Sura-5 [Al Maida Medina 112]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

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.

C.70 (The running Commentary, in Rhythmic Prose)

(6:6-11)

Allah wishes us to be clean and pure,

At prayer and at other times.

But justice and right conduct,

Even in the face of spite and hatred.

Are nearest to Piety and the love

Of Allah: in Him we put our trust.

Other versions:

5: 5

Yusuf Ali This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (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 when ye give them their due dowers and desire chastity not lewdness nor secret intrigues. 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).

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).

[[ Ruby’s notes – I disagree with the assertions of both Ali and Asad [see below] and other scholars that Muslim men can marry non-Muslim women but not vice versa. The Quran first clarified here that what is not forbidden is allowed and right after this verse allowing Muslim men to marry non-Muslim women is revealed. If Muslim women marrying non-Muslim men would have been forbidden would have been mentioned right here. The style of the Quranic [see other injunctions] is given mainly through male gender but those were meant for both genders. Here also it applies the same way. Besides if the Quran does not forbids it no human being should forbid it either. That is the implication here. As in may issues this should be left for the personal compatibility and choice and should not be barred altogether. ]]

[[ Ali’s notes:

697 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. (5.4)

700 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. (5.5)

701 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. (5.5)

702 These are the essentials of Wudhu, or ablutions preparatory to prayers, viz., (1) to bathe the whole face in water, and (2) both hands and arms to the elbows, with (3) a little rubbing of the head with water (as the head is usually protected and comparatively clean), and (4) the bathing of the feet to the ankles. In -addition, following the practice of the Prophet, it is usual first to wash the mouth, and the nose before proceeding with the face, etc. (5.6)

703 Cf. iv. 43 and n. 563. Ritual impurity arises from sex pollution. (5.6)

704 This is Tayammum, or wiping with clean sand or earth where water is not available. I take it that this substitute is permissible both for Wudhu and for a full bath, in the circumstances mentioned. (5.6) ]]

[[ Asad’s notes:

Note 12 – The implication is, firstly, that what has been forbidden does not belong to the category of “the good things of life” ( at-tayyibat), and, secondly that all that has not been expressly forbidden is allowed. It is to be noted that the Quran forbids only those thins or actions which are injurious to man physically, morally or socially.

15 – Whereas Muslim men are allowed to marry women from among the followers of another revealed religion, Muslim women may not marry non-Muslims: …………..]]