5. Surah Al-Ma'idah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

يَا قَوْمِ ادْخُلُوا الأَرْضَ المُقَدَّسَةَ الَّتِي كَتَبَ اللّهُ لَكُمْ ...

5: 21. "O my people! enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you

C724. We now come to the events detailed in the 13th and 14th chapters of the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament. Read these as a Commentary, and examine a good map of the Sinai Peninsula, showing its connections with Egypt on the west. North-West Arabia on the east, and Palestine on the north-east.

We may suppose that Israel crossed from Egypt into the Peninsula somewhere near the northern extremity of the Gulf of Suez. Moses organized and numbered the people, and instituted the Priesthood. They went south about 200 miles to Mount Sinai where the Torah was received. Then, perhaps a hundred and fifty miles north, was the desert of Paran, close to the southern borders of Canaan.

From the camp there twelve men were sent to spy out the land, and they penetrated as far as Hebron, say about 150 miles north of their camp, about 20 miles south of the future Jerusalem. They saw a rich country, and brought from it pomegranates and figs and a bunch of grapes so heavy that it had to be carried by two men on a staff. They came back and reported that the land was rich, but the men there were too strong for them. The people of Israel had no courage and no faith, and Moses remonstrated with them.

... وَلاَ تَرْتَدُّوا عَلَى أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا خَاسِرِينَ ﴿٢١﴾

and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin."

قَالُوا يَا مُوسَى ...

5: 22. They said: "O Moses!

... إِنَّ فِيهَا قَوْمًا جَبَّارِينَ وَإِنَّا لَن نَّدْخُلَهَا حَتَّىَ يَخْرُجُواْ مِنْهَا...

in this land are a people of exceeding strength: never shall we enter it until they leave it:

C725. The people were not willing to follow the lead of Moses, and were not willing to fight for their "inheritance."

In effect they said: "Turn out the enemy first, and then we shall enter into possession."

In Allah's Law we must work and strive for what we wish to enjoy.

... فَإِن يَخْرُجُواْ مِنْهَا فَإِنَّا دَاخِلُونَ ﴿٢٢﴾

if (once) they leave, then shall we enter."

قَالَ رَجُلاَنِ مِنَ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِمَا ...

5: 23. (But) among (their) God-fearing men were two on whom Allah had bestowed His Grace: they said:

C726. Among those who returned after spying out the land were two men who had faith and courage.

They were Joshua and Caleb. Joshua afterwards succeeded Moses in the leadership after 40 years.

These two men pleaded for an immediate entry through the proper Gate, which I understand to mean, "after taking all due precautions and making all due preparations". Cf. 2:189 and n. 203.

But of course, they said, they must put their trust in Allah for victory.

... ادْخُلُواْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْبَابَ...

"Assault them at the (proper) gate:

... فَإِذَا دَخَلْتُمُوهُ فَإِنَّكُمْ غَالِبُونَ ...

when once ye are in, victory will be yours.

... وَعَلَى اللّهِ فَتَوَكَّلُواْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٢٣﴾

But on Allah put your trust if ye have faith."

قَالُواْ يَا مُوسَى إِنَّا لَن نَّدْخُلَهَا أَبَدًا مَّا دَامُواْ فِيهَا...

5: 24. They said: "O Moses!

while they remain there, never shall we be able to enter, to the end of time.

... فَاذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَاتِلا إِنَّا هَاهُنَا قَاعِدُونَ ﴿٢٤﴾

Go thou, and thy Lord, and fight ye two, while we sit here (and watch)."

C727. The advice of Joshua and Caleb, and the proposals of Moses under divine instructions were unpalatable to the crowd, whose prejudices were further inflamed by the other ten men who had gone with Joshua and Caleb.

They made an "evil report," and were frightened by the great stature of the Canaanites. The crowd was in open rebellion, was prepared to stone Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb, and return to Egypt.

Their reply to Moses was full of irony, insolence, blasphemy, and cowardice. In effect they said:

"You talk of your God and all that: go with your God and fight there if you like: we shall sit here and watch."

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لا أَمْلِكُ إِلاَّ نَفْسِي وَأَخِي فَافْرُقْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ ﴿٢٥﴾

5: 25. He said:

"O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my bother, so separate us from this rebellious people!"

C728. "Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation." (Num. 14:5).

According to the words in the Old Testament story, Allah said: "I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them." (Num. 14:12).

