of Nekounam , Session 1126
The Holy Quran, the Book of Guidance and Salvation, not only unfolds the path of human felicity before his eyes through its verses but also summons him to reflect on his station as Gods vicegerent on earth. Verse 94 of Surah Al-Maidah, like a clear mirror, manifests human responsibility towards the divine creatures, especially animals. This verse, with profound and wise expression, invites man to observe the divine limits in utilising nature and to abstain from injustice against living beings. In this discourse, relying upon valuable lectures and deep analyses, we have explored the meanings of this verse. The objective is to elucidate the position of man as the responsible steward of nature and to clarify the ethical and jurisprudential principles in interacting with animals. This work, with an organised structure and clear language, seeks to present the lofty Quranic concepts to readers with a profound and spiritual outlook.
O you who have believed, indeed Allah will test you with something of hunting that your hands and your spears will reach, so that Allah may know who fears Him unseen. And whoever transgresses after that for him is a painful punishment.
Surah Al-Maidah, like a collection of divine injunctions, presents the legal rulings to the believers consecutively and coherently. This Surah, without extensive preliminaries, directly addresses the legal rulings, and each ruling is linked like a chain to the subsequent one. Verse 94, among these, deals with the subject of hunting and the limits of benefiting from animals, inviting the believers to a divine trial in this domain.
This feature of the Surah, presenting rulings in a continuous and unembellished manner, attests to the comprehensiveness and conciseness of its legal provisions. The verse in question, focusing on hunting, not only pronounces a legal ruling but also invites man to contemplate his responsibility towards Gods creatures. This verse, like a luminous torch, shows the proper path for utilising nature and warns believers against excess and violation of the rights of other beings.
Verse 94 of Surah Al-Maidah, emphasising the phrase "Indeed Allah will test you with something of hunting", states that Allah tests the believers with game that is within their reach by hand or spear. This test not only refers to mans ability to benefit from nature but also measures his adherence to divine limits.
The phrase "something of hunting" clearly indicates limitation in hunting. Allah permits only a portion of animals for human use, and this restriction, like a sacred boundary, prevents indiscriminate exploitation. This test acts as a mirror revealing the inner state of man and shows whether he fears Allah inwardly or not.
The verse, by mentioning "that your hands and your spears will reach", restricts permissible hunting tools to the hand and spear. This limitation not only specifies hunting methods but also prevents the use of advanced or destructive tools that lead to environmental degradation. Hunting, within this framework, is confined to animals directly accessible by simple means.
This condition acts like a precise guideline, delineating the boundaries of utilising nature. The believing human is like a gardener who carefully and meticulously prunes only the necessary branches from the tree of nature and avoids any harm to its structure. This approach reflects the responsible attitude of the Holy Quran towards maintaining natural balance and preventing environmental destruction.
The phrase "so that Allah may know who fears Him unseen" reveals the objective of this test: Allah desires to discern who truly fears Him in secret. Fear of the unseen implies inner piety and adherence to divine commands even in the absence of apparent supervision. This characteristic distinguishes the true believer as a shining gem among others.
The believer is like a traveller who finds his path by the light of faith in the darkness of night. He is aware of divine observation even in solitude and refrains from excess hunting in remote deserts and forests. This piety not only indicates faith in God but also testifies to belief in the Hereafter and Resurrection.
Verse 94 of Surah Al-Maidah restricts hunting to essential needs such as food provision and prohibits any excess or unjust killing of animals. This principle acts as a shield protecting animals from human injustice. Unnecessary slaughter, like burning a lush forest, not only damages nature but also weakens the spirit of faith within man.
Injustice towards animals, including dogs or even small creatures such as flies and ants, is considered a sin and a sign of disbelief in the unseen. This perspective invites man to reflect on his station as the steward of nature. Animals are not inanimate instruments but divine trusts entrusted to man for preservation and protection.
The Holy Quran presents man as the custodian and steward of animals. This stewardship resembles the paternal role caring for children with love and responsibility. Man has no right to wastefully kill animals but must utilise them in a reasonable and lawful manner. The verse "And to mankind is [assigned] that which is in the heavens and the earth" conditions this ownership on trusteeship and observing divine limits.
Man is like a gardener who carefully and painstakingly waters the garden of nature rather than indiscriminately cutting its branches. This stewardship multiplies mans responsibility towards maintaining natural balance and preventing environmental destruction.
Causing harm even to a small creature, such as a fly or an ant, is a sign of violation of piety and disbelief in the unseen. The Holy Quran, with unparalleled subtlety, regards even seemingly insignificant creatures as valuable in the cosmic system. The fly, like a playful child, interacts with man, and harming it is akin to injustice against an innocent human, a major sin.
This viewpoint, like a gentle breeze, guides the soul towards love and respect for all creatures. The true believer, like a kind shepherd, cares for his flock and refrains from harming even the smallest being.
In some societies, respectful behaviour towards animals, such as hygienic keeping of dogs, has been introduced as a sign of human ethics and culture. This conduct acts like a mirror revealing deficiencies in some Islamic societies regarding Quranic injunctions. The believing human should learn from these ethical examples and reform his behaviour with animals.
This comparison serves as a wake-up call, inviting man to contemplate his conduct. Is it fitting that a believer, adhering to divine rulings, lags behind others in respect towards creatures?
The phrase "And whoever transgresses after that for
