بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالأَنصَابُ وَالأَزْلاَمُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (٩٠) إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاء فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلاَةِ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ (٩١) وَأَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَاحْذَرُواْ فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَا عَلَى رَسُولِنَا الْبَلاَغُ الْمُبِينُ (٩٢) لَيْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا طَعِمُواْ إِذَا مَا اتَّقَواْ وَّآمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ ثُمَّ اتَّقَواْ وَّآمَنُواْ ثُمَّ اتَّقَواْ وَّأَحْسَنُواْ وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ (٩٣)

Believers! This liquor1 and gambling and stone altars and these divining arrows are all dirty handiworks of Satan. So avoid them that you may succeed. Satan only seeks to stir up enmity and malice among you by involving you in liquor and gambling2 and to keep you from the remembrance of Allah and from the prayer.3 So will you not then abstain from [these things?4 Abstain from them] and obey God and His Messenger and abstain [from disobedience]. But if you turn away [from this guidance of Ours] beware that the only responsibility of Our Messenger is clear communication.5 Those [among you] who have embraced faith and have been doing righteous deeds have incurred no sin for what they have eaten or drunk earlier as long as they were pious, professed faith and did righteous deeds. Then, moreover, they adhered to piety and persevered on their faith. Then, not only this, they adhered to piety and befittingly followed [every directive of God]. And [the truth is that] God likes those are befitting in their attitude.6 (90-93)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لَيَبْلُوَنَّكُمُ اللّهُ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الصَّيْدِ تَنَالُهُ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَرِمَاحُكُمْ لِيَعْلَمَ اللّهُ مَن يَخَافُهُ بِالْغَيْبِ فَمَنِ اعْتَدَى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَلَهُ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (٩٤) يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَقْتُلُواْ الصَّيْدَ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ وَمَن قَتَلَهُ مِنكُم مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاء مِّثْلُ مَاقَتَلَ مِنَ النَّعَمِ يَحْكُمُ بِهِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ هَدْيًا بَالِغَ الْكَعْبَةِ أَوْ كَفَّارَةٌ طَعَامُ مَسَاكِينَ أَو عَدْلُ ذَلِكَ صِيَامًا لِّيَذُوقَ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهِ عَفَا اللّهُ عَمَّا سَلَف وَمَنْ عَادَ فَيَنتَقِمُ اللّهُ مِنْهُ وَاللّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انْتِقَامٍ (٩٥) أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُ مَتَاعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَرِّ مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُمًا وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ الَّذِيَ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ (٩٦) جَعَلَ اللّهُ الْكَعْبَةَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ قِيَامًا لِّلنَّاسِ وَالشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ وَالْهَدْيَ وَالْقَلاَئِدَ ذَلِكَ لِتَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَأَنَّ اللّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (٩٧) اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ وَأَنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (٩٨) مَّا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلاَّ الْبَلاَغُ وَاللّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا تَكْتُمُونَ (٩٩) قُل لاَّ يَسْتَوِي الْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ كَثْرَةُ الْخَبِيثِ فَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ يَا أُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (١١٠)