Moses prayed and interceded. But as we are told here, (a spiritual touch not found in the Jewish story).

Moses was careful to separate himself and his brother from the rebellion.

قَالَ فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً ...

5: 26. Allah said:

"Therefore will the land be out of their reach for forty years;

C729. The punishment of the rebellion of these stiff-necked people, rebellion that was repeated "these ten times" (Num. 14:22) and more, was that they were left to wander distractedly hither and thither through the wilderness for forty years.

That generation was not to see the Holy Land. All those that were twenty years old and upwards were to die in the wilderness: "your carcasses shall fail in this wilderness." (Num. 14:29). Only those who were then children would reach the Promised land.

And so it happened. From the desert of Paran they wandered south, north, and east for forty years. From the head of what is now the Gulf of Aqabah, they travelled north, keeping to the east side of the depression of which the Dead Sea and the river Jordan are portions.

Forty years afterwards they crossed the Jordan opposite what is now Jericho, but by that time Moses, Aaron, and the whole of the elder generation had died.

... يَتِيهُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ...

in distraction will they wander through the land:

... فَلاَ تَأْسَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ ﴿٢٦﴾

but sorrow thou not over these rebellious people."

Other versions:

5: 21

Asad O my people! Enter the holy land which God has promised you; but do not turn back [on your faith], for then you will be lost!”

Yusuf Ali "O my people! enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you and turn not back ignominiously for then will ye be overthrown to your own ruin."

Pickthall O my people! Go into the holy land which Allah hath ordained for you. Turn not in flight, for surely ye turn back as losers:

Transliteration Ya_ qaumidkhulul ardal muqaddasatal lati kataballa_hu lakum wa la_ tartaddu_ 'ala_ adba_rikum fatanqalibu_ kha_sirin(a).

[[ Ali’s notes -

724 We now come to the events detailed in the 13th and 14th chapters of the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament. Read these as a Commentary, and examine a good map of the Sinai Peninsula, showing its connections with Egypt on the west, North-West Arabia on the east, and Palestine on the north-east. We may suppose that Israel crossed from Egypt into the Peninsula somewhere near the northern extremity of the Gulf of Suez. Moses organised and numbered the people, and instituted the Priesthood. They went south about 200 miles to Mount Sinai where the Torah was received. Then, perhaps a hundred and fifty miles north, was the desert of Paran, close to the southern borders of Canaan. From the camp there twelve men were sent to spy out the land, and they penetrated as far as Hebron, say about 150 miles north of their camp, about 20 miles south of the future Jerusalem. They saw a rich country, and brought from it pomegranates and figs and a bunch of grapes so heavy that it had to be carried by two men on a staff. They came back and reported that the land was rich, but the men there were too strong for them. The people of Israel had no courage and no faith, and Moses remonstrated with them. (5.21) ]]

5:22 [ al-Maidah, Medina 112 ]

Asad They answered: “O Moses! Behold, ferocious people dwell in that land [note 33], and we will surely not enter it unless they depart therefrom;…..

Yusuf Ali They said: "O Moses! in this land are a people of exceeding strength: never shall we enter it until they leave it: if (once) they leave then shall we enter."

Pickthall They said: O Moses! Lo! a giant people (dwell) therein, and lo! we go not in till they go forth from thence. When they go forth, then we will enter (not till then).

Transliteration Qa_lu_ ya_ mu_sa_ inna fiha_ qauman jabba_rin(a), wa inna_lan nadkhulaha_ hatta_ yakhruju_ minha_, fa iyyakhruju_ minha_ fa inna_ da_khilu_n(a).

[[ Asad’s note 33 - ….See Numbers xiii, 32-33, and also the whole of ch. xiv which speaks the terror that overwhelmed the Israelites on hearing the report of the twelve scouts mentioned in verse 12 of this surah, and of the punishment of their cowardice and lack of faith.

5: 23

Asad ………………”Enter upon them through the gate [note 34] – for as soon as you enter it, behold, you shall be victorious! And in God you must place your trust if you are [truly] believers!”

Yusuf Ali (But) among (their) Allah-fearing men were two on whom Allah had bestowed His Grace: they said: "Assault them at the (proper) gate: when once ye are in, victory will be yours. But on Allah put your trust if ye have faith."

Pickthall Then outspake two of those who feared (their Lord, men) unto whom Allah had been gracious: Enter in upon them by the gate, for if ye enter by it, lo! ye will be victorious. So put your trust (in Allah) if ye are indeed believers.

