5. Surah Al-Ma'idah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَاذْكُرُواْ
نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ
عَلَيْكُمْ
وَمِيثَاقَهُ
الَّذِي وَاثَقَكُم
بِهِ...
5: 7. And call in remembrance the favor of Allah unto you, and His Covenant, which He ratified with you,
C705. There is a particular and a general meaning.
The particular meaning refers to the solemn Pledge and Covenant taken by two groups of people at 'Aqabah, a valley near Mina,
- the first about fourteen months before the Hijrah, and
- the second a little later.
These were Pledges of fealty to the Messenger of Allah, comparable to the Covenant under Mount Sinai taken in the time of Moses (See 2:63 and n. 78).
The general meaning has been explained in n. 682 to 5:1: man is under a spiritual obligation under an implied Covenant with Allah:
Allah has given man reason, judgment, the higher faculties of the soul, and even the position of vicegerent on earth (2:30), and man is bound to serve Allah faithfully-and obey His Will.
That obedience begins with cleanliness in bodily functions, food, etc. It goes on to cleanliness of mind and thought, and culminates in purity of motives in the inmost recesses of his heart and soul.
... إِذْ قُلْتُمْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا...
when ye said: "We hear and we obey":
... وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِنَّ اللّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ ﴿٧﴾
and fear Allah, for Allah knoweth well the secrets of your hearts.
وَلَقَدْ
أَخَذَ اللّهُ
مِيثَاقَ بَنِي
إِسْرَآئِيلَ
وَبَعَثْنَا
مِنهُمُ اثْنَيْ
عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا...
5: 12. Allah did aforetime take a Covenant from the Children of Israel, and We appointed twelve captains among them,
"Moses... called for the elders of the people... and all the people answered together and said. 'All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.'" (Exod. 19:7-8).
This was under the towering height of Mount Sinai. The chieftains or elders or leaders of the people were selected, one from each of the twelve tribes (see 2:60 and n. 73).
For census purposes the names of the elders of the tribes are given in Num. 1:4-16: they are called "every one the head of the house of his fathers". Later, twelve other "heads of the Children of Israel" were selected to spy but the land of Canaan: their names are mentioned in Num. 13:1-16.
See also, below, 5:20-26 and notes.
... وَقَالَ اللّهُ إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ ...
and Allah said: "I am with you:
... لَئِنْ أَقَمْتُمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَيْتُمُ الزَّكَاةَ وَآمَنتُم بِرُسُلِي وَعَزَّرْتُمُوهُمْ ...
- if ye (but) establish regular prayers,
- practice regular charity,
- believe in My apostles, honor and assist them and
... وَأَقْرَضْتُمُ اللّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا ...
- loan to Allah a beautiful loan,
The phrase means "spending in the cause of Allah".
Allah in His infinite grace looks upon this as a loan, for which He gives a recompense manifold.
... لَّأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَلأُدْخِلَنَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ ...
verily I will wipe out from you your evils, and admit you to gardens with rivers flowing beneath;
... فَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مِنكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيلِ ﴿١٢﴾
but if any of you, after this, resisteth faith, he hath truly wandered from the path of rectitude."
C711. The path of rectitude: or the even way:
Other versions:
5: 7 [al-Maidah, Medina 112]
Asad And [always] remember the blessings which God has bestowed upon you, and the solemn pledge by which He bound you to Himself when you said,………….
Yusuf Ali And call in remembrance the favor of Allah unto you and His Covenant which He ratified with you when ye said: "We hear and we obey": and fear Allah for Allah knoweth well the secrets of your hearts.
Pickthall Remember Allah's grace upon you and His covenant by which He bound you when ye said: We hear and we obey; and keep your duty to Allah. Allah knoweth what is in the breasts (of men).
Transliteration Wazkuru_ ni'matalla_hi 'alaikum wa mis_qahul lazi wa_saqakum bih(i), iz qultum sami'na_ wa ata'na_, wattaqulla_h(a), innalla_ 'alimum bi za_tis sudu_r(i).
5: 12
Asad And, indeed, God accepted a [similar] solemn pledge from the children of Israel when We caused twelve of their leader to be sent [to Canaam as spies]. And God said: “Behold, I shall be with you! If you are constant in prayer, and spend in charity, and believe in My apostles and aid them, and offer up unto God a goodly loan, I will surely efface your bad deeds and bring you into gardens through which running waters flow. But he from among you who, after this, denies the truth, will indeed have strayed from the right path!”
Yusuf Ali Allah did aforetime take a Covenant from the Children of Israel and We appointed twelve captains among them and Allah said: "I am with you: if ye (but) establish regular prayers practice regular charity believe in My apostles honor and assist them and loan to Allah a beautiful loan verily I will wipe out from you your evils and admit you to gardens with rivers flowing beneath; but if any of you after this resist faith he hath truly wandered from the path of rectitude."
Pickthall Allah made a covenant of old with the Children of Israel and We raised among them twelve chieftains: and Allah said: Lo! I am with you. If ye establish worship and pay the poor due, and believe in My messengers and support them, and lend unto Allah a kindly loan, surely I shall remit your sins, and surely I shall bring you into gardens underneath which rivers flow. Whoso among you disbelieve after this will go astray from a plain road.
Transliteration Wa laqad akhazalla_hu misa_qa bani isra_'il(a), wa ba'asna_ minhumusnai 'asyara naqiba_(n), wa qa_lalla_hu inni ma'akum, la'in aqamtumus sala_ta wa a_taitumuz zaka_ta wa a_mantum bi rusuli wa'azzartumu_hum wa aqradtumulla_ha qardan hasanal la'ukaffiranna'ankum sayyi'a_tikum wala'udkhilannakum janna_tin tajri min tahtihal anha_r(u), fa man kafara ba'da za_lika minkum fa qad dalla sawa_'as sabil(i).
[[ Asad’s note 21 - ……..The pledge was similar in that it related to obedience to God’s commandments.]]
[[ Ali’s notes:
709 Cf. ii. 63 and n. 78, "Moses... called for the elders of the people... and all the people answered together and said. 'All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.' " (Exod. xix, 7-8). This was under the towering height of Mount Sinai. The chieftains or elders or leaders of the people were selected, one from each of the twelve tribes (see ii. 60 and n. 73). For census purposes the names of the elders of the tribes are given in Num. i. 4-16: they are called "every one the head of the house of his fathers". Later, twelve other "heads of the Children of Israel" were selected to spy out the land of Canaan: their names are mentioned in Num. xiii. 1-16. See also, below, v. 20-26 and notes. (5.12)
710 Cf. ii. 245, n. 276. The phrase means "spending in the cause of Allah". Allah in His infinite grace looks upon this as a loan, for which He gives a recompense manifold. (5.12)
711 The path of rectitude: or the even way: see ii. 108. n. 109. (5.12) ]]