Indexed OCR Text

192
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5
Introduction
This Surah was revealed in the later days of the life of the Holy Prophet .
It is named after a word occurring in verse 114 where it is mentioned that
'Isa ) was asked to pray to Allah that He may send down a repast from the
sky. According to Abū Hayyan, some parts of this Sūrah were revealed
during or after the expedition of Hudaibiyah, some on the occasion of the
conquest of Makkah, and some others during the last Hajj. It can be said that
this Surah was revealed between year 6 and 10 after Hijrah (migration of the
Holy Prophet ¿ from Makkah to Madinah). By this time, the message of
Islam had spread widely throughout the peninsula of Arabia, and the major
opponents of Islam, who spared no effort to hinder its advance, were
defeated both on the battlefield and on the intellectual plane. The Islamic
state in Madinah had taken a distinct shape, and was reaching its perfection.
With these circumstances in the background, this Surah brought many
injunctions and guiding principles about social, economic and political
issues of the practical life.
The Surah begins with an emphasis on fulfilling the contracts and covenants,
which is the foundation of discharging one's obligations towards Allah and
His servants. The Surah then goes on to cover a wide range of injunctions
about individual and collective life, including what kind of food is allowed
or disallowed for the Muslims. The Muslims are directed to honour Sha'a'ir-
ullah (the Marks of Allah), including the animals drawn to Haram for
sacrifice. It is declared that the enemies of Islam have now lost hope of
stopping its progress, and the precepts of religion have been completed and
perfected by Allah. Certain injunctions about hunting animals, marrying the
women of the Jews and the Christians and eating their food, making
ablution (wudū'), tayammum, and establishing justice are discussed. Reference
is made to the misdeeds of the Jews and the Christians and how they
violated their covenants with Allah. The story of the two sons of 'Adam
is narrated, highlighting the heinous nature of killing someone unjustly. The
punishments for robbery and theft are prescribed. The clear prohibition of
liquor and gambling is declared. Being revealed in the last days of the Holy
Prophet , the injunctions and precepts contained in it have permanent
application, and none of these has been repealed or abrogated.

193
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:1-1
ـِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمَةِ
يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَوْفُواْ بِالْعُقُودِ أُحِلَّتْ لَكُمْ بَهِيمَةُ الْأَنْعَمِ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَى
عَلَيْكُمْ غَيْرَ مُحلّى الصَّيْدِ وَأَنْتُمْ حُرُمٌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ
SURAH AL-MÃ'IDAH
(The Repast)
This Sūrah is Madani, and comprises 120 'ayat (verses)
With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful.
O you who believe, fulfill the contracts. 1 The animals from the cattle
have been made lawful for you, except that which shall be read over to
you, 2 provided that you do not treat hunting as lawful while you are in
Ihram .3 Surely, Allah ordains what He wills. [1]
1) The 'contracts' in this verse include all the contracts entered into between
human beings, and also the covenant made by human beings with Allah to obey
His commands. Having given this general command to fulfill contracts, the
Holy Qur'an mentions, in the next verses, certain injunctions in particular that
are to be observed as a part of the covenant a Muslim makes with Allah. Since
the pagans of Arabia had prohibited certain animals on their own, without
having received any direction from Allah to that effect, the verse declares that
all animals are lawful, except those that will be prohibited for you specifically.
2) Reference is to verse 3 of this Sūrah.
3) When a person intends to perform the pilgrimage of Hajj or Umrah, he has
to wear a particular dress and avoid certain things that may otherwise be lawful,
like wearing perfume, shaving the hair on any part of the body, etc. The
particular state in which these restrictions are imposed is called Ihram. One of
the restrictions imposed by this verse is that one may not hunt an animal while
in the state of Ihrām.

194
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:2-2
يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُحِلُّواْ شَعَّيِرَ اللَّهِ وَلَا الشَّهَ اُلْحَرَامَ وَلَا اُلْهَدْىَ وَلَا
اُلْقَلَبِدَ وَلَآ ءَآمِينَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنْ زَّيْهِمْ وَرِضْوَنَّا وَإِذَا حَلُْمُ
فَأَصْطَادُواْ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَانُ قَوْمٍ أَنْ صَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ اُلْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ أَنْ
تَعْتَدُواْ وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى أَلْبِّ وَالنَّقْوَى وَلَا نَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَنَّ وَأَتَّقُواْ اللّهُ
إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
O you who believe, do not violate (the sanctity) of the Marks of Allah, 4
nor of the sacred month, 5 nor of the sacrificial animal, nor of the
garlands, 6 nor of those proceeding to the Sacred House, seeking the
grace of their Lord and (His) Pleasure. When you are out of Ihrām, you
may hunt. Malice against a people for their having prevented you from
Al-Masjid-ul-Haram, should not cause you to cross the limits. Help each
other in righteousness and piety, and do not help each other in sin and
aggression. Fear Allah. Surely, Allah is severe at punishment. [2]
4) The background of this verse is that the pagans of Makkah had prevented
the Muslims from performing Umrah in the incident of Hudaibiyah. Aggrieved
by this, some Muslims intended to take revenge by preventing the pagans from
their pilgrimage and capturing their sacrificial animals drawn to the Haram. This
verse has forbidden all such activities, as they would violate the sanctity of the
Marks of Allah. 'Marks of Allah' is the translation of Sha'a'irullah which refers
to all the distinct features of the religion that are regarded as symbols of Islam
which include observing the sanctity of Haram, the state of Ihram, the pilgrims
and the animals proceeding to it.
5) In the pre-Islamic Arabia a 'Sacred Month' was a month in which war was
prohibited. Four months were regarded as 'sacred months' in this sense: Dhul-
Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.
6) The animals drawn to Haram for sacrifice were normally made to wear some
special garlands as a sign of their being meant for sacrifice. Using them for any
other purpose would amount to violation of their sanctity.

