Tafseer of The Table · Al-Maaida · 5:2
O you who have believed, do not violate the rites of Allah or [the sanctity of] the sacred month or [neglect the marking of] the sacrificial animals and garlanding [them] or [violate the safety of] those coming to the Sacred House seeking bounty from their Lord and [His] approval. But when you come out of ihram, then [you may] hunt. And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Haram lead you to transgress. And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
"O you who believe, do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah"
The explanation of His word, the Exalted: O you who believe, do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah (shaʿāʾir Allah) . The people of exegesis differed concerning the meaning of Allah's word: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah . Some said: its meaning is: do not violate the sacred things of Allah, and do not overstep His limits. It is as though they understood "the symbols (shaʿāʾir)" as "the consecrated marks," and they interpreted "do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah" as: the marks of Allah's limits, His command, His prohibition, and His obligations. Mention of who said that:
8594 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Wahhāb al-Thaqafī related to us, saying: Ḥabīb al-Muʿallim related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, that he was asked about the sacred symbols of Allah, and he said: The sacred things of Allah: the avoidance of Allah's displeasure and the following of obedience to Him — these are the sacred symbols of Allah.
And others said: the meaning of His word do not violate is: the sacred precinct (ḥaram) of Allah. It is as though they understood the meaning of His word the sacred symbols of Allah as: the marks of Allah's sacred precinct among the regions. Mention of who said that:
8595 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: O you who believe, do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah , he said: As for the sacred symbols of Allah: that is the sacred precinct of Allah.
And others said: its meaning is: do not violate the rites of the pilgrimage (ḥajj), so that you neglect them. It is as though they understood its interpretation as: do not violate the marks of Allah's limits which He has appointed for you in your pilgrimage. Mention of who said that:
8596 — al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, saying: Ibn Jurayj said, Ibn ʿAbbās said: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah , he said: the rites of the pilgrimage.
8597 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his word: O you who believe, do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah , he said: The polytheists (mushrikīn) used to perform the pilgrimage to the Sacred House, bring sacrificial animals, honor the sanctity of the sacred places, and trade during their pilgrimage. The Muslims wished to attack them, whereupon Allah, Mighty and Exalted, said: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah .
8598 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning Allah's word: the sacred symbols of Allah : al-Ṣafā and al-Marwa, and the sacrificial animal, and the sacrificial camels — all of these belong to the sacred symbols of Allah.
* — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to me, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, the like of it.
And others said: its meaning is: do not make lawful what Allah has forbidden you in the state of your sacred consecration (iḥrām). Mention of who said that:
8599 — Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to us, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his word: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah , he said: The sacred symbols of Allah: that which Allah has forbidden you to touch while you are in the state of iḥrām. It is as though those who made this statement understood its interpretation as: do not violate the marks of Allah's limits which He has forbidden you in your iḥrām.
The most fitting of the interpretations of His word do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah is the statement of ʿAṭāʾ which we have mentioned, in which he understood its meaning as: do not violate the sacred things of Allah, and do not neglect His obligations. For "the symbols (shaʿāʾir)" is the plural of "shaʿīra," and "shaʿīra" is a form (faʿīla) derived from the saying: "so-and-so became aware (shaʿara) of this matter," when he came to know of it. The "shaʿāʾir" are thus the marks of it. And if that is so, then the meaning of the words is: do not make lawful, O you who believe, the marks of Allah — and under this fall all the marks of Allah in the rites of the pilgrimage, of the prohibition against that which Allah has forbidden the person in iḥrām to touch, and the neglecting of that which He forbade neglecting, and that which He forbade of making lawful the sanctity of His sacred precinct, and everything else of His limits, His obligations, His lawful and His forbidden; for all of that belongs to His marks and His sacred symbols which He has made into distinguishing tokens between truth and falsehood, by which His lawful and His forbidden and His command and His prohibition are known. And we have only said that this statement is the most fitting for the interpretation of His word, the Exalted: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah , because Allah has forbidden the making lawful of His sacred symbols and the marks of His limits, and their violation, with a general prohibition without exempting anything thereof in particular over anything else; so it is not permissible for anyone to direct its meaning toward the particular except by a proof to which one must submit, and for that there is no such proof.
