Surah 5. Al-Ma'ida
(The Table, The Table Spread)
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
1. O
ye who believe! fulfil (all) obligations.
Lawful unto you (for
food) are all four-footed animals, with the exceptions named: But
animals of the chase are forbidden while ye are in the sacred precincts
or in pilgrim garb: for Allah doth command according to His will
and plan.
2. O ye who believe!
Violate not the sanctity of the symbols of Allah, nor of the sacred
month, nor of the animals brought for sacrifice, nor the garlands
that mark out such animals, nor the people resorting to the sacred
house, seeking of the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord. But
when ye are clear of the sacred precincts and of pilgrim garb, ye
may hunt and let not the hatred of some people in (once) shutting
you out of the Sacred Mosque lead you to transgression (and hostility
on your part). Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but
help ye not one another in sin and rancour: fear Allah. for Allah
is strict in punishment.
3. Forbidden to you (for
food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which
hath been invoked the name of other than Allah. that which hath
been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong
fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly)
eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due
form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also
is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety.
This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion:
yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion
for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam
as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination
to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
4. They ask thee what
is lawful to them (as food). Say: lawful unto you are (all) things
good and pure: and what ye have taught your trained hunting animals
(to catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah. eat what they
catch for you, but pronounce the name of Allah over it: and fear
Allah. for Allah is swift in taking account.
5. This day are (all)
things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People
of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful
unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers,
but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your
time,- when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity,
not lewdness, nor secret intrigues if any one rejects faith, fruitless
is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those
who have lost (all spiritual good).
6. O ye who believe!
when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and
arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your
feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity,
bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one
of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact
with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean
sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah doth
not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and
to complete his favour to you, that ye may be grateful.
7. And call in remembrance
the favour 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.
8. O ye who believe!
stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let
not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart
from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For
Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.
9. To those who believe
and do deeds of righteousness hath Allah promised forgiveness and
a great reward.
10. Those who reject
faith and deny our signs will be companions of Hell-fire.
11. O ye who believe!
Call in remembrance the favour of Allah unto you when certain men
formed the design to stretch out their hands against you, but ((Allah))
held back their hands from you: so fear Allah. And on Allah let
believers put (all) their trust.
12. 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, practise regular charity, believe in
my apostles, honour 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, resisteth faith, he hath truly wandered from the path or rectitude."
13. But because of their
breach of their covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts
grow hard; they change the words from their (right) places and forget
a good part of the message that was sent them, nor wilt thou cease
to find them- barring a few - ever bent on (new) deceits: but forgive
them, and overlook (their misdeeds): for Allah loveth those who
are kind.
14. From those, too,
who call themselves Christians, We did take a covenant, but they
forgot a good part of the message that was sent them: so we estranged
them, with enmity and hatred between the one and the other, to the
day of judgment. And soon will Allah show them what it is they have
done.
15. O people of the
Book! There hath come to you our Messenger, revealing to you much
that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is
now unnecessary). There hath come to you from Allah a (new) light
and a perspicuous Book,-
16. Wherewith Allah
guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety,
and leadeth them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light,-
guideth them to a path that is straight.
17. In blasphemy indeed
are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: "Who
then hath the least power against Allah, if His will were to destroy
Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all every - one that is
on the earth? For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens
and the earth, and all that is between. He createth what He pleaseth.
For Allah hath power over all things."
18. (Both) the Jews
and the Christians say: "We are sons of Allah, and his beloved."
Say: "Why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay, ye are but
men,- of the men he hath created: He forgiveth whom He pleaseth,
and He punisheth whom He pleaseth: and to Allah belongeth the dominion
of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between: and unto
Him is the final goal (of all)"
19. O People of the
Book! Now hath come unto you, making (things) clear unto you, Our
Messenger, after the break in (the series of) our apostles, lest
ye should say: "There came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and
no warner (from evil)": But now hath come unto you a bringer of
glad tidings and a warner (from evil). And Allah hath power over
all things.
20. Remember Moses said
to his people: "O my people! Call in remembrance the favour of Allah
unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and
gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples.
21. "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."
22. 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."
23. (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."
24. 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)."
25. He said: "O my Lord!
I have power only over myself and my brother: so separate us from
this rebellious people!"