195
Sarah Al-Mā'idah 5:3-3
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْنَةُ وَالَّمُ وَمُ الْخِنِزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ، وَالْمُنْخَيِقَةُ
وَالْمَوْقُودَةُ وَالْمُتَرَدِّيَّةُ وَالنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَا أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى
النُّصُبِ وَأَنْ تَسْتَقْسِمُواْ بِالْأَزْلَمِّ ذَلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ أَلْيَوْمَ يَبِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْ
دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَأَخْشَوْنِ اَلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَنْحَمْتُ عَلَيَّكُمْ نِعْمَتِى
وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسِلَمَ دِينَأْ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ فِى مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍ لِإِثْمِ فَإِنَّ
اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
Prohibited for you are: carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and those upon
which (a name) other than that of Allah has been invoked (at the time of
slaughter), animal killed by strangulation, or killed by a blow, or by a fall,
or by goring, or that which is eaten by a beast unless you have properly
slaughtered it; and that which has been slaughtered before the idols, and
that you determine shares through the arrows.7 (All of) this is sin. Today
those who disbelieve have lost all hope of (damaging) your faith. So, do
not fear them, and fear Me. Today, I have perfected your religion for
you, and have completed My blessing upon you, and chosen Islam as Din
(religion and a way of life) for you. But whoever is compelled by extreme
hunger, having no inclination towards sin, 8 then Allah is Most-
Forgiving, Very-Merciful. [3]
7) The reference here is to a particular form of gambling practiced by the
pagans. They used to draw lots by arrows to determine the shares of the
participants in the meat of a camel jointly owned by them. The meat was
distributed among them according to the shares allocated by the arrows, and
not according to the proportion of each one in its ownership. Being a form of
gambling, it was prohibited.
8) This means that all that is prohibited in the beginning of the verse, like
carrion or the flesh of swine, becomes lawful in a case of extreme emergency in
which a person has no option to save his life other than to partake of these
prohibited substances. Nevertheless, the concession is restricted to the extent
of emergency, and one's consumption should not exceed what is necessary, and
should not be based on one's inclination towards it.

196
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:4-5
يَسْئَلُونَكَ مَاذَا أُحِلَّ لَهُمَّ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَتُ وَمَا عَلَّمْتُم مِّنَ الْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِِّينَ
تُعَلُِّونَهُنَّ مِمَا عَلَّمَكُمُ اللهُ فَكُلُوْ مِمَّ أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَذْكُرُوْ اَسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنَّقُواْ الَهَّ
اَلْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَثُّ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَبَ
إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ
حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَهُمْ وَالْمُحْصَنَثُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنَتِ وَالْخُصَنَتُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ
اُلْكِنَبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَفِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِىّ
أَخْدَانٍ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِلْإِيَمَنِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ، وَهُوَ فِىِ الْآَخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَسِنَ
They ask you as to what has been made lawful for them. Say, "Made
lawful for you are good things, and (hunting through) birds and beasts of
prey that you train, teaching them out of what Allah has taught you. So,
eat of what they hold for you, 9 and recite the name of Allah upon it."
Fear Allah. Surely, Allah is swift at reckoning. [4]
This day, good things have been made lawful for you. The food of the
people of the Book is lawful for you, 10 and your food is lawful for them,
and good women from among believers, and good women from among
those who were given the Book before you, 11 provided you give them
their dowers, binding yourself in marriage, neither going for lust, nor
having paramours. Whoever rejects Faith, his effort will go to waste and,
in the Hereafter, he will be among the losers. [5]
9) The verse means that hunting animals through the beasts of prey is allowed
only if they are trained for hunting. The basic sign of their being trained is that
after hunting an animal, they do not eat from it, but hold it for their owner. The
next condition for the hunted animal being Halal (permissible) is that, while
releasing the beasts on prey, Allah's name is recited over them.
10) The 'food' here refers to the meat of animals properly slaughtered by the
Jews or the Christians by reciting Allah's name. Since the religion of the Jews
and the Christians had the same conditions for the validity of a slaughter as
imposed by Islam, their slaughter has been allowed for the Muslims. But,
according to the overwhelming majority of the classical jurists, this concession
is not applicable if they do not observe the conditions of a valid slaughter.
Therefore, if they strangulate an animal, it will not be permissible for a Muslim
to eat from it. For details, please see my book: 'Islamic Precepts of Slaughter'.
11) This means that marriage to a Jew or a Christian woman is valid for Muslims.

