O YOU WHO believe, fulfil your obligations. Made lawful (as food) for you are animals except those mentioned (here); but unlawful during Pilgrimage is game. God ordains whatsoever He wills.
O People who Believe! Fulfil your words (agreements); the mute animals are made lawful for you (to eat) except what will be declared to you after this, but do not assume hunting as lawful when you are on the pilgrimage; indeed Allah commands whatever He wills.
O believers, fulfil your bonds. Permitted to you is the beast of the flocks, except that which is now recited to you, so that you deem not game permitted to be hunted when you are in pilgrim sanctity. God decrees whatsoever He desires.
O YOU who have attained to faith! Be true to your covenants! Lawful to you is the [flesh of every] beast that feeds on plants, save what is mentioned to you [hereinafter]: but you are not allowed to hunt while you are in the state of pilgrimage. Behold, God ordains in accordance with His will.
O ye who believe! fulfil the compacts. Allowed unto you is the beast of the flock except that which is rehearsed unto you, not allowing the chase while ye are in a state of sanctity. Verily Allah ordaineth whatsoever He will.
O you who believe! Fulfill (your) obligations. Lawful to you (for food) are all the beasts of cattle except that which will be announced to you (herein), game (also) being unlawful when you assume Ihram for Hajj or 'Umrah (pilgrimage). Verily, Allah commands that which He wills.
O you who believe! Fulfill your commitments. Livestock animals are permitted for you, except those specified to you; but not wild game while you are in pilgrim sanctity. God decrees whatever He wills.
Believers! Honour your bonds! All grazing beasts of the flock are permitted to you except those which are recited to you hereinafter, but you are not allowed to hunt in the state of Ihram (a state of pilgrim sanctity). Indeed Allah decrees as He wills.
O you who believe! Fulfill (your) obligations. Lawful to you (for food) are all the beasts of cattle except that which will be announced to you (herein), game (also) being unlawful when you assume Ihram. Verily, Allah commands that which He wills.
O ye who believe! Fulfil your indentures. The beast of cattle is made lawful unto you (for food) except that which is announced unto you (herein), game being unlawful when ye are on the pilgrimage. Lo! Allah ordaineth that which pleaseth Him.
O you who have faith! Keep your agreements. You are permitted animals of grazing livestock, except what is [now] announced to you, disallowing game while you are in pilgrim sanctity. Indeed Allah decrees whatever He desires.
Believers, fulfill your obligations. It is lawful for you (to eat the flesh of) the beast among cattle other than that which is recited to you, hunting is forbidden while you are on pilgrimage. Allah decrees what He will.
O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts. Lawful for you are the animals of grazing livestock except for that which is recited to you [in this Qur'an] - hunting not being permitted while you are in the state of ihram. Indeed, Allah ordains what He intends.
Believers, stand by your contracts (and obligations). Of all animals, cattle has been made lawful for you as food with certain exceptions. Hunting is not lawful for you during ihram (a part of the rituals during pilgrimage). God decrees as He wills.
O you who believe! fulfill the obligations. The cattle quadrupeds are allowed to you except that which is recited to you, not violating the prohibition against game when you are entering upon the performance of the pilgrimage; surely Allah orders what He desires.
Y<u>a</u> ayyuh<u>a</u> alla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo awfoo bi<b>a</b>lAAuqoodi o<u>h</u>illat lakum baheematu alanAA<u>a</u>mi ill<u>a</u> m<u>a</u> yutl<u>a</u> AAalaykum ghayra mu<u>h</u>illee a<b>l</b><u>ss</u>aydi waantum <u>h</u>urumun inna All<u>a</u>ha ya<u>h</u>kumu m<u>a</u> yureed<b>u</b>
Believers, fulfill your obligations. All livestock is lawful for you, other than that which is hereby announced to you. You are forbidden to kill game while you are on a pilgrimage -- God commands what He will.
O ye who believe! fulfil (all) obligations. Lawful unto you (for food) are all four-footed animals, with the exceptions named: But animals of the chase are forbidden while ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb: for Allah doth command according to His will and plan.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَوْفُوا۟ بِٱلْعُقُودِ أُحِلَّتْ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ ٱلْأَنْعَٰمِ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ غَيْرَ مُحِلِّى ٱلصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ
O you who believe in Allah, follow His Messenger and practice His laws, fulfil the firm promises of faith and practice that were made between you and your Creator. Also, fulfil the promises made with His creation in sale transactions, marriage, etc. Allah has permitted for you, out of His mercy, livestock animals (camels, cattle, sheep and goats), except those the prohibition of which have been read to you and the land game that He has prohibited you from in the state of sanctity during the pilgrimage of Hajj or Umrah. Allah decides to permit and prohibit as He wills in accordance with His wisdom. No one can compel Him or object to His decision.
O you who believe in Allah, follow His Messenger and practice His laws, fulfil the firm promises of faith and practice that were made between you and your Creator. Also, fulfil the promises made with His creation in sale transactions, marriage, etc. Allah has permitted for you, out of His mercy, livestock animals (camels, cattle, sheep and goats), except those the prohibition of which have been read to you and the land game that He has prohibited you from in the state of sanctity during the pilgrimage of Hajj or Umrah. Allah decides to permit and prohibit as He wills in accordance with His wisdom. No one can compel Him or object to His decision.
<p>Background of revelation and a summary of subjects</p><p>This is the initial verse of Surah al-Ma'idah. As agreed upon, Surah al-Ma'idah is a Madani (Madinite) Surah and also the last among all Madani Chapters (Surah) so much so that some revered elders have identified this as the last Surah of the Qur'an itself. On the authority of narrations from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar and Sayyidah Asma' bint Yazid ؓ ، it appears in the Musnad of Ahmad that Surah al-Ma'idah was revealed to the Holy Prophet ﷺ while in travel riding the she-camel named Adba'. As explained in the introduction to this Tafsir in Volume 1, there used to be a sense of being under some heavy weight, extraordinary and unexplained, at a time the Wahy (revelation) came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . So, this is what happened as customary. When the she-camel could bear the phenomenon of unusual weight no more, he dismounted from her back. This journey is obviously the journey he made to perform his last Hajj as supported by some relevant reports. The Last Hajj took place in the tenth year of Hijrah. After his return from there, his blessed life in the mortal world lasted for about eighty more days. In al-Bahr al-Muhit, commentator Ibn Hayyan has said that some portions of Surah al-Ma'idah were revealed during the journey of Hudaybiyah, some others during the journey of the Conquest of Makkah and still others during the journey of the Last Hajj. This tells us that Surah al-Ma'idah has been revealed during the final stages of the revelation of the Qur'an - though, it may not be the very last Surah.</p><p>Ruh al-Ma'ani on the authority of Abu ` Ubaydh, cites a narration of ibn Habib and ` Atiyyah ibn Qays ؓ in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said:</p><p>اَلمایدہ مِنَ اٰخر القران فاحلوا حلالھا حرمواحرامھا</p><p>Surah al-Ma'idah is from what has been revealed towards the last stage of the revelation of the Qura'n. So, take what has been made lawful there as lawful forever and take what has been made unlawful there as unlawful forever.</p><p>Referring to Mustadrak al-Hakim, Ibn Kathir cites a similar narration from Sayyidna Jubayr ibn Nufayr in which he has been reported to have called upon Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ soon after Hajj. She asked him: "Do you read Surah al-Ma'idah, 0 Jubayr?" He submitted: "I do." Sayyidah A'ishah ؓ then said: "This is the last Surah of Holy Qur'an. The injunctions about things lawful and unlawful in it are Muhkam (of established meaning). The probability of any abrogation (Naskh) does not exist there. So, be specially particular about them."