| Chapter 5 : Surah Al-Maidah |
(Revealed after Hijrah) Date of Revelation Subject-Matter The verse further hints that when the eating of meat offered to idols and of blood and of strangled animals was forbidden to Christians and this commandment constituted an ordinance of the Law (The Acts, 15:20, 29), they could not take exception to the Law and condemn it as a curse. The Surah proceeds to lay down Islamic commandments with regard to eatables and enjoins that they should be Halal, i.e., allowed by the Law and Tayyib (pure), i.e., their use should in no way contravene or offend against medical or hygienic regulations. Islam, alone of all religions, while laying down ordinances regarding lawful and unlawful things, has pointed out the nice distinction between what is only lawful and what is both lawful and pure. Next, it is stated that the Jews and the Christians broke God's covenants and disregarded and defied Divine commandments which led to their moral and spiritual ruin and brought disgrace and humiliation on them. But they could now rehabilitate themselves into Divine favour by accepting the Holy Prophet. Christians are further warned that at first by deifying Jesus they caused the wrath of God to come down upon them and that now they have become jealous of the Holy Prophet because God has chosen him for His favours. This jealous attitude of theirs towards the Holy Prophet resembles that of Cain towards Abel. The Surah proceeds to state that while Jews and Christians lose no opportunity to oppose Islam, they themselves have become so depraved as to have ceased to act upon their own religious Scriptures and are increasingly becoming ignorant of the teachings of their own religions. They are told that if they do not see their way to accepting Islam they should at least follow their own Scriptures and abide by their own Law. But if, owing to the political supremacy of Islam, they have sometimes to seek the judgment of the Islamic Government, that judgment will and must inevitably be according to the Quranic Law. Then attention of the Muslims is drawn to the great change that has come over their political position and they are told that as the power of the infidels has been finally broken and Christians now are to be their principal enemies, and Jews, in spite of their enmity towards Christianity, are to side with Christians, they (Muslims) should be on their guard against both of them. Some light is then shed on the strategems and machinations employed by the enemies of Islam to turn Muslims away from their Faith and to lower it in their estimation. After this, importance of the preaching of Islam is impressed upon Muslims. They are told that the one real method effectively to defeat the activities of Jews and Christians is to preach the Message of Islam to them and to bring home to them its truth from their own Scriptures. It should also be made clear to them that now their salvation lies in Islam and that their idolatrous beliefs are false, particularly the doctrine that Jesus was son of God. Similarly, mention is made of Jews who, by opposing and persecuting the two great Prophets-David and Jesus-incurred God's displeasure. Their attention is drawn to their past faults and failings, and Christians being more amenable to accepting the truth than Jews, commandments have been laid down which particularly concern them, viz., commandments about what is lawful and what is unlawful; commandments about oaths; about the use of wine and games of chance and about hunting; and also commandments regarding criticism of religion and ordinances about religious rites and ceremonies and about evidence. Last of all a somewhat detailed mention is made of the particular circumstances of Jesus's ministry, and it is shown that they closely resemble those of other Prophets of God and that therefore there was nothing of Godhead or Divinity about him and that all material progress of Christian people was due to a prayer of his. But they have made improper use of their material progress and prosperity and have succumbed to polytheistic beliefs and practices. God will, on the Day of Judgment, establish their guilt and put them to shame from the mouth of Jesus himself. The Surah ends with the declaration that to God belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth and He has power over all things, which implies the hint that the belief that the Kingdom of God is only in heaven as the Christians say, has no foundation.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ أُحِلَّتْ لَكُمْ بَهِيمَةُ الأَنْعَامِ إِلاَّ مَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ غَيْرَ مُحِلِّي الصَّيْدِ وَأَنْتُمْ حُرُمٌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ
يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ الطَّيِّبَاتُ وَمَا عَلَّمْتُمْ مِنْ الْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمْ اللَّهُ فَكُلُوا مِمَّا أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ الْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ الطَّيِّبَاتُ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَهُمْ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنْ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنْ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ وَلاَ مُتَّخِذِي أَخْدَانٍ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالإِيمَانِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ وَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنْ الْخَاسِرِينَ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُوا وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ مَرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنْ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لاَمَسْتُمْ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ مِنْهُ مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَكِنْ يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمِيثَاقَهُ الَّذِي وَاثَقَكُمْ بِهِ إِذْ قُلْتُمْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلاَ يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَى أَلاَّ تَعْدِلُوا اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ هَمَّ قَوْمٌ أَنْ يَبْسُطُوا إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَكَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلْ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَلَقَدْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمْ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا وَقَالَ اللَّهُ إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ لَئِنْ أَقَمْتُمْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَيْتُمْ الزَّكَاةَ وَآمَنْتُمْ بِرُسُلِي وَعَزَّرْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَقْرَضْتُمْ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ فَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مِنْكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِمْ مِيثَاقَهُمْ لَعَنَّاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِ وَنَسُوا حَظًّا مِمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ وَلاَ تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى خَائِنَةٍ مِنْهُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً مِنْهُمْ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاصْفَحْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ وَمِنْ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّا نَصَارَى أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَهُمْ فَنَسُوا حَظًّا مِمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَأَغْرَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَسَوْفَ يُنَبِّئُهُمْ اللَّهُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِمَّا كُنْتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنْ الْكِتَابِ وَيَعْفُو عَنْ كَثِيرٍ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ مِنْ اللَّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُبِينٌ يَهْدِي بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنْ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلاَمِ وَيُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنْ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ قُلْ فَمَنْ يَمْلِكُ مِنْ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا إِنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُهْلِكَ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ وَمَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا يخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَقَالَتْ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ اللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّاؤُهُ قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُمْ بِذُنُوبِكُمْ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ بَشَرٌ مِمَّنْ خَلَقَ يَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ عَلَى فَتْرَةٍ مِنْ الرُّسُلِ أَنْ تَقُولُوا مَا جَاءَنَا مِنْ بَشِيرٍ وَلاَ نَذِيرٍ فَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بَشِيرٌ وَنَذِيرٌ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنْبِيَاءَ وَجَعَلَكُمْ مُلُوكًا وَآتَاكُمْ مَا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَدًا مِنْ الْعَالَمِينَ
