English - Chapter 5 - Al-Maidah

O you who believe, fulfill all obligations. Permissible to you are four-footed animals, with the exceptions named. But hunting is forbidden while you are in pilgrim garb, and God commands according to His will and plan

O you who believe, do not impose on the symbols of God, nor on the sacred month. Nor on the animals brought for sacrifice. Nor on the garlands that identify such animals. Nor on the people visiting the Sacred House, seeking the bounty and blessings of their Lord. And when you come out of pilgrim garb, you may hunt. But do not let the hatred of some people who shut you out of the Sacred Masjid, lead you to transgression. Help one another in righteousness and piety, but do not help one another in harmful deeds and hatred. And be conscious of God, Who is strict in punishment

Forbidden to you are the meat of animals found dead, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which has been invoked a name other than God, and that which has been strangled to death, or fatally hit, or falls to its death, or is gored to death, and that which has been partly eaten by a wild animal, unless you are able to slaughter it in the correct way. And forbidden is that which is sacrificed on stone, and the division by raffling with arrows, for that is impiety. This day have those who reject it given up all hope of your way of life. Yet do not fear them, but fear Me. This day have I complemented your way of life for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Al-Islam as your way of life. But if any are forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgress, God is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Mercifully Redeeming

They ask you what is permissible to them. Say, “Permissible to you are things good and pure, and that slaughtered by that which you have made to slaughter, in the manner God has taught you. Eat what they slaughter for you, pronounce the name of God over it, and be conscious of God, for God is swift in taking account

This day all things good and pure are made permissible to you. The food of the people of the Book is permissible to you and yours is permissible to them, as are chaste women who are Believers, and chaste women among the people of the Book revealed before your time, if you give them their dowries, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret rendezvous. If anyone rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the hereafter, he will be in the ranks of those who are lost

O you who believe, when you prepare for prayer, wash your faces, hands and arms to the elbows, wipe your heads and feet to the ankles. If you are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you comes from the offices of nature, or you have been intimate with women, and you find no water, then take for yourselves natural earth, and wash your faces and hands with it. God does not wish to make things difficult, but to refine you, and to complete his favor to you, that you may experience appreciation

And call to mind the favor of God to you, and His covenant which He ratified with you when you said, “We hear, and we follow.” And be conscious of God, for God knows well the secrets of your hearts

O you who believe, stand out firmly for God, as witnesses to fair dealings. And do not let the hatred of others towards you make you stray to wrong and depart from justice. Be just, that is next to piety, and be conscious of God, for God is well acquainted with all that you do

To those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, God has promised forgiveness and a great reward

Those who do not believe and deny Our signs will be companions of hellfire

O you who believe, call to mind the favor of God to you when certain people made a plan to stretch out their hands against you. But God held back their hands from you. So be conscious of God, and on God let believers put their trust

God took a covenant from the Children of Israel, and We appointed twelve leaders among them and God said, “I am with you, if you establish worship, give zakat, believe in my messengers, honor and assist them, and loan to God a handsome loan, and indeed I will remove your guilt, and admit you to gardens with rivers flowing beneath. But if after this, any of you resists faith, he has certainly wandered from the path of righteousness.”

But because of the breach of their covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from their places and forget a good part of the message that was sent to them. And you will not cease to find them, except a few, relying on lies. But forgive them, and overlook it, for God loves those who are kind

Also from those who said, "Certainly we are Christians," We took a covenant. But they forgot a good part of the message that was sent to them. So we estranged them with enmity and hatred between one another, until the Day of Accountability. And soon God will show them what it is they have done

O people of the Book, there has come to you Our messenger revealing to you much of that which you used to hide in the Book, and passing over much. There has come to you from God, a light and a clear book

With which God guides all who seek His guidance, to ways of peace and security, and leads them out of darkness, by His will, into the light, guiding them to a straight path

Indeed committing blasphemy are those who say that God is Christ the son of Mary. Say, “Who then has the least bit of power against God, if His will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and everyone else on the earth? For to God belong the control of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between. He creates what He pleases, for God has power over all things.”

Among Jews and Christians are some who say, “We are sons of God, and are his beloved.” Say, “Why then does He punish you for your sins? No, you are sons of human beings, of the human beings He has created. He forgives whom He pleases, and He punishes whom He pleases, and to God belongs the control of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between, and to Him is the final goal.”

