Surah Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread)

Verse 1

Tafsir Notes (Based on Al-Razi's approach):

1. "O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts" (يا أيها الذين آمنوا أوفوا بالعقود):
   • This is a general command to fulfill all covenants, obligations, and agreements ('uqud).
   • This includes contracts between individuals (e.g., sales, partnerships) and covenants made with Allah (e.g., religious duties, vows).
   • The command uses the imperative form (amr), indicating obligation (wujub).

2. "Permitted to you is the livestock" (أحلت لكم بهيمة الأنعام):
   • This verse begins the enumeration of things made lawful (halal) after the general command to fulfill contracts.
   • Al-An'am (livestock) refers specifically to camels, cattle, and sheep/goats.

3. "except that which is to be recited to you" (إلا ما يتلى عليكم):
   • This is the first exception to the general permissibility of livestock.
   • This refers to animals that are forbidden, which are detailed later in this Surah (e.g., carrion, blood, swine, animals dedicated to idols).

4. "while you are not permitting hunting while in the state of ihram" (غير محلى الصيد وأنتم حرم):
   • This is the second exception. Hunting is forbidden for those in the state of ihram (the sacred state for Hajj or Umrah).
   • The phrase emphasizes that the prohibition is tied directly to the state of consecration (hurum).

5. "Indeed, Allah decrees whatever He wills" (إن الله يحكم ما يريد):
   • This concluding phrase serves as a powerful affirmation of Divine Sovereignty (hukm).
   • It implies that the permissions and prohibitions mentioned are not arbitrary but are based on Allah's perfect wisdom, reinforcing the necessity of accepting His rulings (fulfilling the contracts).

Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread): (1) O you who have believed...

Verse 1: {O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts.}

In this verse, there are several issues:

It is said: Waffā bi-l-'ahd (He fulfilled the covenant) and Awfā bi-hi (He fulfilled it), as in the verse: {And those who are true to their trusts} (Al-Baqarah: 177).

A 'Aqd (contract/bond) is the linking of one thing to another in a way that ensures certainty and firmness. A 'Ahd (covenant) is an obligation, while a 'Aqd is an undertaking based on firm commitment.

Since faith (Īmān) signifies the knowledge of Allah, His Attributes, Rulings, and Actions, and since it is among His Rulings that all creation must show submission to His commands, prohibitions, and orders, this covenant is considered one of the essential elements for realizing the essence of faith.

Therefore, Allah says: {O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts}. This means: O you who have committed yourselves through your faith to various contracts and covenants to show obedience to Allah, fulfill those contracts. Allah named these obligations 'uqūd (contracts), as in this verse, because He linked them to His servants just as one links things together with a strong rope.

Know that Allah sometimes names these obligations 'uqūd (contracts), as in this verse and in His saying: {But He will hold you accountable for what you have bound by oaths} (Al-Ma'idah: 89). At other times, He names them 'uhūd (covenants), as in: {And fulfill My covenant, and I will fulfill your covenant} (Al-Baqarah: 40), and {And fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have taken it, and do not break your oaths after their confirmation} (An-Nahl: 91).

The essence of the command in this verse is an order to perform obligations (actions) and to refrain from prohibitions (omissions).

Imam Ash-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If someone vows to fast on the day of Eid or vows to slaughter their child, the vow is void (lāghā). Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Rather, it is valid.

Abu Hanifa's Argument: He vowed fasting and slaughtering, so fasting and slaughtering are incumbent upon him. The first case is vowing to fast on Eid day, which is a composite act: fasting + occurring on Eid day. Similarly, vowing to slaughter the child is a composite act: slaughtering + occurring on the child. Whoever performs the composite act is necessarily undertaking each of its individual components. Thus, one who commits to fasting on Eid day and slaughtering the child is inevitably committed to the fasting and the slaughtering.

If this is established, we say: Fasting and slaughtering must be obligatory due to Allah's saying: {Fulfill [all] contracts}, and {Why do you say that which you do not do?} (As-Saff: 2), and {They fulfill the vow} (Al-Insan: 7), and the Prophet's saying: (Fulfill your vows). The most that can be said is that the vow is void specifically regarding the fasting occurring on Eid day, and specifically regarding the slaughtering occurring on the child. However, a general ruling remains authoritative after specific exceptions have been made.

Ash-Shafi'i's Argument: This is a vow concerning disobedience (ma'siyah), so it is void, based on the Prophet's saying: (There is no vow concerning disobedience to Allah).

Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The option of revocation in the meeting place (khiyār al-majlis) is not established. Imam Ash-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is established.

Abu Hanifa's Argument: Since the sale and purchase contract is concluded, revocation must be forbidden, based on Allah's saying: {Fulfill [all] contracts}.

Ash-Shafi'i's Argument: This general ruling is specified by the Hadith: (The two parties in a transaction have the option [to revoke] as long as they have not separated).

Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Combining pronouncements of divorce (e.g., saying "You are divorced three times" at once) is forbidden (harām). Imam Ash-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is not forbidden.

