Sura 5, al-Maida, Medina 112

The Quranic text and Ali’s Translation:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تُحَرِّمُواْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللّهُ لَكُمْ وَلاَ تَعْتَدُواْ...

5: 87. O ye who believe!

make not unlawful the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you,

but commit no excess:

... إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ ﴿٨٧﴾

for Allah loveth not those given to excess.

Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ la_ tuharrimu_ tayyiba_ti ma_ ahallalla_hu lakum wa la_ ta'tadu_, innalla_ha la_ yuhibbul mu'tadin(a).

5: 87

Asad’s translation

O you who have attained to faith! Do Not derive yourselves of the good things of life which God has made lawful to you [note 100], but do not transgress the bounds of what is right: verily, God does not love those who transgress the bounds of what is right.

Pickthall’s Translation

O ye who believe! Forbid not the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you, and transgress not. Lo! Allah loveth not transgressors.

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Ali’s comments:

C791. In pleasures that are good and lawful the crime is excess. There is no merit merely in abstention or asceticism, though the humility or unselfishness that may go with asceticism may have its value.

In 5:82, Christian monks are praised for particular virtues, though here and elsewhere monasticism is disapproved of.

Use Allah's gifts of all kinds with gratitude, but excess is not approved of by Allah.

Asad’s comments

100 – Most of the commentators ……….explain the expression ‘la tuharrimu (lit., “do not forbid” or “do not declare as forbidden”) in the sense given by me above, and take it to refer to the self-mortification practiced, in particular, by Christians priests and monks……………

Amatull’a comments:

I disagree with the above explanation. There are good references about the piety about the Christian monks as well [see 5:82]. However, this could be true about the doctrine of celibacy and other austerity the monks practice that is in excess. Islam commands to celebrate life within the bounds set by moral law of God. Conjugal life and other enjoyments are all part of that celebration of life that is God gifted to humankind. No one should short change life on the beautiful things God has provided a human to enjoy. This is the thrust of the meaning I understand and it is general. There is no specific implication towards the Christian monks here because the context and reference are general.