3. Believers!7 God will test you through a prey8 which will be accessible to your hands and spears so that God sees who fears Him without seeing Him [and who does not].9 Then for he who transgressed the bounds prescribed by God after this admonition is a woeful torment. Believers! Do not even hunt while wearing the ihrām; [this is prohibited] and [remember] anyone of you who deliberately does so should in return sacrifice a similar animal [from your beasts] to the one he had killed. This decision shall be made by two just men among you and this offering shall be sent to the Baytullāh or he shall, in expiation, either feed the poor or fast a similar number so that he may taste the evil consequences of his deed. God has forgiven what has been done in the past but if anyone relapses into wrongdoing God will avenge Himself on him. God is Mighty and capable of revenge.10 Lawful for you is the prey you catch from the sea and its eating as a provision for you and for the caravans. But you are forbidden the prey hunted on land as long as you are wearing the ihrām. [Do not go near it] and have fear of God, before whom you shall all be assembled.11 God has made the sacred house Ka‘bah as a centre for people12 and made the sacred months13sacrificial animals and all animals whose necks are decked with collars [to make a sign of offering] as religious symbols.14  They [have been regarded as religious symbols] so that it remains clear to you that God has knowledge of all that the heavens and the earth contain, that God has knowledge of all things.15  Be on guard! God is also stern in retribution, and is also very forgiving and merciful. The only responsibility of the Messenger is to communicate, and God knows what you reveal and what you conceal. Tell them: “The pure and the impure are not alike, even though the abundance of the impure may tempt you. So have fear of God, you men of understanding, so that you may succeed.” 16 (94-100)

 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْ أَشْيَاء إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ وَإِن تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْهَا حِينَ يُنَزَّلُ الْقُرْآنُ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ عَفَا اللّهُ عَنْهَا وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ (١٠١) قَدْ سَأَلَهَا قَوْمٌ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحُواْ بِهَا كَافِرِينَ (١٠٢) مَا جَعَلَ اللّهُ مِن بَحِيرَةٍ وَلاَ سَآئِبَةٍ وَلاَ وَصِيلَةٍ وَلاَ حَامٍ وَلَـكِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ (١٠٣) وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْاْ إِلَى مَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ قَالُواْ حَسْبُنَا مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءنَا أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ (١٠٤) يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ لاَ يَضُرُّكُم مَّن ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ إِلَى اللّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (١٠٥)

4. Believers!17 Do not ask questions about things which, if made known to you, would only burden you and if you ask them when the Qur’ān is being revealed to you, they shall be made evident to you. [At this time,] God has pardoned you for this; and God is forgiving and gracious. Before you a nation18 inquired similar things,19 then they became its very rejecters. [The answer to your question is that] God has prescribed a neither a bahīrah, nor a sā’ibah, nor a wasīlah, nor a hām.20 But these disbelievers invent falsehoods about God and most of them are those who Do not use their intellect. And when they are told: “Come to what God has revealed, and to the messenger [of God],” they reply: “Sufficient for us is what we have inherited from our fore-fathers.” Even in the case when their fathers knew nothing nor were rightly guided? Believers! Concentrate on your ownselves; if you are on the right path, he who strays cannot harm you. To God shall you have all to return. Then He will let you know what you have been doing. 21 (101-105)

 يِا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ شَهَادَةُ بَيْنِكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ حِينَ الْوَصِيَّةِ اثْنَانِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ أَوْ آخَرَانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ إِنْ أَنتُمْ ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَأَصَابَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةُ الْمَوْتِ تَحْبِسُونَهُمَا مِن بَعْدِ الصَّلاَةِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِاللّهِ إِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ لاَ نَشْتَرِي بِهِ ثَمَنًا وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَى وَلاَ نَكْتُمُ شَهَادَةَ اللّهِ إِنَّا إِذًا لَّمِنَ الآثِمِينَ (١٠٦) فَإِنْ عُثِرَ عَلَى أَنَّهُمَا اسْتَحَقَّا إِثْمًا فَآخَرَانِ يِقُومَانُ مَقَامَهُمَا مِنَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَحَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الأَوْلَيَانِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِاللّهِ لَشَهَادَتُنَا أَحَقُّ مِن شَهَادَتِهِمَا وَمَا اعْتَدَيْنَا إِنَّا إِذًا لَّمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ (١٠٧) ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَن يَأْتُواْ بِالشَّهَادَةِ عَلَى وَجْهِهَا أَوْ يَخَافُواْ أَن تُرَدَّ أَيْمَانٌ بَعْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللّهَ وَاسْمَعُواْ وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ (١٠٨)