O people of the Book, now there has come to you, to make things clear to you, Our messenger, after a pause in the series of our messengers, so that you cannot say, “There came to us no bringer of good news and no warner.” But now there has come to you a bringer of good news and a warner, and God has power over all things

Remember Moses said to his people, “O my people, call to mind the favor of God to you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other peoples

“O my people, enter the Holy Land which God has assigned to you, and do not turn back shamefully, for then you will be overthrown, to your own ruin.”

They said, “O Moses, in this land is a people of exceeding strength. Never will we enter it until they leave it, but when they leave, then will we enter.”

Among the conscious people were two on whom God had bestowed His grace. They said, “Assault them at the gate. Once you are in, victory will be yours, but on God put your trust if you have faith.”

They said, “O Moses, while they remain there, never will we be able to enter, to the end of time. You go, with your Lord, and you two can fight, while we stay here.”

He said, “O my Lord, I have power only over myself and my brother. So separate us from these rebellious people.”

God said, “Therefore the land will be out of their reach for forty years. They will wander in distraction through the land, but do not worry over these rebellious people

Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold, they each presented a sacrifice, it was accepted from one, but not from the other. Said the latter, “Certainly I will slay you.” “Certainly,” said the former, “God only accepts the sacrifice of those who are righteous.”

“If you reach your hand against me to slay me, it is not for me to reach my hand against you to slay you, for I am conscious of God, Lord of the worlds

“For me, I intend to let you draw on yourself my sin, as well as yours, for you will be among the companions of the fire, and that is the reward for those who do wrong.”

The soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother. As he murdered him, he became one of the lost

Then God sent a raven who scratched the ground to show him how to hide the shame of his brother, “Oh my God,” He said, “Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?” Then he became full of regrets

On that account, We ordained for the Children of Israel, that if anyone slew a person, unless it is for murder or for spreading devilry in the land, it would be as if he slew a whole people, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of a whole people. Then, although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, even after that, many of them continued to commit atrocities in the land

The punishment of those who wage war against God and His messenger, and commit crimes through the land, is execution, crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land. That is their disgrace in the present, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the hereafter

Except for those who repent before they fall to your power. In that case, know that God is Oft-Forgiving, Mercifully Redeeming

O you who believe, do your duty to God, seek the way to Him, and strive in his cause, that you may flourish

As for those who do not believe, if they had everything on earth, and twice repeated to ransom themselves with it from the penalty on the Day of Accountability, it would never be accepted of them, for them is a terrible penalty

Their wish will be to escape from the fire, but they will never escape. Their penalty will be one that endures

But if the thief repents after his crime, and amends his conduct, God turns to them in forgiveness, for God is Oft-Forgiving, Mercifully Redeeming

Do you not know that to God belongs the control of the heavens and the earth? He punishes whom He pleases, He forgives whom He pleases, and God has power over all things

O messenger, do not let those grieve you who race each other to disbelief, whether it be among those who say, “We believe,” with their lips, but whose hearts have no faith, or it be among the Jews, some of who will listen to any lie, will listen even to others who have never so much as come to you. They take the words out of context. They say, “If you are given this, take it, but if not, beware.” If for anyone a trial is intended by God, you have no authority in the least for him against God. For them, it is not God's will to redeem their hearts. For them there is disgrace in the present, and in the hereafter a heavy punishment

They listen to falsehood, and devour things forbidden. If they do come to you, either judge between them or decline to interfere. If you decline, they cannot harm you in the least. If you judge, judge with justice between them, for God loves those who judge with justice

But why do they come to you for decision, when they have the Torah before them? In it is the command of God, yet even after that they would turn away, because they are not people of faith

It was We who revealed the Law containing guidance and light. By its standard, the Jews have been judged by the Prophets who bowed to God's will, by the rabbis and by the doctors of law, for to them was entrusted the protection of God's book, and they were witnesses to that. Therefore, do not fear others, but fear Me, and do not sell My signs for a miserable price. If any fail to judge by what God has revealed, they are unbelievers

We ordained in it for them, “Life for life, eye for eye, nose for nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal to the other.” But if anyone refrains from retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for them, and if any fails to judge by what God has revealed, they are wrongdoers