قَالُوا يَا مُوسَى إِنَّ فِيهَا قَوْمًا جَبَّارِينَ وَإِنَّا لَنْ نَدْخُلَهَا حَتَّى يَخْرُجُوا مِنْهَا فَإِنْ يَخْرُجُوا مِنْهَا فَإِنَّا دَاخِلُونَ قَالَ رَجُلاَنِ مِنْ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمَا ادْخُلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ الْبَابَ فَإِذَا دَخَلْتُمُوهُ فَإِنَّكُمْ غَالِبُونَ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَتَوَكَّلُوا إِنْ كُنتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ابْنَيْ آدَمَ بِالْحَقِّ إِذْ قَرَّبَا قُرْبَانًا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنْ الآخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنْ الْمُتَّقِينَ
فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ غُرَابًا يَبْحَثُ فِي الأَرْضِ لِيُرِيَهُ كَيْفَ يُوَارِي سَوْأَةَ أَخِيهِ قَالَ يَاوَيْلَتَا أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَذَا الْغُرَابِ فَأُوَارِيَ سَوْأَةَ أَخِي فَأَصْبَحَ مِنْ النَّادِمِينَ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَلَقَدْ جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فِي الأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ إِنَّمَا جَزَاءُ الَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَنْ يُقَتَّلُوا أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوا أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُمْ مِنْ خِلاَفٍ أَوْ يُنفَوْا مِنْ الأَرْضِ ذَلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْيٌ فِي الدُّنيَا وَلَهُمْ فِي الآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ مَا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لِيَفْتَدُوا بِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ يُعَذِّبُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لاَ يَحْزُنْكَ الَّذِينَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْكُفْرِ مِنْ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَمِنْ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا سَمَّاعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ سَمَّاعُونَ لِقَوْمٍ آخَرِينَ لَمْ يَأْتُوكَ يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوَاضِعِهِ يَقُولُونَ إِنْ أُوتِيتُمْ هَذَا فَخُذُوهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ تُؤْتَوْهُ فَاحْذَرُوا وَمَنْ يُرِدْ اللَّهُ فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَنْ تَمْلِكَ لَهُ مِنْ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُرِدْ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا خِزْيٌ وَلَهُمْ فِي الآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ سَمَّاعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ أَكَّالُونَ لِلسُّحْتِ فَإِنْ جَاءُوكَ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ أَوْ أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَإِنْ تُعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ فَلَنْ يَضُرُّوكَ شَيْئًا وَإِنْ حَكَمْتَ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْقِسْطِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالأَحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُوا عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَاءَ فَلاَ تَخْشَوْا النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِي وَلاَ تَشْتَرُوا بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْكَافِرُونَ وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَا أَنَّ النَّفْسَ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْعَيْنَ بِالْعَيْنِ وَالأَنفَ بِالأَنفِ وَالأُذُنَ بِالأُذُنِ وَالسِّنَّ بِالسِّنِّ وَالْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٌ فَمَنْ تَصَدَّقَ بِهِ فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌ لَهُ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الظَّالِمُونَ وَقَفَّيْنَا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ بِعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنْ التَّوْرَاةِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الإِنجِيلَ فِيهِ هُدًى وَنُورٌ وَمُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنْ التَّوْرَاةِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةً لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنْ الْكِتَابِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَاءَكَ مِنْ الْحَقِّ لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنْكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَكِنْ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ وَأَنْ احْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ وَاحْذَرْهُمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنُوكَ عَنْ بَعْضِ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُصِيبَهُمْ بِبَعْضِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْ النَّاسِ لَفَاسِقُونَ
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى أَوْلِيَاءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ فَتَرَى الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ يُسَارِعُونَ فِيهِم يَقُولُونَ نَخْشَى أَنْ تُصِيبَنَا دَائِرَةٌ فَعَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ بِالْفَتْحِ أَوْ أَمْرٍ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ فَيُصْبِحُوا عَلَى مَا أَسَرُّوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ نَادِمِينَ وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَهَؤُلاَءِ الَّذِينَ أَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ إِنَّهُمْ لَمَعَكُمْ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا خَاسِرِينَ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَنْ يَرْتَدَّ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لاَئِمٍ ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَكُمْ هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا مِنْ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَالْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَاءَ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنْ كُنتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ هَلْ تَنقِمُونَ مِنَّا إِلاَّ أَنْ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَأَنَّ أَكْثَرَكُمْ فَاسِقُونَ قُلْ هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِشَرٍّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَثُوبَةً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ وَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهُمْ الْقِرَدَةَ وَالْخَنَازِيرَ وَعَبَدَ الطَّاغُوتَ أُوْلَئِكَ شَرٌّ مَكَانًا وَأَضَلُّ عَنْ سَوَاءِ السَّبِيلِ
وَقَالَتْ الْيَهُودُ يَدُ اللَّهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ غُلَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُعِنُوا بِمَا قَالُوا بَلْ يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ طُغْيَانًا وَكُفْرًا وَأَلْقَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ كُلَّمَا أَوْقَدُوا نَارًا لِلْحَرْبِ أَطْفَأَهَا اللَّهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الأَرْضِ فَسَادًا وَاللَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُوا التَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ لَأَكَلُوا مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِنْ تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِمْ مِنْهُمْ أُمَّةٌ مُقْتَصِدَةٌ وَكَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ سَاءَ مَا يَعْمَلُونَ يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنْ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لَسْتُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ حَتَّى تُقِيمُوا التَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ طُغْيَانًا وَكُفْرًا فَلاَ تَأْسَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالصَّابِئُونَ وَالنَّصَارَى مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ لَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ رُسُلاً كُلَّمَا جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ بِمَا لاَ تَهْوَى أَنفُسُهُمْ فَرِيقًا كَذَّبُوا وَفَرِيقًا يَقْتُلُونَ وَحَسِبُوا أَلاَّ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ فَعَمُوا وَصَمُّوا ثُمَّ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ عَمُوا وَصَمُّوا كَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَقَالَ الْمَسِيحُ يَابَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلاَثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَهٍ إِلاَّ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنتَهُوا عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