5. Believers!22 When death approaches someone among you, and he is making a bequest, the testimony will take place in a way that two just men from among you will act as witnesses, or if you are travelling and the calamity of death overtakes you, then two just men from outside you23 should discharge this responsibility. [In the first case], if you have any doubts, detain them after the prayer.24  Then they should swear by Allah: “We will not accept any price for this testimony even if some kinsman offers it, neither will we hide this testimony of Allah. If we do this, then we would be among the sinners.” But if it becomes known that these two have proved dishonest, then let two others stand forth in their place from among the people who have been deprived of their right by the previous two witnesses;25  then they should swear by Allah that: “Our testimony is truer than theirs and that we have not trespassed [beyond the truth] in our testimony; if we do this, then we indeed should be among the wrongdoers.” In this way, it is more likely that they will bear true witness or at least they will fear that their testimony may get refuted by that of the others.26 Fear God and listen [to whatever directive is given to you]. [If you do not do this, then this is clear defiance] and God never guides the defiant. (106-108)

يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ اللّهُ الرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أُجِبْتُمْ قَالُواْ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ (١٠٩) إِذْ قَالَ اللّهُ يَا عِيسى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ اذْكُرْ نِعْمَتِي عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى وَالِدَتِكَ إِذْ أَيَّدتُّكَ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ تُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلاً وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَالتَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِي فَتَنفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيْرًا بِإِذْنِي وَتُبْرِىءُ الأَكْمَهَ وَالأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِي وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ الْمَوتَى بِإِذْنِي وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْهُمْ إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (١١٠) وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى الْحَوَارِيِّينَ أَنْ آمِنُواْ بِي وَبِرَسُولِي قَالُوَاْ آمَنَّا وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ (١١١) إِذْ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ هَلْ يَسْتَطِيعُ رَبُّكَ أَن يُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا مَآئِدَةً مِّنَ السَّمَاء قَالَ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ (١١٢) قَالُواْ نُرِيدُ أَن نَّأْكُلَ مِنْهَا وَتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُنَا وَنَعْلَمَ أَن قَدْ صَدَقْتَنَا وَنَكُونَ عَلَيْهَا مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ (١١٣) قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا أَنزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مَآئِدَةً مِّنَ السَّمَاء تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيداً لِّأَوَّلِنَا وَآخِرِنَا وَآيَةً مِّنكَ وَارْزُقْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ (١١٤) قَالَ اللّهُ إِنِّي مُنَزِّلُهَا عَلَيْكُمْ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بَعْدُ مِنكُمْ فَإِنِّي أُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَابًا لاَّ أُعَذِّبُهُ أَحَدًا مِّنَ الْعَالَمِينَ (١١٥) وَإِذْ قَالَ اللّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنتَ قُلتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَـهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ إِن كُنتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ (١١٦) مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلاَّ مَا أَمَرْتَنِي بِهِ أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ وَكُنتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنتَ أَنتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ (١١٧) إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ وَإِن تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (١١٨) قَالَ اللّهُ هَذَا يَوْمُ يَنفَعُ الصَّادِقِينَ صِدْقُهُمْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا رَّضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ (١١٩) لِلّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا فِيهِنَّ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (١٢٠)