</p><p>Like Surah Al-Nis-a', Surah al-Ma'idah too carries many subsidiary injunctions relating to dealings and contracts. Accordingly, Ruh al-Ma` ani notices subject homogeneity in Surah al-Baqarah and Al-'Imran because both of them mostly feature injunctions relating to Principles, Doctrines, Unicity, Prophethood, Doomsday and similar other basic concerns of importance. As for subsidiary injunctions, they appear there as corollaries. Regarding Surah Al-Nis-a’ and Surah al-Ma'idah, it can be said that they are homogeneous subject-wise because both of them describe subsidiary injunctions. Any description of basic princi-ples appears there by implication. In Surah al-Nisa', emphasis has been laid on mutual dealings, particularly on rights servants of Allah have on each other (Huquq al-` Ibad). Then, in it, there are details of the rights of the husband and the wife, the rights of orphans and the rights of the parents and other relatives. In the very first verse of Surah al-Ma'idah, there appears the instruction to stand by all dealings made and pledges given. The words of the Verse: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ (0 those who believe, fulfill the contracts) command that all such commitments must be met. Therefore, Surah al-Ma'idah is also referred to as Surah al-` Uqud (Al-Bahr al-Muhit).</p><p>This Surah, specially its opening verse, has a special bearing on matters relating to mutual dealings and contractual agreements. Therefore, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ sent Sayyidna ` Amru ibn Hazm ؓ as the ` Amil (Governor) of Yaman, he gave him a written decree of appointment at the head of which he had this verse written (Al Bahr al-Muhit).</p><p>Commentary</p><p>The first sentence of the first verse of this Surah is so comprehensive that its proper discussion would deservedly go beyond thousands of pages. In fact, Muslim scholars and jurists have done exactly that. The verse says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ (0 those who believe, fulfill the contracts). Here, the very form of address: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ( O those who believe ...) helps to divert attention to the very crucial nature of the subject for the command being given here is centrally required by one's faith. Then comes the command: أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ (fulfill the contracts). The word, ` al-` uqud', used in the Qur'an is the plural form of al-'aqd, the literal meaning of which is to tie. A contract which ties two individuals or groups to each other is also known as ` aqd. Thus, al-` uqud takes the meaning of al-` uhud or contracts.</p><p>Commentator Ibn Jarir has reported the consensus of revered exegetes among the Sahabah and Tabi'in on this approach. Imam al-Jassas explains that ` aqd (contract) or ` ahd (pledge) or Mu` ahadah (pact) are all applied to a transaction in which two parties have placed the responsibility of doing or not doing something on each other and to which both of them agree and are bound by. According to our recognized practice, this is what a contractual agreement is. Therefore, the essential meaning of the sentence is: Take the fulfilling of mutual contracts to be binding and necessary.</p><p>Now, we have to determine the nature of contracts meant here. The interpretations of commentators appear to be different, though outwardly only. Some say that it refers to the Covenant of Allah under which His created beings are bound to believe in and obey Him, or they refer to pledges Allah has taken from His created beings regarding His revealed injunctions of things lawful and unlawful. This is what has been reported from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ۔ ؓ Others say that here it means the contracts people enter into with each other, such as, the Contract of Marriage and the Contract of Buying and Selling. Commentators Ibn Zayd and Zayd ibn Aslam have taken this very line of interpretation. Still others take contracts to mean sworn alliances and pacts which the tribes of Jahiliyyah entered into with each other for mutual assistance when needed. This is also the position taken by Commentators such as Mujahid, RabI' and Qatadah. But, the truth is that there is no contradiction or difference in what they have said. Instead, all these varied contracts come under the Qur'anic word, "al-` uqud", appearing in this verse and the instruction to fulfill all of them comes from the Qur'an itself.</p><p>Therefore, Imam Raghib al-Isfahani has said that all kinds of contracts and binding agreements are included under the imperative of this word. He further divides these into three kinds as given below:</p><p>1.	The Covenant which human beings have with their Creator who is Lord of all the worlds, such as, the pledge to believe in Him, to obey Him, or to observe the restrictions imposed by Him on matters and things lawful and unlawful.</p><p>2.	The vow or promise or commitment one enters into with one's own self, such as, to commit to fulfill a vow (nadhr) for something, or to bind oneself on oath that something will be done.</p><p>3.	The contract that one human being enters with another which includes all contracts which bind two persons or two groups or parties or governments.</p><p>So, in the light of this verse, strict adherence to all permissible provisions and conditions which have been mutually agreed upon is mandatory and all parties must observe and fulfill these. This covers all international pacts and treaties between governments, bilateral agreements, all commitments, alliances, charters between groups and parties, also all sorts of contracts and deals between two human beings ranging from marriage, business, partnership, leasing, gift deed to many other bi-partite human dealings. Please note that the restriction of ` permissible' imposed a little earlier has a reason, for entering into a contract against the dictates of the Shari'ah, or accepting it, is not permissible for anyone.</p><p>The Logic of the Lawful</p><p>After the initial declaration of the general rule in the first sentence of the verse, its particular details appear in the second sentence where it has been said: أُحِلَّتْ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ الْأَنْعَامِ (The cattle have been made lawful for you ...). The word, ` bahimah' (بَهِيمَةُ ) used here is applied to animals usually considered to be devoid of understanding because people usually do not understand their speech which thus remains obscure. Imam al-Sha` rani says: The name ` bahimah' is not given to an animal just be-cause it has no sense and everything sensible remains obscure for it - as people commonly think. But, the truth is that no animal or beast, not even trees and rocks, can be taken to be devoid of sense as such - of course, subject to the difference in its degrees. They do not have the same measure of sense as human beings do. This is the reason why human beings have been obligated to observe the percepts and injunctions revealed for them. Animals have not been so obligated, other-wise Allah has given to every animal sense and awareness within the limits of its needs - even to all trees and rocks, for that matter. This is why everything glorifies Allah in its own way: وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ : That is, ` there is nothing which does not but glorify Him with His praise' (17:44). How then, without sense, would it have ever recognized its creator and master and how would it have, thus, been able to engage in the act of glorifying Allah?</p><p>The word, ` al-An` am', used in the text is the plural form of na'am (grazing livestock). Eight kinds of domestic animals or cattles such as the camel, the cow, the buffalow, the goat which have been described in Surah al-An'-am are called the An'-am. Since the word, ` bahimah' (animal) was general, the word, 'Al-An'-am' (the cattle) has made it particular. So, the meaning of the verse comes to be that ` eight kinds of domestic animals have been made lawful for you.' Under the discussion about the word, ` al-` uqud', you have already read a little earlier that it includes all kinds of contracts. One of these is the pledge Allah Almighty has taken from His created beings that they would observe the restrictions of the lawful and the unlawful. The present sentence is referring to this particular pledge when it says that Allah has made the cattle lawful for you and they can be eaten after having been slaughtered in accordance with the Islamic manner.</p><p>Thus believers have been exhorted to obey this injunction by staying within its limits. They should not take it upon themselves, as do the fire-worshippers and the idolaters, to declare the very slaughter of these animals as absolutely unlawful, for this is raising an objection against the wisdom of the Creator and certainly an open ingratitude for His blessing. Nor should they become like some other meat-eating people who would, totally unfettered, go about eating all sorts of animals. Rather than do something like that, believers must eat from animals Allah Almighty has made lawful to eat under the Law given by Him. Similarly, they should abstain from animals which have been declared unlawful to eat. The reason is that Allah Almighty is the Creator of the Universe. He knows the nature and the properties of all animals and He is also aware of the effects they bring about when in the human body. He, in His grace, makes what is good and pure openly lawful for human consumption, things which leave no ill effects on physical health and moral strength. Similarly, He forbids unclean and impure animals which are either harmful for human health or contribute metabolically into the generation of evil morals. Therefore, there are a few things exempted from this general rule. These are as follows:</p><p>1.	The first exemption is contained إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ. It means: Except animals which have been declared unlawful in the Qur'an, that is, dead animal or the swine.</p><p>2.	The other exemption appears in: غَيْرَ‌ مُحِلِّي الصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُ‌مٌ Quadruped animals are lawful for you and wild game too. But nin the state when you have entered into the garments of Ihram with the intention of doing Hajj or ` Umrah, hunting becomes a crime and sin. Stay away from it.</p><p>Living under the Authority and Wisdom of the Creator</p><p>Towards the end of the verse, it was said: إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِ‌يدُ which means that Allah Almighty ordains what He wills. Nobody has the right to ask questions or take exception in obeying it. This statement is perhaps indicative of an element of wisdom - that the permission given to human beings to slaughter and eat some animals is no act of injustice. The Creator and Master who has made all these life forms is also the One who has formulated, in His perfect wisdom and insight, the law that the lower form shall be the sustenance of the higher. The soil of the earth is food for trees and trees are food for animals and animals are food for human beings. There is no higher form of creation in this world, therefore, human beings cannot become food for anyone.</p>