"Nor the sacred month"
The explanation of His word, the Exalted: nor the sacred month . The Exalted means by His word nor the sacred month : and do not make the sacred month lawful by fighting therein your enemies among the polytheists. It is like His word: They ask you about the sacred month, about fighting therein; say: fighting therein is a grave matter . And in accordance with what we have said in this, Ibn ʿAbbās and others said. Mention of who said that:
8600 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his word: nor the sacred month , that is: do not make fighting lawful therein.
8601 — al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, he said: The polytheist was not, in that time, prevented from the House, and they were commanded not to fight in the sacred month nor at the House.
As for the sacred month which Allah meant by His word nor the sacred month , that is Rajab of Muḍar, and that is a month in which Muḍar used to forbid fighting. And it has been said: it is, in this place, Dhū al-Qaʿda. Mention of who said that:
8602 — al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of ʿIkrima, he said: it is Dhū al-Qaʿda.
We have already set forth previously the proof for the correctness of what we have said in this, namely in the explanation of His word: They ask you about the sacred month, about fighting therein .
"Nor the sacrificial offering, nor"
The explanation of His word, the Exalted: nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded animals . As for the sacrificial offering (al-hady): that is what a person brings as an offering of camel, cow, sheep, or something else to the House of Allah, in order to draw near to Allah thereby and to seek His reward. Allah, Mighty and Exalted, says: so do not make that lawful, so that you anger the owners thereof, and do not prevent them from that which they have brought as an offering so that it reaches the place which Allah has appointed for it at His Kaʿba. And it has been transmitted from Ibn ʿAbbās that the sacrificial offering is only a sacrificial offering as long as it has not been garlanded.
8603 — Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related that to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his word: nor the sacrificial offering , he said: The sacrificial offering is what has not yet been garlanded, while he has resolved to bring it as an offering and to garland it.
As for His word: nor the garlanded animals (al-qalāʾid) , by it He means: and do not make the garlanded animals lawful either. Then the people of exegesis differed concerning the garlands (qalāʾid) which Allah, Mighty and Exalted, forbade making lawful. Some said: by the garlands He meant: the garlands of the sacrificial offering. And they said: Allah meant only by His word nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded animals : and do not make the offerings lawful, whether they are garlanded or not garlanded; His word nor the sacrificial offering concerns what of the offerings is not garlanded, and nor the garlanded animals what of them is garlanded. They said: He, by His word nor the garlanded animals , pointed to the meaning of what He intended of the prohibition against making lawful the garlanded offerings. Mention of who said that:
8604 — Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his word: nor the garlanded animals : The garlands: the garlanded sacrificial animals; and when the man garlands his sacrificial animal, then he has assumed the state of sacred consecration (iḥrām), and if he does that while he is wearing his shirt, let him take it off.
And others said: by it are meant: the garlands which the polytheists used to put on when they wished to perform the pilgrimage, on the way to Mecca, of the bark of the samur tree, and when they departed from there to their dwellings to return, of its [bark]. Mention of who said that:
8605 — al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to me, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah, nor the sacred month , he said: The man used to, in the time of ignorance (jāhiliyya), when he left his house intending to perform the pilgrimage, garland himself with the samur, and no one would trouble him; and when he returned, he garlanded himself with a garland of its [bark], and no one would trouble him.
And others said: rather, the man among them used to garland himself when he wished to leave the sacred precinct, or set out, with the bark of the trees of the sacred precinct, and thereby he was safe from the remaining tribes of the Arabs that they would treat him with harm. Mention of who said that:
8606 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Mālik ibn Mighwal, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ: nor the garlanded animals , he said: They used to garland themselves with the bark of the trees of the sacred precinct, and thereby they were safe when they left the sacred precinct; then it was revealed: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah , the verse, nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded animals .
8607 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: nor the garlanded animals , he said: The garlands: the bark around the necks of people and animals as safety for them.
* — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, the like of it.
8608 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, concerning his word: nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded animals , he said: The Arabs used to garland themselves with the bark of the trees of Mecca, and the man would stay in his place until the sacred months came to an end; and when he then wished to return to his family, he garlanded himself and his camel with the bark of the trees, and thus he was safe until he arrived at his family.