[Those who hide the evidence of God should] remember the Day when God will gather all the messengers and ask them: “What response was given [to you by your people]?” They will say: “We have no knowledge. Only you know all what is hidden.”27 When God will say: “O Jesus son of Mary! Remember the favour I bestowed on you and on your mother [at the time] when I helped you through the Holy Spirit; you would talk in the cradle [in a prophetic manner] and also when you were advanced in age.28 And recall when We taught you the law and the wisdom which is the Torah and the Gospel.29 And recall when, with my leave, you would fashion from clay the model of a bird and then would breathe into it and it would become a living bird with my leave; and you would cure the blind and those inflicted with leprosy; and recall when you would restore the dead to life with my leave. And recall when I withheld the Israelites from harming you30 when you came to them with clear signs and their disbelievers said: “This is plain sorcery.”31 And recall when I indicated to the disciples32 to profess faith in Me and My messengers; so they said: “We embrace faith and you bear witness that we are Muslims. Recall when the disciples said: “O Jesus, son of Mary! Can your Lord send down to us from the heavens a table-spread [of food]?”33  Jesus said: “Fear God if you are true believers.” They replied: “We only want to eat from it and [as a result] our hearts are satisfied, and we are able to know that what you said is true and we become witnesses to it.” At this, Jesus, son of Mary prayed: “O God, our Lord! Send down to us from the heavens a table-spread which becomes a memorable thing for our successors and for our predecessors and a sign from you. [Lord!] Provide us! And You are the best of Providers. God replied: “I shall definitely send it down to you; but after this those who disbelieve from among you, I shall give them such punishment which has never been given in this world.34 And recall, when [after reminding people of these things] God will ask: “Jesus son of Mary! Did you tell people: ‘regard me and my mother as gods besides God?’” He will reply: “Glory be to you! How was it befitting for me to say something which I had no authority? If I had said this, it would have been in Your knowledge. [Because] You know what is in my heart and I do not know what is in Yours. Only You are aware of all hidden things. I only said to them what You commanded me to do: “Worship Allah my Lord and your Lord,”35 and I watched over them while I dwelt with them. When You gave death to me, You were the Watcher over them and You are a witness over all things. Now if You punish them, they are your servants, and if You forgive them, You are mighty and wise.36 God will say: “This is the day when truthfulness of the truthful37 will be of benefit to them. For them shall be orchards below which canals are running; they shall dwell therein forever.38 This alone is great success. The sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and whatever they contain belongs to God, and He has power over all things. (109-120)

(Translated from Al-Bayān by Dr Shehzad Saleem)

Lahore

8th May 2009

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1. It is evident from verse forty three of Sūrah Nisā’ and it is also evident from common sense that the real reason for the prohibition of liquor is the inebriation which it causes. For this reason, every thing which intoxicates will similarly stand prohibited and of it a small quantity shall also be prohibited as is a large quantity on the principle of forbidding things that may lead to grave evils.

2. The Qur’ānic words used are: فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ. The word فِي here denotes deep engagement and involvement. I have translated it keeping in view this aspect. How do gambling and liquor ignite the flames of enmity and revenge between people is explained thus by Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī:

… It is a fact that a society in which this epidemic spreads in the first place becomes devoid of sensitivity towards modesty, chastity, honour and faithfulness (as is evident today from societies afflicted with western culture) and this in itself is a great disaster, and if there remains any trace of these values, then it is essential that every now and then due to them the society remains at war. Arabs were very sensitive to modesty, chastity, honour and integrity and this was a great quality in them. However, at the same time they were very fond of liquor and gambling. For this reason, bouts of liquor drinking and scuffles would cost them a lot. Wherever a person intoxicated with liquor attacked the honour of someone, belittled someone, teased someone or cheated in gambling (and such things are part and parcel of liquor and gambling), they would unsheathe their swords in the blink of any eye. This skirmish between two individuals would become a brawl between tribes and nations and such a progression of revenge after revenge would take place that this would not just be spread over months and years; even after a century this fire would not be extinguished. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 590)

3. A mention of prayer after the remembrance of God is a mention of the specific after the general. Liquor and gambling make a person indifferent to the remembrance of God, and when a person is in this state Satan gets the better of him. It then becomes impossible to get out of his clutches. The result of this is that Satan lures him away and wipes out in him forever the courage to come face to face with the actual realities of life.