26. 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.
27. Recite to them the
truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold! they each presented
a sacrifice (to Allah.: It was accepted from one, but not from the
other. Said the latter: "Be sure I will slay thee." "Surely," said
the former, "(Allah) doth accept of the sacrifice of those who are
righteous.
28. "If thou dost stretch
thy hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my
hand against thee to slay thee: for I do fear Allah, the cherisher
of the worlds.
29. "For me, I intend
to let thee draw on thyself my sin as well as thine, for thou wilt
be among the companions of the fire, and that is the reward of those
who do wrong."
30. The (selfish) soul
of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him,
and became (himself) one of the lost ones.
31. Then Allah sent
a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame
of his brother. "Woe is me!" said he; "Was I not even able to be
as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?" then he became
full of regrets-
32. On that account:
We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person
- unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land
- it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved
a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.
Then although there came to them Our apostles with clear signs,
yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses
in the land.
33. The punishment of
those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with
might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion,
or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile
from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy
punishment is theirs in the Hereafter;
34. Except for those
who repent before they fall into your power: in that case, know
that Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
35. O ye who believe!
Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him, and
strive with might and main in his cause: that ye may prosper.
36. As to those who
reject Faith,- if they had everything on earth, and twice repeated,
to give as ransom for the penalty of the Day of Judgment, it would
never be accepted of them, theirs would be a grievous penalty.
37. Their wish will
be to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom:
their penalty will be one that endures.
38. As to the thief,
Male or female, cut off his or her hands: a punishment by way of
example, from Allah, for their crime: and Allah is Exalted in power.
39. But if the thief
repents after his crime, and amends his conduct, Allah turneth to
him in forgiveness; for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
40. Knowest thou not
that to Allah (alone) belongeth the dominion of the heavens and
the earth? He punisheth whom He pleaseth, and He forgiveth whom
He pleaseth: and Allah hath power over all things.
41. O Messenger. let
not those grieve thee, who race each other into unbelief: (whether
it be) among those who say "We believe" with their lips but whose
hearts have no faith; or it be among the Jews,- men who will listen
to any lie,- will listen even to others who have never so much as
come to thee. They change the words from their (right) times and
places: they say, "If ye are given this, take it, but if not, beware!"
If any one's trial is intended by Allah, thou hast no authority
in the least for him against Allah. For such - it is not Allah.s
will to purify their hearts. For them there is disgrace in this
world, and in the Hereafter a heavy punishment.
42. (They are fond of)
listening to falsehood, of devouring anything forbidden. If they
do come to thee, either judge between them, or decline to interfere.
If thou decline, they cannot hurt thee in the least. If thou judge,
judge in equity between them. For Allah loveth those who judge in
equity.
43. But why do they
come to thee for decision, when they have (their own) law before
them?- therein is the (plain) command of Allah. yet even after that,
they would turn away. For they are not (really) People of Faith.
44. It was We who revealed
the law (to Moses): therein was guidance and light. By its standard
have been judged the Jews, by the prophets who bowed (as in Islam)
to Allah.s will, by the rabbis and the doctors of law: for to them
was entrusted the protection of Allah.s book, and they were witnesses
thereto: therefore fear not men, but fear me, and sell not my signs
for a miserable price. If any do fail to judge by (the light of)
what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers.
45. We ordained therein
for them: "Life for life, eye for eye, nose or nose, ear for ear,
tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal." But if any one remits
the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for
himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath
revealed, they are (No better than) wrong-doers.
46. And in their footsteps
We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come
before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light,
and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance
and an admonition to those who fear Allah.
47. Let the people of
the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do
fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are
(no better than) those who rebel.
48. To thee We sent
the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before
it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what Allah
hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from
the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed
a law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made
you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath
given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you
all is to Allah. it is He that will show you the truth of the matters
in which ye dispute;
49. And this (He commands):
Judge thou between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow
not their vain desires, but beware of them lest they beguile thee
from any of that (teaching) which Allah hath sent down to thee.
And if they turn away, be assured that for some of their crime it
is Allah.s purpose to punish them. And truly most men are rebellious.
50. Do they then seek
after a judgment of (the days of) ignorance? But who, for a people
whose faith is assured, can give better judgment than Allah.