197
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:6-6
يََّأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَوَةِ فَأَغْسِلُواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى
اُلْمَرَافِقِ وَأَمْسَحُواْ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنَّ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًا
فَأَطَّهَرُواْ وَإِن كُنتُم مَرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِّنَكُم مِّنَ اُلْغَابِطِ أَوْ
لَمَسْتُمُ النِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُواْ مَآءَ فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَأَمْسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ
وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ مِنْهُ مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجِ وَلَكِن يُرِيدُ
◌ِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
O you who believe, when you rise for Salah, (prayer) wash your faces and
your hands up to the elbows, and make Mash (wiping by hands) of your
heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of major
impurity, 12 cleanse yourselves well (by taking bath). If you are sick, or
on a journey, or if one of you has come after relieving himself, or you have
had sexual contact with women, and you find no water, then, go for some
clean dust and wipe your faces and hands with it.13 Allah does not like to
impose a problem on you; He, rather likes to cleanse you and to complete
His favour upon you, so that you may be grateful. [6]
But one must understand two points here. Firstly, this rule applies to the women
who really believe in Judaism or Christianity as their religion. It does not apply
to the atheists who do not believe in God or in any religion, though they are
formally registered as Jews or Christians. Secondly, there is a big difference
between the validity of an act for the purpose of its legal consequences, and
between the permissibility of the act itself. The verse has declared that marriage
with such women is valid and legally recognized in the sense that having
intercourse with them is valid, and the children born of this wedlock are
legitimate. As for the permissibility of such an act, it depends on its anticipated
social consequences. If a man believes that he and his children will not be
impressed by the religion of such a non-muslim woman, and she will not prevail
over them in religious matters, the marriage will be permissible. However, if it is
apprehended that she will prevail over them in religious matters, or that the
children born from her will adopt her religion, this act will not be permissible
That is why Sayyiduna 'Umar 44%, the second noble khalifah (caliph) of the Holy
Prophet , had issued a directive not to marry Jewish or Christian women.
12) 'Major Impurity' stands for Janabah, a state of impurity caused either by
sexual intercourse or by the discharge of semen with sexual desire in a dream
or otherwise. Such an occurrence makes it obligatory to have a bath.

198
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:7-11
وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمِيثَاقَهُ الَّذِى وَاتَقَكُم بِهِ إِذْ قُلْتُمْ سَمِعْنَا
يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ
وَأَطَعْنّا وَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيُّهُ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ
كُونُواْ قَوَّمِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَآءَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنََّانُ قَوْمٍ عَلَى أَلَّا
تَعْدِلُواْ أَعْدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىّ وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّلِحَتِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ
تَعْمَلُونَ
وَاُلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَكَذَّبُواْ بِشَايَتِنَآ أُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَبُ
وَأَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ
يَكَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ هَمَّ
اَلْجَحِيمِ
قَوْمُ أَنْ يَبْسُطُوْاْ إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَكَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنكُمْ وَأَتَّقُواْ اللَّ وَعَلَ
اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَّكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
Remember Allah's favour upon you and His covenant that He has taken
from you when you said, "We have listened and obeyed." Fear Allah.
Allah is all-Aware of what lies in the hearts. [7] O you who believe, be
steadfast for (obeying the commands of) Allah, (and) witnesses for
justice. Malice against a people should not prompt you to avoid doing
justice. Do justice. That is nearer to Taqwa. Fear Allah. Surely, Allah is
All-Aware of what you do. [8] Allah has promised those who believe and
do good deeds: For them there is forgiveness and a great reward. [9]
Those who disbelieve and deny Our signs - they are the people of the
Fire. [10] O you who believe, remember Allah's favour upon you, when
some people planned to lay their hands on you, and He kept their hands
away from you. 14Fear Allah; and in Allah the believers should place their
trust. [11]
13)Please see notes on 4:43
14)This refers to all those events in which the infidels conspired against the
Holy Prophet # and the Muslims to do away with them, but Allah Ta'ala
frustrated their plans. Many events of this sort are recorded by history.

199
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:12-13
وَلَقَدْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ أَثْنَىْ عَشََ
نَقِيبًّا وَقَالَ اَللَّهُ إِنّ مَعَكُمْ لَبِنْ أَقَمْتُمُ الصَّلَوَةَ وَءَاتَيْتُمُ الزَّكَوَةَ
وَءَامَنتُم بِرُسُلِى وَعَزَّرْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَقْرَضْتُمُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا لَّأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْكُمْ
سَبِّئَاتِكُمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّكُمْ جَنَّتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحِتِهَا الْأَنْهَرُّ فَمَنْ كَفَرَ
أَ فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِيئَقَهُمْ
بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مِنْكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ السَّبِيلِ
لَعَنَّهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَسِيَّةٌ يُحْرِفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن ◌َّوَاضِعِهِ، وَنَسُواْ
حَظًِّا مِّمَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِدٍّ، وَلَا نَزَالُ تَطَلِعُ عَلَى خَايِنَةٍ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْهُمّ فَاعْفُ
عَنْهُمْ وَأَصْفَحْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
Allah has made the Children of Israel take a pledge. We appointed
twelve chiefs from among them. Allah said, "I am surely with you. If
you establish Salah, and pay Zakah, and believe in My Messengers, and
hold them in reverence, and advance to Allah a goodly loan, 15 I shall
certainly write off your evil deeds, and I shall certainly admit you into
Gardens beneath which rivers flow. So, whoever from you disbelieves
after that has lost the straight path." [12]
So, because they broke their pledge, We cursed them and made their
hearts hardened. They change words from their places, and they have
overlooked a good deal of the Advice they were given. Every now and
then you come across a certain treachery from all of them, except a few.
So, forgive them and forego. Indeed, Allah loves those who are good in
deeds. [13]
15) 'Advancing a loan to Allah' is a term frequently used by the Holy Qur'an
for any spending in charity, if it is meant to gain Allah's pleasure. The word
'loan' is used because its return is ensured by Allah in the Hereafter.