4. The interrogative nature of the sentence is actually meant to connote a directive. While explaining the reason for adopting this style instead of giving the directive in plain words, Amīn Ahsān Islāhī writes:

This style incorporates in the directive the elements of reprimand, advice, emphasis, warning and conclusive communication of the truth. Reflection will show that this style is pointing to the fact that the details of the evils of liquor and gambling have been explained to them at many instances in different aspects that no doubt remains in this regard for anyone; so they should speak up if they shall abstain now or not. Obviously, all these elements could not have been conveyed by a directive given in plain words. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 591)

5. In other words, the obligation of the Prophet (sws) stands completed; it is now their responsibility. If they do not understand, they should get ready to face the consequences.

6. This is the answer to a secondary question: if liquor is such a detestable thing, what would happen to people who used to drink it before this, and have since died? There is no option left to them for repentance and reformation. The Qur’ān has answered this question by saying that the Almighty does not punish people in such matters if the truth has not been conclusively delivered to them. Thus people who adhered to piety in all circumstances and followed all the directives of God with full faith and sincerity will not be held accountable for consuming these things at the time when the Almighty had not revealed a clear directive about them.

7. This is the answer to the third question. The verse informs us of the trial which can befall the Arabs in particular when they are in a state of ihrām and are suddenly confronted by a prey. The Almighty wants to test their faith and piety. So they should beware that just as on the Day of Sabbath the fish, by continuously raising their heads, would invite the Israelites to catch them, they too could be confronted with a similar situation. Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī has pointed to certain aspects of the importance which this admonition has. He writes:

In order to understand the importance of this warning, a few things should be clearly kept in consideration. Firstly, hunting in itself is a very tempting thing, especially for the Arabs whose entertainment and livelihood mostly depended on it. Secondly, whenever a prohibition is imposed on something tempting, it becomes even more tempting. There is an Arabic proverb: الإنسان حريص على ما منع (a person becomes eager for something he is stopped from). The psychological effect of this eagerness and greed is that just as someone whose mind has gets fixated, he too starts seeing everywhere the thing he finds himself deprived of. Thirdly, when this prohibition is primarily meant for trial, then there is all the more chance that the Almighty creates situations in which the purpose of this trial is fulfilled. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 594)

8. The Qur’ānic words used are: بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الصَّيْدِ. In it, the word شَيْءٍ in particular, due to its occurrence without a definite article points to the fact that even though this trial shall take place; it shall not be severe; it shall be light.

9. It is evident from this that the directive of prohibition of hunting in the state of ihrām by its nature is a directive meant to try and test people. In other words, they are directives given only to test the faithfulness of people. Since they seem to lack wisdom when viewed with regard to the expediency of people, they become a barometer to check if people believe in God without seeing Him and also become a means of separating those who believe in Him without seeing Him from others who do not. Thus it is stated by the Qur’ān that this trial will take place so that God distinguishes through it those who fear Him without seeing Him.

10. This admonition is very severe. Since such directives of trial are meant to check the faithfulness of people, their violation or showing indifference to them entails very stern punishment. People who believe in God must always remain careful about them. .

11. A summary of the whole directive is that the prohibition of hunting in the state of ihrām is only for animals on the land. Hunting sea animals or eating sea animals which have been hunted by others is allowed. This concession for sea animals is given because if provisions become scarce in land travel other options may be available but in sea travel there is no option but to hunt animals. However, this permission does not mean that people wrongfully benefit from it. The prey hunted on land is prohibited in all circumstances. So if a person deliberately commits such a sin, then he must atone for it.

There are three ways of this atonement:

A household quadruped animal similar to that which has been hunted should be sent to the Baytullāh for sacrifice.

If this is not possible, then the price of such an animal should be calculated and the amount spent to feed the poor.

If even this is not possible, then a person should fast; the number of these fasts should be equivalent to the number of poor a person has become liable to feed.

As far as the decision is concerned regarding the type of animal to be sacrificed in return, or if this is not possible, then determining of the price of such an animal or the number of poor who should be fed or the number of fasts which should be kept, it shall be made by two trustworthy Muslims so that no chance remains for the sinners to succumb to a wrong judgement.

