| Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread): (50) Do they then seek the judgment of the time of ignorance? . . . . .

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Then the Almighty said: {Do they then seek the judgment of the time of ignorance?} (Afahukm al-jāhiliyyah yabghūn). In this verse, there are several issues:

1. Ibn 'Amir recited it with a tā' (تَبْغُونَ - tabghūn), addressing them directly (second person).
2. The rest recited it with a yā' (يَبْغُونَ - yabghūn), referring to them in the third person (absence).
3. Al-Muslimī recited: {فَاسِقُونَ أَفَحُكْمُ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ} (fāsiqūn afaḥukmu al-jāhiliyyah) with ḥukmu in the nominative case (as a subject/mubtada'), making yabghūn the predicate (khabar), omitting the pronoun referring back to them because it is obvious.
4. Qatādah recited: {تَبَرُّجُ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ} (tabarruju al-jāhiliyyah).

The meaning intended is that this judgment they seek is the judgment administered by the rulers of Jāhiliyyah (ignorance). They desired that Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, would judge like those ignorant rulers.

There are two main interpretations for this verse:

The First View (Contextual Reason for Revelation): Muqātil said: There were long-standing blood feuds between Banu Qurayzah and Banu Nadir before the Prophet (peace be upon him) was sent. When he was sent, they brought their dispute to him for judgment.

• Banu Qurayzah said: "Banu Nadir are our brothers; our father is one, our religion is one, and our Book is one. If Banu Nadir kills one of ours, they must pay us seventy wasaq of dates. If we kill one of theirs, they take one hundred and forty wasaq of dates from us, in addition to compensation (arsh) for their injuries. Judge between us."
• The Prophet (PBUH) ruled: "I judge that the blood of a Qurayẓī is equivalent to the blood of a Naḍrī, and the blood of a Naḍrī is equivalent to the blood of a Qurayẓī. Neither has precedence over the other in blood money (diyah), compensation for injury, or wounds."
• Banu Nadir became angry and said: "We are not satisfied with your judgment, for you are our enemy." Then Allah revealed this verse: {Do they then seek the judgment of the time of ignorance?} meaning their previous judgment (the unjust one).

Another narration suggests that in their previous system, if a ruling was due from their weak members, they enforced it; but if it was due from their strong members, they did not hold them accountable. Allah forbade them from this practice with this verse.

The Second View (General Admonishment): This verse serves as a reprimand to the Jews, who possess the Book and knowledge, yet they seek the judgment of Jāhiliyyah, which is pure ignorance and blatant desire/whim.

Then the Almighty said: {And who is better than Allāh in judgment for a people who are certain [in faith]} (Wa man aḥsanu mina Allāhi ḥukman liqawmin yūqinūn).

The lām (for) in {li-qawmin yūqinūn} (for a people who are certain) is for clarification, similar to the lām in {HAYTA LAKA} (Come to me) (Yusuf: 23). This address and question are directed towards those who are certain in faith, as they are the ones who recognize that no one is more just in judgment than Allah, nor better than Him in exposition.

PageV12P014 ! 7 < { O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies/protectors (awliyā'). They are allies to one another. And whoever takes them as an ally from you - then indeed, he is one of them. Indeed, Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people. } > 7 !

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