A200
a
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:14-17
وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّا نَصَرَىَ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَقَهُمْ فَنَسُواْ حَظّاً مِّمَّا
ذُكِرُواْ بِهِ، فَأَغْرَّبَا بَيْنَهُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَآءُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَمَةِ وَسَوْفَ
يَتَأَهْلَ اُلْكِتَبِ قَدْ
١٤
يُنَبِّئُهُمُ اللَّهُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَصْنَعُونَ®
جَآءَ كُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِّمَا كُنتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ
اَلْكِتَبِ وَيَعْفُواْ عَنْ كَثِرٍ قَدْ جَاءَ كُم مِّنَ الَّهِ نُورٌ
يَهْدِى بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَهُ، سُبُّلَ
وَكِتَبٌّ مُبِيرٌ
السَّلَمِ وَيُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَتِ إِلَىَ النُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِ، وَيَهْدِيِهِمْ إِلَى
صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ (٨١) لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ اُلْمَسِيحُ
أَبْنُ مَرْيَمَّ قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا إِنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُهْلِكَ الْمَسِيحَ
أَبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ, وَمَن فِى الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَأْ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
And from those who say, "We are Christians," We took a pledge. So,
they have overlooked a good deal of the Advice they were given. So, We
had them stuck with enmity and malice among them right through the
Day of Doom, and (then) Allah will tell them what they were doing. [14]
O people of the Book, there has come to you Our Messenger disclosing
to you much of what you have been concealing of the Book, while He
overlooks much. There has come to you, from Allah, a Light and a clear
Book; [15] with it Allah guides those who follow His pleasure to the
pathways of peace, and brings them out, by His will, from the depths of
darkness into the light, and guides them to a straight path. [16]
Certainly, infidels are those who say, "God is the Masih, son of Maryam
(Jesus son of Mary)." Say, "Who then has the power to do anything
against Allah, if He wills to eliminate the Masih son of Maryam and his
mother and all those on earth?" Unto Allah belongs the kingdom of the
heavens and the earth and what lies between them. He creates what He
wills. Allah is powerful over everything. [17]

201
Surah Al-Mā'idah 5:18-21
وَقَالَتِ اُلْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَرَى نَحْنُ أَبْنَوْاْ اللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّتُؤُهُ قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُمْ بِذُنُوبِكُمْ
بَلْ أَنْتُم بَشَرٌ مِّمَنْ خَلَقَّ يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَاءُ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ
يَأَهْلَ الْكِنَبِ قَّدْ جَاءَكُمْ
١٨
السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَّا وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ
رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ عَلَى فَتْرَةِ مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ أَنْ تَقُولُواْ مَا جَاءَنَا مِنْ بَشِيرٍ وَلَا نَذِيِّرٍ
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى
فَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بَشِيْرٌ وَنَذِيرٌ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
لِقَوْمِهِ، يَقَوْمِ أَذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيَكُمْ أَنْبِيَاءَ وَجَعَلَكُمْ مُلُوكًا
يَقَوْمِ أُدْخُلُواْ الْأَرْضَ الْمُقَدَّسَةَ
وَءَاتَشْكُمْ مَّا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَدًا مِّنَ اُلْعَلَمِينَ
اُلَتِى كَنَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا نَرْنَدُواْ عَلَى أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَنَنْقَلِبُواْ خَسِرِينَ
The Jews and the Christians say, "We are the sons of Allah and His
favourites." Say, "Why then would He punish you for your sins? In fact,
you are just human, among those He has created. He forgives whom He
wills and punishes whom He wills." Unto Allah belongs the kingdom of
the heavens and the earth and what lies between them, and unto Him is
the return. [18] O people of the Book, Our Messenger has come to you
making things clear to you after a gap between Messengers, 16 lest you
were to say, "There has not come to us a bearer of good news, and a
warner." So, now there has come to you a bearer of good news, and a
warner. Allah is powerful over everything. [19]
(Recall) when Mūsā said to his people, "O my people, remember the
blessing of Allah upon you when He made prophets from among you,
made you kings and gave you what He did not give to anyone in the
worlds. [20] O my people, enter the Holy Land 17 which Allah has
destined for you, and do not turn back, lest you should turn losers." [21]
16) This is a reference to the period between 'Isa w and the Holy Prophet
Muhammad g in which no prophet was sent by Allah.
17) The reference here is to Syria and Palestine that were occupied by
Amalekites, and after Pharaoh was drowned, the Israelites were directed to
liberate those lands from them.

