The Holy Qurn, like a radiant lamp, guides humanity on the path towards felicity and perfection. Surah Al-Midah, one of the final chapters revealed to the blessed heart of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), is a treasury of divine rulings and guidance that regulate the individual and social life of the believers. Verse 4 of this Surah, by responding to the inquiries of the faithful regarding what is lawful (hall) and unlawful (harm), opens a window to a deeper understanding of divine ordinances. This treatise, through profound and analytical insight, elucidates this verse and its related issues, employing the perspectives of religious scholars to present the Qurnic concepts in a clear and coherent form. Emphasising the link between juridical rulings and the practical needs of society, this work endeavours to convey the spirit and message of this verse in a fluent and dignified language to the readers.
يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ وَمَا عَلَّمْتُمْ مِنَ الْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ اللَّهُ فَكُلُوا مِمَّا أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ
They ask you what has been made lawful for them. Say: Lawful for you are all good things, and what you have trained of hunting animals, teaching them by what Allah has taught you. So eat of what they catch for you, and mention the name of Allah upon it, and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is swift in account.
Surah Al-Midah, revealed during the late period of the prophetic mission in Medina, serves as a comprehensive charter clarifying the legal, social, and ethical rulings for the nascent Islamic community. Verse 4 of this Surah was revealed in response to questions from the believers concerning what is lawful to consume. These inquiries reflect the communitys need at that time for clarification of divine limits in the realm of nutrition and hunting. Like a clear spring, this verse offers a transparent framework that assists in regulating religious and social conduct, emphasising adherence to divine rulings.
The verse begins with the phrase يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ (They ask you what has been made lawful for them), indicating the curiosity and need of the believers to receive divine guidance from the Prophet (peace be upon him). This question testifies to the significance of precise understanding of legal rulings in everyday life and the Islamic communitys effort to align with divine will. The verses response, like a key unlocking the doors of ambiguity, provides a clear and comprehensive framework.
The phrase قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ (Say: Lawful for you are all good things) refers to the permissibility of the pure and wholesome. Al-ayyibt here denotes foods that are clean and healthy from both legal and hygienic perspectives. This concept, like a refreshing breeze, stresses not only the juridical aspect but also the physical and spiritual wellbeing in the diet. Al-ayyibt are foods free from physical and spiritual contamination, valued as a capital for health and piety.
The segment وَمَا عَلَّمْتُمْ مِنَ الْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ refers to the use of trained hunting animals such as dogs. Al-Jawr denotes animals trained for hunting, and mukallibn refers to those who train these animals. This ruling, like a bridge between nature and humanity, indicates the utilisation of natural capacities within the framework of Shariah to fulfil nutritional needs.
The phrase تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ اللَّهُ emphasises the divine origin of the human knowledge and skills in training animals. This knowledge, like a gift from God, enables humans to utilise nature in an organised and lawful manner. This part of the verse implies that every skill employed by humans is rooted in divine guidance and must be utilised in the path of pleasing the Creator.
The command فَكُلُوا مِمَّا أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ permits the consumption of prey caught by trained animals, provided the legal conditions are met. This ruling, like a fruitful branch, demonstrates the flexibility of Islamic law in responding to practical societal needs and underscores ease and mercy within the Shariah.
The injunction وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ stresses the necessity of invoking the name of Allah at the time of slaughtering the prey. This condition, like a light dispelling darkness, indicates the importance of pure intention and sincerity in religious acts. If the animal is killed by the hunting animal without the proper Islamic slaughter, it becomes unlawful. This emphasis signifies the deep connection between the physical act and spirituality in Islam.
The verse concludes with وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ which points to the necessity of God-consciousness (taqw) and awareness of the swiftness of Gods reckoning. Al-Sar al-isb serves as a warning, reminding believers of the promptness and precision of divine judgement and urging adherence to divine rulings.
Verse 3 of Surah Al-Midah, with phrases such as الْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ دِينِكُمْ (Today those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion) and الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ (Today I have perfected for you your religion), emphasises the firmness and triumph of Islam. These parenthetical statements testify to the disillusionment of Islams adversaries and the completion of its juridical system. These verses, like a lofty summit, signify the religions resilience against challenges and the completion of its ethical and legal framework.
The phrase الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي refers to the perfection of the Islamic legal and ethical system and the completion of divine blessings, both material and spiritual. This perfection, like a solid edifice, provides a comprehensive framework for religious life where rulings on what is lawful and unlawful act as pillars organising the believers existence.
The phrase وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا indicates Gods selection of Islam as the favoured religion for humanity. This choice, like a brilliant jewel, demonstrates Islams comprehensiveness in addressing the material and spiritual needs of humans and guides believers to follow this path.
Verse 3, by mentioning فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ فِي مَخْمَصَةٍ (But whoever is forced by severe hunger), permits the consumption of forbidden foods under conditions of extreme necessity and starvation, provided there is no intention of sin. This exception, like a window to divine mercy, shows the flexibility of the Shariah in meeting human exigencies.
The original text adopts a critical stance towards mere blind adherence to religious rulings, stressing the necessity for scientific and rational elucidation of these commandments. This perspective, like a stream flowing towards truth, calls for revising traditional understandings and employing contemporary knowledge to analyse them.
Unquestioning acceptance of rulings without rational and scientific explanation is criticised. This view, like a mirror reflecting truth, underlines the need to replace mere blind adherence with scientific analysis. The Qurnic rulings, like hidden