8609 — Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning his word: nor the garlanded animals , he said: The garlands: the man used to take the bark of a tree of the trees of the sacred precinct and garland himself with it, and then he would go wherever he wished, and thereby he was safe; those are the garlands.
And others said: Allah forbade the believers by His word nor the garlanded animals only to tear off anything from the trees of the sacred precinct in order to garland themselves with it, as the polytheists used to do in their time of ignorance. Mention of who said that:
8610 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Malik, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, concerning his word: nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded animals : The polytheists used to take from the trees of Mecca, from the bark of the samur, and garland themselves with it, and thereby they were safe from the people; thereupon Allah forbade that one tear off its trees in order to garland oneself.
8611 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: ʿUbayd Allah related to us, on the authority of Abū Jaʿfar al-Rāzī, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas, he said: We were sitting with Muṭarrif ibn al-Shikhkhīr, and with him was a man, and he related to them concerning his word: nor the garlanded animals , he said: The polytheists used to take from the trees of Mecca, from the bark of the samur, and garland themselves with it, and thereby they were safe among the people; thereupon Allah, Mighty is His mention, forbade that one tear off its trees in order to garland oneself.
What is most fitting for the interpretation of His word nor the garlanded animals , since it is connected to the beginning of the words and there is nothing in the words indicating a separation of it from the beginning, nor that by it He intended the prohibition against garlanding or against taking garlands of anything, is that its meaning is: and do not make the garlanded animals lawful. And if that is the most fitting for its interpretation, then it is known that it is a prohibition from Allah, Mighty is His mention, against making lawful the sanctity of the garlanded creature — whether it be a sacrificial animal or a human being — not the sanctity of the garland itself; and that Allah, Mighty is His mention, only by forbidding the sanctity of the garland pointed to what we have mentioned of the sanctity of the garlanded creature, so that He sufficed by mentioning the garlanded animals without mentioning the garlanded creature, since the meaning of what was intended by it was understood by those to whom this was addressed. The meaning of the verse, then — since the matter is as we have described — is: O you who believe, do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah, nor the sacred month, nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded creature in its two kinds with the garlands of the sacred precinct. And one of the poets mentioned in his poetry what we have transmitted from him who interpreted the garlands as the garlands of the bark of the trees of the sacred precinct, with which the people of the time of ignorance used to garland themselves; he said, while censuring two men who had killed two men who had garlanded themselves with it:
"Did you two not kill the two Ḥarajān, when they appeared before you both, while they carried in their hands the plaited bark?"
And "al-Ḥarajān": the two slain men, in this. And the meaning of his saying "aʿwarākumā" is: they put you both within reach of their vulnerability.
"The garlanded animals, nor those who repair to the House"
The explanation of His word, the Exalted: nor those who repair to the Sacred House . He means by His word, Mighty is His mention, nor those who repair to the Sacred House : and do not make lawful those who, with intent and purpose, head for the Sacred House. One says of this: "amamtu kadhā" (I intended that) when you head for it and proceed toward it, and some say "yammamtuhu," as the poet said:
"Indeed, I am such that, when a land displeases me, I direct the breast of my mount toward another land."
And the Sacred House: the House of Allah which is at Mecca; and we have already set forth previously why it is called "al-Ḥarām" (the Sacred). seeking abundance from their Lord , that is: they seek profits in their trade from Allah. and good pleasure , He says: and that Allah would be pleased with them on account of their sacred worship. And it has been said: this verse was revealed concerning a man of Banū Rabīʿa, called al-Ḥuṭam. Mention of who said that:
8612 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, he said: al-Ḥuṭam ibn Hind al-Bakrī came riding, one of the Banū Qays ibn Thaʿlaba, until he arrived alone before the Prophet ﷺ, while he had left his cavalry outside Medina. He called him and said: To what do you call? And he told him; and the Prophet ﷺ had already said to his companions: "Today there will enter upon you a man of Rabīʿa who speaks with the tongue of a devil." When the Prophet ﷺ had informed him, he said: Wait, perhaps I will become a Muslim, but I have someone with whom I must consult. He departed from him, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "He has entered with the face of an unbeliever (kāfir), and has departed with the heel of a traitor." Then he passed by a herd of the herds of Medina, and drove it away and departed with it, while he recited this:
"The night has gathered her up with a driver, Ḥuṭam, no herdsman of camels nor of sheep, nor a slaughterer at the slaughtering-block; they passed the night sleeping, and Ibn Hind did not sleep; he passed the night driving her, a youth like an arrow-shaft, with firm legs and smooth foot."