Background of revelation and a summary of subjectsThis is the initial verse of Surah al-Ma'idah. As agreed upon, Surah al-Ma'idah is a Madani (Madinite) Surah and also the last among all Madani Chapters (Surah) so much so that some revered elders have identified this as the last Surah of the Qur'an itself. On the authority of narrations from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar and Sayyidah Asma' bint Yazid ؓ ، it appears in the Musnad of Ahmad that Surah al-Ma'idah was revealed to the Holy Prophet ﷺ while in travel riding the she-camel named Adba'. As explained in the introduction to this Tafsir in Volume 1, there used to be a sense of being under some heavy weight, extraordinary and unexplained, at a time the Wahy (revelation) came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . So, this is what happened as customary. When the she-camel could bear the phenomenon of unusual weight no more, he dismounted from her back. This journey is obviously the journey he made to perform his last Hajj as supported by some relevant reports. The Last Hajj took place in the tenth year of Hijrah. After his return from there, his blessed life in the mortal world lasted for about eighty more days. In al-Bahr al-Muhit, commentator Ibn Hayyan has said that some portions of Surah al-Ma'idah were revealed during the journey of Hudaybiyah, some others during the journey of the Conquest of Makkah and still others during the journey of the Last Hajj. This tells us that Surah al-Ma'idah has been revealed during the final stages of the revelation of the Qur'an - though, it may not be the very last Surah.Ruh al-Ma'ani on the authority of Abu ` Ubaydh, cites a narration of ibn Habib and ` Atiyyah ibn Qays ؓ in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said:اَلمایدہ مِنَ اٰخر القران فاحلوا حلالھا حرمواحرامھاSurah al-Ma'idah is from what has been revealed towards the last stage of the revelation of the Qura'n. So, take what has been made lawful there as lawful forever and take what has been made unlawful there as unlawful forever.Referring to Mustadrak al-Hakim, Ibn Kathir cites a similar narration from Sayyidna Jubayr ibn Nufayr in which he has been reported to have called upon Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ soon after Hajj. She asked him: "Do you read Surah al-Ma'idah, 0 Jubayr?" He submitted: "I do." Sayyidah A'ishah ؓ then said: "This is the last Surah of Holy Qur'an. The injunctions about things lawful and unlawful in it are Muhkam (of established meaning). The probability of any abrogation (Naskh) does not exist there. So, be specially particular about them."Like Surah Al-Nis-a', Surah al-Ma'idah too carries many subsidiary injunctions relating to dealings and contracts. Accordingly, Ruh al-Ma` ani notices subject homogeneity in Surah al-Baqarah and Al-'Imran because both of them mostly feature injunctions relating to Principles, Doctrines, Unicity, Prophethood, Doomsday and similar other basic concerns of importance. As for subsidiary injunctions, they appear there as corollaries. Regarding Surah Al-Nis-a’ and Surah al-Ma'idah, it can be said that they are homogeneous subject-wise because both of them describe subsidiary injunctions. Any description of basic princi-ples appears there by implication. In Surah al-Nisa', emphasis has been laid on mutual dealings, particularly on rights servants of Allah have on each other (Huquq al-` Ibad). Then, in it, there are details of the rights of the husband and the wife, the rights of orphans and the rights of the parents and other relatives. In the very first verse of Surah al-Ma'idah, there appears the instruction to stand by all dealings made and pledges given. The words of the Verse: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ (0 those who believe, fulfill the contracts) command that all such commitments must be met. Therefore, Surah al-Ma'idah is also referred to as Surah al-` Uqud (Al-Bahr al-Muhit).This Surah, specially its opening verse, has a special bearing on matters relating to mutual dealings and contractual agreements. Therefore, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ sent Sayyidna ` Amru ibn Hazm ؓ as the ` Amil (Governor) of Yaman, he gave him a written decree of appointment at the head of which he had this verse written (Al Bahr al-Muhit).CommentaryThe first sentence of the first verse of this Surah is so comprehensive that its proper discussion would deservedly go beyond thousands of pages. In fact, Muslim scholars and jurists have done exactly that. The verse says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ (0 those who believe, fulfill the contracts). Here, the very form of address: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ( O those who believe ...) helps to divert attention to the very crucial nature of the subject for the command being given here is centrally required by one's faith. Then comes the command: أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ (fulfill the contracts). The word, ` al-` uqud', used in the Qur'an is the plural form of al-'aqd, the literal meaning of which is to tie. A contract which ties two individuals or groups to each other is also known as ` aqd. Thus, al-` uqud takes the meaning of al-` uhud or contracts.Commentator Ibn Jarir has reported the consensus of revered exegetes among the Sahabah and Tabi'in on this approach. Imam al-Jassas explains that ` aqd (contract) or ` ahd (pledge) or Mu` ahadah (pact) are all applied to a transaction in which two parties have placed the responsibility of doing or not doing something on each other and to which both of them agree and are bound by. According to our recognized practice, this is what a contractual agreement is. Therefore, the essential meaning of the sentence is: Take the fulfilling of mutual contracts to be binding and necessary.Now, we have to determine the nature of contracts meant here. The interpretations of commentators appear to be different, though outwardly only. Some say that it refers to the Covenant of Allah under which His created beings are bound to believe in and obey Him, or they refer to pledges Allah has taken from His created beings regarding His revealed injunctions of things lawful and unlawful. This is what has been reported from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ۔ ؓ Others say that here it means the contracts people enter into with each other, such as, the Contract of Marriage and the Contract of Buying and Selling. Commentators Ibn Zayd and Zayd ibn Aslam have taken this very line of interpretation. Still others take contracts to mean sworn alliances and pacts which the tribes of Jahiliyyah entered into with each other for mutual assistance when needed. This is also the position taken by Commentators such as Mujahid, RabI' and Qatadah. But, the truth is that there is no contradiction or difference in what they have said. Instead, all these varied contracts come under the Qur'anic word, "al-` uqud", appearing in this verse and the instruction to fulfill all of them comes from the Qur'an itself.Therefore, Imam Raghib al-Isfahani has said that all kinds of contracts and binding agreements are included under the imperative of this word. He further divides these into three kinds as given below:1.	The Covenant which human beings have with their Creator who is Lord of all the worlds, such as, the pledge to believe in Him, to obey Him, or to observe the restrictions imposed by Him on matters and things lawful and unlawful.2.	The vow or promise or commitment one enters into with one's own self, such as, to commit to fulfill a vow (nadhr) for something, or to bind oneself on oath that something will be done.3.	