Discover the Holy Quran, Surah 5. Al-Ma'ida Verses 19-40

[taul]

---In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.



19- O People of the Book! Now hath come unto you, making (things) clear unto you, Our Messenger, after the break in (the series of) our apostles, lest ye should say: "There came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner (from evil)": But now hath come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner (from evil). And Allah hath power over all things.

20- Remember Moses said to his people: "O my people! Call in remembrance the favour of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples.

21- "O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin."

22- They said: "O Moses! In this land are a people of exceeding strength: Never shall we enter it until they leave it: if (once) they leave, then shall we enter."

23- (But) among (their) Allah. fearing men were two on whom Allah had bestowed His grace. They said: "Assault them at the (proper) Gate: when once ye are in, victory will be yours; But on Allah put your trust if ye have faith."

24- They said: "O Moses! while they remain there, never shall we be able to enter, to the end of time. Go thou, and thy Lord, and fight ye two, while we sit here (and watch)."

25- He said: "O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brother: so separate us from this rebellious people!"

26- Allah said: "Therefore will the land be out of their reach for forty years: In distraction will they wander through the land: But sorrow thou not over these rebellious people.

27- Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold! they each presented a sacrifice (to Allah.: It was accepted from one, but not from the other. Said the latter: "Be sure I will slay thee." "Surely," said the former, "(Allah) doth accept of the sacrifice of those who are very righteous.

28- "If thou dost stretch thy hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against thee to slay thee: for I do fear Allah, the cherisher of the worlds.

29- "For me, I intend to let thee draw on thyself my sin as well as thine, for thou wilt be among the companions of the fire, and that is the reward of those who do wrong."

30- The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him, and became (himself) one of the lost ones.

31- The Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. "Woe is me!" said he; "Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?" then he became full of regrets-

32- On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our apostles with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.

33- The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is their in the Hereafter;

34- Except for those who repent before they fall into your power: in that case, know that Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

35- O ye who believe! Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him, and strive with might and main in his cause: that ye may prosper.

36- As to those who reject Faith, - if they had everything on earth, and twice repeated, to give as ransom for the penalty of the Day of Judgment, it would never be accepted of them, their would be a grievous penalty.

37- Their wish will be to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom: their penalty will be one that endures.

38- As to the thief, Male of female, cut off his or her hands: a punishment by way of example, from Allah, for their crime: and Allah is Exalted in power.

39- But if the thief repents after his crime, and amends his conduct, Allah turneth to him in forgiveness; for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

40- Knowest thou not that to Allah (alone) belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth? He punisheth whom He pleaseth, and He forgiveth whom He pleaseth: and Allah hath power over all things.


May Allah Help us act upon the guidance we receive from the Holy Quran.

 

[patriot]

5:19 O People of the Scripture! Our Messenger has come to you, to make the Truth clear, after an interval without messengers. Lest you say, No Messenger came to us to give good news and to warn. Now has come to you the giver of glad tiding and warning. God has Power over all things and events.

5:20 Moses told his people, Remember God's Blessings that He raised prophets among you and made you your own masters. And He gave you what He had not given to any other people.

5:21 O My nation! Enter the Sacred Land that God has decreed for you, as long as you hold fast to His Laws. But, if you turn back in flight, you will be overthrown to your own ruin.
[Sacred Land = Canaan = Syria-Palestine, 2:125, 6:137, 12:58, 12:94, 21:71, 23:50, 26:59, 29:26, 30:3, 44:3, Introduction to Surahs: 12, 14, 19]

5:22 They said to Moses, "In this land there are ferocious people. Never shall we enter it until they leave. If they leave, than we will enter.

5:23 Then two men who feared violating Gods Command, and whom God had blessed, said, Enter the gate daringly, and you will be in Command of the situation and will be victorious. Put your trust in God if you are believers. [The two men were Joshua and Caleb. Bible; Numbers 14: 6-30]

5:24 They said, "O Moses! We shall never enter the land while they are in it. You and your Lord should go and fight, while we sit here.

5:25 Moses said, "My Lord! I have power only over myself and my brother, allow us to part ways from those who keep drifting away from the Commands.

