Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread): (100) Say, "The impure and the pure are not equal..."

Then the Almighty said: {Say, "The impure and the pure are not equal..."}

Know that when the Almighty forbade disobedience and encouraged obedience by saying: {Know that Allah is severe in penalty, and that Allah is Forgiving, Merciful} (Al-Ma'idah: 98), He then followed it up with the obligation by saying: {The Messenger's duty is only to convey the message} (Al-Ma'idah: 99). Then He followed that with encouragement toward obedience and aversion from disobedience by saying: {And Allah knows what you reveal and what you conceal} (Al-Ma'idah: 99).

He then followed this with another type of encouragement toward obedience and aversion from disobedience, saying: {Say, "The impure and the pure are not equal..."}

This is because the impure (al-khabīth) and the pure (al-ṭayyib) are of two kinds:

1. Physical/Corporeal: This is apparent to everyone.
2. Spiritual/Ruhani: The worst of spiritual impurities are ignorance and disobedience. The best of spiritual purity are the knowledge of Allah Almighty and obedience to Allah Almighty.

This is because a body that is touched by any impurity becomes repulsive to those with sound dispositions. Similarly, souls that are knowledgeable of Allah Almighty and steadfast in serving Him become illuminated by the lights of divine gnoses and delighted by proximity to the holy, pure spirits.

Just as the impure and the pure are not equal in the corporeal realm, they are not equal in the spiritual realm. In fact, the divergence between them in the spiritual realm is more severe. This is because the harm of physical impurity is slight, and its benefit (if any) is brief. However, the harm of spiritual impurity is immense, perpetual, and eternal. The benefit of spiritual purity is immense, perpetual, and eternal—it is proximity to the Lord of the Worlds, inclusion among the ranks of the near angels, and companionship with the Prophets, the truthful ones (ṣiddīqīn), and the righteous martyrs. Thus, this verse constitutes one of the greatest means of encouraging obedience and deterring from disobedience.

Then the Almighty said: {even if the abundance of the impure impresses you}

This means that that which is impure in the spiritual realm might be pure in the corporeal realm, and it might be abundant in quantity and great in pleasure. However, despite the abundance of its quantity, the delightfulness of its consumption, and the ease of its attainment, it is a cause for deprivation from the everlasting, eternal felicities—which is alluded to by His saying: {And lasting good deeds are better with your Lord} (Al-Kahf: 46). If this is the case, then the impure, even if its abundance impresses you, cannot be equal to the pure, which is knowledge, love, obedience, and delight in spiritual felicities and divine honors.

When the Almighty mentioned these numerous encouragements toward obedience and warnings against disobedience, He followed them up with another aspect that reinforces them, saying: {So fear Allah, O people of understanding, that you may succeed.}

This means: Fear Allah after these clear explanations and strong proofs, and do not proceed to disobey Him, so that you may become successful in attaining both worldly and religious objectives, immediate and future.

{O you who have believed, do not ask about things which, if they are shown to you, would trouble you. If you ask about them when the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be made clear to you. Allah has pardoned that. And Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing.}