5. Surah Al-Ma'idah

Here the Quran is setting a standard for all time and for all people. Many a society has gone astray because the people followed ancestors’ false and wrong way of doing things. The opposite is also true: societies progressed because people had questioned the wrong practices and paradigms set by the predecessors or ancestors. Meaningless traditions or traditions that are based on superstitions that make life complicated unnecessarily should be discarded. On the other hand there could be much to learn from the experiences and wisdom of the past. However, those cannot be accepted blindly and without using reason and wisdom. This verse is challenging and condemning the close-mindedness and blind following of traditions at any time in any society. Amatulla

“….an illustration of the arbitrary invention of certain supposedly "religious" obligations and prohibitions alluded to in the preceding two verses and explained in the corresponding notes.” Asad

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

مَا جَعَلَ اللّهُ ...

5: 103. It was not Allah Who instituted (superstitions like those of)

... مِن بَحِيرَةٍ وَلاَ سَآئِبَةٍ وَلاَ وَصِيلَةٍ وَلاَ حَامٍ...

- a slit-ear she-camel,

- or a she-camel let loose for free pasture,

- or idol sacrifices for twin-births in animals,

- or stallion-camels freed from work;

... وَلَـكِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ...

it is blasphemers who invent a lie against Allah,

... وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿١٠٣﴾

but most of them lack wisdom.

Transliteration Ma_ ja'alalla_hu mim bahiratiw wa la_ sa_'ibatiw wa la_ wasilatiw wa la_ ha_m(iw), wa la_kinnal lazina kafaru_ yaftaru_na 'alalla_hil kazib(a), wa aksaruhum la_ ya'qilu_n(a).

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْاْ إِلَى مَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ...

5: 104. When it is said to them: "Come to what Allah hath revealed; come to the Messenger":

... قَالُواْ حَسْبُنَا مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءنَا...

they say: "Enough for us are the ways we found our fathers following."

... أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٠٤﴾

What! even though their fathers were void of knowledge and guidance?

Transliteration Wa iza_ qila lahum ta'a_lau ila_ ma_ anzalalla_hu wa ilar rasu_li qa_lu_ hasbuna_ ma_ wajadna_ 'alaihi a_ba_'ana_, awalau ka_na a_ba_'uhum la_ ya'lamu_na syai'aw wala_ yahtadu_n(a).

Asad’s translation:

5:103

IT IS NOT of God's ordaining that certain kinds of cattle should be marked out by superstition and set aside from the use of man; 124 yet those who are bent on denying the truth attribute their own lying inventions to God. And most of them never use their reason:

(5: 104) for when they are told, "Come unto that which God has bestowed from on high, and unto the Apostle" - they answer, "Enough for us is that which we found our forefathers believing in and doing." Why, even though their forefathers knew nothing, and were devoid of all guidance?

Pickthall’s translation:

5: 103

Allah hath not appointed anything in the nature of a Bahirah or a Saibah or a Wasilah or a Hami, but those who disbelieve invent a lie against Allah. Most of them have no sense.

5: 104

And when it is said unto them: Come unto that which Allah hath revealed and unto the messenger, they say: Enough for us is that wherein we found our fathers. What! Even though their fathers had no knowledge whatsoever, and no guidance?

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Asad’s comments:

124 Lit., "God has not ordained anything [in the nature] of a bahirah, nor a sa'ibah, nor a wasilah, nor a ham." These expressions denote certain categories of domestic animals which the pre-Islamic Arabs used to dedicate to their various deities by setting them free to pasture and prohibiting their use or slaughter. They were selected mainly on the basis of the number, sex and sequence of their offspring; but the lexicographers and commentators are by no means unanimous in their attempts at definition. For this reason - as well as because of their inherent complexity the above four terms cannot be translated into any other language; consequently, I am rendering them in the text as "certain kinds of cattle marked out by superstition and set aside from the use of man" : this being, in the consensus of all authorities, the common denominator of the four categories. It is obvious that their mention at this place (as well as, by implication, in 6:138-139 and 143-144) serves as an illustration of the arbitrary invention of certain supposedly "religious" obligations and prohibitions alluded to in the preceding two verses and explained in the corresponding notes.

Ali’s comments:

C809. A number of Arab Pagan superstitions are referred to.

The Pagan mind, not understanding the hidden secrets of nature, attributed certain phenomena to divine anger and were assailed by superstitious fears which haunted their lives.

- If a she-camel or other female domestic animal had a large number of young, she (or one of her offspring) had her car slit and she was dedicated to a god: such an animal was a bahira.

- On return in safety from a journey, or on recovery from an illness a she-camel was similarly dedicated and let loose for free pasture: she was called a saiba.

- Where an animal bore twins, certain sacrifices or dedications were made to idols: an animal so dedicated was a wasila.

- A stallion-camel dedicated to the gods by certain rites was a ham.

The particular examples lead to the general truth: that superstition is due to ignorance, and is degrading to men and dishonouring to Allah.

C810. Cf. 2:170.

Where a Messenger of Truth comes to teach us the better way, it is foolish to say: "What our ancestors did is good enough for us."

Amatulla’s comment:

Here the Quran is setting a standard for mindset for all time and for all people. Many a society has gone astray because the people followed ancestors’ false and wrong way of doing things. Also societies progressed because people had questioned the wrong parameters and paradigms set by the predecessors or ancestors. On the other hand there could be much to learn from the experiences and wisdom of the past. However, those cannot be accepted blindly and without using reason and wisdom.

There is no scope for blind following in Islam. Everything must be evaluated and understood through reason, the faculty God has endowed humans with and the ability God has given to each and every human being. The past traditions must be analyzed changed and corrected, if needs be. And also more importantly one must be ready to be open for future suggestions and ideas because there my lie the truth. This verse is challenging and condemning the close-mindedness and blind following of people at any time in any society.