5. Surah al-Maida, Medina 112
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَسْأَلُونَكَ
مَاذَا أُحِلَّ
لَهُمْ ...
5: 4. They ask thee what is lawful to them (as food):
C697. The previous verse was negative; it defined what was not lawful for food, viz., things gross, or disgusting, or dedicated to superstition.
This verse is positive: it defines what is lawful, viz., all things that are good and pure.
... قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ...
say:
- Lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure:
... وَمَا عَلَّمْتُم مِّنَ الْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ اللّهُ ...
- and what ye have taught your trained hunting animals (to catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah;
... فَكُلُواْ مِمَّا أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَاذْكُرُواْ اسْمَ اللّهِ عَلَيْهِ ...
eat what they catch for you, but pronounce the name of Allah over it:
C698. In the matter of the killing for meat, the general rule is that the name of Allah, the true God should be pronounced as a rite in order to call our attention to the fact that we do not take life thoughtlessly but solemnly for food, with the permission of Allah, to whom we render the life back.
The question of hunting is then raised.
How can this solemn rite be performed when we send forth trained hawks, trained hounds, or trained cheetahs or other animals trained for the chase?
They must necessarily kill at some distance from their masters. Their game is legalized on these conditions:
1. that they are trained to kill, not merely for their own appetite, or out of mere wantonness, but for their master's food;
the training implies that something of the solemnity which Allah has taught us in this matter goes into their action; and
2. we are to pronounce the name of Allah over the quarry; this is interpreted to mean that the Takbir should be pronounced when the hawk or dog, etc., is released to the quarry. (R).
... وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِنَّ اللّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ ﴿٤﴾
and fear Allah; for Allah is swift in taking account.
الْيَوْمَ
أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ
الطَّيِّبَاتُ
...
5: 5. This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you.
... وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلُّ لَّهُمْ ...
- The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them.
C699. The question is for food generally, such as is ordinarily "good and pure": in the matter of meat it should be killed with some sort of solemnity analogous to that of the Takbir.
The rules of Islam in this respect being analogous to those of the People of the Book, there is no objection to mutual recognition, as opposed to meat killed by Pagans with superstitious rites. In this respect the Christian rule is the same:
"That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication." (Acts, 15:29).
Notice the bracketing of fornication with things unlawful to eat.
... وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ...
- (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time,
C700. Islam is not exclusive. Social intercourse, including inter-marriage, is permitted with the People of the Book.
A Muslim man may marry a woman from their ranks on the same terms as he would marry a Muslim woman, i.e., he must give her an economic and moral status, and must not be actuated merely by motives of lust or physical desire.
A Muslim woman may not marry a non-Muslim man, because her Muslim status would be affected; the wife ordinarily takes the nationality and status given by her husband's law.
Any man or woman, of any race or faith, may, on accepting Islam, freely marry any Muslim woman or man, provided it be from motives of purity and chastity and not of lewdness.
... إِذَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ وَلاَ مُتَّخِذِي أَخْدَانٍ...
when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues.
... وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِالإِيمَانِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ وَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ﴿٥﴾
If anyone rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).
C701. As always, food, cleanliness, social intercourse, marriage and other interests in life, are linked with our duty to Allah and faith in Him.
Duty and faith are for our own benefit, here and in the Hereafter.
5: 4 [al-Maidah, Medina 112 Contains last revelations]
Asad They will ask thee as to what is lawful to them. Say: “Lawful to you are all the good things of life [note 12]. ”………….
Pickthall They ask thee (O Muhammad) what is made lawful for them. Say: ( all ) good things are made lawful for you. And those beasts and birds of prey which ye have trained as hounds are trained, ye teach them that which Allah taught you; so eat of that which they catch for you and mention Allah's name upon it, and observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is swift to take account.
Transliteration Yas'alu_naka ma_za_ uhilla lahum, qul uhilla lakumuttayyiba_t(u), wa ma_ 'allamtum minal jawa_rihi mukallibina tu'allima_nahunna mimma_ 'allamakumulla_hu fa kulu_ mimma_ amsakna 'alaikum wazkurusmalla_hi 'alaih(i), wattaqulla_h(a), innalla_ha sari'ul hisa_b(i).
5: 5
Pickthall This day are (all) good things made lawful for you. The food of those who have received the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them. And so are the virtuous women of the believers and the virtuous women of those who received the Scripture before you (lawful for you) when ye give them their marriage portions and live with them in honor, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines. Whoso denieth the faith, his work is vain and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter.
Transliteration Al yauma uhilla lakumut tayyiba_t(u), wa ta'a_mul lazina u_tul kita_ba hillul lakum, wa ta'a_mukum hillul lahum, wal muhsana_tu minal mu'mina_ti wal muhsana_tu minal lazina a_tul kita_ba min qablikum iza_a a_taitumuhunna uju_rahunna muhsinina gaira musa_fihina wa la_ muttakhizi akhda_n(in), wa may yakfur bil ima_ni fa qad habita 'amaluh(u_), wa huwa fil a _khirati minal kha_sirin(a).