Sura-5 [Al Maida Medina 112]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
...
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ ...
5:54. O ye who believe!
... مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ...
if any from among you turn back from his faith, soon will Allah produce a people whom He will love as they will love Him,
... أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ...
lowly with the believers, mighty against the rejecters,
... يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَلاَ يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لآئِمٍ...
fighting in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the reproaches of such as find fault.
C767. As "most men are rebellious" (5:49), it is inevitable that there should be apostates even from such a religion of reason and common-sense as Islam. But here is a warning to the Muslim body that they should not repeat the history of the Jews, and become so self-satisfied or arrogant as to depart from the spirit of Allah's teaching. If they do, the loss will be their own.
Allah's bounty is not confined to one group or section of humanity. He can always raise up people who will follow the true spirit of Islam. That spirit is defined in two ways:
- first in general terms; they will love Allah and Allah will love them; and
- secondly, by specific signs;
amongst the Brethren, their attitude will be that of humility, but to wrong-doers they will offer no mealy-mouthed compromises;
they will always strive and fight for truth and right;
they will know no fear, either physical, or that more insidious form, which says; "What will people say if we act thus?
They are too great in mind to be haunted by any such thought. For, as the next verse says, their friends are Allah, His Prophet, and His people, the people who judge rightly, without fear or favour.
... ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاء وَاللّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٥٤﴾
That is the Grace of Allah, which He will bestow on whom He pleaseth:
and Allah encompasseth all, and He knoweth all things.
إِنَّمَا
وَلِيُّكُمُ
اللّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
وَالَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ ...
5:55. Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers,
... الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ ﴿٥٥﴾
those who establish regular prayers and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship).
وَمَن
يَتَوَلَّ
اللّهَ
وَرَسُولَهُ
وَالَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ فَإِنَّ
حِزْبَ اللّهِ
هُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ
﴿٥٦﴾
5:56. As to those who turn (for friendship) to Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers, it is the fellowship of Allah that must certainly triumph.
Section 9
يَا
أَيُّهَا
الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ لاَ
تَتَّخِذُواْ
الَّذِينَ
اتَّخَذُواْ
دِينَكُمْ
هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا...
57. O ye who believe!
take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport,
... مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَالْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَاء...
whether among those who received the Scripture before you, or among those who reject Faith;
C768. It is not right that we should be in intimate association with those to whom religion is either a subject of mockery or at best is nothing but a plaything.
They may be amused, or they may have other motives for encouraging you. But your association with them will sap the earnestness of your Faith, and make you cynical and insincere.
... وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٥٧﴾
but fear ye Allah, if ye have Faith (indeed).
وَإِذَا
نَادَيْتُمْ
إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ
اتَّخَذُوهَا
هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا...
5:58. When ye proclaim your call to prayer, they take it (but) as mockery and sport;
... ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لاَّ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٥٨﴾
that is because they are a people without understanding.
قُلْ
يَا أَهْلَ
الْكِتَابِ
هَلْ تَنقِمُونَ
مِنَّا إِلاَّ
أَنْ آمَنَّا
بِاللّهِ
...
5:59. Say: "O People of the Book! do ye disapprove of us for no other reason than that we believe in Allah,
... وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلُ ...
and the revelation that hath come to us and that which came before (us),
... وَأَنَّ أَكْثَرَكُمْ فَاسِقُونَ ﴿٥٩﴾
and (perhaps) that most of you are rebellious and disobedient?"
C769. There is the most biting irony in this and the next verse,
You People of the Book!
Do you hate us because we believe in Allah and not only our scripture, but yours also?
Perhaps you hate us because we obey and you are in rebellion against Allah! Why hate us?
There are worse things than our obedience and our Faith. Shall I tell you some of them?
Our test will be:
what treatment Allah meted out to the things I mention. Who were the people who incurred the curse of Allah? (See Deut. 11:28, and 28:15-68: and numerous passages like Hosea 8:14, and 9:1).
Who provoked Allah's wrath? (See numerous passages like Deut. 1:34: Matt. 3:7).
Who forsook Allah, and worshipped evil? (See Jeremiah, 16:11-13).
That is your record.
Is that why you hate us?'
Other versions:
5: 54 O you who have attained to faith! If you ever abandon your faith, God will in time bring forth people whom He loves and who love Him- humble towards the believers, proud towards all who deny the truth: who strive hard in God’s cause, and do not fear to be censured by anyone who might censure them: such is God’s favor, which He grants unto whom He wills. And God is infinite, all-knowing. Asad
see note 76
5:54..........Lowly with the believers, mighty against the Rejecters, fighting in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the reproaches of such as find fault. That is the Grace of Allalh, which He will bestow on who He pleases.....Ali, see note 767
5: 55, 56 Behold, your only helper shall be God, and His Apostle, and those who have attained to faith – those that are constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and bow down [before God] : for, all who ally themselves with God and his Apostle and those who have attained to faith – behold, it is they, the partisans of God, who shall be victorious!
5: 57 O you who have attained to faith! Do not take for your friends such as mock at your faith and make a jest of it ...............but remain conscious of God, if you are [truly] believers!
5: 58 for, when you call to prayer, they mock at it and make a jest of it – simply because they are people who do not use their reason. Asad
5: 57, 58 O you who believe! ....but fear Allah, if you have Faith [indeed].
...because they are a people without understanding. Ali
5: 67 O Apostle! Announce all that has been bestowed form on high upon thee by thy Sustainer: for unless you do it fully, you will not have delivered His message. And God will protect you form men: behold, God does not guide people who refuse to acknowledge the truth.
5: 68 Say: “O followers of the Bible! You have no valid ground for your beliefs unless you observe the Torah and the Gospel, and all that has been bestowed from on high upon you by your Sustainer !