5:26 Their Lord said, This land will be forbidden for them for forty years. They will wander on earth, bewildered. So grieve not over these people who keep drifting away from the Right Path.
[Among mankind there always have been those who submit, and those who transgress. The Children of Israel enjoyed great Divine Blessings, but for their repeated transgressions they were chastised (2:259, 17:5-6), and Gods Bounty of prophethood, in His Infinite wisdom, moved away from the Children of Israel to the Children of Ishmael, among whom was raised Muhammad, the Final Prophet and Messenger of God. The dire opposition of Jews and Christians to the Final Messenger is now alluded to, in the following verses, in reference to the famous story of the two brothers, Abel, Haabeel and Cain, Qaabeel]

5:27 (O Messenger) Tell them the true story of the two descendants of Adam. Each of them made an offering, and they thought that it was accepted from one of them, but not from the other. The latter, out of jealousy, said, "Surely I will kill you. The former said, God accepts every action of the righteous like an accepted offering.

5:28 If you extend your hand to kill me, I would not extend my hand against you to kill you. I fear God, the Lord of the Worlds.

5:29 I would rather have you carry two sins. First, of slaying me, and second, of slaying the person inside you, and be among the dwellers of the Fire. That is the reward for the wrongdoers.

5:30 His ego led him into killing his brother. He killed him and became a loser.

5:31 God then sent a raven scratching up the soil, to allude to him that he might have concealed and ignored the imperfections of his brother. He said, Oh, I failed even to be like this raven to conceal my brothers imperfections, (and hide his naked body)! Then he became full of regret. [Sauaat = Imperfections, faults. Yuwaari sauaat = Literally, hide the naked body. 7:20-22]

5:32 On that account, We decreed to the Children of Israel (the Eternal Moral Ordinance for all humanity 2:178) that whoever kills a human being, unless it be for murder or bloody crimes on the earth, it would be as if he killed all mankind. And whoever saves one life it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. And, indeed, Our messengers came to them with evident Truth, yet, behold, even after this, many of them continue to commit excesses in the land.

5:33 The just punishment for those who wage war against God and His Messenger and endeavor to commit bloody crimes on earth, is that they be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet severed on alternate sides, or be entirely banished from the land. Such is their disgrace in this world, and an awful suffering awaits them in the Hereafter.
[Fasaad = Bloody crimes = Spreading corruption in the land = Creating disorder. God and Rasool None can physically fight against God, and the Rasool (S) was a mortal man. Hence, God and Rasool denote the Central Authority of the Islamic State. Waging war against God and Rasool would mean rebellion against the true Islamic State. Severing the hands and feet may also be understood as cutting of their ability to create Fasaad. See 5:38 & 12:31. Banishing from the land indicates exile or imprisonment for life]

5:34 Unless the corruptors repent before you become more powerful than they are. Know that God is Forgiving, Merciful. [Peace will prevail when the righteous become more powerful than the guilty]

5:35 O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Be mindful of God and seek earnestly to come closer to Him by obeying His Commands, and strive hard in His Cause so that you may truly prosper.
[Waseelah = Seeking earnestly = Applying the mind and heart to reach a noble goal. verses 2:186 and 17:57 are many of the verses that negate the concept of Waseelah as some saints, sages or even prophets interceding on peoples behalf]

5:36 (Those who reject this Revelation, exclude themselves from taking part in the establishment of the Ideal Society.) If the rejecters possessed everything on earth and twice as much, and offered it as ransom to spare them from the retribution on the Day of Resurrection, it would not be accepted from them. For them is a painful doom.

5:37 They will wish to come out of the Fire, but they will not be able to come out of it. Theirs will be a lasting punishment.

5:38 (Theft is a crime that steals away the sense of security from a society.) A habitual thief, male or female, must have their ability (to steal) cut off. This is the reward for their doings, and a deterrent from God. God is Almighty, Wise.
[For Qata yadd, the so-called cutting of hand, please see 12:31. Yadd = Hand = Ability = Power. Gods hand at many places in the Quran, of course, denotes His Power and Authority. So, consider all circumstances with wisdom, and take measures to prevent this crime in the society. Here's an interesting reference from Mathew Chapter 18, verses 8-9, The New King James Version.

"And if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from
you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than
having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.

"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is
better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes,
to be cast into Hell fire]

5:39 Whoever repents after the crime and makes amends, certainly, God grants him pardon. Surely, God is Forgiving, Merciful. [If the hands are cut off, where are the making amends, pardon and Mercy?]

5:40 Do you not know that Gods is the Dominion of the heavens and the earth? He is the Law-giving Authority. He punishes and forgives according to His Law of Requital. God has Control over all things and He has appointed due measure for all things.