Then he came the following year as a pilgrim, and had already garlanded and brought offerings. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ wished to dispatch a troop against him, whereupon this verse was revealed, up to: nor those who repair to the Sacred House . Some of his companions said to him: O Messenger of Allah, leave him and us be, for he is our adversary! He said: "He has garlanded." They said: It is merely something we used to do in the time of ignorance. But he refused it to them, whereupon this verse was revealed.
8613 — al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of ʿIkrima, he said: al-Ḥuṭam, a brother of Banū Ḍubayʿa ibn Thaʿlaba al-Bakrī, arrived at Medina in a caravan of his carrying grain, and he sold it. Then he went in to the Prophet ﷺ, gave him the pledge of allegiance, and became a Muslim. When he departed, the Prophet looked after him and said to those who were with him: "He has entered upon me with the face of a scoundrel and departed with the back of a traitor." When he arrived at al-Yamāma, he apostatized from Islam (irtadda), and set out in a caravan of his carrying grain in Dhū al-Qaʿda, on the way to Mecca. When the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard of him, a group of the emigrants (muhājirūn) and the helpers (anṣār) made ready to set out against him in order to intercept him in his caravan, whereupon Allah revealed: O you who believe, do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah , the verse, whereupon the people desisted. Ibn Jurayj said: His word nor those who repair to the Sacred House , he said: it forbids that the pilgrims be cut off from the road. He said: and that was because al-Ḥuṭam came to the Prophet ﷺ to scout and look, and said: I am a spokesman of my people, so set forth to me what you say! He said to him: "I call you to Allah, that you worship Him and associate nothing with Him as a partner, and perform the ritual prayer (ṣalāh), and give the obligatory alms (zakāh), and fast the month of Ramadan, and perform the pilgrimage to the House." al-Ḥuṭam said: In this matter of yours there is harshness; I will return to my people and mention to them what you have mentioned; if they accept it, I will come with them, and if they turn away, I am with them. He said to him: "Return!" When he departed, he said: "He has entered upon me with the face of an unbeliever and departed from me with the heel of a traitor, and the man is no Muslim." Then he passed by a herd of the people of Medina, and departed with it. The companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ pursued him, but he escaped them. And he arrived at al-Yamāma, and the pilgrimage drew near, so he equipped himself to set out, and he conducted a great trade. They asked permission to intercept him and take what he had with him, whereupon Allah, Mighty and Exalted, revealed: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah, nor the sacred month, nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded animals, nor those who repair to the Sacred House .
8614 — Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning his word: nor those who repair to the Sacred House … the verse, he said: This was on the day of the conquest (of Mecca); there came people who repaired to the House of the polytheists, performing the invocation for the ʿumra, and the Muslims said: O Messenger of Allah, these are merely polytheists, so the likes of these we will not leave be unless we attack them! Whereupon the Qurʾān descended: nor those who repair to the Sacred House .
8615 — Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: nor those who repair to the Sacred House , he says: whoever sets out on his way as a pilgrim.
8616 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn related to us, saying: Hushaym informed us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, concerning his word: nor those who repair to the Sacred House , that is: the pilgrim.
8617 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: ʿUbayd Allah ibn Mūsā related to us, on the authority of Abū Jaʿfar al-Rāzī, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas, he said: We were sitting with Muṭarrif ibn al-Shikhkhīr, and with him was a man, and he related to them and said: nor those who repair to the Sacred House , he said: those who intend the House.
Then the people of knowledge differed concerning what of this verse is abrogated (nasakha), after their agreement that a part of it is abrogated. Some said: the whole of it is abrogated. Mention of who said that:
8618 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Bayān, on the authority of ʿĀmir, he said: Of al-Māʾida nothing is abrogated except this verse: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah, nor the sacred month, nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded animals .
