Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 96–103

5. Al-Maaida · The Table

Madinan120 verses

أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ ٱلْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُۥ مَتَٰعًۭا لَّكُمْ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ ۖ وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ ٱلْبَرِّ مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُمًۭا ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِىٓ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ

5:96You are permitted the game of the sea and its food, a provision for you and for the caravans, but you are forbidden the game of the land so long as you remain in pilgrim sanctity, and be wary of Allah toward whom you will be gathered.1

۞ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْكَعْبَةَ ٱلْبَيْتَ ٱلْحَرَامَ قِيَٰمًۭا لِّلنَّاسِ وَٱلشَّهْرَ ٱلْحَرَامَ وَٱلْهَدْىَ وَٱلْقَلَٰٓئِدَ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِتَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

5:97Allah has made the Ka‘bah, the Sacred House, a [means of] sustentation for mankind, and [also] the sacred month, the offering and the garlands, so that you may know that Allah knows whatever there is in the heavens and whatever there is in the earth, and that Allah has knowledge of all things.2

ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ

5:98Know that Allah is severe in retribution, and that Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.

مَّا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَٰغُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا تَكْتُمُونَ

5:99The Apostle’s duty is only to communicate and Allah knows whatever you disclose and whatever you conceal.

قُل لَّا يَسْتَوِى ٱلْخَبِيثُ وَٱلطَّيِّبُ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ كَثْرَةُ ٱلْخَبِيثِ ۚ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ يَٰٓأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

5:100Say, ‘The good and the bad are not equal, though the abundance of the bad should amaze you.’ So be wary of Allah, O you who possess intellect, so that you may be felicitous!

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَسْـَٔلُوا۟ عَنْ أَشْيَآءَ إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ وَإِن تَسْـَٔلُوا۟ عَنْهَا حِينَ يُنَزَّلُ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَنْهَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌۭ

5:101O you who have faith! Do not ask about things, which, if they are disclosed to you, will upset you. Yet if you ask about them while the Quran is being sent down, they shall be disclosed to you. Allah has excused it, and Allah is all-forgiving, all-forbearing.3

قَدْ سَأَلَهَا قَوْمٌۭ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحُوا۟ بِهَا كَٰفِرِينَ

5:102Certainly some people asked about them before you and then came to disbelieve in them.

مَا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنۢ بَحِيرَةٍۢ وَلَا سَآئِبَةٍۢ وَلَا وَصِيلَةٍۢ وَلَا حَامٍۢ ۙ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ ۖ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ

5:103Allah has not prescribed any such thing as Bahirah, Sa’ibah, Waseelah, or Haam; but those who are faithless fabricate lies against Allah, and most of them do not exercise their reason.*

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 97

1.Apparently this is said about the Holy Ka‘ba but this law is for the entire land of Ka‘ba and that is why Ka‘ba is called the sacred House. ‘Qayaman Linnas’ is an announcement of the philosophy that in it is made the law for the months of Muharram, pilgrimage, sacrifice etc. On the whole its intention is for universal peace. War is prevented in the sacred months, courage is created by way of sacrifice and the land of sanctuary of Ka‘ba is fixed as a place of assembly of Muslims. That in this way Muslims can gather on this point and deal with each other for the welfare of the state and also solve problems of worldly affairs. Pilgrimage is one of the best political worship in which Islamic worship and community intercourse is clearly seen otherwise external deeds apparently have no meaningful effects.

Verse 100

2.This is a common law which indicates good and dirty things and also good and bad people all are included. Evil may look very good but it is certainly not better than the good and pure. The pure is chaste in the view of Allah and wicked is bad in the sight of Allah. Once it falls from Allah’s grace it is of no value. If a wicked person leads a good and comfortable life in the world it doesn’t mean that he has a good status in the sight of Allah. The law of worldly pelf is separate and the law of being a beloved of Allah is different.

Verse 101

3.This is a prohibition of unnecessary questions. As a person asked the Holy Prophet (s.a. w.s.): Where is my father? The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: He is in hell. Another person asked: Is pilgrimage obligatory every year? The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: Keep quiet. If I say, yes, it will be obligatory and you will not act on it.

Verse 103

4.In honour of their idols, Arabs had declared some kinds of animals unlawful for themselves and they wanted it to remain customary in Islam. Allah ordained that it has no concern with Islam. This is an open scandal on Allah.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Bahr does not means the sea. It is a body of water, whether a river or a stream. Ta‘am-e-Baber could be food derived from it, fish or anything else.

  2. 2

    ‘Qayaam’ is the name of the medium of correction. That the holy sanctuary is a means of reforming the Islamic nation and the gathering of Hajj is the best social gathering. Where the problems of world Muslims could be discussed and solved.

  3. 3

    Bahira is the she camel which was freed for the idols after she had given birth to five or ten young ones. ‘Baher’ means the slitting of the ears. ‘Saiba’ is the she camel that is released to celebrate the emancipation from a disease or victory in a battle. ‘Waseela’ is the she-goat which gives birth to twin kids and its male kid is not fit for sacrifice for the idols. ‘Haam’ is the male animal which has ten issues and after this it is freed. The 100th ayat proves that evil is in majority in the world. But its majority does not make it good.

  4. Benefit

    The 101st ayat restrains us from unnecessary questioning and irrelevant queries. Although pursuit of knowledge is obligatory in Islam and the best of deeds, as emphasised time and again.