And in their footsteps, We sent Jesus the son of Mary, reflecting the truth of the Law that had come before him. We sent him the gospel, containing guidance and light, a reflection of the truth of the Law that had come before him, guidance and advice to those who are conscious

Let the people of the gospel judge by what God has revealed in it. If any fail to make decisions using what God has revealed, they are those who are not at peace

To you We sent the Scripture in truth, reflecting the truth of the Scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety. So judge between them by what God has revealed, and do not follow their vain desires, diverging from the truth that has come to you. To each one among you We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If God had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but His plan is to challenge you with what He has given you. So strive as in a race to all virtues. The goal of you all is to God. It is He Who will show you the truth of that which you dispute

And judge between them by what God has revealed. And do not follow their selfish desires, but beware of them, so that they will not mislead you from that which God has sent down to you. And if they turn away, know that for some of their sins it is God's will to punish them. And indeed most people are rebellious

Do they then seek a judgment of ignorance? But who, for a people whose faith is assured, can give better judgment than God

O you who believe, you cannot take all Jews, and all Christians for your friends and protectors, some are only friends and protectors to each other. Those among you who turn to them, are of them, and indeed God does not guide a people who are unjust

Those in whose hearts is a disease, you see how eagerly they run about among them saying, “We do fear, in case a change of fortune bring us disaster.” Perhaps God will give you victory, or a decision according to His will. Then they will repent of the thoughts which they secretly harbored in their hearts

And those who believe will say, “Are these the people who swore their strongest promises by God that they were with you?” All that they do will be in vain and they will fall into ruin

O you who believe, if any among you turn back from his faith, soon will God produce a people who He will love, as they will love Him. A people gentle with the believers, firm with the opposition, fighting in the way of God, and never afraid of the criticism of those who find undue fault. That is the grace of God which He will bestow on whom He pleases, God encompasses all, and He knows all things

Your friends are God, His messenger, and the believers, those who establish prayer and zakat, and who bow down humbly

As for those who turn to God, His messenger, and the believers, know that this fellowship from God must triumph

O you who believe, do not take for friends and protectors those who take your way of life as ridiculous and amusing, whether they are among those who received the Scripture before you, or among those who reject it, but be conscious of God, if you have faith

When you proclaim your call to prayer, they take it as ridiculous and amusing. That is because they are a people without understanding

Say, “O people of the Book, do you disapprove of us for no other reason than that we believe in God and the revelation that has come to us, and that which came before? Most of you are rebellious.”

Say, “Shall I show you something far worse than this, as judged by the treatment it receives from God? Those who incurred the curse of God and His punishment, some of those whom He transformed into apes and swine, and those who worshipped wrong. These are worse in rank, and far more astray from the balanced way.”

When they come to you they say, “We believe.” But in fact, they enter with a mind against faith, and they go out with the same, but God knows fully all that they hide

Many of them you see racing each other in harmful deeds and hatred, and involved in things forbidden. Wrong indeed are the things that they do

Why do the rabbis and the doctors of law not discourage them from their saying sinful words, and from involvement in things forbidden? Wrong indeed are their deeds

Jews say, “God's hands are tied.” Their hands are tied, and they are cursed for what they utter. No, both His hands are wide open. He gives as He pleases, but the revelation that comes to you from God increases in most of them their obstinate rebellion and blasphemy. Among them, we have placed enmity and hatred, until the Day of Accountability. Every time they kindle the fire of war, God extinguishes it, but they strive to do wrong on earth, and God does not love those who do wrong

If only the people of the Book had believed and been righteous, We would indeed have forgiven their immorality and admitted them to gardens of bliss

If only they had stood fast by the Law, the gospel, and all the revelation sent to them from their Lord, they would have enjoyed happiness from every direction. There are among them people on the right path, but many of them refuse to follow it

O messenger, proclaim the message which has been sent to you from your Lord. If you did not, you would not have fulfilled His mission. God will defend you from the people, for God does not guide those who do not believe

Say, “O people of the Book, you have no grounds to stand upon unless you stand fast by the Law, the gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord.” It is the revelation that comes to you from your Lord which increases in most of them their obstinate rebellion and blaspheme. But do not worry about the people without faith