مَا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ كَانَا يَأْكُلاَنِ الطَّعَامَ انظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمْ الآياتِ ثُمَّ انظُرْ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ
قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لاَ تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُوا أَهْوَاءَ قَوْمٍ قَدْ ضَلُّوا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا وَضَلُّوا عَنْ سَوَاءِ السَّبِيلِ لُعِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَى لِسَانِ دَاوُودَ وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ذَلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ
تَرَى كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمْ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَبِئْسَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لَهُمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ أَنْ سَخِطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَفِي الْعَذَابِ هُمْ خَالِدُونَ
لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَدَاوَةً لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَوَدَّةً لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّا نَصَارَى ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ تَرَى أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنْ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا مِنْ الْحَقِّ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ
لاَ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمْ الإِيْمَانَ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ذَلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالأَنصَابُ وَالأَزْلاَمُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمْ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَعَنْ الصَّلاَةِ فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنتَهُونَ
لَيْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا طَعِمُوا إِذَا مَا اتَّقَوْا وَآمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ثُمَّ اتَّقَوْا وَآمَنُوا ثُمَّ اتَّقَوْا وَأَحْسَنُوا وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَيَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ اللَّهُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ الصَّيْدِ تَنَالُهُ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَرِمَاحُكُمْ لِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَخَافُهُ بِالْغَيْبِ فَمَنْ اعْتَدَى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَلَهُ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَقْتُلُوا الصَّيْدَ وَأَنْتُمْ حُرُمٌ وَمَنْ قَتَلَهُ مِنْكُمْ مُتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاءٌ مِثْلُ مَا قَتَلَ مِنْ النَّعَمِ يَحْكُمُ بِهِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ هَدْيًا بَالِغَ الْكَعْبَةِ أَوْ كَفَّارَةٌ طَعَامُ مَسَاكِينَ أَوْ عَدْلُ ذَلِكَ صِيَامًا لِيَذُوقَ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهِ عَفَا اللَّهُ عَمَّا سَلَفَ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَيَنتَقِمُ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انتِقَامٍ أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُ مَتَاعًا لَكُمْ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَرِّ مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُمًا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ الْكَعْبَةَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ قِيَامًا لِلنَّاسِ وَالشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ وَالْهَدْيَ وَالْقَلاَئِدَ ذَلِكَ لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
قُلْ لاَ يَسْتَوِي الْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ كَثْرَةُ الْخَبِيثِ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَا أُولِي الأَلْبَابِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَسْأَلُوا عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ إِنْ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ وَإِنْ تَسْأَلُوا عَنْهَا حِينَ يُنَزَّلُ الْقُرْآنُ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنْهَا وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ
مَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ مِنْ بَحِيرَةٍ وَلاَ سَائِبَةٍ وَلاَ وَصِيلَةٍ وَلاَ حَامٍ وَلَكِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ قَالُوا حَسْبُنَا مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ لاَ يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا شَهَادَةُ بَيْنِكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمْ الْمَوْتُ حِينَ الْوَصِيَّةِ اثْنَانِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ أَوْ آخَرَانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ إِنْ أَنْتُمْ ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَأَصَابَتْكُمْ مُصِيبَةُ الْمَوْتِ تَحْبِسُونَهُمَا مِنْ بَعْدِ الصَّلاَةِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ ارْتَبْتُمْ لاَ نَشْتَرِي بِهِ ثَمَنًا وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَى وَلاَ نَكْتُمُ شَهَادَةَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا إِذًا لَمِنْ الآثِمِينَ فَإِنْ عُثِرَ عَلَى أَنَّهُمَا اسْتَحَقَّا إِثْمًا فَآخَرَانِ يَقُومَانِ مَقَامَهُمَا مِنْ الَّذِينَ اسْتَحَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ الأَوْلَيَانِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِاللَّهِ لَشَهَادَتُنَا أَحَقُّ مِنْ شَهَادَتِهِمَا وَمَا اعْتَدَيْنَا إِنَّا إِذًا لَمِنْ الظَّالِمِينَ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِالشَّهَادَةِ عَلَى وَجْهِهَا أَوْ يَخَافُوا أَنْ تُرَدَّ أَيْمَانٌ بَعْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْمَعُوا وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ
إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَاعِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ اذْكُرْ نِعْمَتِي عَلَيْكَ وَعَلى وَالِدَتِكَ إِذْ أَيَّدتُّكَ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ تُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلاً وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَالتَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنْ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِي فَتَنفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيْرًا بِإِذْنِي وَتُبْرِئُ الأَكْمَهَ وَالأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِي وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ الْمَوْتَى بِإِذْنِي وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنْكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ إِنْ هَذَا إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ
إِذْ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ هَلْ يَسْتَطِيعُ رَبُّكَ أَنْ يُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا مَائِدَةً مِنْ السَّمَاءِ قَالَ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنْ كُنتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا أَنزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مَائِدَةً مِنْ السَّمَاءِ تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيدًا ِلأَوَّلِنَا وَآخِرِنَا وَآيَةً مِنْكَ وَارْزُقْنَا وَأَنْتَ خَيرُ الرَّازِقِينَ
وَإِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّي إِلَهَيْنِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ إِنْ كُنتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلاَّ مَا أَمَرْتَنِي بِهِ أَنْ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ وَكُنتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا مَا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنتَ أَنْتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
قَالَ اللَّهُ هَذَا يَوْمُ يَنفَعُ الصَّادِقِينَ صِدْقُهُمْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنهارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