The contract that one human being enters with another which includes all contracts which bind two persons or two groups or parties or governments.So, in the light of this verse, strict adherence to all permissible provisions and conditions which have been mutually agreed upon is mandatory and all parties must observe and fulfill these. This covers all international pacts and treaties between governments, bilateral agreements, all commitments, alliances, charters between groups and parties, also all sorts of contracts and deals between two human beings ranging from marriage, business, partnership, leasing, gift deed to many other bi-partite human dealings. Please note that the restriction of ` permissible' imposed a little earlier has a reason, for entering into a contract against the dictates of the Shari'ah, or accepting it, is not permissible for anyone.The Logic of the LawfulAfter the initial declaration of the general rule in the first sentence of the verse, its particular details appear in the second sentence where it has been said: أُحِلَّتْ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ الْأَنْعَامِ (The cattle have been made lawful for you ...). The word, ` bahimah' (بَهِيمَةُ ) used here is applied to animals usually considered to be devoid of understanding because people usually do not understand their speech which thus remains obscure. Imam al-Sha` rani says: The name ` bahimah' is not given to an animal just be-cause it has no sense and everything sensible remains obscure for it - as people commonly think. But, the truth is that no animal or beast, not even trees and rocks, can be taken to be devoid of sense as such - of course, subject to the difference in its degrees. They do not have the same measure of sense as human beings do. This is the reason why human beings have been obligated to observe the percepts and injunctions revealed for them. Animals have not been so obligated, other-wise Allah has given to every animal sense and awareness within the limits of its needs - even to all trees and rocks, for that matter. This is why everything glorifies Allah in its own way: وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ : That is, ` there is nothing which does not but glorify Him with His praise' (17:44). How then, without sense, would it have ever recognized its creator and master and how would it have, thus, been able to engage in the act of glorifying Allah?The word, ` al-An` am', used in the text is the plural form of na'am (grazing livestock). Eight kinds of domestic animals or cattles such as the camel, the cow, the buffalow, the goat which have been described in Surah al-An'-am are called the An'-am. Since the word, ` bahimah' (animal) was general, the word, 'Al-An'-am' (the cattle) has made it particular. So, the meaning of the verse comes to be that ` eight kinds of domestic animals have been made lawful for you.' Under the discussion about the word, ` al-` uqud', you have already read a little earlier that it includes all kinds of contracts. One of these is the pledge Allah Almighty has taken from His created beings that they would observe the restrictions of the lawful and the unlawful. The present sentence is referring to this particular pledge when it says that Allah has made the cattle lawful for you and they can be eaten after having been slaughtered in accordance with the Islamic manner.Thus believers have been exhorted to obey this injunction by staying within its limits. They should not take it upon themselves, as do the fire-worshippers and the idolaters, to declare the very slaughter of these animals as absolutely unlawful, for this is raising an objection against the wisdom of the Creator and certainly an open ingratitude for His blessing. Nor should they become like some other meat-eating people who would, totally unfettered, go about eating all sorts of animals. Rather than do something like that, believers must eat from animals Allah Almighty has made lawful to eat under the Law given by Him. Similarly, they should abstain from animals which have been declared unlawful to eat. The reason is that Allah Almighty is the Creator of the Universe. He knows the nature and the properties of all animals and He is also aware of the effects they bring about when in the human body. He, in His grace, makes what is good and pure openly lawful for human consumption, things which leave no ill effects on physical health and moral strength. Similarly, He forbids unclean and impure animals which are either harmful for human health or contribute metabolically into the generation of evil morals. Therefore, there are a few things exempted from this general rule. These are as follows:1.	The first exemption is contained إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ. It means: Except animals which have been declared unlawful in the Qur'an, that is, dead animal or the swine.2.	The other exemption appears in: غَيْرَ‌ مُحِلِّي الصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُ‌مٌ Quadruped animals are lawful for you and wild game too. But nin the state when you have entered into the garments of Ihram with the intention of doing Hajj or ` Umrah, hunting becomes a crime and sin. Stay away from it.Living under the Authority and Wisdom of the CreatorTowards the end of the verse, it was said: إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِ‌يدُ which means that Allah Almighty ordains what He wills. Nobody has the right to ask questions or take exception in obeying it. This statement is perhaps indicative of an element of wisdom - that the permission given to human beings to slaughter and eat some animals is no act of injustice. The Creator and Master who has made all these life forms is also the One who has formulated, in His perfect wisdom and insight, the law that the lower form shall be the sustenance of the higher. The soil of the earth is food for trees and trees are food for animals and animals are food for human beings. There is no higher form of creation in this world, therefore, human beings cannot become food for anyone.
<h2 class="title">Which was revealed in Al-Madina</h2><h2 class="title">The Virtues of Surat Al-Ma'idah; When It was Revealed</h2><p>At-Tirmidhi recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, "The last Surahs to be revealed were Surat Al-Ma'idah and Surat Al-Fath (chapter 48)." At-Tirmidhi commented, "This Hadith is Hasan, Gharib." and it was also reported that Ibn `Abbas said that the last Surah to be revealed was,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِذَا جَآءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ </div><p>(When there comes the help of Allah and the Conquest,) Al-Hakim collected a narration similar to that of At-Tirmidhi in his Mustadrak, and he said, "It is Sahih according to the criteria of the Two Shaykhs and they did not record it." Al-Hakim narrated that Jubayr bin Nufayr said, "I performed Hajj once and visited `A'ishah and she said to me, `O Jubayr! Do you read (or memorize) Al-Ma'idah ' I answered `Yes.' She said, `It was the last Surah to be revealed. Therefore, whatever permissible matters you find in it, then consider (treat) them permissible. And whatever impermissible matters you find in it, then consider (treat) them impermissible."' Al-Hakim said, "It is Sahih according to the criteria of the Two Shaykhs and they did not record it. " Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdur-Rahman bin Mahdi related that Mu`awiyah bin Salih added this statement in the last Hadith, "I (Jubayr) also asked `A'ishah about the Messenger of Allah's conduct and she answered by saying, `The Qur'an."' An-Nasa'i also recorded it.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ </div><p>In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.  </p><p>Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that a man came to `Abdullah bin Mas`ud and said to him, "Advise me." He said, "When you hear Allah's statement,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ</div><p>(O you who believe!) then pay full attention, for it is a righteous matter that He is ordaining or an evil thing that He is forbidding." Khaythamah said, "Everything in the Qur'an that reads,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ</div><p>(O you who believe!) reads in the Tawrah, `O you who are in need."' Allah said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَوْفُواْ بِالْعُقُودِ</div><p>(Fulfill (your) obligations.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others said that `obligations' here means treaties. Ibn Jarir mentioned that there is a consensus for this view. Ibn Jarir also said that it means treaties, such as the alliances that they used to conduct. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَوْفُواْ بِالْعُقُودِ</div><p>(O you who believe! Fulfill (your) obligations.) "Refers to the covenants, meaning, what Allah permitted, prohibited, ordained and set limits for in the Qur'an. Therefore, do not commit treachery or break the covenants. Allah emphasized this command when He said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مِيثَـقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ</div><p>(And those who break the covenant of Allah, after its ratification, and sever that which Allah has commanded to be joined,) until,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">سُوءُ الدَّارِ</div><p>(unhappy (evil) home (i.e. Hell).)" Ad-Dahhak said that,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَوْفُواْ بِالْعُقُودِ</div><p>(Fulfill your obligations.) "Refers to what Allah has permitted and what He has prohibited. Allah has taken the covenant from those who proclaim their faith in the Prophet and the Book to fulfill the obligations that He has ordered for them in the permissible and the impermissible."