Those who believe, those who are Jews, Sabaeans, Christians, and any who believe in God and the Last Day and work righteousness, on them will be no fear, nor shall they grieve

We took the covenant of the Children of Israel and sent them messengers. Every time there came to them a messenger with what they did not desire, they called some of them impostors, and some they slay

They thought there would be no trial or punishment, so they became blind and deaf. Still God turned to them, but again, many of them became blind and deaf, but God sees well all that they do

They do blaspheme who say, “God is Christ the son of Mary.” But what Christ said was, “O Children of Israel, worship God, my Lord and your Lord.” Whoever joins other gods with God, He will forbid him the garden, and the fire will be his abode. For the wrongdoers there will be no one to help

They do blaspheme who say, “God is one of three in a trinity,” for there is no god except the one God. If they do not desist from these words, indeed a terrible penalty will befall the blasphemers among them

Why do they not turn to God and seek His forgiveness? For God is Oft-Forgiving, Mercifully Redeeming

Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger. Many were the messengers who passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They both had to eat their food. See how God makes His signs clear to them, yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth

Say, “Will you worship besides God something that has power neither to harm nor benefit you? But God, He hears and knows all things.”

Say, “O people of the Book, do not go to extremes in your religions, other than in truth. Nor follow the vain desires of people who went wrong in times gone by, who misled many and strayed from the balanced way.”

Condemnation was pronounced on those among the Children of Israel who rejected faith, by the tongue of David and of Jesus the son of Mary, because they did not follow them and persisted in excesses

Nor did they discourage one another the immorality which they committed. Wrong indeed were the things they did

You see many of them turning in friendship to the unbelievers. Wrong indeed is that which their souls have sent forward before them. God's punishment is on them, and they will live in torment

If only they had believed in God, in the messenger, and in what is revealed to him, never would they have taken them for friends and protectors, but many of them are rebellious wrongdoers

Strongest among people in opposition to the believers will you find among the Jews and pagans. And alongside those believers in devotion will you find those who say, “We are Christians,” because among these are those devoted to learning and those who are in service to humanity, and they are not arrogant. 82 (End of Part)

And when they listen to the revelation received by the messenger, you will see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth. They pray, “Our Lord, we believe, write us down among those who bear witness

“What cause do we have not to believe in God and the truth that has come to us, seeing that we long for our Lord to admit us to the company of the righteous?”

And for this prayer has God rewarded them with gardens through which rivers flow. This is their eternal home. Such is the reward of those who do right

But those who do not believe and deny Our signs, they will be companions of hellfire

O you who believe, do not make impermissible good things that God has made permissible for you. However do not overindulge, for God does not love those who overindulge

Eat of the things which God has provided for you, permissible and healthy, but be aware of God, in Whom you believe

God will not call you to account for your casual promises, but He will call you to account for your contractual obligations. For atonement, feed ten indigent people on a scale of the average for your families, or clothe them, or free a slave. If that is beyond your means, fast for three days, that redeems the promises you have made. But keep your promises. God makes clear to you His signs so that you may be grateful

O you who believe, intoxicants and gambling, dedication of stones and divination by arrows is the harmful work of Satan. Avoid such harm that you may flourish

Satan’s plan is to incite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling, and to keep you from the remembrance of God and from prayer. Will you not then abstain

Follow God, follow the messenger, and be cautious. If you turn back, know that it is only Our messenger’s duty to proclaim the message in the clearest manner

On those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, there is no blame for what they were fed, when they guard themselves from harm, believe and do deeds of righteousness. Again, guard themselves from harm and believe. Again, guard themselves from harm and do good deeds. For God loves those who do right

O you who believe, God challenges you concerning game well within reach of your hands and weaponry, that He may make evident those who fear Him, although He is Unseen. Any who transgress thereafter will have a terrible penalty

O you who believe, do not kill game while in pilgrim garb. If any of you does so intentionally, the compensation is an offering brought to the Kaaba of a domestic animal equivalent to the one he killed, as adjudged by two just people among you, or in exchange, the feeding of the indigent, or its equivalent in fasts, that he may taste of the penalty of his deed. God forgives what has passed. For retribution God will exact from him the penalty, for God is Exalted, Lord of retribution

Permissible to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel with you. But forbidden is the pursuit of land-game as long as you are in pilgrim garb. And be conscious of God, to Whom you will be gathered back

God made the Kaaba, the Sacred House, a sanctuary for people, and also the sacred months, the animals for offerings, and the garlands that identify them, that you may know that God has knowledge of what is in the heavens and on earth, and that God is well acquainted with all things

Know that God is strict in punishment and that God is Oft-Forgiving, Mercifully Redeeming

The Messenger’s duty is only to proclaim the message, but God knows all that you reveal and conceal

Say, “Not equal are things that are harmful and things that are good, even though the abundance of the harmful may dazzle you. So be conscious of God, O you who understand, that you may flourish.”