716. The expression Bahimat al-An'am does not mean the quadrupeds from among cattle for the obvious reason that quadrupeds form a class wider than cattle. It means the quadrupeds which belong to the class of cattle or which resemble cattle. This peculiar construction has been used to signify that whereas all quadrupeds do not make lawful food, those of them that form the counterparts of cattle are allowed. Thus the expression is intended to comprise not only cattle but also such beasts of the forest as correspond to cattle, i.e., wild goat, wild cow, wild buffalo. etc. 717. The words, other than those which are being announced to you, refer to the animals mentioned in the verse below. The words, however, do not refer to the flesh of an animal which dies of itself; and blood and the flesh of swine, because "swine" is not included among cattle and the exception here made is from among the cattle only and not from among all animals and also because this portion had already been revealed in 2: 174. 718. "Signs of Allah" signifies anything that leads to the knowledge and realization of God (2: 159). 719. Abstaining from profaning the Sacred Month may also mean, paying due respect to the works performed therein. 720. Hady and Qala'id both signify animals that are taken to Mecca for sacrifice during the Pilgrimage, Qala'id meaning particularly such animals as have collars round their necks (Muhit); and Hady meaning all animals without distinction that are brought to Mecca for sacrifice. 720A. Hunting is lawful for a pilgrim after he has finally put off the pilgrim's garb on completion of the Pilgrimage and he has gone out of the Sacred Territory. 720B. What a beautiful principle of individual and international conduct. If this principle were carried into effect, all rancor, hatred and mutual animosity would disappear. 721. Ikmal (perfecting) and ltmam (completing) are noun-infinitives, the first relating to quality and the second to quantity. The first word shows that doctrines and commandments affecting the physical, moral and spiritual development of man have been embodied in the Qur'an in their most perfect form; while the second signifies that nothing which was needed by man has been left out. Again, the former word pertains to commandments relating to the physical side of man or his external self, while the latter relates to his spiritual side or his inner self. The perfection and completion of God's religion and favor have been mentioned side by side with the law relating to eatables in order to point out that the use of lawful and good food forms one of the very important bases of good morals which in turn provide a pedestal for spiritual progress. Incidentally, the verse was the last to be revealed, the Holy Prophet having died only 82 days after its revelation. 722. The forbidden things having been mentioned in the preceding verse; the rest are here declared lawful, provided they are Tayyib (good and pure) and are not harmful to one's health or morals, it being left to each individual to decide what is good for him and what is not, in view of his particular circumstances and the condition of his health. The Holy Prophet has definitely excluded beasts of prey and birds having claws from the category of lawful food. 722A. That which is caught by a trained beast or bird of prey is equated with that which is properly slaughtered, inasmuch as it has been killed through an agency trained by man. It is necessary, however, to pronounce the name of God over it to make its eating lawful. 723. This means that the meat of animals slaughtered in accordance with the Law of Torah is lawful for the Muslims inasmuch as all food permissible under the Law of Torah is lawful under the Law of Islam. As a precautionary measure, however, the name of Allah may be invoked over such food. According to Ibn 'Abbas "food" here means, "lawful food" (Dhabihah) or the meat of an animal properly slaughtered (Bukhari; ch. Dhabihah Ahl al-kitab). 724. Whereas IsIam permits marriage of Muslim men with non-Muslim women from among the People of the Book, it certainly prefers that Muslim men should ordinarily marry only Muslim women. 725. The feet are here mentioned after the head, not because they are intended to be only wiped like the head, but because they come last in the process of ablution. This is apparent from the fact that the word Arjula (feet) has been put in the accusative case in the standard text, like the words Wujuha (faces) and Aidiya (hands), thus showing that, like the latter, the word "feet" is also governed in the accusative case by the verb "wash and not by the particle ba' (over) which governs the word Ru'us (heads) only. 726. It is the Muslims, and not the People of the Book, that are addressed here. As, however, no special covenant is known to have ever been made with Muslims, the "covenant" mentioned here must be taken to refer to the process of Bai'ah (oath of allegiance) taken from every new convert to Islam, or the word may refer to the Law revealed in the Qur'an and accepted by Muslims. 727. The verse may not necessarily be applied to any particular incident and may be taken to refer generally to the protection which God vouchsafed to Muslims from the aggressive attacks of their enemies. By the words "a people" are here primarily meant the disbelievers of Mecca who spared no pains to extirpate Islam and the Muslims. 727A. By "twelve leaders" are meant the twelve Prophets of Israel who came after Moses. According to some authorities, these were the twelve "princes" said to have been appointed by Moses (Num. 1 :5-16; 43:3-15). See also 2:61. 727B. The verse contains a very apt description of the Jewish people. 727C. This seems to be a reference to Jesus's prophecy about the advent of the Holy Prophet (John, 16:12, 13) which his followers deliberately ignored or upon which they vainly sought to put a wrong interpretation. 727D. The Holy Prophet (33:46, 47). 728. The very strong language used here is intended to expose and condemn the monstrous doctrine that Jesus is son of God. Similarly, strong language is used in 19:89-92. 729. History is silent whether any Prophet had appeared in any country between the Holy Prophet and Jesus, at least not among the People of the Book. The world was, in fact, expecting and preparing for the advent of humanity's greatest Deliverer. Some statements of doubtful authenticity (Kalbi) mention that Jesus was followed by some Prophets, Khalid bin Salam, being one of them. But the Holy Prophet himself is reported to have said that there was no Prophet between him and Jesus (Bukhari). 730. The substitution of the word kum (you) instead of Fi-kum implies the hint that whereas each and every member of a nation to which a ruling monarch belongs possesses, as it were, dominion and sovereignty, the followers of a Prophet are not sharers in his Prophet hood. 731. The expression, ordained for you, contains an implied promise that God would help them and make them victorious, if only the Israelites had the courage to enter the Holy Land. 732. This means that the annals of these people were known to the Israelites. The Amalekites and other unruly Arab tribes lived in the Holy Land at that time. The Israelites were very much afraid of them. 733. Compare this insolent and cowardly attitude of the companions of Moses to the willing and almost unbelievable sacrifices of the Companions of the Holy Prophet, who were ever eager to jump into the very jaws of death at the slightest bidding of their Master. When the Holy Prophet, with a handful of his ill-equipped Companions intended to go forth to meet the vastly superior and much better-equipped Meccan force at Badr, he consulted them about it. Thereupon one of the Companions stood up and addressed the Holy Prophet in the memorable words: "We would not say to thee, 0 Prophet of God, as was said by the companions of Moses, 'go thou and thy Lord and fight and here we sit.' On the contrary, 0 Prophet of the Lord! we are ever with thee and we will go with thee whither thou goest. We will fight the enemy on thy right and on thy left and in thy front and behind thy back; and we trust God that thou wilt see from us what will comfort thine eyes" (Bukhari). 