8619 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Yazīd ibn Hārūn related to us, on the authority of Sufyān ibn Ḥusayn, on the authority of al-Ḥakam, on the authority of Mujāhid: O you who believe, do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah was abrogated by: then kill the polytheists wherever you find them .
* — al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: al-Thawrī informed us, on the authority of Bayān, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī, he said: Of Sūrah al-Māʾida nothing is abrogated except this verse: O you who believe, do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah .
8620 — al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda concerning his word: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah, nor the sacred month , the verse, he said: abrogated. He said: The polytheist was not, in that time, prevented from the House, and they were commanded not to fight in the sacred months nor at the House; then His word abrogated it: then kill the polytheists wherever you find them .
8621 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Abū Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah , up to His word: nor those who repair to the Sacred House , he said: Sūrah Barāʾa abrogated it: then kill the polytheists wherever you find them .
* — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn related to us, saying: Hushaym related to us, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, the like of it.
* — Ibn Ḥumayd and Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, both saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Ḥabīb ibn Abī Thābit: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah, nor the sacred month, nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded animals , he said: This is something that was forbidden, so it was left as it is.
8622 — Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning his word: O you who believe, do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah, nor the sacred month, nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded animals, nor those who repair to the Sacred House , he said: All of this is abrogated; this was abrogated by His command to fight them all through jihād.
And others said: that of this verse which is abrogated is His word: nor the sacred month, nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded animals, nor those who repair to the Sacred House . Mention of who said that:
8623 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: ʿAbda ibn Sulaymān related to us, saying: I recited to Ibn Abī ʿArūba, whereupon he said: Thus I heard it from Qatāda: of al-Māʾida there is abrogated: those who repair to the Sacred House ; Sūrah Barāʾa abrogated it, Allah said: then kill the polytheists wherever you find them , and He said: It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah while they bear witness against themselves of unbelief (kufr) , and He said: Indeed, the polytheists are impure, so let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year of theirs — and that was the year in which Abū Bakr led the pilgrimage, and he proclaimed therein the proclamation.
* — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: al-Ḥajjāj ibn al-Minhāl related to us, saying: Hammām ibn Yaḥyā related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning his word: O you who believe, do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah , the verse, he said: there was abrogated of it: those who repair to the Sacred House ; Sūrah Barāʾa abrogated it, He said: then kill the polytheists wherever you find them , and he mentioned something similar to the transmission of ʿAbda.
8624 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, he said: Concerning the affair of al-Ḥuṭam there was revealed: nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded animals, nor those who repair to the Sacred House ; then Allah abrogated it, and He said: kill them wherever you find them .
8625 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allah related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his word: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah , up to His word: nor those who repair to the House — entirely; Allah forbade the believers to prevent anyone from performing the pilgrimage to the House or to trouble him, whether believer or unbeliever; then Allah revealed after this: Indeed, the polytheists are impure, so let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year of theirs , and He said: It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah , and He said: Only he maintains the mosques of Allah who believes in Allah and the Last Day — thus He banished the polytheists from the Sacred Mosque.
8626 — al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning his word: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah, nor the sacred month , the verse, he said: abrogated. The man used to, in the time of ignorance, when he left his house intending to perform the pilgrimage, garland himself with the samur, and no one would trouble him; and when he returned, he garlanded himself with a garland of its [bark], and no one would trouble him; and the polytheist was not, in that time, prevented from the House, and they were commanded not to fight in the sacred months nor at the House; then His word abrogated it: then kill the polytheists wherever you find them .
And others said: nothing of it was abrogated except the garlands which they used to put on in the time of ignorance from the bark of the trees. Mention of who said that:
8627 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning his word: do not violate the sacred symbols of Allah, nor the sacred month , the verse — the companions of Muḥammad ﷺ said: All of this belongs to the work of the time of ignorance, the performing and the upholding of it, so Allah forbade all of that through Islam, except the bark of the garlands, that He left. nor those who repair to the Sacred House , so Allah forbade anyone to instill fear in them.
* — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, the like of it.