202
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:22-26
قَالُواْ يَمُوسَىّ إِنَّ فِيهَا قَوْمًا جَبَّارِينَ وَإِنَّا لَن نَّدْخُلَهَا حَتَّى يَخْرُجُواْ مِنْهَا فَإِن
قَالَ رَجُلَانِ مِنَ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ
يَخْرُجُواْ مِنْهَا فَإِنَّا دَاخِلُونَ
عَلَيْهِمَا أَدْخُلُواْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْبَابَ فَإِذَا دَخَ لْتُمُوهُ فَإِنَّكُمْ غَرِبُونَ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَتَوَكَّلُواْ
قَالُواْ يَمُوسَىّ إِنَّا لَن نَّدْخُلَهَا أَبَدًا مَّا دَامُواْ فِيهَا
إِن كُنتُم مُؤْمِنِينَ لَيْمَ
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِ لَآَ
٢٤
فَأَذْهَبْ أَنْتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَتِلَا إِنَّا هَهُنَا قَعِدُونَ
قَالَ فَإِنَّهَا.
أَمْلِكُ إِلَّا نَفْسِى وَأَخِىٌّ فَاَفْرُقْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ اُلْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ
مُحَرَّمَةُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَّةٌ يَتِيهُونَ فِ اُلْأَرْضِّ فَلاَ تَأْسَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ
اُلْفَاسِقِينَ
They said, "O Musa, there is a nation of tyrants over there, and we shall
never enter it until they get out of it. If they do get out of it, we are ready
to go in." [22] Said two men from among the God-fearing, on whom Allah
had bestowed His favour, 18 "Enter the gate (charging) upon them. Once
you have entered it, you will be the ones who will prevail. In Allah you
must place your trust, if you are believers." [23] They said, "O Mūsā, we
shall never enter it, in any case, so long as they are there. So go, you and
your Lord, and fight. As for us, we are sitting right here." [24] He said, "O
my Lord, I have no control except over myself and my brother. 19 So, make
a distinction between us and the sinning people." [25] He (Allah) said,
"This (land) is prohibited to them for forty years. They shall be wandering
around the earth. 20 So, do not grieve for the sinning people." [26]
18) These two men, according to most exegetes, were Yusha' spelt in the Bible
as Joshua, and Kalib, spelt in the Bible as Caleb, the two chiefs of the Israelites.
19) That is, Harun . The distinction prayed for by Musa means that both
groups should be treated differently, each one according to his deeds.
20) As a punishment for their disobedience, the Israelites were detained in the
wilderness of Sinai. This story is also narrated in detail in the Bible. (See
Numbers, chapters 13 & 14)

203
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:27-30
﴿ وَأَتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ أَبْنَىْ ءَادَمَ بِالْحَقِّ إِذْ قَرَّبَا قُرْبَانًا فَنُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ
لَيِنْ
يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ الْآَخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقْذُلَنَّكَّ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُنَّقِينَ
بَسَطِتَ إِلَىَّ يَدَكَ لِنَقْتُلِ مَآ أَنْ بِبَاسِطٍ يَدِىَ إِلَيْكَ لِأَقْتُلَكِّ إِى أَخَافُ اللَّهَ
إِنِّيّ ◌ُرِيدُ أَنْ تَبُوَأَ بِإِثْمِى وَإِنَّكَ فَتَكُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَبِ النَّارِ
٢٨
رَبَّ الْعَلَمِينَ
فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُ, نَفْسُهُ، قَتْلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَنَلَهُ، فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ
وَذَلِكَ جَزَُّؤْأْ الظَّلِينَ
٢٩
الْخَسِرِينَ
And recite to them the story of the two sons of 'Adam rightly: 21 When
both of them offered a sacrifice, it was accepted from one of them, and
was not accepted from the other. He said, "I will kill you." He said,
"Allah accepts only from the God-fearing. [27] If you stretch your hand
towards me to kill me, I am not going to stretch my hand towards you to
kill you. Indeed, I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds. [28] I would rather
let you bear my sin and your sin, 22 and then become one of the people
of the Fire. That is the punishment of the unjust." [29]
His self, however, prompted him to kill his brother, so he killed him and
became one of the losers. [30]
21) The names of the two sons were Habil (Biblically: Abel) and Qabil
(Biblically: Cain). It is mentioned in the Bible and the historical narrations that
Qabil offered some agricultural produce, while Habil offered a sheep. The sign
of the approval of the offering, in those days, was that a heavenly fire would
appear and burn the approved offering; when it came, it burned the offering of
Habil and left that of Qabil, who became annoyed and killed his brother Habil.
This story is narrated in Genesis, 4:1 to 12, but the distinct features of the
character of each brother have been omitted. Perhaps, this is the reason why
the Holy Qur'an has added the word 'rightly'.
22) According to several Sahābah and their pupils, the phrase 'my sin' means
'the sin of killing me', and 'your sin' refers to the sins committed by Qabil
before this incident. (Rāzī, and 'Ālūsi)

204
a
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:31-33
فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ غُرَبًا يَبْحَثُ فِى الْأَرْضِ لِيُرِيَهُ كَيْفَ يُؤَرِى سَوْءَةَ أَخِيَةٍ قَالَ
يَوَيِلَتَ أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَذَا الْغُرَبِ فَأُوَرِىَ سَوْءَةَ أَخِىٌّ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ
النَّدِمِينَ ◌َََ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَى بَنِىّ إِسْرَِّيلَ أَنَّهُ، مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًا
بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِى الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ
أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَخْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَلَقَدْ جَاءَتَهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ ثُمَّا
إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فِىِ الْأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ (*) إِنَّمَا جَزَاؤُأْ
اُلَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ، وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِى الْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَن يُقَتَّلُواْ أَوْ
يُصَلَّبُواْ أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم مِّنْ خِلَفٍ أَوْ يُنْفَوْاْ مِنَ
اُلْأَرْضِّ ذَلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْيٌ فِىِ الدُّنْيَا وَلَهُمْ فِ الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمُ
Then, Allah sent a crow that scratched the earth to show him how he
should conceal the corpse of his brother. He said, "Alas! Was I not even
able to be like this crow so that I could conceal the corpse of my brother?
So, he stood regretful. [31] For this reason, We decreed for the children
of Isra'il that whoever kills a person not in retaliation for a person killed,
nor (as a punishment) for spreading disorder on the earth, is as if he has
killed the whole of humankind, and whoever saves the life of a person is
as if he has saved the life of the whole of humankind. Certainly, Our
messengers have come to them with clear signs. Then, after all that,
many of them are there to commit excesses on the earth. [32] Those who
fight against Allah and His Messenger and run about trying to spread
disorder on the earth, their punishment is no other than that they shall be
killed, or be crucified, or their hands and legs be cut off from different
sides, or they be kept away from the land (they live in) 23. That is a
humiliation for them in this world, and for them there is a great
punishment in the Hereafter; [33]
23) This is the legal punishment for highway robbery or show of force for the
purpose of looting someone. The Holy Qur'an has called it 'fighting against