734. The "two men" spoken of here are generally supposed to be Joshua, the son of Nun; and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh (Num. 14:6). But from the context Moses and Aaron appear more likely to be the "two men" here referred to. The word Rajul (man) is expressive of manliness and courage. That these two brave men were Moses and Aaron themselves may also be inferred from the fact that Moses prayed for himself and his brother, Aaron (5:26). God does not name these two men but simply speaks of them as "two brave men" in order to praise their manliness and courage and also to condemn by implication the cowardice of the other Israelites who were with them. 735. When the Israelites behaved in a cowardly manner, God decreed that they should continue to wander in the wilderness for 40 years in order that the life of the desert should invigorate them and infuse in them a new life and should strengthen their morals. In the meantime, the old generation had become practically extinct and the younger generation grew brave and strong enough to conquer the Promised Land. 736. "The two sons of Adam" figuratively signify any two individuals from among mankind. The parable also illustrates the inimical attitude of the Israelites towards the descendants of Ishmael because Prophet hood had become transferred from them to the Ishmaelites in the person of the Holy Prophet. 737. Uridu is derived from Rada which sometimes does not express an actual wish but simply a practical state or condition likely to develop in a certain manner (18:78). The verse does not mean that Abel desired his brother Cain to be cast into Hell. What he meant was simply that the natural and inevitable result of his own non-aggressive attitude would be that his brother would go to Hell. 738. Ithmi means; "the sin committed against me." The would-be victim is only describing the consequences of his brother's intended action. 739. Commentators differ as to whether the incident of the raven did actually happen or it is only a parable. It is not improbable that an incident of this nature might have actually occurred. Study of the ways and habits of birds has led to many useful discoveries. See Gen. 4:1-15; and 'The Jerusalem Targum.' 740. What is hinted at in the verse is that an incident similar to that of the two sons of Adam mentioned here but of much greater import was to take place later. There was to appear among the brethren of the Israelites a Prophet. This fact was to enrage the Israelites against that Prophet and they were to become thirsty for his blood on account of envy, even as Cain had become thirsty for the blood of his brother Abel. The Prophet was to be no ordinary soul. He was to be a World-Reformer, ordained to bring the eternal Law for all mankind whose entire future depended on him, and therefore slaying him was equivalent to slaying the whole of mankind, and the preservation of his life was; as it were, the preservation of the whole of mankind. 741. Islam does not hesitate to take extreme measures when the interests of the State or society at large so demand to uproot a dangerous evil. It refuses to pander to the false sentiments of emotional visionaries but follows the dictates of reason and sound judgment while prescribing punishment for public offences. The punishment prescribed here is of four categories, the form of the punishment to be inflicted in a particular case would depend upon the attending circumstances. Awarding or imposition of punishment is the concern of Government and not that of any individual. The words "expelled from the land" according to Imam Abu Hanifah signify imprisonment. 742. This and the preceding verse refer not to ordinary dacoits and robbers but to rebels and those miscreants who make aggressive war upon the Muslim State, as is clear from the words, who wage war against Allah and His Messenger. The inference finds further support from the fact that the present verse promises amnesty to offenders if they repent. But obviously those who commit heinous offences against individuals or society, such as dacoits; robbers and thieves, cannot, in ordinary circumstances, be pardoned by the State even if they repent. They must suffer the penalty of their evil deeds as prescribed by the Law. Surely, repentance may secure for them pardon from God, but the powers of the State are limited in this respect. Political offenders, however, may be forgiven if they repent and desist from further acts of rebellion and other offences against the State. 743. Wasilah signifies, a means of access to a thing; honorable rank with a king; degree; affinity, a tie or connection (Lane). The word does not mean "an intermediary between God and man." This latter meaning is not only unsupported by the usage of the Arabic language, but is also opposed to the Qur'an and the sayings of the Holy Prophet. The prayer after the usual 'Call to Prayer' includes the words, "0 God! give Muhammad Wasilah," meaning that God may vouchsafe to the Prophet increasing nearness to Himself, and not that the Prophet may have someone to act as intermediary between him and God. 744. Whereas in this verse the words the man who steals have been put before the words the woman who steals because stealing is more common among men than among women, in 24:3 the word fornicatress precedes the word fornicator because the guilt of fornication can more easily be proved against women than against men. This arrangement of words shows that there exists not only an intelligent order in the verses of the Qur'an, as shown elsewhere, but also an intelligent order in its words. The punishment prescribed for stealing may appear to be too severe. But human experience shows that punishment, if it is to be deterrent, should be exemplary. It is better to be severe to one and save a thousand than to be indulgent to all and ruin many. He certainly is a good surgeon who does not hesitate to amputate a rotten limb to save the whole body. In the heyday of Islam there were extremely rare cases of the cutting of hands of thieves because the punishment prescribed was deterrent and was put in force. Even today incidents of theft are very rare in Arabia where punishment for theft prescribed by the Qur'an is in force. In order to arrive at a right understanding of the nature of this punishment, it is necessary to know both the literal and metaphorical use of the two words used here, viz., Qat and Yad. The Arabic expression Qafa'a-hu bi'l-Huj~ati,m eans, he silenced him with argument (Lane). And Yad among other things means, the power and capacity to do a certain thing. Thus the phrase. Qata'a Yada-hu, metaphorically means, he deprived him of the power to do the thing; or he restrained him from doing it. See also 12:32. In view of this signification of the two words the Arabic expression used in the verse may mean, "deprive them of the power to commit theft or employ any practical means calculated to restrain them from committing theft." Taking the verse literally the punishment prescribed in the verse is maximum punishment, and maximum punishment is awarded in extreme cases only, the lesser punishment being the adoption of any practical means by which the offender is deprived of the capacity of, or restrained from, committing the offence. In awarding the punishment the nature and scope of all the attending circumstances are also to be taken into consideration. Moreover, the use of the word al-Sariq which is a noun (instead of the verb Saraqa -he stole) implying the sense of intensiveness signifies an habitual thief or one addicted to theft, is worthy of special consideration. Scholars differ as to the amount of money or property stolen for which the prescribed punishment is to be imposed. Whereas according to some traditions it is three dirhams or a quarter of a dinar, according to others the hand is not to be cut off for stealing fruit on a tree or when theft is committed in the course of journey (Dawud). Imam Abu Hanifah holds it to be ten dirhams, while Imam Malik and Imam Shaf’i consider three dirhams 745. Expressions like these do not mean that the Divine Government of the universe is arbitrary and is based on no system or law. They are intended to point out that God being the Final Authority in the universe, His Word is the law, there being no appeal or redress against His decrees. 746. The expression may also mean, (1) they listen in order to lie; (2) they accept as true the lies which others utter about the Holy Prophet. 