</p><h2 class="title">Explaining the Lawful and the Unlawful Beasts</h2><p>Allah said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أُحِلَّتْ لَكُمْ بَهِيمَةُ الاٌّنْعَامِ</div><p>(Lawful to you (for food) are all the beasts of cattle) camels, cows and sheep, as Al-Hasan, Qatadah and several others stated. Ibn Jarir said that this Tafsir conforms to the meaning of (`beasts of cattle') that the Arabs had. We should mention that Ibn `Umar, Ibn `Abbas and others relied on this Ayah as evidence to allow eating the meat of the fetus if it is found dead in the belly of its slaughtered mother. There is a Hadith to the same effect collected in the Sunan of Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah and narrated by Abu Sa`id who said, "We asked, `O Messenger of Allah! When we slaughter a camel, cow or sheep, we sometimes find a fetus in its belly, should we discard it or eat its meat' He said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«كُلُوهُ إِنْ شِئْتُمْ فَإِنَّ ذَكَاتَهُ ذَكَاةُ أُمِّه»</div><p>(Eat it if you want, because its slaughter was fulfilled when its mother was slaughtered.)" At-Tirmidhi said, "This Hadith is Hasan." Abu Dawud recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«ذَكَاةُ الْجَنِينِ ذَكَاةُ أُمِّه»</div><p>(Proper slaughter of the fetus is fulfilled with the slaughter of its mother.) Only Abu Dawud collected this narration. Allah's statement,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ مَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ</div><p>(except that which will be announced to you (herein), ) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that it refers to, "The flesh of dead animals, blood and the meat of swine." Qatadah said, "The meat of dead animals and animals slaughtered without Allah's Name being pronounced at the time of slaughtering." It appears, and Allah knows best, that the Ayah refers to Allah's other statement,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ وَالْدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ الْخِنْزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَالْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ</div><p>(Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maytah (the dead animals), blood, the flesh of swine, and what has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allah, and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns - and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal.)5:3, for although the animals mentioned in this Ayah are types of permissible cattle (except for swine), they become impermissible under the circumstances that the Ayah 5:3 specifies. This is why Allah said afterwards,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ</div><p>(Unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death) and that which is sacrificed (slaughtered) on An-Nusub (stone altars)) as the latter type is not permissible, because it can no longer be slaughtered properly. Hence, Allah's statement,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أُحِلَّتْ لَكُمْ بَهِيمَةُ الاٌّنْعَامِ إِلاَّ مَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ</div><p>(Lawful to you are all the beasts of cattle except that which will be announced to you, ) means, except the specific circumstances that prohibit some of these which will be announced to you. Allah said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">غَيْرَ مُحِلِّى الصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ</div><p>(game (also) being unlawful when you assume Ihram.) Some scholars said that the general meaning of `cattle' includes domesticated cattle, such as camels, cows and sheep, and wild cattle, such as gazzelle, wild cattle and wild donkeys. Allah made the exceptions mentioned above (dead animals blood, flesh of swine etc.), and prohibited hunting wild beasts while in the state of Ihram. It was also reported that the meaning here is, "We have allowed for you all types of cattle in all circumstances, except what We excluded herewith for the one hunting game while in the state of Ihram." Allah said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلاَ عَادٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ</div><p>(But if one is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, and not transgressing, then, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) This Ayah means, "We allowed eating the meat of dead animals, when one is forced by necessity, under the condition that one is not transgressing the limits or overstepping them." Here, Allah states, "Just as We allowed the meat of cattle in all conditions and circumstances, then do not hunt game when in the state of Ihram, for this is the decision of Allah, Who is the Most Wise in all that He commands and forbids." So Allah said;</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ</div><p>(Verily, Allah commands that which He wills.)</p><h2 class="title">The Necessity of Observing the Sanctity of the Sacred Area and the Sacred Months</h2><p>Allah continues,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ تُحِلُّواْ شَعَآئِرَ اللَّهِ</div><p>(O you who believe! Violate not the sanctity of Sha'a'ir Allah (the symbols of Allah),) Ibn `Abbas said, "Sha`a'ir Allah means the rituals of Hajj." Mujahid said, "As-Safa and Al-Marwah, and the sacrificial animal are the symbols of Allah." It was also stated that Sha`a'ir Allah is what He prohibited. Therefore, it means, do not violate what Allah prohibited. Allah said afterwards,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ الشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ</div><p>(nor of the Sacred Month,) for you are required to respect and honor the Sacred Month and to refrain from what Allah forbade during it, such as fighting. This also lays emphasis on avoiding sins during that time. As Allah said;</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ قُلْ قِتَالٌ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ</div><p>(They ask you concerning fighting in the Sacred Month. Say, "Fighting therein is a great (transgression).") and,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْراً</div><p>(Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year). ) Al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih that Abu Bakrah said that the Messenger of Allah said during the Farewell Hajj,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّ الزَّمَانَ قَدِ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ اللهُ السَّمَواتِ وَالْأَرْضَ السَّنَةُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ، ثَلَاثٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ: ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ، وَرَجَبُ مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى وَشَعْبَان»</div><p>(The division of time has returned as it was when Allah created the Heavens and the earth. The year is twelve months, four of which are sacred: Three are in succession, (they are:) Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and (the fourth is) Rajab of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumada (Ath-Thaniyah) and Sha'ban.) This Hadith testifies to the continued sanctity of these months until the end of time.</p><h2 class="title">Taking the Hady to the Sacred House of Allah, Al-Ka`bah</h2><p>Allah's statement,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ الْهَدْىَ وَلاَ الْقَلَـئِدَ</div><p>(nor of the Hady brought for sacrifice, nor the garlands,) means, do not abandon the practice of bringing the Hady (sacrificial animals) to the Sacred House, as this ritual is a form of honoring the symbols of Allah. Do not abandon the practice of garlanding these animals on their necks, so that they are distinguished from other cattle. This way, it will be known that these animals are intended to be offered as Hady at the Ka`bah, and thus those who might intend some harm to them would refrain from doing so. Those who see the Hady might be encouraged to imitate this ritual, and indeed, he who calls to a type of guidance, will earn rewards equal to the rewards of those who follow his lead, without decrease in their own rewards. When the Messenger of Allah intended to perform Hajj, he spent the night at Dhul-Hulayfah, which is also called Wadi Al-`Aqiq. In the morning, the Prophet made rounds with his wives, who were nine at that time, performed Ghusl (bath), applied some perfume and performed a two Rak`ah prayer. He then garlanded the Hady and announced aloud his intention to perform Hajj and `Umrah. The Prophet's Hady at the time consisted of plenty of camels, more than sixty, and they were among the best animals, the healthiest and most physically acceptable, just as Allah's statement proclaims,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ذلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَـئِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ </div><p>(Thus it is, and whosoever honors the symbols of Allah, then it is truly, from the piety of the hearts.) Muqatil bin Hayyan said that Allah's statement,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ الْقَلَـئِدَ</div><p>(nor the garlands) means, "Do not breach their sanctity." During the time of Jahiliyyah, the people used to garland themselves with animal hair and pelts when they left their areas in months other than the Sacred Months. The idolators of the Sacred House Area used to garland themselves with the tree-stems of the Sacred Area, so that they were granted safe passage." This statement was collected by Ibn Abi Hatim, who also recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "There are two Ayat in this Surah (Al-Ma'idah) that were abrogated, the Ayah about the garlands 5:2, and</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِن جَآءُوكَ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ أَوْ أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ</div><p>(So if they come to you (O Muhammad ), either judge between them, or turn away from them.)"