205
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:34-35
إِلَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُواْ مِن قَبْلِ أَنْ تَقْدِرُواْ عَلَيْهِمْ فَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
٣٤
يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ وَأَبْتَغُواْ إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَِهِدُواْ فِى
سَبِيلِهِ، لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
except those who repent before you overpower them. Then, be sure that
Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful. 24 [34] O you who believe, fear
Allah and seek means of nearness to Him, and carry out Jihad in His
way, so that you may succeed. [35]
Allah and His Messenger' and 'spreading disorder on the earth'. As this offence
is essentially a crime against society it is termed by the jurists as Harabah
(fighting). The verse has prescribed four punishments for this offence using the
word 'or'. Some jurists like Imam Malik (
,are of the view that the word 'or'
signifies that the choice between these punishments is left to the Islamic state.
Keeping in view the severity of the crime, the state may award any of these four
punishments. Other jurists, like Imam Abu Hanifah (, interpret the word 'or'
to mean that these four punishments are prescribed for different situations as
follows: If the robbers have killed someone in the course of robbery, but were
not able to loot any property, they will be killed as hadd (prescribed punishment)
and not as Qisas (retaliation). It implies that the sentence of death awarded to
them cannot be forgiven by the heirs of the deceased. If they have looted the
property of someone and have also killed someone in the course of robbery,
they shall be crucified. If they have looted the property by show of force, but
did not kill anyone, then their right hands and left legs will be amputated. If,
however, they did not kill anyone, nor were able to loot any property, and their
act remained confined to frightening people, their punishment is that they shall
be banished or imprisoned. It should be noted that the words used for this
fourth punishment are: 'they be kept away from the land'. Generally it is
understood by the jurists as referring to the punishment of banishment. But the
noble Khalifah (caliph) 'Umar 4% has interpreted it as imprisonment, because
the imprisoned person is 'kept away from the land'. Imam Abu Hanifah ( has
preferred this interpretation.
24) This is a unique exception provided exclusively for the punishment of
robbery. It means that if a robber, before being apprehended or overpowered
by the authorities, truly repents and makes a firm resolution to abandon
robbery, the punishments prescribed in the verse shall be forgiven. However,
he will have to pay the monetary obligations to the victims of robbery, and if

206
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:36-40
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُم مَّا فِى الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ.
لِيَفْتَدُواْ بِهِ، مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَمَةِ مَا نُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمِّ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَخْرُجُواْ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا هُم بِخَرِحِينَ مِنْهَا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُقِيمٌ
وَالَارِقُ وَالسَّارِقَةُ فَأَقْطَعُواْ أَيْدِيَهُمَا جَزَاءُ بِمَا كَسَبَا نَكَلًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ
وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
فَمَنْ تَابَ مِنْ بَعْدِ ظُلْمِهِ، وَأَصْلَحَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَتُوبُ
٣٨
أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُ, مُلَّكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَاُلْأَرْضِ
عَلَيْهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمُ (٥
notto aidt a/
ens
يُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Surely, if the disbelievers have all that is in the earth, and more as much
besides it, to pay it as ransom against the punishment of the Day of
Judgment, it shall not be accepted from them, and they will have a
painful punishment. [36] They will wish to come out of the Fire, but they
will not be able to come out from there. For them there will be a lasting
punishment. [37] As for a man or a woman who commits theft, cut off the
hands of both to punish them for what they earned,_a deterrent
punishment from Allah. Allah is Mighty, Wise. [38] Whoever repents
after his transgression and corrects himself, then Allah shall relent
towards him. 25 Surely, Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful. [39] Do
you not know that to Allah alone belongs the kingdom of the heavens and
the earth? He punishes whomsoever He wills and forgives whomsoever
He wills. Allah is powerful over everything. [40]
he has killed or injured someone, he will have to face the punishments
prescribed for such offences, if the victim or heirs demand it. The verse
forgives the punishment of robbery only.
25) According to Imam Abu Hanifah wy
this means that if the thief repents
and corrects himself, the sin of theft will be forgiven for him in the Hereafter,
but the worldly punishment mentioned above will not be waived. This is unlike
robbery, where repentance before arrest writes off the worldly punishment as
well. This difference is based on the difference in the style of expression
adopted in both places, and on some traditions in support of it.