12. The actual words are: قِيَامًا لِّلنَّاسِ. In 2:125, to convey this very purport, the word used is مَثَابة. This refers to a place which is the centre for religious leadership for the progeny of Abraham in particular in just the same way as various capitals of the world are the centre for the political leadership for their respective governments.

13. The actual words are: ألشَّهْرُ الحَرَامُ. They do not refer to any specific month; the expression is a noun of genre referring to all the sacred months.

14. The word شعائر (religious symbols) is suppressed in this sentence because this is clearly evident from the context.

15. The شعائر mentioned in the verse symbolize offerings. When a person travels to the Ka‘bah while becoming part of this symbolism, the reality of which he is reminded at every step is that God is all knowing and discerning  and is aware of everything in the heavens and the earth. It is this which produces the fear of God and piety in a person and this is the very essence of faith and religion. Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī writes:

… here the Almighty has expressed His knowledge both in a verb and in an adjective because God’s knowledge embraces the past, the present, the future, the open, the concealed, the existing, the unknown and the understood – all, and it is this aspect of belief in God in a person which creates in him God’s fear without even seeing Him. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 598)

16. This style of an admonition after another is meant to explain that God knows everything and people should beware that none of their deeds are hidden from Him, and just as He is forgiving and merciful, He is also one Who is stern in retribution. The Prophet of God has explained this fact to them. It is now their responsibility. They should remember that God is absolute good and an embodiment of truth and justice. He cannot deal with good and evil in the same manner. It is possible that the abundance of evil attracts people, but this abundance carries no weight before God. He only accepts what is pure, and only those who adopt piety and virtue will succeed before Him. In His sight, contaminated concepts and deeds and impure things will result in nothing but Hell.

17. This is the answer to the fourth question which begins with an on the spot admonition. It is said that people should refrain from unnecessary questions. This admonition was required because such questions tighten the limits of a directive, and then people are not able to follow them and as a result invite the wrath of God. God wants that a directive be followed the way it is given. Difficulties should not be created by asking to explain what is concise and by asking to limit and restrict what is absolute. Moreover, it also should remain in consideration that the last sharī‘ah of God is till the Day of Judgement and hence the freedom of ijtihād and fiqh cannot be curtailed in it. There is a possibility that this freedom might get curtailed because of asking unnecessary questions, and the coming generations might be faced with hardships as a result.

18. This reference serves as an example and the nation here refers to the Jews. They are mentioned as an indefinite noun in order to express disgust and indifference. An example of these questions is the incident of the heifer mentioned in verses 67-71 of Sūrah Baqarah.

19. The actual words are: قَدْ سَأَلَهَا. The antecedent in it is meant to describe the category. It is evident from the parallels of the Qur’ān that such antecedents are also used in the Arabic language.

20. The verb جَعَلَ is used in this sentence. I have translated it as “has prescribed”. What is implied is to prescribe something as the sharī‘ah. In other words, God has not regarded as part of sharī‘ah prohibitions of certain animals by the Idolaters under the names of bahīrah, sā’ibah, wasīlah and hām.

Bahīrah is the name given to a she camel which has five offspring, the last of which is a male. The ears of such a camel are slit and it is left free.

Sā’ibah is the name given to a camel which is left free once some vow has been fulfilled.

As for wasīlah, some people would vow that if a goat would give birth to male offspring, they would offer it to their idols, and if gives birth to female offspring, they would keep it to themselves; if she would give birth to male and female offspring simultaneously, they would call it wasīlah and would not offer such male offspring to their idols.

Hām is the name of a bull which has given birth to many offspring. It would be left to roam free.

Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī writes:

All these were rituals and offerings of the Arab jāhiliyyah. Such animals would be left on their own; they could drink water from any place and graze in any field; no one could stop them nor impede them. Such was the religious sanctity that they held that every one would be scared to death of obstructing them in any way. The Qur’ān made it clear that they have no religious basis in the sharī‘ah. This basis is only held by the hadī and the qalā’id. The rest are mere superstitious whims. Regarding them to be a part of the sharī‘ah is a blatant falsehood on God and His sharī‘ah. People devoid of any sense have ascribed such foolish things to God. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 602)

21. Earlier on, the Prophet (sws) was assured that his only responsibility in the capacity of a messenger is to communicate religion. Here, Muslims too are similarly assured that their responsibility too is no more than this. If their addressees do not pay heed, they are not to blame; it is their misconduct that is to be blamed which is the cause of denying facts. If Muslims fulfill their responsibility, they will not be asked about their addressees.

22. This is the answer to the fifth and final question. How this question arose is evident from the answer given at the end which constitutes the reminder regarding certain facts about the Messengers of God.

23. I.e. from non-Muslims.

24. This implies any prayer. The word “prayer” is used here is generic noun and does not refer to any specific prayer.

25. The actual word is: الأَوْلَيَانِ. This is the dual of أَوْلَى and means “more worthy” ie “more worthy of evidence” (بِالشَّهَادَة أَوْلَى). Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī writes:

… this refers to the two witnesses who were called to bear witness to the bequest initially. Since, as per their status, they are more worthy of bearing witness, they were called by the word الأَوْلَيَانِ. Here it is also indicated that if they are more worthy of bearing evidence, then they should prove true to this status and not indulge in any dishonesty; for if they do so, then in spite of being more worthy of bearing evidence, their evidence stands refuted by an oath sworn by others. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 605)

26. A summary of this directive is presented below:

i. If death stares a person in the face and he has to make a will regarding his wealth, then he should call in two just witnesses from among his Muslim brethren.

ii. If death approaches him during a journey, and two Muslim witnesses are not available, then as a last resort he can call in two non-Muslim witnesses.

iii. If there is a possibility that those selected from among the Muslims as witnesses might show some bias towards someone by altering their testimony, then as a precautionary measure, they can be held back after a congregational prayer in the mosque and be asked to swear by Allah that they will not alter their testimony for worldly gain or to be partial towards someone even if he be their close relative, and, if they make any alteration, then they will be sinners.

iv. The witnesses should know that this testimony is شهادة الله (the testimony of Allah). So even if they are dishonest in the slightest way, it would mean that they are dishonest not only to their brethren but also to the Almighty.

v. In spite of this, if it comes to to light that these witnesses have shown bias to someone contrary to the will made by the deceased, then two people from among those who have become the victims of this injustice should stand up and swear that they are truer than the previous witnesses; that they have not committed any excess in this regard and that they will be wrongdoers in the eyes of Allah if they do so.

vi. It is likely that after this further measure, the witnesses will not give a false testimony for they will have the fear hovering over them that if they commit any wrong, others will negate their oaths and in spite of being regarded more worthy of bearing evidence, their oaths will be refuted.

27. It is evident that every prophet will be asked these questions. The questions and his answers are cited ahead specially because the error which his followers had strayed into was extra-ordinary. Except for him no messenger and his mother were ever worshipped as gods.

28. This extra-ordinary incident took place in the case of Jesus (sws) so that the truth was conclusively communicated to the Jews and no possibility remained of besmearing his mother, Mary (sws).

29. The Torah mostly deals with sharī‘ah and the Gospel mostly with faith and morals. For the first of these, the Qur’ān has used the wordالْكِتَابَ  and for the second, the word الْحِكْمَة. Deliberation shows that this sentence of the Qur’ān explains this nomenclature in every respect.

30. The way this happened was that when the Jews were preparing to kill him, God gave death to him and lifted his corpse to Himself. Thus no one could even touch his body to achieve their filthy motives.

31. All these things from God mentioned here are meant to conclusively communicate the truth to the Christians and to humiliate them on the Day of Judgement. Thus by Jesus (sws) and by their own confession, the reality will be made evident to the Christians that whatever they did was blatant deviation from the truth. It had nothing to do with the words, deeds or teachings of Jesus (sws).

