2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَسْأَلُونَكَ
عَنِ الْخَمْرِ
...
2: 219. They ask thee concerning wine
C240. Wine: Khamr: literally understood to mean the fermented juice of the grape; applied by analogy to all fermented liquor, and by further analogy to any intoxicating liquor or drug.
There may possible be some benefit in it, but the harm is greater than the benefit, especially if we look at it from a social as well as an individual point of view.
... وَالْمَيْسِرِ...
and gambling.
C241. Gambling: maisir: literally, a means of getting something too easily, getting a profit without working for it; hence gambling. That is the principle on which gambling is prohibited.
The form must familiar to the Arabs was gambling by casting lots by means of arrows, on the principle of a lottery: the arrows were marked, and served the same purpose as a modern lottery ticket.
Something e.g., the carcass of a slaughtered animal, was divided into unequal parts. The marked arrows were drawn from a bag. Some were blank and those who drew them got nothing. Others indicated prizes, which were big or small. Whether you got a big share or a small share, or nothing, depended on pure luck, unless that was fraud also on the part of some persons concerned.
The principle on which the objection is based is:
- that, even if there is no fraud, you gain what you have not earned, or lose on a mere chance.
Dice and wagering are rightly held to be within the definition of gambling. (R).
... قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَآ أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا...
Say: "In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit."
... وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ...
They ask thee how much they are to spend;
... قُلِ الْعَفْوَ ...
say: "What is beyond your needs."
C242. Hoarding is no use either to ourselves, or to any one else. We should use the wealth we need; any superfluities we must spend in good works or in charity.
... كَذَلِكَ يُبيِّنُ اللّهُ لَكُمُ الآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢١٩﴾
Thus doth Allah make clear to you His Signs: in order that ye may consider.
2: 219
Asad …but the evil which they cause is greater than the benefit which they bring [note 205]” And they ask thee as to what they should spend [in God’s cause]. Say: “Whatever you can spare.”
Pickthall They question thee about strong drink and games of chance. Say: In both is great sin, and (some) utility for men; but the sin of them is greater than their usefulness. And they ask thee what they ought to spend. Say: That which is superfluous. Thus Allah maketh plain to you (His) revelations, that haply ye may reflect--
as'alu_naka 'anil khamri wal maisir(i), qul fihima_ ismun kabiruw wa mana_fi'u linna_s(i), wa ismuhuma_ akbaru min naf'ihima_, wa yas'alu_naka ma_za_ yunfiqu_n(a), qulil 'afw(a), kaza_lika yubayyinulla_hu lakumul a_ya_ti la'allakum tatafakkaru_ n(a).
[ Asad’s note 205 - ……….For a clear-cut prohibition of intoxicants and games of chance, see 5:90-91 and the corresponding notes.]
[Ali’s notes: 240 Wine: Khamr: literally understood to mean the fermented juice of the grape; applied by analogy to all fermented liquor, and by further analogy to any intoxicating liquor or drug. There may possible be some benefit in it, but the harm is greater than the benefit, especially if we look at it from a social as well as an individual point of view. (2.219)
241 Gambling: maisir: literally, a means of getting something too easily, getting a profit without working for it; hence gambling. That is the principle on which gambling is prohibited. The form must familiar to the Arabs was gambling by casting lots by means of arrows, on the principle of a lottery: the arrows were marked, and served the same purpose as a modern lottery ticket. Something e.g., the carcase of a slaughtered animal, was divided into unequal parts. The marked arrows were drawn from a bag. Some were blank and those who drew them got nothing. Others indicated prizes, which were big or small. Whether you got a big share or a small share, or nothing, depended on pure luck, unless that was fraud also on the part of some persons concerned. The principle on which the objection is based is: that, even if there is no fraud, you gain what you have not earned, or lose on a mere chance. Dice and wagering are rightly held to be within the definition of gambling. But insurance is not gambling, when conducted on business principles. Here the basis for calculation is statistics on a large scale, from which mere chance is eliminated. The insurers themselves pay premia in proportion to risks, exactly and statistically calculated. (2.219)
242 Hoarding is no use either to ourselves, or to any one else. We should use the wealth we need; any superfluities we must spend in good works or in charity. (2.219) ]
5. Surah Al-Ma'idah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ إِنَّمَا
الْخَمْرُ
وَالْمَيْسِرُ
...