207
Sūrah Al-Ma'idah 5:41-42
يَأَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لَا يَحْزُنِكَ الَّذِينَ يُسَرِعُونَ فِى الْكُفْرِ مِنَ الَّذِينَ
H
قَالُواْ ءَامَنَا بِأَفْوَهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِن قُلُوبُهُمْ وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُواْ سَنَّعُونَ
لِلْكَذِبِ سَمَّعُونَ لِقَوْمٍ ،َاخَرِينَ لَمْ يَأْتُوَكٌ يُحْرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ مِنْ بَعْدِ
مَوَاضِعِةٍ، يَقُولُونَ إِنْ أُوتِيتُمْ هَذَا فَخُذُوهُ وَإِن لَّمْ تُؤْتَوَّهُ فَأَحْذَرُواْ وَمَن
يُرِدِ اللَّهُ فِتْنَتَهُ، فَلَنْ تَمْلِكَ لَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُرِدِ
اللَّهُ أَن يُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمَّ لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا خِزْىٌّ وَلَهُمْ فِى الْآَخِرَةِ عَذَابُ
عَظِيمٌ (٤٠) سَفَعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ أَكَّلُونَ لِلِسُّحْتِّ فَإِن جَاءُ وَ فَأَحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ
أَوْ أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمٌّ وَإِن تُعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ فَكَنْ يَضُرُّوكَ شَيْئاً وَإِنْ حَكَمْتَ
فَأَحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُم بِالْقِسْطِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ
O Messenger, those who race towards disbelief should not be a cause of
grief for you, be they from those who say with their mouths, "We
believe", while their hearts do not believe, or from those who are
(pronounced) Jews. They are listeners to the fallacy, listeners to other
people who did not come to you. 26 They distort the words after they had
been properly placed. 27 They say, "If you are given this, take it, and if
you are not given this, then avoid it." 28 The one whom Allah wills to put
to trial, you cannot do anything for him against Allah. They are the ones
whose hearts Allah did not intend to purify. For them there is
humiliation in this world, and for them there is a great punishment in
the Hereafter. [41] They are listeners, to the fallacy, devourers of the
unlawful. 29 So, if they come to you, judge between them or turn away
from them. 30 If you turn away from them, they can do you no harm. But
if you judge, judge between them with justice. Surely, Allah loves those
who do justice. [42]
26) These verses (from verse 41 to verse 50) were revealed in the background
of some incidents in which the Jews intended to bring some cases before the

208
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:41-42
Holy Prophet a for adjudication in the hope that he would decide them in their
favour. At the same time, however, they resolved that they would not accept his
decision if it was not according to their desires. For that purpose, they
appointed some hypocrites who were actually Jews pretending to be Muslims,
so that they might discover the view of the Holy Prophet about those
matters informally. The intention was that if the view of the Holy Prophet
were to rule in their favour, they would bring the cases before him, otherwise
they would turn away. The phrase 'the people who did not come to you' refers
to the Jews who sent the hypocrites to the Holy Prophet , and the phrase
'listeners to them' refers to the hypocrites.
27) The sense here is that the divine law about such cases was expressly laid
down in Torah, but they distorted it by perverting its words, or interpreting
them wrongly. In one of the incidents referred to above, a man and a woman
from the Jews committed adultery. Punishment of adultery, according to Torah,
is stoning to death, as expressly mentioned in Deuteronomy 22: 23, 24. But the
Jews had abandoned it and replaced it with whipping etc. They brought this
case before the Holy Prophet _ probably because they expected him to give
even lighter punishment. When he awarded them the punishment of stoning,
they refused to accept it. The Holy Prophet
asked them what punishment
was prescribed for adultery in Torah. They replied that it was whipping and
blackening of the face. Then the Holy Prophet called Ibn Suriya, the most
knowledgeable person among them, and asked him to testify on oath. He then
admitted that the punishment prescribed in Torah was stoning to death, but
when adultery became rampant, their judges imposed this punishment on poor
men only, and the prestigious persons were let off. On public agitation against
this discrimination, it was decided that instead of stoning, all the adulterers
should be whipped and their face should be blackened. It is this perversion of
the Torah that is referred to here.
28) This refers to their intention that they would accept the decision of the
Holy Prophet only if it accorded with their desires.
29) 'Listeners to the fallacy' means that the Jews follow blindly the false notions
offered by their corrupt rabbis, even though they are in clear violation of the
express text of Torah, as they did in the case of punishment of adultery.
'Devourers of the unlawful' refers to the bribery offered to their judges and
leaders to distort the correct rules of religion.
30) Though the Holy Prophet # had entered into a peace treaty with the Jews
living in and around Madinah, they were not treated as Dhimmi people (the

209
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:43-44
وَكَيْفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَعِندَهُمُ التَّوْرَنَةُ فِيهَا حُكْمُ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ مِنْ بَعْدِ
ذَلِكَ وَمَآ أُولَئِكَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿ إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا التَّوْرَنَ فِيهَا هُدَى وَنُورٌ
يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُواْ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَالرَّبَّنِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ بِمَا
اُسْتُحْفِظُواْ مِنْ كِتَبِ الَّهِ وَكَانُواْ عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَاءً فَلَا تَحْشَواْ النَّاسَ
وَأَخْشَوْنِ وَلَا تَشْتَرُواْ بِكَايَتِى ثَمَنَا قَلِيلاً وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ
٤٤
هُمُ الْكَفِرُونَ
5
How do they ask you to judge while the Torah is with them, having the
ruling of Allah? Still, they turn away, after all that. They are no believers.
[43]
Surely We have sent down the Torah, in which there was guidance and
light by which the prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah, used to
judge for the Jews, and (so did) the Men of Allah and the Men of
knowledge, because they were ordained to protect the Book of Allah, and
they stood guard over it. So, (O Jews of today,) do not fear people. Fear
Me, and do not take a paltry price for My verses. Those who do not judge
according to what Allah has sent down are the disbelievers. [44]
Non-Muslim subjects of the Islamic state) in those days. Therefore, they were
neither forced to bring their cases to the Holy Prophet e for adjudication, nor
was it necessary for the Holy Prophet to adjudicate between them.
Therefore, he was given a choice to do as he deemed fit. When, however, the
Non-Muslim citizens of the state of Madinah became its regular subjects, they
were naturally bound to follow the laws of the state and to bring their cases
before the Islamic courts, and the courts were bound to decide their cases
according to the prevailing law of Shari'ah, as ordained in verse 49 below.
However, the law itself has given them exemption in certain matters to let them
follow the precepts of their religion. For example, the matters relating to
marriage, divorce, inheritance etc. were allowed to be decided according to their
own laws.

