5. Surah Al-Ma'idah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَبَعَثَ
اللّهُ غُرَابًا
يَبْحَثُ فِي
الأَرْضِ لِيُرِيَهُ
كَيْفَ يُوَارِي
سَوْءةَ أَخِيهِ...
5: 31. Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother.
C735. Sawah may mean "corpse", with a suggestion of nakedness and shame in two senses:
1. the sense of being exposed without burial, and
2. the sense of being insulted by being violently deprived by the unwarranted murder, of the soul which inhabited it,- the soul, too, of a brother.
... قَالَ يَا وَيْلَتَا أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَـذَا الْغُرَابِ فَأُوَارِيَ سَوْءةَ أَخِي ...
"Woe is me!" said he:
"Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?"
... فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ النَّادِمِينَ ﴿٣١﴾
Then he became full of regrets.
C736. The thought at last came home to the murderer. It was dreadful indeed to slay any one-the more so as he was a brother, and an innocent righteous brother!
But worse still, the murderer had not even the decency to bury the corpse, and of this simple duty he was reminded by a raven-a black bird usually held in contempt! His regret was on that account.
That was no true repentance.
مِنْ
أَجْلِ
ذَلِكَ
كَتَبْنَا عَلَى
بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ
...
5: 32. On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel
... أَنَّهُ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا...
that if anyone slew a person -- unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land -- it would be as if he slew the whole people:
C737. The story of Cain is referred to in a few graphic details in order to tell the story of Israel.
Israel rebelled against Allah, slew and insulted righteous men who did them no harm but on the contrary came in all humility.
When Allah withdrew His favour from Israel because of its sins and bestowed it on brother nation, the jealousy of Israel plunged it deeper into sin.
To kill or seek to kill an individual because he represents an ideal is to kill all who uphold the ideal. On the other hand, to save an individual life in the same circumstances is to save a whole community.
What could be stronger condemnation of individual assassination and revenge?
... وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا...
and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.
... وَلَقَدْ جَاء تْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِالبَيِّنَاتِ ...
Then although there came to them Our Messengers with clear Signs,
... ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فِي الأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾
yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.
5: 31
Pickthall Then Allah sent a raven scratching up the ground, to show him how to hide his brother's naked corpse. He said: Woe unto me! Am I not able to be as this raven and so hide my brother's naked corpse? And he became repentant.
Transliteration Fa ba'asalla_hu gura_bay yabhasu fil ardi liyuriyahu_ kaifa yuwa_ri sau'ata akhih(i), qa_la ya_ wailata_ a'ajaztu an aku_na misla ha_zal gura_bi fa uwa_riya sau'ata akhi, fa asbaha minan na_dimin(a) [note 39].
[[ Asad’s note 39 – Lit., “became of those who feel remorse”. The thought of burying his dead brother’s body, …….brought home to him the enormity of his crime.]]
5: 32
Asad Because of this did We ordained unto the children of Israel that if anyone slays a human being unless it be [in punishment] for murder or for spread slain all mankind; whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as through he had saved the lives of all mankind [note 40]……..many of them go on committing all manner of excesses on earth.
Pickthall For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if be had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. Our messengers came unto them of old with clear proofs (of Allah's sovereignty) , but afterwards lo! many of them became prodigals in the earth.
Transliteration Min ajli za_lika katabna_ 'ala_ bani isra_'ila annahu_ man qatala nafsam bi gairi nafsin au fasa_din fil ardi fa ka'annama_ qatalan na_sa jami'a_(n), wa man ahya_ha_ fa ka'annama_ ahyan na_sa jami'a_(n), wa laqad ja_'athum rusuluna_ bil bayyina_ti summa inna kasiram minhum ba'da za_lika fil ardi lamusrifu_n(a).
[[ Ali’s Notes - 734 The innocent unselfish pleading of the younger brother had no effect, for the soul of the other was full of pride, selfishness and jealousy. He committed the murder, but in doing so, ruined his own self. (5.30)
735 Sau-at may mean "corpse", with a suggestion of nakedness and shame in two senses: (1) the sense of being exposed without burial, and (2) the sense of being insulted by being violently deprived by the unwarranted murder, of the soul which inhabited it,- the soul, too, of a brother. (5.31)
736 The thought at last came home to the murderer. It was dreadful indeed to slay any one-the more so as he was a brother, and an innocent righteous brother! But worse still, the murderer had not even the decency to bury the corpse, and of this simple duty he was reminded by a raven-a black bird usually held in contempt! His regret was on that account. That was no true repentance. (5.31)
737 The story of Cain is referred to in a few graphic details in order to tell the story of Israel. Israel rebelled against Allah, slew and insulted righteous men who did them no harm but on the contrary came in all humility. When Allah withdrew His favor from Israel because of its sins and bestowed it on brother nation, the jealousy of Israel plunged it deeper into sin. To kill or seek to kill an individual because he represents an ideal is to kill all who upold the ideal. On the other hand, to save an individual life in the same circumstances is to save a whole community. What could be stronger condemnation of individual assassination and revenge? (5.32) ]]