747. Suht means; a thing which is forbidden or unlawful; that which is foul and of bad repute; a bribe that is given to a judge or the like; or anything paltry, mean and inconsiderable (Lane). 748. The verse does not mean that the Qur'an regarded the Torah as it existed at the time of the Holy Prophet as containing God's judgment on matters of dispute. It only expresses the attitude of the Jews towards the Torah. But at the same time the Qur'an does not regard it even in its present form as devoid of all truth. According to it the Torah did contain certain truths in their original, pure form, though it also believes that it has been tampered with (2:79). The verse further shows that the Torah in its pristine purity was meant only for the Israelites for a limited period while the Message of the Qur'an is meant for all peoples for all times. 750. Ahbar is the plural of Hibr which means, a learned man of the Jews; or any learned man; a good or righteous man (Lane). In this verse the Qur'an brings home to the Jews the charge mentioned in the previous verse; viz., when even the Prophets of God who followed Moses were required to judge according to the Torah, who else can refuse to refer his disputes to it? 751. See Exod.: 21:23-25 and Leviticus 24:19-21. The words, and whoso waives the right thereto, constitute evidence of the fact that teaching about forgiveness of which Christiansboast so much was no monopoly of the Gospels. It also formed part of the teaching of Mosesthough Moses's teaching lays stress on retaliation, as does that of Jesus on forgiveness andnon-resistance. 752. Muhaimin means, witness; afforder of security and peace; controller and superintendent of the affairs of men; guardian and protector (Lisan). The Qur'an is here spoken of as a guardian over the previous Scriptures in the sense that it has preserved all that was imperishable and of permanent worth and value in them, and has left out that which lacked the element of permanence and failed to meet the needs of mankind. Again, it is called a guardian over the previous Scriptures because it enjoys Divine protection against being tampered with, a blessing denied to them. 753. Shir'ah signifies the religious Law of God consisting of such ordinances as those about Fasting, Prayer and Pilgrimage and other acts of piety; a way of belief and conduct which is manifest and right (Lane). Minhaj means, manifest, plainly apparent and open road or way (Lane). Al-Mubarrad says that the former word signifies the beginning of a way and the latter the well-trodden body of it (Qadir). Thus Shir'ah is the law that mostly relates to spiritual matters and Minhaj is the law that relates to secular matters. Shir'ah also means, a way leading to water. The meaning is that God has equipped all His creatures, according to the capacity of each, with the means to find the way to the spring of spiritual water, i.e., Divine revelation. 754. Hukm means, judgment, rule, jurisdiction, dominion, government, ordinance, decree, law; predicament (Lane). 756. The verse should not be construed to prohibit or discourage just or benevolent treatment of Jews, Christians and other disbelievers (60:9). It refers only to those Jews or Christians who are at war with Muslims and who are always hatching plots against them. 757. Jews and Christians forget their own differences and become united in their opposition to Islam. Truly, has the Holy Prophet said, "All disbelief forms one community," viz., all disbelievers, however inimical to one another, behave like one people when opposed to Muslims. 758. Da'irah means, a turn of fortune, specially an evil accident, a misfortune; a calamity; defeat or rout; slaughter or death (Lane). 759. "Victory" mentioned in the verse may either refer to the Fall of Mecca or to victory in general. The word "event" coming after victory evidently refers to something greater than victory. It seems to refer to the entry into the fold of Islam of the whole of the Arabian peninsula and its establishment in it. 760. If the followers of a religion are found to be steadily and perpetually decreasing with no prospects for recovery, that religion must be considered as dead. 761. In 552 Muslims were forbidden to make friends with disbelievers because of the latter's hostile and belligerent attitude towards them. The present verse gives the reason for that commandment, but does not mean that Muslims are prevented from having friendly dealings of any kind with all disbelievers or from doing good to them and treating them kindly. 762. Hal is an interrogative particle which, when followed by ill& may signify, as in the present verse, a negative statement. The words besides the meaning given in the text may also mean. "you do not find fault with us but because we believe." Sometimes it is used to express a positive statement as in 76:2. 763. Dhalika may either refer to the persecution of the Muslims or to their persecutors. 764. The words "apes" and "swine" have been used here in a figurative sense. Certain traits are peculiar to particular animals, and these cannot be fully described unless the animal to which they are known to belong is expressly named. The ape is noted for its mimicry and the swine is characterized by filthy and shameless habits and also by its stupidity. The expression. "who worship the Evil One," shows that the words "apes" and "swine" have been used here figuratively. See 107. 765. By hypocritically uttering the words, we believe, the Jews merely copied the believers' mode of expressing their belief without understanding and realizing their real import; thus they displayed (as hinted in the foregoing verse) the mimicking characteristic of the ape. See also the next verse. 766. As Ithm (sin) is generally committed and not uttered, some Commentators have suggested that the word Qaul (uttering) has been used here in the sense of "doing." But more probably it has been joined to the word lthm (sin) in order to express the combined idea of both "uttering" and "doing," signifying both sinful words and evil deeds. 767. The expression signifies that the Jews shall be punished for their insolence in saying that the hand of Allah is tied up. They shall become a miserly and stingy nation. 768. The hand is used both as an instrument for bestowing a favor or bounty and as a symbol of power and dominion for seizing and punishing an offender. God's both hands are wide open-the one to bestow plenty on the believers and the other to punish the Jews for their insolence. 769. The words refer to the attempts of Jews to incite the idolaters of Arabia to wage warn against Muslims as well as to their own hostile activities against Islam. 770. The expression, Gardens of blzss, denotes a perfect state of spiritual joy as well as an abode of bliss. While qualifying the words "Garden" and "Heaven" the Qur'an has used four distinct expressions: (1) "Gardens of bliss" as in the present verse: (2) "Gardens of Refuge" (32:20); (3) "Gardens of Eternity" (9:72) and (4) "Gardens of Paradise" (18:108). These expressions represent different aspects as well as different grades of Heaven. 771. (1) They would have received heavenly blessings. such as Divine revelation and communion with God, as well as worldly prosperity. (2) They would have had not only timely and abundant rains from above but the earth would also have yielded its produce for them in abundance. (3) God would have provided them with both heavenly and earthly means of progress. 772. The words do not indicate any remissness on the part of the Holy Prophet to convey the Divine Message. They only state a general principle that anyone who fails to convey a part of the message he is entrusted with, in fact, fails to deliver it at all. 773. The expression means that God will not suffer the disbelievers to take the life of the Holy Prophet or disable him permanently so as to render him unfit to discharge his duty. 774. In 2:114 Jews and Christians were rebuked for saying about one another that they stood on nothing, and in the present verse the Qur'an itself uses an identical expression about the People of the Book. But there is an obvious difference between the two statements. Whereas the statement referred to in 2:114 was unqualified, that in the present verse is qualified by the clause, 'unless you observe the Torah.. . . . .' 