210
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:45-46
وَكَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَا أَنَّ النَّفْسَ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْعَيْنَ بِالْعَيْنِ وَالْأَنْفَ بِالْأَنفِ
وَالْأُذُنَ بِالْأُذُنِ وَالسِّنَ بِلْسِنِّ وَالْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصُ فَمَنْ تَصَدَّفَ بِهِ، فَهُوَ
وَقَفَيْنَا
كَفَّارَةٌ لَّهُ، وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَبِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ
عَلَى ءَاثَرِهِم بِعِيسَى أَبْنِ مَرْيَمَ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ التَّوْرَنَّةِ وَءَاتَيْنَهُ الْإِنجِيلَ فِيهِ
هُدَى وَنُورٌ وَمُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ الثَّوْرَةِ وَهُدَى وَمَوْعِظَةً لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
We prescribed for them therein: A life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose
for a nose, an ear for an ear and a tooth for a tooth; and for wounds, an
equal retaliation. 31 Then, if one forgives it, that will be expiation for him.
Those who do not judge according to what Allah has sent down, they are
the unjust. [45] We sent 'Isa son of Maryam after those prophets,
confirming the Torah that was (revealed) before him, and We gave him
the Injil having guidance and light therein, and confirming the Torah that
was (revealed) before it; a guidance and a lesson for the God-fearing. [46]
31) This verse refers to another incident in which the Jews intended to bring their
case before the Holy Prophet . Banu Nadir and Banu Quraizah were two large
Jewish tribes living around Madinah. The former was more wealthy and powerful
than the latter. On the basis of their wealth and power, Banu Nadir compelled
Banu Quraizah to accept some conditions that were totally unjust. For instance,
if a man from the former killed a man from the latter, the murderer could not be
killed in retaliation; he would be liable to pay blood money only, but in case a
man from Quraizah were to kill someone from Banū Nadir, he would be
subjected to the death penalty and would also have to pay double blood money.
Moreover, if the murder victim from Banu Nadir was a woman, a man from
Quraizah had to be killed, and if the victim was a man, two men were to be killed
from Quraizah, and so on. In the case alluded to in this verse, a man from Banu
Nadir was killed and they demanded double blood money from Quraizah; the
latter tribe refused, and suggested that the case should be placed before the Holy
Prophet , because they knew that he would not allow such an unjust demand.
Banu Nadir were hesitant, but before refusing the suggestion, they sent some
hypocrites to discover informally what would be the view of the Holy Prophet he.
(Baghawi) The verse says that the Torah, in which both tribes claimed to believe,
had clear instructions for equal retaliation. Still they violated its injunctions.

211
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah 5:47-48
وَلْيَحْكُمْ أَهْلُ الْإِنجِيلِ بِمَآ أَنَزَلَ اللَّهُ فِيَةٍ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ
فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَسِقُونَ [٤] وَأَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَبَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ
يَدَيْهِ مِنَ اُلْكِتَبِ وَمُهَيْمِنَا عَلَيْهِ فَأَحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اَللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُ
أَهْوَآءَ هُمْ عَمَّا جَآءََكَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ لِكُلِّ جَعَلْنَا مِنْكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجَّأَ وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ
لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَحِدَةً وَلَكِن لَّةَ بْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَنَكُمْ فَاسْتَمِّقُواْ الْخَيْرَتِّ إِلَى اللَّهِ
EN
مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنْتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ
And the people of the Injil must judge according to what Allah has sent
down therein. Those who do not judge according to what Allah has sent
down, they are the sinners. [47] We have sent down to you the Book with
truth, confirming the Book before it, and a protector for it. So, judge
between them according to what Allah has sent down, and do not follow
their desires against the truth that has come to you. For each of you We
have made a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made
a single community of people, but (He did not), so that He may test you
in what He has given to you.32 Strive, then, to excel each other in good
deeds. To Allah is the return for all of you. Then Allah shall tell you
about that in which you disputed. [48]
32) This is the answer to a question that may arise here. The question is: When
all the prophets were preachers of the same religious beliefs, why did they differ
in subsidiary laws and modes of worship, and why did a later divine book
abrogate several precepts propounded by the earlier ones? The answer given is
that Allah could make all humans in all ages uniform even in minute details of
the law, but His wisdom required that there should be some difference between
people of different ages in such details. This difference was not only based on
the circumstances prevailing in different ages, but it was also a test to
distinguish the obedient from the disobedient. It should be clearly understood
that no particular law or any particular mode of worship has any inherent
sanctity. The sanctity is attached to it only because Allah has appointed it as a
law or as a mode of worship. But some people after being used to a particular
mode of worship or a particular method, take it as inherently sacrosanct, and if
a new command comes from Allah, they become averse to it, while the correct