Verses 32–36
5. Al-Maaida · The Table
Madinan120 verses
مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنَّهُۥ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًۢا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍۢ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًۭا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَآ أَحْيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًۭا ۚ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ
5:32That is why We decreed for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul, without [its being guilty of] manslaughter or corruption on the earth, is as though he had killed all mankind, and whoever saves a life is as though he had saved all mankind. Our apostles certainly brought them manifest signs, yet even after that, many of them commit excesses on the earth.1
إِنَّمَا جَزَٰٓؤُا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَن يُقَتَّلُوٓا۟ أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوٓا۟ أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم مِّنْ خِلَٰفٍ أَوْ يُنفَوْا۟ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْىٌۭ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
5:33Indeed the requital of those who wage war against Allah and His Apostle, and try to cause corruption on the earth, is that they shall be slain or crucified, or shall have their hands and feet cut off from opposite sides, or be banished from the land. That is a disgrace for them in this world, and in the Hereafter, there is a great punishment for them,23
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَقْدِرُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ فَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
5:34excepting those who repent before you capture them, and know that Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱبْتَغُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَٰهِدُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
5:35O you who have faith! Be wary of Allah, and seek the means of recourse to Him, and wage jihad in His way, so that you may be felicitous.4
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُم مَّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًۭا وَمِثْلَهُۥ مَعَهُۥ لِيَفْتَدُوا۟ بِهِۦ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ
5:36Indeed if the faithless possessed all that is on the earth, and as much of it besides, to redeem themselves with it from the punishment of the Day of Resurrection, it shall not be accepted from them, and there is a painful punishment for them.
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
As far as punishment is concerned, transgression of limit in punishment is not permissible and this is the great equitable in the religion of Islam the law of Islam says one soul instead of one soul but a person is informed by pointing out towards the heaviness of his sin that there are two motives of slaying. A person is killed because of quarrel or revenge. As a matter of fact, an accused is punished or when it happens without any reason, it is called the murder of humanity as the murderer has no value of human’s soul otherwise he would not take the initiative to murder without any reason. This state of affairs also gives life and if its subject has a special reason then it could be correct otherwise the subject is human for sake of human then it means to give life to anthropology and is having equal meaning.
Verse 33
1.Highway robbery is a heinous crime in Islam. In the consequence, killing, robbery, defamation make pious people afraid, rends life, disobeys the law of Islam, becomes bold about crime and creates numerous kinds of troubles in this way. Due to these Islam has fixed a severe punishment and said it is akin to fighting with Allah and His Apostle so that this continuous chain is stopped and perhaps that is why Allah forgave them who repented before they were seized in punishment. Allah intends to rectify the state of affairs and it is achieved by repentance and there is no need to take further steps.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
The killing of Habeel by Qabeel and the initiation of such a crime on the earth necessitated the promulgation of a serious penalty for murder. The Bani Israel were picked out because their atrocities were widely known. And that is the reason that despite such penalties there was no decrease in their atrocities and massacres.
- 2
That is the crime of waylaying (highway robberies). As a result the common people find it difficult to venture out of their homes. And if it is an open declaration of war against Allah and the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.).
- 3
Superlatives are used in connection with the penalties of the attackers and robbers, and they are awarded the most terrible punishment. Dismembering of limbs should be converse. If it is the right hand, the left leg is to be amputed and vice versa. So that his crime is openly publicized. Hence this shall act as a preventive measure.
- 4
Piety hinders one from sins. It is an invitation to find the means of doing good. Jihad is to bear difficulties in both these ways. According to some traditions the’ Waseela’ is Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). That they are goodness personified, and it is not at all surprising.
Benefit
All the four penalties mentioned in 34th ayat are not forgivable. Only the sins against Allah can be remitted through repentance, not so the crimes against people