</p><h2 class="title">The Necessity of Preserving the Sanctity and Safety of those who Intend to Travel to the Sacred House</h2><p>Allah said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلا ءَامِّينَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرِضْوَناً</div><p>(nor the people coming to the Sacred House (Makkah), seeking the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord.) The Ayah commands: Do not fight people who are heading towards the Sacred House of Allah, which if anyone enters it, he must be granted safe refuge. Likewise, those who are heading towards the Sacred House seeking the bounty and good pleasure of Allah, must not be stopped, prevented, or frightened away from entering the Sacred House. Mujahid, `Ata', Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mutarrif bin `Abdullah, `Abdullah bin `Ubayd bin `Umayr, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Qatadah and several others said that,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ</div><p>(seeking the bounty of their Lord.) refers to trading. A similar discussion preceded concerning the Ayah;</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَبْتَغُواْ فَضْلاً مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ</div><p>(There is no sin on you if you seek the bounty of your Lord (during pilgrimage by trading).) Allah said;</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَرِضْوَناً</div><p>(and pleasure. ) Ibn `Abbas said that the word `pleasure' in the Ayah refers to, "seeking Allah's pleasure by their Hajj." `Ikrimah, As-Suddi and Ibn Jarir mentioned that this Ayah was revealed concerning Al-Hutam bin Hind Al-Bakri, who had raided the cattle belonging to the people of Al-Madinah. The following year, he wanted to perform `Umrah to the House of Allah and some of the Companions wanted to attack him on his way to the House. Allah revealed,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلا ءَامِّينَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرِضْوَناً</div><p>(nor the people coming to the Sacred House (Makkah), seeking the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord.)</p><h2 class="title">Hunting Game is Permissible After Ihram Ends</h2><p>Allah said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فَاصْطَـدُواْ</div><p>(But when you finish the Ihram, then hunt,) When you end your Ihram, it is permitted for you to hunt game, which was prohibited for you during Ihram. Although this Ayah contains a command that takes effect after the end of a state of prohibition (during Ihram in this case), the Ayah, in fact, brings back the ruling that was previously in effect. If the previous ruling was an obligation, the new command will uphold that obligation, and such is the case with recommended and permissible matters. There are many Ayat that deny that the ruling in such cases is always an obligation. Such is also the case against those who say that it is always merely allowed. What we mentioned here is the correct opinion that employs the available evidence, and Allah knows best.</p><h2 class="title">Justice is Always Necessary</h2><p>Allah said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ أَن صَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ أَن تَعْتَدُواْ</div><p>(and let not the hatred of some people in (once) stopping you from Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah) lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part).) The meaning of this Ayah is apparent, as it commands: Let not the hatred for some people, who prevented you from reaching the Sacred House in the year of Hudaybiyyah, make you transgress Allah's Law and commit injustice against them in retaliation. Rather, rule as Allah has commanded you, being just with every one. We will explain a similar Ayah later on,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَى أَلاَّ تَعْدِلُواْ اعْدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى</div><p>(And let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety,) which commands: do not be driven by your hatred for some people into abandoning justice, for justice is ordained for everyone, in all situations. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Zayd bin Aslam said, "The Messenger of Allah and his Companions were in the area of Al-Hudaybiyyah when the idolators prevented them from visiting the House, and that was especially hard on them. Later on, some idolators passed by them from the east intending to perform `Umrah. So the Companions of the Prophet said, `Let us prevent those (from `Umrah) just as their fellow idolators prevented us.' Thereafter, Allah sent down this Ayah." Ibn Abbas and others said that "Shana'an" refers to enmity and hate. Allah said next,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الْبرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلاَ تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ</div><p>(Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa; but do not help one another in sin and transgression.) Allah commands His believing servants to help one another perform righteous, good deeds, which is the meaning of `Al-Birr', and to avoid sins, which is the meaning of `At-Taqwa'. Allah forbids His servants from helping one another in sin, `Ithm' and committing the prohibitions. Ibn Jarir said that, "Ithm means abandoning what Allah has ordained, while transgression means overstepping the limits that Allah set in your religion, along with overstepping what Allah has ordered concerning yourselves and others." Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik said that the Messenger of Allah said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«انْصُرْ أَخَاكَ ظَالِمًا أَوْ مَظْلُومًا»</div><p>(Support your brother whether he was unjust or the victim of injustice.) He was asked, "O Messenger of Allah! We know about helping him when he suffers injustice, so what about helping him when he commits injustice" He said,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«تَحْجُزُهُ وَتَمْنَعُهُ مِنَ الظُّلْمِ فَذَاكَ نَصْرُه»</div><p>(Prevent and stop him from committing injustice, and this represents giving support to him.) Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith through Hushaym. Ahmad recorded that one of the Companions of the Prophet narrated the Hadith,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«الْمُؤْمِنُ الَّذِي يُخَالِطُ النَّاسَ وَيَصْبِرُ عَلَى أَذَاهُمْ أَعْظَمُ أَجْرًا مِنَ الَّذِي لَا يُخَالِطُ النَّاسَ وَلَا يَصْبِرُ عَلى أَذَاهُم»</div><p>(The believer who mingles with people and is patient with their annoyance, earns more reward than the believer who does not mingle with people and does not observe patience with their annoyance.) Muslim recorded a Hadith that states,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«مَنْ دَعَا إِلَى هُدًى كَانَ لَهُ مِنَ الْأَجْرِ مِثْلُ أُجُورِ مَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ إِلى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا يَنْقُصُ ذلِكَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئًا، وَمَنْ دَعَا إِلَى ضَلَالَةٍ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْإِثْمِ مِثْلُ آثَامِ مَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، لَا يَنْقُصُ ذلِكَ مِنْ آثَامِهِمْ شَيْئًا»</div><p>(He who calls to a guidance, will earn a reward similar to the rewards of those who accept his call, until the Day of Resurrection, without decreasing their rewards. Whoever calls to a heresy, will carry a burden similar to the burdens of those who accept his call, until the Day of Resurrection, without decreasing their own burdens.)</p>