5: 90. O ye who believe!
- intoxicants and gambling,
C793. Cf. 2:219, and notes 240 and 241.
... وَالأَنصَابُ ...
- (dedication of) stones,
C794. Cf. 5:3.
The stones there referred to were stone altars or stone columns on which oil was poured for consecration, or slabs on which meat was sacrificed to idols. Any idolatrous or superstitious practices are here condemned.
The ansab were objects of worship, and were common in Arabia before Islam.
See Renan, "History of Israel", Chapter 6, and Corpus Inscriptionum Semiticarum. Part 1. p. 154: Illustrations Nos. 123 and 123 bis are Phoenician columns of that kind, found in Malta.
... وَالأَزْلاَمُ ...
- and (divination by) arrows,
C795. Cf. 5:3.
The arrows there referred to were used for the division of meat by a sort of lottery or rate.
But arrows were also used for divination, i.e., for ascertaining lucky or unlucky moments, or learning the wishes of the heathen gods, as to whether men should undertake certain actions or not. All superstitions are condemned.
... رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ...
are an abomination, of Satan's handiwork:
... فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٩٠﴾
eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper.
إِنَّمَا
يُرِيدُ
الشَّيْطَانُ
أَن يُوقِعَ
بَيْنَكُمُ
الْعَدَاوَةَ
وَالْبَغْضَاء
فِي الْخَمْرِ
وَالْمَيْسِرِ...
5: 91. Satan's plan is (but) to
- excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling,
... وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلاَةِ ...
- and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer:
... فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ ﴿٩١﴾
will ye not then abstain?
Others version:
5: 90 Asad O you who have attained to faith! Intoxicants, and games of chance, and idolatrous practices, and the divining of the future are but a loathsome evil of Satan’s doing [note 105] shun it, then so that you might attain to a happy state!
Pickthall O ye who believe! Strong drink and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan's handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ innamal khamru wal maisiru wal ansa_bu wal azla_mu rijsum min 'amalisy syaita_ni fajtanibu_hu la'allakum tuflihu_n(a).
5: 91
Asad By means of intoxicants and games of chance Satan seeks only to sow enmity and hatred among you, and to turn you away form the remembrance of God and from prayer. Will you not, then, desist? [note 106]
Pickthall Satan seeketh only to cast among you enmity and hatred by means of strong drink and games of chance, and to turn you from remembrance of Allah and from (His) worship. Will ye then have done?
Transliteration Innama_ yuridusy syaita_nu ay yu_qi'a bainakumul 'ada_wata wal bagda_'a fil khamri wal maisiri wa yasuddakum 'an zikrilla_hi wa 'anis sala_ti fahal antum muntahu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 105 – According to all the lexicographers, the word ‘khamr’ (derived from the verb ‘khamara’, “he concealed” or “obscured”) denotes every substance the use of which obscures the intellect, i.e., intoxicates. Hence, the prohibition of intoxicants laid down in this verse comprises not merely alcoholic drinks, but also drugs which have a similar effect. The only exception from this total prohibition arises in case of “dire necessity” ……as stipulated in the last sentence of verse 3 of this surah: ………………..]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 793 Cf. ii. 219, and notes 240 and 241. (5.90)
794 Cf. v. 3. The stones there referred to were stone altars or stone columns on which oil was poured for consecration, or slabs on which meat was sacrificed to idols. Any idolatrous or superstitious practices are here condemned. The ‘ansab’ were objects of worship, and were common in Arabia before Islam. See Renan, "History of Israel", Chapter iv, and Corpus Inscriptionum Semiticarum. Part 1. p. 154: Illustrations Nos. 123 and 123 bis are Phoenician columns of that kind, found in Malta. (5.90)