Sūrah al-Māʾidah

Overview

Sūrah al-Māʾidah is a Madinan sūrah with 120 āyāt. The word māʾidah refers to a table, usually when spread with food; so a ‘feast’, repast’, or ‘banquet’. In the sūrah, the narrative concerns a plea from the disciples of ʿĪsā that he call upon Allah to send down a heavenly māʾidah down upon them. They wished to eat from it and consequently be satisfied with the truth he came with. In this light, one of the main subjects the sūrah discusses is the Nazarenes (al-Naṣārā) and their false assumptions about Allah. Though Christian theology is what is primarily critiqued throughout, the plights of the Israelites with Mūsā and their failures to uphold divine commandments are also a major theme. The sūrah is teeming with legislations about lawful and unlawful foods, false pagan superstitions, folly practices like drinking and gambling, will writing, oath making, and hunting while in a state of iḥrām. The running seam throughout the whole sūrah, including the abundant references to the Tawrāh and al-Injīl, is al-ḥukm bimā anzal Allāh—judging in accordance with what Allah revealed of law. It is in Sūrah al-Māʾidah where we read the famous qur’anic axiom: “Today I have perfected for you your religion, completed over you My favour, and approved for you Islam as religion.” (5:3)

Context

It is reported that Asmāʾ bint Yazīd said: “I was holding the reins of al-ʿAḍbāʾ, the she-camel of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ, when all of Sūrah al-Māʾidah was revealed upon him. So heavy was it that it almost broke the she-camel’s legs.” Most of the sūrah was revealed after the Appeasement of Ḥudaybiyah and before the Expedition of Tabūk. At a superficial level, the former had been a heavy blow for the Muslims. They were heading for the sacred pilgrimage of ʿumrah but were refused entry by the idolatrous Quraysh. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ conceded matters which many of the Companions thought were unreasonable at the time, including ʿUmar. Among them was that they would not perform pilgrimage that year. During this period (Ḥudaybiyah onwards), the Muslims had the opportunity for a tit-for-tat when they could have denied some idolaters the opportunity of pilgrimage. Allah disparaged this sentiment. He says: “Let not the hatred of a people who barred you from the Sacred Mosque incite you to transgress” (5:2); “Let not the hatred of a people incite you to be unjust. Be just, that is closer to piety” (5:8). The full sūrah likely took four years to be completed, with the last of it being revealed in ʿArafāt on Friday in the Farewell Pilgrimage, as per the testimony of ʿUmar. This is elegantly congruous, since the prophetic wisdom and strategic genius hidden in Ḥudaybiyah became manifest when the Messenger ﷺ and thousands upon thousands of believers performed the Hajj a mere few years later.

Themes

• Equity and upright moral conduct with all, even those who have wronged you.
• The primordial sacrality of the House, such that whoever venerates it is granted refuge.
• Correct Christology and the doctrinal frailty of trinitarianism. “They (ʿĪsā and Maryam) used to eat food.” (5:75)
• Ruling by divine law is the only route to establishing justice and mercy in the world.

Unique Features

• Sūrah al-Māʾidah is also known as Sūrah al-ʿUqūd—a reference to the first āyah: “You who believe, fulfil your contracts (ʿuqūd).”
• Along with Sūrah al-Nisāʾ (4:171), Sūrah al-Māʾidah explicitly mentions the Trinity: “Surely, they have disbelieved those who claim that Allah is one of three (thālith thalāthah).” (5:73)
• It is the only sūrah where the following narratives are recounted:
• The story of the two sons of Ādam, Qābīl and Hābīl (Cane and Abel).
• The story of the Israelites refusing battle with the Mighty People (likely the Byzantines) and consequently getting lost in the desert for 40 years.
• An awe-striking conversation between the Almighty and ʿĪsā on the Day of Judgement.
• It is the sūrah most heavily populated with the exhortation: “You who believe!” The statement appears 16 times.
• It is the last sūrah revealed with explicit legislation.

Lessons

Every single mention of ‘yā ayyuhā alladhīna āmanū’ can be cited here. For brevity, here are a couple of the most poignant:

• If we get things right in terms of our relationship with the Divine, nothing can harm us nor stop us from worldly as well as after-worldly success. Allah says: “You who believe, take care of your own selves. Those who are misguided cannot harm you if you are guided.” (5:105)
• Do not ask about what does not concern you. Allah’s law is clear and straightforward. Cavilling against divine commandments is at least foolish and at most blasphemous! Allah says: “You who believe, do not ask about matters that, if disclosed to you, would distress you.” (5: 101)

Virtues and Valuable Information

• Jubayr ibn Nufayr performed the Hajj then visited ʿĀʾishah in Makkah. She asked him: “Do you read al-Māʾidah?” He said: “Yes.” She then said: “Surely it was the last sūrah to be revealed, so whatever you find therein as lawful, deem it lawful; and whatever you find therein as unlawful, deem it unlawful.”
• Ibn Masʿūd is reported to have said: “When you hear, ‘You who believe’, then hearken to it, for it is either some good He commanded you or some evil He forbade you.”
• A Jewish man said to ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb: “Commander of the Faithful, there is a verse in your Book which, had it been revealed to us, we would have taken that day a festival.” He asked: “Which āyah is that?” The man said: “‘Today I have perfected for you your religion, completed over you My favour, and approved for you Islam as religion’ (5:3).” ʿUmar said: “Verily, I know the day it was revealed in and the place it was revealed in. It came down on the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in ʿArafāt on the day of Friday.”