776. By comparing this verse with 5:13, it appears that "the leaders" mentioned in the latter verse are the " Messengers" mentioned in the present verse. 777. That Jesus taught that God alone is to be worshipped is apparent from the Gospels even in their present distorted form (Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8). 778. The reference in this verse is to the doctrine of Trinity, that mysterious and abstruse dogma of the three persons of Godhead-the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost-coexisting and co-equal in all respects, combining to make one God and yet remaining three. It was the Nicene Council and especially the Athanasian Creed that first gave the dogma its definite shape. The doctrine forms the basic article of the Christian Faith. 779. No vicarious sacrifice is needed for the salvation of man. God Himself can forgive all sins. Only a truly penitent and contrite heart is required to attract His forgiveness. 780. The verse advances a number of arguments against the alleged divinity of Jesus; (a) Jesus was no better than other Messengers of God in any way; (b) he was born of a woman; (c) like other human beings he was subject to the natural laws of hunger and thirst and was subject also to the natural ensuing phenomena. 781. Jesus possessed no power to do good or harm to any person. He could not hear prayer, nor was he conversant with the needs of men that he could satisfy them. These are all Divine prerogatives. 782. Of all the Israelite Prophets, David and Jesus suffered most at the hands of the Jews. Jewish persecution of Jesus culminated in his being hung on the cross, and the hardships and privations to which David was subjected by these ungrateful people are reflected in the deep pathos of his Psalms. From the agony of their hearts did David and Jesus curse them. The curse of David resulted in the Israelites being punished by Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed Jerusalem and carried the Israelites into captivity in 556 B.C.; and as a result of the curse of Jesus, they were visited by terrible afflictions by Titus, who captured Jerusalem in about 70 A.D.; devastated the city and profaned the Temple by causing swine-an animal most hated and abhorred by Jews-to be slaughtered therein. 783. One of the great sins which drew the wrath of God upon the Jewish people was that they did not prohibit one another from the evil practices which were so rife among them. 784. The Prophet referred to in this verse is the Holy Prophet, for wherever in the Qur'an the word al-Nabi (the Prophet) is used, it invariably refers to the Holy Prophet. Even the Gospels referred to him as "that Prophet" (John, 1:21-25), i.e., the Prophet whose advent was foretold in Deut. 18: 18. 785. Qissis means; the head or chief of the Christians in knowledge or science; a learned man of the Christians who has sought after and acquired great knowledge; an intelligent and learned man (Lane). 786. Ruhban is the plural of Rahib which means an ascetic, a Christian monk; a religious recluse; one who devotes himself to religious services or exercises in a cell or monastery (Lane). 787. This state of affairs, however, was not to last for ever. The Qur'an elsewhere warns Muslims that they were destined to suffer most grievously at the hands of Christians who would attack them from all sides (21:97). In the Hadith also there are prophecies to this effect. The verse applies only to the Christians of the Holy Prophet's time. History bears out this inference. Najashi; the Christian King of Abyssinia, gave shelter to Muslim refugees; an Muqauqas, the Christian ruler of Egypt, sent presents to the Holy Prophet. Humility seemed to be one of the chief characteristics of the early Christians. This is evident from the different ways in which the epistles of the Holy Prophet were treated by the King of Persia, who was a heathen, and by Heraclius, Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, who was a Christian. The former tore the letter to pieces, while the latter received it with respect and even evinced some inclination towards Islam. 788. The verse has also been applied to the Najashi in particular. When Ja'far, a cousin of the Holy Prophet and spokesman of Muslim refugees in Abyssinia read to him the opening verses of the Surah Maryam, the Najashi was visibly moved and tears rolled down his cheeks and he said in a voice full of pathos that that exactly was his belief about Jesus, and that he did not look upon him by even a twig more than that (Hisham). 789. Oaths which are contrary to Islamic Law are mere wasted breath. 790. Ausaf means both "middle" (average) and "the best." 790A. After stating that the four things mentioned in the previous verse are all abomination in one sense or another, the present verse is confined to two of them-wine and games of chance-and gives additional reasons against them. These reasons rest on political, social, spiritual and socio-religious grounds, these being implied in the words "enmity and hatred and keeping back from the remembrance of Allah and from Prayer." 791. Two important principles emerge from this verse: (a) That the things of this world having been made for the use and benefit of man are, as a rule, pure and clean; the forbid things being only exceptions. (b) That clean and pure food exercises a beneficial influence on man's moral development, while unclean and impure food produces an adverse effect. The verse lays down three stages of spiritual progress. In the first stage, believers fear God and believe and do good works; in the second stage they fear God and believe, their belief at this stage being so strong that the doing of good works becomes, as it were, a part and parcel of their belief. In the third stage they fear God and do good to their fellow beings as if they are actually seeing God. 792. As hunting is ordinarily done in a jungle where one is generally alone and where there is none beside God to observe one breaking the Divine commandments, the verse fittingly mentions hunting to illustrate God-fearingness. It also serves as an introduction to the commandment that follows in the next verse. 793. The word "sea" includes rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, etc. See 7:139. 794. God has made Pilgrimage to the Ka'bah a sign for the progress and prosperity of Muslims. So long as they will continue to perform Pilgrimage, God's grace will continue to attend them. Pilgrimage is a means of support for men in a material sense also. Muslims from all parts of the world visit the Ka'bah in hundreds of thousands every year and this serves as a potent means of support for the Meccans. But the promise is not confined to the people of Mecca but encompasses in its purview all mankind. Qiyam also signifies a teaching which is permanent and not subject to abrogation. 795. Being naturally influenced by his environment man is prone to follow and imitate others, particularly when they happen to be in the majority. The verse, contains a warning against unthinking and blind following of the majority. 796. The basis of the Islamic Shari'ah is threefold: (1) The Law as embodied in the Qur'an, (2) the Sunnah or the practice of the Holy Prophet, and (3) injunctions and precepts contained in his authentic sayings. These three sources of Islamic Law deal with all the fundamental problems of man, but minor details are left to his discretion to solve them in the light of the above three torch-bearers of guidance, aided and assisted by his own God-given intellectual powers and faculties. It is to matters relating to minor details that the present verse refers. 797. Unnecessary questioning about minor details or seeking legislation on them is generally to the detriment of the questioner himself. It limits his discretion and fetters his judgment, besides binding him to unnecessary and irksome legislation. The Israelites put unnecessary questions to Moses in regard to minor details with the result that they created difficulties for themselves and ended by breaking the commandments of God (2:109). 