Abu Hanifa's Argument: Marriage is one of the contracts, based on Allah's saying: {And do not resolve upon the knot of marriage} (Al-Baqarah: 235). Therefore, dissolving it (by combining pronouncements) must be forbidden based on Allah's saying: {Fulfill [all] contracts}. Since there is consensus (ijmā') to disregard this command regarding a single divorce, the ruling remains in effect for anything beyond that.

Ash-Shafi'i's Argument: He specialized this generality through analogy (qiyās): If combining them were forbidden, the divorce would not take effect, but it has taken effect, so it is not forbidden.

Allah's saying: {Permitted to you is the livestock of the grazing animals...}

After establishing in the first verse the general principle that all accountable persons must submit to all of Allah's commands—which serves as a major foundational rule—Allah then begins to mention the detailed obligations. He starts by mentioning what is permissible and what is forbidden regarding food: {Permitted to you is the livestock of the grazing animals (bahīmat al-an'ām)}.

In this verse, there are several issues:

They say: Every living creature lacking intellect is called a bahīmah (beast/animal), derived from the saying: Istabhama al-amr 'alā fulān (The matter became obscure/confusing to so-and-so). This term is then specialized to refer to all four-legged creatures on land and sea.

Al-An'ām (livestock/grazing animals) refers to camels, cattle, and sheep. Allah differentiated them from horses, mules, and donkeys in the verse: {And the grazing animals—He created them for you; in them is warmth and [many] uses, and of them you eat... And [He created] the horses, mules, and donkeys for you to ride and as adornment} (An-Nahl: 5-8). Allah also said: {And We have tamed them for them, so of them is their riding, and of them they eat} (Ya-Sin: 71-72). And: {And of the grazing animals are those for burden and those for meat. Eat from what Allah has provided you... And of the sheep two kinds and of the goats two kinds... And of the camels two kinds and of the cattle two kinds} (Al-An'am: 142-144).

Al-Wāḥidī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Hoofed animals (al-ḥāfir) are not included in the name An'ām, as na'ūmah refers to softness of tread.

Given this definition, there are questions regarding the wording of the verse:

1. The first question: Bahīmah is a general term (genus), while An'ām is a specific term (species). Thus, saying {bahīmat al-an'ām} is like saying "the animal of mankind" (ḥayawān al-insān), which is redundant.
2. The second question: If Allah had said simply: {Permitted to you are the grazing animals (al-an'ām)}, the statement would have been complete, as seen in another verse: {And permitted to you are the grazing animals except what is recited to you} (Al-Hajj: 30). What is the benefit of adding the word bahīmah here?
3. The third question: Bahīmah is mentioned in the singular form, while al-an'ām is in the plural. What is the significance of this difference?

Answers to the First Question (Redundancy):

1. First view: Bahīmah and An'ām refer to the same thing. The addition of bahīmah to an'ām is for clarification (bayān), similar to the iḍāfah (genitive construction) meaning "of the kind of," like "a silver ring" (meaning a ring made of silver). Alternatively, it is for emphasis, like saying "the very self, essence, and core of the thing."
2. Second view: Bahīmah refers to one thing, and An'ām refers to another. Under this view, there are two possibilities:
   • First possibility: Bahīmat al-an'ām refers to gazelles, wild cattle, and similar animals. The intent is to include animals that resemble an'ām—those that ruminate and lack fangs—and they are attributed to an'ām due to this similarity.
   • Second possibility: Bahīmat al-an'ām refers to the fetuses of the an'ām. It is narrated from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when a cow was slaughtered and a fetus was found inside, Ibn 'Abbas took its tail and said: "This is from bahīmat al-an'ām." Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) also stated that they are the fetuses of an'ām, and the slaughtering of the mother suffices for them.

Know that this narration supports the view of Imam Ash-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) that the fetus is ritually slaughtered (madhkāh) by the slaughtering of its mother.

The Dualists (Manichaeans/Zoroastrians) argued: Slaughtering animals causes pain, and causing pain is ugly (qabīḥ). An ugly act is not accepted by the Merciful and Wise God, so slaughter cannot be permissible by God's ruling. They further argued that these animals lack the ability to defend themselves, nor do they have a tongue to argue against those intending to harm them. Causing pain is ugly, but causing pain to one who has reached such a degree of helplessness and confusion is even uglier.

Know that the Muslim sects diverged greatly due to this doubt:

• The Mukarramiyyah said: We do not concede that these animals feel pain during slaughter; perhaps Allah removes the pain from them. This is like denying self-evident necessities.
• The Mu'tazilah said: We do not concede that causing pain is absolutely ugly. It is only ugly if it is not preceded by a transgression (janāyah) nor followed by compensation. Here, Allah compensates these animals in the Hereafter with noble rewards, and thus this slaughter is not considered oppression. They argue that it is rational to endure minor pain (like bloodletting or cupping) for the sake of great benefit (health), so enduring pain for a great reward is analogous.
• Our Companions (Ahl al-Sunnah): The permission granted for slaughtering animals is an act of disposal by Allah concerning His property. The owner faces no objection when disposing of his own property. This issue is extensive and discussed in the science of Usul (Principles of Jurisprudence).