Transliteration Qa_la rajula_ni minal lazina yakha_fu_na an'amalla_hu'alaihimadkhulu_ 'alaihimul ba_b(a), fa iza_ dakhaltumu_hu fa innakum ga_libu_n(a), wa 'alalla_hi fa tawakkalu_ in kuntum mu'minin(a).

[[ Asad’s note 34 – I.e., by frontal attack. According to the Bible (Numbers xiv, 6-9, 24, 30, 38), the two God-fearing men were Joshua and Caleb, who had been among the twelve spies sent out to explore Canaan………persuade to …to place their trust in God.]]

5: 24

Yusuf Ali They said: O "Moses! while they remain there never shall we be able to enter to the end of time. Go thou and thy Lord and fight ye two while we sit here (and watch)."

Pickthall They said: O Moses! We will never enter (the land) while they are in it. So go thou and thy Lord and fight! We will sit here.

Transliteration Qa_lu_ ya_ mu_sa_ inna_ lan nadkhulaha_ abadam ma_ da_mu_ fiha_, fazhab anta wa rabbuka fa qa_tila_ inna_ ha_ huna_ qa_'idu_n(a).

5: 25

Yusuf Ali He said: "O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my bother so separate us from this rebellious people!"

Pickthall He said: My Lord! I have control of none but myself and my brother, so distinguish between us and the wrongdoing folk.

Transliteration Qa_la rabbi inni la_ amliku illa_ nafsi wa akhi fafruq bainana_ wa bainal qaumil fa_siqin(a).

5: 26

Yusuf Ali Allah said: "Therefore will the land be out of their reach for forty years; in distraction will they wander through the land: but sorrow thou not over these rebellious people."

Pickthall (Their Lord) said: For this the land will surely be forbidden them for forty years that they will. wander in the earth, bewildered. So grieve not over the wrongdoing folk.

Transliteration Qa_la fa innaha_ muharramatun 'alaihim arba'ina sanah(tan), yatihu_na fil ard(i), fala_ ta'sa 'alal qaumil fa_siqin(a).

[[Ali’s notes - 725 The people were not willing to follow the lead of Moses, and were not willing to fight for their "inheritance." In effect they said: "Turn out the enemy first, and then we shall enter into possession." In Allah's Law we must work and strive for what we wish to enjoy. (5.22)

726 Among those who returned after spying out the land were two men who had faith and courage. They were Joshua and Caleb. Joshua afterwards succeeded Moses in the leadership after 40 years. These two men pleaded for an immediate entry through the proper Gate, which I understand to mean, "after taking all due precautions and making all due preparations". Cf. ii.189 and n. 203. But of course, they said, they must put their trust in Allah for victory. (5.23)

727 The advice of Joshua and Caleb, and the proposals of Moses under divine instructions were unpalatable to the crowd, whose prejudices were further inflamed by the other ten men who had gone with Joshua and Caleb. They made an "evil report," and were frightened by the great stature of the Canaanites. The crowd was in open rebellion, was prepared to stone Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb, and return to Egypt. Their reply to Moses was full of irony, insolence, blasphemy, and cowardice. In effect they said: "You talk of your God and all that: go with your God and fight there if you like: we shall sit here and watch." (5.24)

728 "Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation. "(Num. xiv. 5). According to the words in the Old Testament story, Allah said: "I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them." (Num. xiv. 12). Moses prayed and interceded. But as we are told here, (a spiritual touch not found in the Jewish story). Moses was careful to separate himself and his brother from the rebellion. (5.25)

729 The punishment of the rebellion of these stiff-necked people, rebellion that was repeated "these ten times" (Num. xiv. 22) and more, was that they were left to wander distractedly hither and thither through the wilderness for forty years. That generation was not to see the Holy Land. All those that were twenty years old and upwards were to die in the wilderness: "your carcasses shall fail in this wilderness." (Num. xiv. 29). Only those who were then children would reach the Promised land. And so it happened. From the desert of Paran they wandered south, north, and east for forty years. From the head of what is now the Gulf of 'Aqaba, they traveled north, keeping to the east side of the depression of which the Dead Sea and the river Jordan are portions. Forty years afterwards they crossed the Jordan opposite what is now Jericho, but by that time Moses, Aaron, and the whole of the elder generation had died. (5.26) ]]