of Nekounam, (Session 1051)
Surah Al-Maidah, one of the Medinan chapters of the Holy Qur'an, flows like a clear spring, disseminating divine rulings and wisdom into the hearts and souls of the faithful. This Surah, revealed towards the final period of the life of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), delineates legal, rational, and ethical injunctions, presenting a comprehensive map that guides humanity towards felicity and perfection. Verse 7 of this Surah, akin to a brilliant gem, calls believers to remember divine blessings and the covenant with God, directing them towards piety and consciousness of Gods boundless oversight. This treatise, relying on the discourses of religious scholars, offers a profound and extensive elucidation of this verse, analytically exploring its rational, devotional, and worshipful dimensions. Much like a fruitful garden, the text intertwines Quranic knowledge with scholarly reflections, inviting the reader on a spiritual journey into the depths of divine verses.
Surah Al-Maidah, resembling a magnificent table laden with divine blessings, spreads before the believers laws and knowledge that nourish both body and elevate the soul. This Surah, centred around rational rulings such as fulfilling covenants, devotional injunctions like dietary prohibitions, and acts of worship including the establishment of prayer, offers a comprehensive framework for a faithful life. The opening verses (1 to 6) stand as firm pillars of the edifice, strengthening the foundations of religion, while verse 7, serving as the seal and lock of this structure, conclusively summons the believers to recollect blessings and their covenant with the Lord.
Verse 7 of Surah Al-Maidah acts like a key opening a vast gate, summarising prior rulings and inviting believers to contemplate blessings and the divine covenant. This verse, articulated in eloquent and decisive language, guides humankind towards awareness and commitment to religion. Like a bridge linking two shores, it connects the previous rational and devotional commandments to the spiritual covenant and divine piety.
The phrase "وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ" ("And remember the favour of Allah upon you") resembles a refreshing breeze that invites the human soul to reflect on the boundless divine blessings. The term Nimah, derived from the root Naama meaning enjoyment and benefit, encompasses both material blessings such as food and clothing, and spiritual blessings such as guidance and religion. This Quranic exhortation encourages the believer to gratitude and awareness of divine favours, as if every moment of life is a colourful tableau of the Lords graces that must be observed with intellect and heart.
The phrase "وَمِيثَاقَهُ الَّذِي وَاثَقَكُمْ بِهِ" refers to the covenant that God established with His servants, which they accepted by saying "سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا" ("We hear and we obey"). This covenant is like an eternal document embodying commitment to the religion and obedience to divine laws. Like a tree rooted in the soil of faith, this pact connects the believer to the Lord, obliging them to righteous deeds and adherence to religion.
The command "وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ" ("And fear Allah") invites believers to observe piety, which entails refraining from disobedience and awareness of the divine presence. Piety in this verse is not mere fear but functions as a shield that protects the heart from sin and directs the individual to vigilance over their actions. The phrase "إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ" emphasises Gods infinite knowledge of the secrets and intentions within the chest, calling humans to sincerity and purity before their Lord. The term "ذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ" denotes the heart and hidden secrets within the breast, as if the human heart is a transparent mirror before the penetrating gaze of God.
Verses 1 to 6 of Surah Al-Maidah comprise a collection of precious jewels containing the rational, devotional, and worshipful rulings of religion. These injunctions, from fulfilling covenants and the permissibility of lawful things to dietary prohibitions, purification, and establishing prayer, encompass all aspects of the believers life. Verse 7, by recalling these blessings, invites believers to reflect on the comprehensiveness of religion, as if the religion were a boundless ocean containing all that is necessary for human felicity.
The first verse of Surah Al-Maidah commands "أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ" ("Fulfil the covenants"), presenting faithfulness to contracts as a rational and universal principle. This principle, binding upon all humans regardless of belief, fortifies social ethics like a steadfast pillar. It calls humans to uphold their commitments, whether towards God or fellow creatures.
Verses concerning hunting, such as verse 4, stress mentioning Gods name during slaughter. This injunction, akin to a sacred ritual, transforms the act of consumption into a spiritual worship. Uttering Gods name is like a light shining upon the earthly substance of food, elevating it from mere matter to a divine blessing.
Verse 2 of Surah Al-Maidah states, "وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ" ("Let not the hatred of a people prevent you"), cautioning believers against unjust revenge in the face of enmity. This ruling, like an invitation to leniency and peace, encourages the transformation of hostility into friendship. It is as if God teaches the believer to guide even the enemy towards reconciliation with an open heart.
Verse 2 further commands "وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ" ("Do not cooperate in sin and aggression"), preventing the spread of corruption in society. This injunction acts like a shield against sin, urging collaboration in righteousness and piety. Every good deed is thereby a step towards building a pure and just society.
Verses 3 and 5 delineate forbidden foods and announce the completion of the religion ("أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ") and Gods satisfaction ("رَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا"). These rulings, combining rationality and devotion, illuminate the path of guidance like a divine light.
Verse 5 permits marriage with chaste women from among the People of the Book, regarding it as a divine blessing that facilitates social and interfaith interaction. This ruling serves as a bridge among cultures, promoting unity and peaceful coexistence.
Verse 6 explains rulings on purification (ablution, bathing, and dry ablution) and the prerequisite of prayer, considering these as divine blessings that lead to physical and spiritual purity. Purification is like a pure garment preparing the believers soul and body for meeting the Lord.
The remembrance of Gods blessings, emphasised in verse 7 by "وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ", should be perpetuated through continual utterances such as "Alhamdulillah" and "La ilaha illa Allah", both within and outside prayer. This remembrance resembles a melody harmonising the believers heart with the divine rhythm.
Gratitude manifests beyond verbal mention, appearing in awareness and heartfelt presence towards divine blessings. When the believer drinks a glass of water or sits at the table, they must regard these acts with intellect and heart as Gods favours. Every morsel of food becomes a gift from the Lords boundless banquet, to be received with consciousness and thanks.
Religious knowledge criticises those who consume food merely to satisfy hunger without awareness of divine blessings. Such behaviour, devoid of rational presence, resembles animalistic consumption that deprives humans of profound comprehension of divine favours. The believer must digest the food first with intellect and understanding before it reaches the stomach, as each blessing is a sign for reflection and gratitude.
Verse 7 of Surah Al-Maidah, like a mirror reflecting the truth of religion, calls believers to remember divine blessings and covenant, observe piety, and be conscious of Gods infinite knowledge of inner secrets. This verse, summarising rational rulings (such as covenant-keeping and avoidance of aggression), devotional injunctions (such as dietary prohibitions and purification), and acts of worship (such as prayer), presents a comprehensive framework for the faithful life. The rational gratitude emphasised in this verse guides the believer towards heartfelt presence and awareness of divine blessings. This interpretation, reflecting on the discourses of religious scholars, endeavours to present Quranic knowledge in a coherent and spiritual manner, as if each verse is a step towards the summits of knowledge and perfection.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