Some said: The saying {Permitted to you is the livestock of the grazing animals} is ambiguous (mujmal) because Iḥlāl (permitting) is usually attributed to actions, but here it is attributed to the essence (dhāt). Therefore, it cannot be taken literally, and an implied verb must be assumed. Since assuming one verb is no more preferable than assuming another, it could mean permitting the use of their hide, bone, wool, or meat, or it could mean permitting eating. The wording is certainly open to all these interpretations, making the verse ambiguous.

However, Allah's saying in another verse: {And the grazing animals—He created them for you; in them is warmth and [many] uses, and of them you eat} (An-Nahl: 5) indicates that what is meant by {Permitted to you is the livestock of the grazing animals} is the permissibility of benefiting from them in all these ways.

Allah mentioned: {Permitted to you is the livestock of the grazing animals}, and then attached two types of exception to it:

The First Exception: {except what is recited to you}. The apparent meaning of this exception is ambiguous, and when an ambiguous statement is excepted from a detailed statement, what remains after the exception is also ambiguous. However, the commentators have unanimously agreed that what is meant by this exception is what is mentioned immediately after this verse, which is: {Forbidden to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and that which has been killed by strangulation or by a violent blow or by a fall or by goring or that which has been partially eaten by a predator, except as you were able to slaughter [it while it was still alive]} (Al-Ma'idah: 3).

The reason for this interpretation is that {Permitted to you is the livestock of the grazing animals} implies their permissibility in all aspects. Allah clarified that if they are carrion, killed by a violent blow, by a fall, gored, partially eaten by a predator, or slaughtered in the name of other than Allah, they are forbidden.

The Second Type of Exception: {except hunting while you are in a state of consecration (iḥrām)}. This involves several issues:

Since Allah permitted the an'ām, He differentiated between hunting them and not hunting them. We thus know that what is considered their "hunt" is permissible during the state of iḥrām (consecration for Hajj/Umrah), while what is not hunting is permissible in all states.

This means: you are in the state of iḥrām for Hajj or Umrah, or one of them. One says: aḥrama bi-l-ḥajj wa-l-'umrah, and he becomes muḥrim or ḥurim. This is similar to saying: ajunaba (he became in a state of major ritual impurity), so he is mujannab or junub. It is the same for singular and plural. One says: qawmun ḥurum just as one says qawmun junub. Allah says: {And if you are in a state of major ritual impurity, then purify yourselves} (Al-Ma'idah: 65).

Know that when we say a man has entered iḥrām, it has two meanings:

1. The state of consecration for Hajj/Umrah.
2. He has entered the Sacred Precinct (Ḥaram).

Therefore, the phrase {while you are in a state of consecration} encompasses both meanings: hunting is forbidden for one who is in the state of iḥrām, just as it is forbidden for one who has entered the Sacred Precinct. This is the view of the jurists.

The apparent meaning of the verse implies that hunting is forbidden for the muḥrim (one in iḥrām). A parallel verse is: {And when you come out of Ihram, then hunt} (Al-Ma'idah: 2). The word idhā (when) implies conditionality; what is conditioned upon something is non-existent when that condition is absent.

However, Allah clarified in another verse that what is forbidden to the muḥrim is only land hunting, not sea hunting: {Permitted to you is the game of the sea and its food as provision for you and the travelers, but forbidden to you is the game of the land as long as you are in the state of consecration} (Al-Ma'idah: 96). Thus, this verse explains those absolute rulings.

The word {Ghayra} (except/other than) is in the accusative case (naṣb) functioning as a circumstantial adverb (ḥāl) modifying the statement {Permitted to you}, similar to saying: "Food is permitted to you without exceeding limits therein." Al-Farrā' said it is like saying: "The thing is permitted to you without being excessive or transgressing."

The meaning is: The livestock of the grazing animals are permitted to you, except that you may not permit hunting for yourselves while you are in the state of iḥrām; that is not permitted to you while you are consecrated.

Allah's saying: {Indeed, Allah rules as He wills.}

This means that Allah permitted the an'ām in all circumstances, but permitted hunting in some circumstances and not others. If someone asks: What is the reason for this detailed specification? The answer is: Allah is the Owner and Creator of things, so there can be no objection to His ruling in any way. This supports the view of our scholars that the reason for the soundness of divine legislation (taškīf) is Lordship (Rubūbiyyah) and Servitude ('Ubūdiyyah), not the consideration of public interests (maṣāliḥ) as the Mu'tazilah claim.

Verse 7: {O you who have believed, do not violate the sanctity of the symbols of Allah nor the sacred month, nor the sacrificial animals, nor the necklaces [indicating sanctity], nor those who are proceeding to the Sacred House seeking bounty from their Lord and [His] pleasure. But when you come out of Ihram, then hunt. And let not the hatred of a people who had prevented you from the Sacred Mosque incite you to transgression. And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.}