798. Bahirah: A name given by pagan Arabs to a she-camel which had given birth to seven young ones and was then let loose to feed freely after its ears were slit. It was dedicated to some god and its milk was not used nor its back. 798A. Sa'ibah: A she-camel let loose to water and pasture after giving birth to five young ones. 798B. Wasilah: A she-camel (or an ewe or she-goat) let loose in the name of a god after she had given birth to seven female young ones consecutively. If at the seventh birth she bore a pair, male and female, these were also let loose. 798C. hami: A camel which had fathered seven young ones. It was let loose and was not used for riding or carrying. It was free to pasture and water. 798D. After having stated that minor matters and details have been left to man to legislate as he thinks proper, the verse fittingly draws attention to the fact that such freedom and discretion are not allowed in fundamentals, because in fundamentals unanimity is essential and divergence of opinion may prove immensely harmful. The verse gives an illustration to show that human intellect cannot be trusted with the making of the laws on fundamental matters. The Arabs used to let loose the animals mentioned in the verse in honor of their idols. Besides being based on disbelief and superstition, the practice was also highly foolish. The animals thus let loose wrought great havoc wherever they went. The Qur'an refers to this evil practice as an example of man-made laws and warns Christians who question the wisdom of a revealed Law to learn a lesson from the morally degrading practices to which the pagan Arabs had resorted because they had no revealed Law to guide them. 799. Our duty only is to preach the truth to others. If they accept it, well and good, but if in spite of our best efforts they refuse to be weaned from their evil course, their rejection of truth will do us no harm. In no case should we compromise our principles in order to win others over to our way of thinking. That would be ruining our own souls to save the souls of others and that indeed would be a bad bargain. 800. An incident is reported to have occurred in the time of the Holy Prophet which throws some light on this and the following two verses. A Muslim who died far from home entrusted his goods to two Christian brothers-Tamim Dariy and 'Adi-before his death and asked them to deliver the same to his heirs at Medina. On receiving the goods the heirs found that a silver bowl was missing. The two men were there upon called upon to explain the loss of the bowl, but they denied all knowledge of it on oath. Later, the heirs of the deceased person happened to see the bowl with some persons at Mecca who told them that it had been sold to them by the two men to whom the deceased had entrusted his belongings. Thereupon the two men were again summoned, and in their presence the heirs of the belongings stated on oath that the bowl was theirs, whereupon it was handed over to them (Manthur). 801. The Prayer should preferably be the 'Asr (Late Afternoon) Prayer, because it was after this Prayer that the Holy Prophet summoned the two witnesses to whom reference has been made above and who were believed to have stolen the silver bowl. The time after Prayer has been chosen with a view to inspiring the witnesses with God-fearingness and inclining their minds to truthfulness. If the witnesses be non-Muslims, then they may be called upon to swear after the time of their own worship, so that the solemnity of the hour may incline them to make true statement. 802. The word Aulayan refers to the first two witnesses and signifies that these two were in a better position to give true evidence, being the persons who were with the deceased at the time of his death and in whose presence the will was made and to whom the property was entrusted to be handed over to the heirs of the deceased. The "other" two witnesses should be from among the deceased person's heirs. 803. The answer of the Prophets implies that the object of God's questioning would not be to elicit information from them or to supplement His own knowledge, but that they should give testimony against the disbelievers, as is also clear from 4:42. 804. The act of speaking in the cradle signifies speaking words of wisdom and piety in childhood. This sort of speaking by Jesus reflected great credit on his mother, who, herself being a wise and pious lady, brought him up as a wise and pious child. And the speaking of good words in middle age shows that not only was Mary a pious woman, but Jesus too was a righteous man so that even when he was of middle age and was no longer under the direct influence of his mother, he spoke words of piety and wisdom. See also 418. 806. The reference is to the attempts of Jews to kill Jesus on the cross from which God delivered him. 807. It was not a single meal that the disciples of Jesus asked for, but a permanent provision of sustenance which might be had without any trouble or hardship. 808. The words "from heaven" denote a thing that is obtained without much trouble and is sure and lasting. 808A. The Christians were granted temporal power in the beginning as under the Romans and they hold sway now over vast areas of the earth. 809. There were to be two periods of prosperity and progress for the Christian peoples, as the word 'id literally meaning "a day which returns," shows. Christian peoples were granted worldly goods in abundance in the early ages after Constantine and then in the 18th and 19th centuries they had material prosperity and political grandeur in such measure as has no parallel in the history of any other people. 810. The punishment referred to in the verse is the same as mentioned in 19:91. The last two World Wars along with their repercussions may constitute one phase of the fulfillment of this prophecy and God alone knows what dire punishments are yet in store for the Christian nations of the West. 811. The verse refers to the practice of the Christian Church to ascribe Divine powers to Mary. Mary's help is invoked in Litany, and in Catechism of the Roman Church the doctrine that she is the mother of God is inculcated. Church Fathers in the past have regarded her as Divine and only a few years ago Pope Pius XI1 incorporated the bodily ascension of Mary in the doctrine of the Church. All this amounts to raising her to the pedestal of Divinity and this is what Protestants denounce as Mariolatry. 812. The Arabic expression in the text which is translated as "I could never" may also be interpreted as: It did not behove me; or it was impossible for me; or I had no right; to do so, etc. 813. Jesus taught the worship of one God alone (Matt. 4:10 & Luke, 4:8). 814. As long as Jesus was alive; he kept a careful watch over his followers and saw to it that they did not deviate from the right path, but he did not know how they behaved and what false doctrines they held after his death. Now, as his followers have gone astray, it conclusively follows that Jesus is dead, for, as the verse points out, it was after his death that he was to be worshipped as God. Similarly, the fact that this verse speaks of Jesus as expressing ignorance that his followers took him and his mother for two gods after he had left them, proves that he is not to come back to this world. For, if he were to come back and see with his own eyes that his followers had become corrupt and had deified him he could not plead ignorance of his deification by them. If he would do so, his answer pleading his ignorance would amount to a veritable lie. The verse thus positively proves that Jesus is dead and that he will never come back to this world. Moreover, according to a weII-known saying of his, the Holy Prophet will use the same words on the Day of Resurrection as are put here in the mouth of Jesus, when he will see some of his followers being led to Hell. This lends further support to the fact that Jesus is dead like the Holy Prophet. 816. The verse forms a befitting sequel to this Surah in which the errors of the Christian people are effectively exposed and demolished, containing a veiled declaration that their glory will not last and God will finally transfer His Kingdom to those who are more deserving of it.
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