O you who believe, do not ask questions about things which if made plain to you, may cause you problems. But if you ask about things when the Quran is being revealed, they will be made plain to you, and God will forgive, because God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Understanding

Some people before you asked such questions, and consequently lost their faith

It was not God who instituted superstitions like 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. Blasphemers invent a lie against God, but most of them lack wisdom

When it is said to them, “Come to what God has revealed, come to the messenger. They say, “Enough for us are the ways we found our fathers following.” What, even though their fathers were void of knowledge and guidance

O you who believe, guard your souls. If you follow guidance, no harm can come to you from those who stray. The goal of you all is to God. He will show you the truth of all that you do

O you who believe, when death approaches any of you, take witnesses among yourselves when making wills, take two just people from your brothers, or two others from outside if you are journeying through the earth and the chance of death befalls you. If you doubt their words, keep them both after prayer, and let them both swear by God, “We do not want any worldly gain, even though the beneficiary is a near relative. We will not hide the proof before God, and if we do, then behold, the sin is on us.”

But if it becomes known that these two were guilty of this sin, let two others stand forth in their place, those nearest in family from among those who claim a lawful right. Let them swear by God that, “We affirm that our witness is truer than that of those two, and that we have not trespassed beyond the truth. If we did, behold, the harm is on us.”

That is most suitable, that they may give the evidence in its true form, or else they should fear that other testimonies would be taken over their testimony. So be conscious of God, and listen, for God does not guide a rebellious people

One day God will gather the messengers together and ask, “What was the response you received?” They will say, “We cannot know. It is You who fully know all that is hidden.”

Then God will say, “O Jesus the son of Mary, remember My favor to you and to your mother. Behold, I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit, so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity. Behold, I taught you the Book and the Wisdom, the Law and the gospel. And behold, you make out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My permission, and you breathe into it and it becomes a real bird, by My permission, and you heal those born blind, and the lepers, by My permission. And behold, you bring forth the dead by My permission. And behold, I kept the Children of Israel from you when you showed them the clear signs, and the unbelievers among them said, ‘This is nothing but obvious deception.’ ”

And behold, I inspired the Disciples to have faith in My messenger and Me. They said, “We have faith, bear witness that we are Muslims.”

Behold, the Disciples said, “O Jesus the son of Mary, can your Lord send down to us a table set from heaven?” Jesus said, “Be regardful of God, if you are believers.”

They said, “We only wish to eat of it and satisfy our hearts, and to know that you have indeed told us the truth, and that we may be witnesses to a miracle.”

Said Jesus the son of Mary, “O God, our Guardian Evolver, send us from heaven a table set, that there may be for us, for the first and the last of us, a solemn celebration and a sign from You, and provide for our sustenance, for you are the Best Sustainer.”

God said, “I will send it down to you, but if any of you after that resists faith, I will punish him with a penalty such as I have not inflicted on anyone among all peoples.”

And behold, God will say, “O Jesus the son of Mary, did you say to the people, worship me and my mother as gods?” He will say, “Glory to You, never could I say what I had no right to say. Had I said such a thing, you would indeed have known it. You know what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Yours, for You know all that is hidden.”

“Never did I say to them anything except what You asked me to say, namely, ‘worship God, my Lord and your Lord’, and I was a witness over them while I lived among them. When You raised me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a witness to all things

“If You punish them, they are Your servants. If You forgive them, You are the Exalted in Power, the Wise.”

God will say, “This is a day on which the truthful will profit from their truthfulness. Theirs are gardens with rivers flowing beneath, their eternal home. God well pleased with them, and they with God. That is the great salvation

To God belongs the control of the heavens and the earth, and all that is in it, and it is He Who has power over all things