Surah Al-Ma'idah, like a shining lamp in the sky of guidance, illuminates the path to felicity and salvation for humanity through its verses. Verses 86 to 88 of this Surah, continuing the discourse on monotheism and ethics, elucidate the fate of the disbelievers, prohibit the distortion of divine ordinances, and emphasise the consumption of what is lawful and wholesome. These verses, by delineating the boundary between faith and disbelief and inviting observance of divine limits in action, guide humanity towards a balanced and spiritual life. In this treatise, relying on the lectures of religious scholars, these verses are elucidated with clear and weighty language, complemented by semantic connections and additional explanations, forming a comprehensive work for deeper understanding.
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ
"And those who disbelieved and denied Our signs those are the companions of the Hellfire."
Verse 86 of Surah Al-Ma'idah, like a mirror reflecting the truth, places the fate of the disbelievers opposite that of the believers. After describing the heavenly reward for the faithful in preceding verses, this verse addresses the destiny of those who not only failed to believe but deliberately denied the divine signs, choosing the path of enmity and repudiation. Disbelief, like a dark shadow, signifies the denial of the existence of God or His verses; yet denial goes further as a deliberate judgement declaring the verses to be false. This distinction, akin to a clear dividing line between two paths, reveals the severity of the sin of the deniers.
Among the disbelievers, there exists a group who, due to lack of access to the truth, have not embraced faith and are termed the weak or oppressed. These resemble travellers lost in the desert of ignorance, who may receive God's mercy on the Day of Resurrection. However, the deniers, who have knowingly and deliberately labelled the verses false, are destined for Jahim, the blazing Hellfire. Jahim, like a flame that devours darkness, signifies the intensity of the punishment awaiting this group.
Disbelief, like dust covering the eyes, may arise from ignorance or lack of understanding. Denial, however, like an arrow released from the bow of awareness, is an act that follows contemplation and leads to rejection of the truth. This distinction, like two branches of the same tree, denotes levels of sin. Denial is contingent upon contemplation; that is, after reflection and examination, the individual judges the verses as false. This act, like an engraving upon stone, is a graver sin than mere disbelief and guides the individual towards Jahim.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ
"O you who have believed, do not forbid the good things which Allah has made lawful to you, nor transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors."
Verse 87, like a melody resonating in the soul, deters the believers from distorting divine ordinances. Declaring forbidden what God has permitted is akin to drawing a veil over the light of truth an objectionable act. This verse invites the faithful to observe divine limits and forbids excess and transgression. Transgression, like a river overflowing its banks, encompasses any exceeding of divine boundaries, whether in distortion of ordinances or in practical conduct.
God, like a compassionate father guiding His children on the right path, dislikes transgressors. This distancing from divine mercy applies not only to disbelievers but also to believers who exceed divine limits. This verse, like a lamp on the path, emphasises the importance of moderation and equilibrium in Islamic jurisprudence.
Verse 87, by forbidding distortion of divine laws and transgression of limits, guides believers towards a balanced life in harmony with God's will. This verse, like a mirror reflecting truth, demonstrates that any form of extremism or negligence is unworthy of a believer.
وَكُلُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي أَنْتُمْ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ
"And eat of what Allah has provided for you [which is] lawful and good, and fear Allah, in whom you are believers."
Verse 88, like an invitation to a divine banquet, calls the believers to partake of provisions that are both lawful and wholesome. Lawful, like pure water, indicates sustenance obtained through legitimate means; wholesome, like a fragrant flower, signifies its purity and merit. These two attributes, like two wings, elevate the believers provision towards excellence.
Lawfulness implies that the provision results from the individuals own effort and does not infringe upon the rights of others. Wholesomeness, however, goes beyond legality and refers to the purity and merit of the provision. For instance, an occupation such as burial shrouding, though lawful, is not wholesome due to its association with death and is incongruent with the dignity of a believer.
The difference between lawful and wholesome is like that between water and perfume. Lawfulness guarantees legitimacy, while wholesomeness brings beauty and worthiness. Some professions, though lawful, are not deemed wholesome because of their detrimental impact on the soul, mind, or society. For example, occupations such as embalming or corpse washing, although legally permissible, due to their degrading nature, conflict with human dignity and the status of a believer.
Occupations that lead to human degradation, like thorns in the garden of life, are incompatible with the spirit of faith. Work such as embalming, which exposes a person to humiliation and reproach, or corpse washing, which undermines human dignity by its very nature, are examples of unwholesome professions. Religious scholars propose that in Islamic societies, such occupations should be replaced with dignified ones to preserve human honour. For instance, the washing of the deceased should be entrusted to relatives to avoid humiliating the individual.
In some interpretations, excessive emphasis on superficial issues such as hair covering, instead of attention to the spirit of divine laws, has been criticised. Hair, as an adornment attached to the body, is not considered part of the body itself; excessive focus on covering it may divert from the spirit of Islamic rulings. Furthermore, harsh treatments, such as punishing women for cycling, contradict justice and proportionality in applying laws. These criticisms, like an echo resounding in silence, underscore the necessity of re-examining traditional interpretations and focusing on the essence of the laws.
Verse 88, by inviting consumption of lawful and wholesome provisions, guides believers towards a life where legitimacy and purity are intertwined. This verse, with emphasis on God-consciousness, highlights the connection between faith and righteous deeds. Critique of unwholesome occupations and superficial rulings demonstrates the necessity of reforming social and religious structures to preserve human dignity.
Surah Al-Ma'idah, like a book unfolding wisdom page by page, proceeds in a logical sequence from beliefs to practical rulings. This Surah first addresses Jews, Christians, and polytheists, then the priests and monks, and subsequently describes the believers. Following this, with verses 86 to 88, it reaches practical ordinances such as the consumption of lawful and wholesome provisions and avoidance of distortion and transgression. This order, like a ladder ascending towards the heavens of guidance, demonstrates the comprehensiveness of Islamic law.
Religious knowledge, like a tree requiring continual watering, demands research and inquiry. Some rulings and interpretations, without thorough examination, have become traditions that may conflict with the spirit of Sharia. For example, excessive focus on superficial issues such as dress or acceptance of degrading occupations reveals a deficiency in investigation and scholarship. This critique, like a wake-up call, stresses the necessity of scientific reconsideration in religious and social matters.
Verses 86 to 88 of Surah Al-Ma'idah, by charting a path from belief to action, highlight the comprehensiveness of Islamic law. These verses, by inviting observance of divine limits and criticising social and religious shortcomings, open a way towards reform and elevation.
Verses 86 to 88 of Surah Al-Ma'idah, like a light piercing the darkness, guide humanity towards faith, righteous deeds, and observance of divine boundaries. These verses, by elucidating the distinction between disbelief and denial, forbidding distortion of ordinances, and inviting consumption of lawful and wholesome sustenance, emphasise the inseparable link between belief and action. Critique of degrading professions and superficial interpretations points to the necessity of reforming social and religious structures. This exegesis, with clear and weighty language, endeavours to convey the message of the Holy Quran effectively and spiritually to its audience.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