32. This incident is narrated to the disciples of Jesus (sws), keeping in view the importance these disciples attach to the call of Jesus (sws). The aspect of conclusive communication of the truth which is found in it is explained thus by Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī:

… Firstly, the faith embraced by the disciples is neither Christianity nor Sabeanism; it is Islam.

Secondly, his disciples would call him Jesus, son of Mary; there is no concept of the divinity of Jesus (sws) present. They regarded God to be Lord of Jesus (sws) and of the whole world.

Thirdly, they never regarded Jesus (sws) to be the originator of miracles; they only regarded him to be a means of their manifestation. Thus they did not request Jesus (sws) to send down a table-spread; on the contrary, they asked Jesus (sws) that he should request his Lord that if it is not against His wisdom, He should send a table-spread so that their hearts are reassured through it. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 608)

33. The actual words are: هَلْ يَسْتَطِيعُ رَبُّكَ. This question does not relate to the power of God but to His wisdom. In other words, the question posed is: Is it in accordance with His wisdom that He show such a clear sign? Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī writes:

… although miracles are supernatural, they appear in the veil of available means; it is not that everything is unveiled. For this reason, the Almighty has never encouraged demands in which desire exceeds the bounds regarding the appearance of miracles which is His established practice. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 608)

34. After this it is obvious that the disciples would have refrained from making this request. Thus there is no mention in the Gospel that such a table spread was sent down.

35. Here the Qur’ān has corrected the expression “my father and your father” found in the Gospels. This is what Jesus (sws) had actually said but because in Hebrew the word أب is used both for Lord and father and the word ابن is used both for servant and son, so when the Christians invented the belief of the divinity of Jesus (sws), they used this commonality of meaning to their advantage and gave it the form we now find in the Gospel.

36. This is an extra-ordinary sentence by Jesus (sws). Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī writes:

… such is the eloquent nature of this sentence that translation is  unable to fully capture it. Evidently, the sentence should have been like this: وَ إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ إِن تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ; however, in such a case this would have become in very clear words an intercession for the Christians and it is known about the prophets of God that they will not intercede for the Idolaters. Hence, Jesus (sws) will speak in a way that he says the truth, befits the court of God, has compassion in it and at the same time cannot be blamed for interceding for the Idolater and the Interpolators. Thus if the words: إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ وَإِن تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ are deliberated upon it contains all the qualities I have referred to above, and at the same time also express the fact that Jesus (sws) will acquit himself from the responsibility of intercession. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 609)

37. The Qur’ānic word used is صِدْق. It is used for harmony between one’s words, deeds and intentions – all three of them. If a person does not utter anything with his mouth which is against the truth, his words and deeds do not contradict one another and he abides by every commitment he makes, then this is the truthfulness of his tongue and deeds; however, with it the truthfulness of intention is also necessarily required. The Qur’ān has regarded people who are opposite to this as hypocrites and those who are in accordance with it as sincere, and then has explained at various places that a deed originates from the intention of the heart. Thus the pinnacle of truthfulness is harmony between words, deeds and intention. The following words of Sūrah Ah#zāb point to this reality: صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ (٣٣: ٢٣) (they fulfilled the covenant they made with God, (33:23)). To put it another way, every word of the tongue, intention of the heart and action of the limbs should become a manifestation of truth and truthfulness.

38. The implied meaning is that those among your followers who proved truthful in their promises and covenants and did not deliberately insist on error, and in fact whatever they understood, they did with sincerity, did not knowingly change and distort it, and then followed it to the best of their ability, have glad tidings of Paradise. However, those who deliberately broke their promise and were guilty of breaching trust and in spite of repeated reminders from God were not prepared to reform their beliefs and deeds will not be given any concession. They will necessarily endure the punishment for their sins.