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِي وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ الْمَوتَى بِإِذْنِي وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْهُمْ إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ} [المائدة: 110]

110- Allah (may He be Exalted) says: O Servant of Allah and His Messenger Jesus son of Mary, remember My Favor on you from the super miracles that I created you without a father so that you may be a sign for My Creation and Innovation. Another favor I bestowed on your mother to be a proof for her innocence from the guilt that claimed against her.

And I supported you with Gabriel to affirm and support you.

I made you a prophet and a caller for My Religion and made you speak in the cradle. Therefore, you speak to the people in the cradle as you speak to them when you exceeded thirty of age.

Remember My Favor on You when I taught you writing and I gave you wisdom to realize the truth to follow it, put things in their right positions, and to be from the wise people.  

I taught the Torah that I revealed to Moses (peace be upon him) and the Bible that I sent down to you as a complement and revival to the Torah.

Moreover, you create birds from clay then blow in them and they fly in the sky by My Permission and My Estimation.

You heal the blind and make them see.

You cure the leper.

You summon the dead to rise from their graves and they respond by Allah's Leave and Will.

You also remember My Favor on you when I prevented the Jews from killing you and you brought the clear signs and miracles that indicate the truthfulness of your prophethood and the truthfulness of what you brought from your Lord. So, the disbelievers among them said: What you have brought is just sorcery and conjuration.