Which was revealed in Al-MadinaThe Virtues of Surat Al-Ma'idah; When It was RevealedAt-Tirmidhi recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, "The last Surahs to be revealed were Surat Al-Ma'idah and Surat Al-Fath (chapter 48)." At-Tirmidhi commented, "This Hadith is Hasan, Gharib." and it was also reported that Ibn `Abbas said that the last Surah to be revealed was,إِذَا جَآءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ (When there comes the help of Allah and the Conquest,) Al-Hakim collected a narration similar to that of At-Tirmidhi in his Mustadrak, and he said, "It is Sahih according to the criteria of the Two Shaykhs and they did not record it." Al-Hakim narrated that Jubayr bin Nufayr said, "I performed Hajj once and visited `A'ishah and she said to me, `O Jubayr! Do you read (or memorize) Al-Ma'idah ' I answered `Yes.' She said, `It was the last Surah to be revealed. Therefore, whatever permissible matters you find in it, then consider (treat) them permissible. And whatever impermissible matters you find in it, then consider (treat) them impermissible."' Al-Hakim said, "It is Sahih according to the criteria of the Two Shaykhs and they did not record it. " Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdur-Rahman bin Mahdi related that Mu`awiyah bin Salih added this statement in the last Hadith, "I (Jubayr) also asked `A'ishah about the Messenger of Allah's conduct and she answered by saying, `The Qur'an."' An-Nasa'i also recorded it.بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.  Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that a man came to `Abdullah bin Mas`ud and said to him, "Advise me." He said, "When you hear Allah's statement,يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ(O you who believe!) then pay full attention, for it is a righteous matter that He is ordaining or an evil thing that He is forbidding." Khaythamah said, "Everything in the Qur'an that reads,يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ(O you who believe!) reads in the Tawrah, `O you who are in need."' Allah said,أَوْفُواْ بِالْعُقُودِ(Fulfill (your) obligations.) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others said that `obligations' here means treaties. Ibn Jarir mentioned that there is a consensus for this view. Ibn Jarir also said that it means treaties, such as the alliances that they used to conduct. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented:يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَوْفُواْ بِالْعُقُودِ(O you who believe! Fulfill (your) obligations.) "Refers to the covenants, meaning, what Allah permitted, prohibited, ordained and set limits for in the Qur'an. Therefore, do not commit treachery or break the covenants. Allah emphasized this command when He said,وَالَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مِيثَـقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ(And those who break the covenant of Allah, after its ratification, and sever that which Allah has commanded to be joined,) until,سُوءُ الدَّارِ(unhappy (evil) home (i.e. Hell).)" Ad-Dahhak said that,أَوْفُواْ بِالْعُقُودِ(Fulfill your obligations.) "Refers to what Allah has permitted and what He has prohibited. Allah has taken the covenant from those who proclaim their faith in the Prophet and the Book to fulfill the obligations that He has ordered for them in the permissible and the impermissible."Explaining the Lawful and the Unlawful BeastsAllah said,أُحِلَّتْ لَكُمْ بَهِيمَةُ الاٌّنْعَامِ(Lawful to you (for food) are all the beasts of cattle) camels, cows and sheep, as Al-Hasan, Qatadah and several others stated. Ibn Jarir said that this Tafsir conforms to the meaning of (`beasts of cattle') that the Arabs had. We should mention that Ibn `Umar, Ibn `Abbas and others relied on this Ayah as evidence to allow eating the meat of the fetus if it is found dead in the belly of its slaughtered mother. There is a Hadith to the same effect collected in the Sunan of Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah and narrated by Abu Sa`id who said, "We asked, `O Messenger of Allah! When we slaughter a camel, cow or sheep, we sometimes find a fetus in its belly, should we discard it or eat its meat' He said,«كُلُوهُ إِنْ شِئْتُمْ فَإِنَّ ذَكَاتَهُ ذَكَاةُ أُمِّه»(Eat it if you want, because its slaughter was fulfilled when its mother was slaughtered.)" At-Tirmidhi said, "This Hadith is Hasan." Abu Dawud recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah said,«ذَكَاةُ الْجَنِينِ ذَكَاةُ أُمِّه»(Proper slaughter of the fetus is fulfilled with the slaughter of its mother.) Only Abu Dawud collected this narration. Allah's statement,إِلاَّ مَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ(except that which will be announced to you (herein), ) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that it refers to, "The flesh of dead animals, blood and the meat of swine." Qatadah said, "The meat of dead animals and animals slaughtered without Allah's Name being pronounced at the time of slaughtering." It appears, and Allah knows best, that the Ayah refers to Allah's other statement,حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ وَالْدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ الْخِنْزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَالْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ(Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maytah (the dead animals), blood, the flesh of swine, and what has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allah, and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns - and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal.)5:3, for although the animals mentioned in this Ayah are types of permissible cattle (except for swine), they become impermissible under the circumstances that the Ayah 5:3 specifies. This is why Allah said afterwards,إِلاَّ مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ(Unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death) and that which is sacrificed (slaughtered) on An-Nusub (stone altars)) as the latter type is not permissible, because it can no longer be slaughtered properly. Hence, Allah's statement,أُحِلَّتْ لَكُمْ بَهِيمَةُ الاٌّنْعَامِ إِلاَّ مَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ(Lawful to you are all the beasts of cattle except that which will be announced to you, ) means, except the specific circumstances that prohibit some of these which will be announced to you. Allah said,غَيْرَ مُحِلِّى الصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ(game (also) being unlawful when you assume Ihram.) Some scholars said that the general meaning of `cattle' includes domesticated cattle, such as camels, cows and sheep, and wild cattle, such as gazzelle, wild cattle and wild donkeys. Allah made the exceptions mentioned above (dead animals blood, flesh of swine etc.), and prohibited hunting wild beasts while in the state of Ihram. It was also reported that the meaning here is, "We have allowed for you all types of cattle in all circumstances, except what We excluded herewith for the one hunting game while in the state of Ihram." Allah said,فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلاَ عَادٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ(But if one is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, and not transgressing, then, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) This Ayah means, "We allowed eating the meat of dead animals, when one is forced by necessity, under the condition that one is not transgressing the limits or overstepping them." Here, Allah states, "Just as We allowed the meat of cattle in all conditions and circumstances, then do not hunt game when in the state of Ihram, for this is the decision of Allah, Who is the Most Wise in all that He commands and forbids." So Allah said;إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ(Verily, Allah commands that which He wills.)The Necessity of Observing the Sanctity of the Sacred Area and the Sacred MonthsAllah continues,يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ تُحِلُّواْ شَعَآئِرَ اللَّهِ(O you who believe! Violate not the sanctity of Sha'a'ir Allah (the symbols of Allah),) Ibn `Abbas said, "Sha`a'ir Allah means the rituals of Hajj." Mujahid said, "As-Safa and Al-Marwah, and the sacrificial animal are the symbols of Allah." It was also stated that Sha`a'ir Allah is what He prohibited. Therefore, it means, do not violate what Allah prohibited. Allah said afterwards,وَلاَ الشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ(nor of the Sacred Month,) for you are required to respect and honor the Sacred Month and to refrain from what Allah forbade during it, such as fighting. This also lays emphasis on avoiding sins during that time. As Allah said;يَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ قُلْ قِتَالٌ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ(They ask you concerning fighting in the Sacred Month. Say, "Fighting therein is a great (transgression).") and,إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْراً(Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year). ) Al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih that Abu Bakrah said that the Messenger of Allah said during the Farewell Hajj,«إِنَّ الزَّمَانَ قَدِ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ اللهُ السَّمَواتِ وَالْأَرْضَ السَّنَةُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ، ثَلَاثٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ: ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ، وَرَجَبُ مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى وَشَعْبَان»(The division of time has returned as it was when Allah created the Heavens and the earth. The year is twelve months, four of which are sacred: Three are in succession, (they are:) Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and (the fourth is) Rajab of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumada (Ath-Thaniyah) and Sha'ban.) This Hadith testifies to the continued sanctity of these months until the end of time.Taking the Hady to the Sacred House of Allah, Al-Ka`bahAllah's statement,وَلاَ الْهَدْىَ وَلاَ الْقَلَـئِدَ(nor of the Hady brought for sacrifice, nor the garlands,) means, do not abandon the practice of bringing the Hady (sacrificial animals) to the Sacred House, as this ritual is a form of honoring the symbols of Allah. Do not abandon the practice of garlanding these animals on their necks, so that they are distinguished from other cattle. This way, it will be known that these animals are intended to be offered as Hady at the Ka`bah, and thus those who might intend some harm to them would refrain from doing so. Those who see the Hady might be encouraged to imitate this ritual, and indeed, he who calls to a type of guidance, will earn rewards equal to the rewards of those who follow his lead, without decrease in their own rewards. When the Messenger of Allah intended to perform Hajj, he spent the night at Dhul-Hulayfah, which is also called Wadi Al-`Aqiq. In the morning, the Prophet made rounds with his wives, who were nine at that time, performed Ghusl (bath), applied some perfume and performed a two Rak`ah prayer. He then garlanded the Hady and announced aloud his intention to perform Hajj and `Umrah. The Prophet's Hady at the time consisted of plenty of camels, more than sixty, and they were among the best animals, the healthiest and most physically acceptable, just as Allah's statement proclaims,ذلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَـئِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ (Thus it is, and whosoever honors the symbols of Allah, then it is truly, from the piety of the hearts.) Muqatil bin Hayyan said that Allah's statement,وَلاَ الْقَلَـئِدَ(nor the garlands) means, "Do not breach their sanctity." During the time of Jahiliyyah, the people used to garland themselves with animal hair and pelts when they left their areas in months other than the Sacred Months. The idolators of the Sacred House Area used to garland themselves with the tree-stems of the Sacred Area, so that they were granted safe passage." This statement was collected by Ibn Abi Hatim, who also recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "There are two Ayat in this Surah (Al-Ma'idah) that were abrogated, the Ayah about the garlands 5:2, andفَإِن جَآءُوكَ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ أَوْ أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ(So if they come to you (O Muhammad ), either judge between them, or turn away from them.)"The Necessity of Preserving the Sanctity and Safety of those who Intend to Travel to the Sacred HouseAllah said,وَلا ءَامِّينَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرِضْوَناً(nor the people coming to the Sacred House (Makkah), seeking the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord.) The Ayah commands: Do not fight people who are heading towards the Sacred House of Allah, which if anyone enters it, he must be granted safe refuge. Likewise, those who are heading towards the Sacred House seeking the bounty and good pleasure of Allah, must not be stopped, prevented, or frightened away from entering the Sacred House. Mujahid, `Ata', Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mutarrif bin `Abdullah, `Abdullah bin `Ubayd bin `Umayr, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Qatadah and several others said that,يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ(seeking the bounty of their Lord.) refers to trading. A similar discussion preceded concerning the Ayah;لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَبْتَغُواْ فَضْلاً مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ(There is no sin on you if you seek the bounty of your Lord (during pilgrimage by trading).) Allah said;وَرِضْوَناً(and pleasure. ) Ibn `Abbas said that the word `pleasure' in the Ayah refers to, "seeking Allah's pleasure by their Hajj." `Ikrimah, As-Suddi and Ibn Jarir mentioned that this Ayah was revealed concerning Al-Hutam bin Hind Al-Bakri, who had raided the cattle belonging to the people of Al-Madinah. The following year, he wanted to perform `Umrah to the House of Allah and some of the Companions wanted to attack him on his way to the House. Allah revealed,وَلا ءَامِّينَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرِضْوَناً(nor the people coming to the Sacred House (Makkah), seeking the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord.)Hunting Game is Permissible After Ihram EndsAllah said,وَإِذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فَاصْطَـدُواْ(But when you finish the Ihram, then hunt,) When you end your Ihram, it is permitted for you to hunt game, which was prohibited for you during Ihram. Although this Ayah contains a command that takes effect after the end of a state of prohibition (during Ihram in this case), the Ayah, in fact, brings back the ruling that was previously in effect. If the previous ruling was an obligation, the new command will uphold that obligation, and such is the case with recommended and permissible matters. There are many Ayat that deny that the ruling in such cases is always an obligation. Such is also the case against those who say that it is always merely allowed. What we mentioned here is the correct opinion that employs the available evidence, and Allah knows best.Justice is Always NecessaryAllah said,وَلاَ يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ أَن صَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ أَن تَعْتَدُواْ(and let not the hatred of some people in (once) stopping you from Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah) lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part).) The meaning of this Ayah is apparent, as it commands: Let not the hatred for some people, who prevented you from reaching the Sacred House in the year of Hudaybiyyah, make you transgress Allah's Law and commit injustice against them in retaliation. Rather, rule as Allah has commanded you, being just with every one. We will explain a similar Ayah later on,وَلاَ يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَى أَلاَّ تَعْدِلُواْ اعْدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى(And let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety,) which commands: do not be driven by your hatred for some people into abandoning justice, for justice is ordained for everyone, in all situations. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Zayd bin Aslam said, "The Messenger of Allah and his Companions were in the area of Al-Hudaybiyyah when the idolators prevented them from visiting the House, and that was especially hard on them. Later on, some idolators passed by them from the east intending to perform `Umrah. So the Companions of the Prophet said, `Let us prevent those (from `Umrah) just as their fellow idolators prevented us.' Thereafter, Allah sent down this Ayah." Ibn Abbas and others said that "Shana'an" refers to enmity and hate. Allah said next,وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الْبرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلاَ تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ(Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa; but do not help one another in sin and transgression.) Allah commands His believing servants to help one another perform righteous, good deeds, which is the meaning of `Al-Birr', and to avoid sins, which is the meaning of `At-Taqwa'. Allah forbids His servants from helping one another in sin, `Ithm' and committing the prohibitions. Ibn Jarir said that, "Ithm means abandoning what Allah has ordained, while transgression means overstepping the limits that Allah set in your religion, along with overstepping what Allah has ordered concerning yourselves and others." Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik said that the Messenger of Allah said,«انْصُرْ أَخَاكَ ظَالِمًا أَوْ مَظْلُومًا»(Support your brother whether he was unjust or the victim of injustice.) He was asked, "O Messenger of Allah! We know about helping him when he suffers injustice, so what about helping him when he commits injustice" He said,«تَحْجُزُهُ وَتَمْنَعُهُ مِنَ الظُّلْمِ فَذَاكَ نَصْرُه»(Prevent and stop him from committing injustice, and this represents giving support to him.) Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith through Hushaym. Ahmad recorded that one of the Companions of the Prophet narrated the Hadith,«الْمُؤْمِنُ الَّذِي يُخَالِطُ النَّاسَ وَيَصْبِرُ عَلَى أَذَاهُمْ أَعْظَمُ أَجْرًا مِنَ الَّذِي لَا يُخَالِطُ النَّاسَ وَلَا يَصْبِرُ عَلى أَذَاهُم»(The believer who mingles with people and is patient with their annoyance, earns more reward than the believer who does not mingle with people and does not observe patience with their annoyance.) Muslim recorded a Hadith that states,«مَنْ دَعَا إِلَى هُدًى كَانَ لَهُ مِنَ الْأَجْرِ مِثْلُ أُجُورِ مَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ إِلى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا يَنْقُصُ ذلِكَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئًا، وَمَنْ دَعَا إِلَى ضَلَالَةٍ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْإِثْمِ مِثْلُ آثَامِ مَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، لَا يَنْقُصُ ذلِكَ مِنْ آثَامِهِمْ شَيْئًا»(He who calls to a guidance, will earn a reward similar to the rewards of those who accept his call, until the Day of Resurrection, without decreasing their rewards. Whoever calls to a heresy, will carry a burden similar to the burdens of those who accept his call, until the Day of Resurrection, without decreasing their own burdens.)