And the most correct of the statements concerning that is the statement of him who said: Allah abrogated of this verse His word: nor the sacred month, nor the sacrificial offering, nor the garlanded animals, nor those who repair to the Sacred House , on account of the agreement of all that Allah has permitted fighting against the people of polytheism in the sacred months and in the remaining months of the whole year; and likewise they have agreed that even were the polytheist to garland his neck or his two arms with the bark of all the trees of the sacred precinct, that would afford him no protection against the death penalty if there had not previously been established for him a covenant of protection (dhimma) or safe-conduct (amān) from the Muslims. And we have already set forth previously the meaning of the garlands in a place other than this. As for His word: nor those who repair to the Sacred House , it bears, according to its outward meaning, the possibility: and do not violate the sanctity of those who repair to the Sacred House, of the people of polytheism and of Islam, on account of the generality of all who head for the House. And if it bears that possibility, and the people of polytheism are included in the whole of it, then there is no doubt that His word: then kill the polytheists wherever you find them abrogates it; for it is not permissible that the command to kill them and the refraining from killing them coincide in one and the same state and at one and the same time. And in the agreement of all that Allah's ruling concerning the belligerents among the polytheists is their killing — whether they head for the Sacred House or the Hallowed House (Jerusalem), in the sacred months or others — is that from which one knows that the prohibition against their killing when they head for the Sacred House is abrogated. And it also bears the possibility: nor those who repair to the Sacred House of the people of polytheism — and most of the people of exegesis hold to that. And even were the polytheists among the belligerents intended by it, then it is likewise, without doubt, abrogated. And since that is so, and there is among them no apparent disagreement concerning it, and since what was widespread among them was with apparent proof, it is obligatory — even though it bears a meaning other than that which they mentioned — to submit to that whose transmission has become widespread with correctness.
"The Sacred, seeking abundance from their Lord"
The explanation of His word, the Exalted: seeking abundance from their Lord and good pleasure . He means by His word seeking : they desire and seek. And the abundance: the profit in trade; and the good pleasure: Allah's contentment with them, so that there does not befall them the chastisement in this world which befell other peoples in their worldly life on account of their pilgrimage to His House. And in accordance with what we have said in this, the people of exegesis said. Mention of who said that:
8628 — al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning his word: seeking abundance from their Lord and good pleasure , he said: They are the polytheists who seek the abundance of Allah and His good pleasure in that which improves their worldly life.
* — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: ʿAbda ibn Sulaymān related to us, saying: I recited to Ibn Abī ʿArūba, whereupon he said: Thus I heard it from Qatāda concerning his word: seeking abundance from their Lord and good pleasure ; and the abundance and the good pleasure: these are the two things they seek, namely that their means of livelihood in this world be improved and that the chastisement therein not be hastened upon them.
8629 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allah related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: seeking abundance from their Lord and good pleasure , that is: that they seek to please Allah with their pilgrimage.
8630 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: ʿUbayd Allah related to us, on the authority of Abū Jaʿfar al-Rāzī, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas, he said: We were sitting with Muṭarrif ibn al-Shikhkhīr, and with him was a man, and he related to them concerning his word: seeking abundance from their Lord and good pleasure , he said: the trade during the pilgrimage, and the good pleasure in the pilgrimage.
8631 — Muḥammad ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar related to us, saying: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of Abū Umayma, he said: Ibn ʿUmar said concerning the man who performs the pilgrimage and carries merchandise with him, he said: there is no objection to that. And he recited this verse: seeking abundance from their Lord and good pleasure .
8632 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: seeking abundance from their Lord and good pleasure , he said: they seek the reward and the trade.
"And good pleasure; and when you leave the state of sacred consecration"
The explanation of His word, the Exalted: and when you leave the state of sacred consecration, then hunt . The Exalted means by it: and when you leave the state of sacred consecration, then hunt the game which I forbade you to make lawful while you were in iḥrām, He says: there is then no blame upon you in hunting it, so hunt if you then wish; for the reason for which I had forbidden it to you in the state of your iḥrām has passed away. And in accordance with what we have said in this, all the people of exegesis said. Mention of who said that:
8633 — Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, saying: Hushaym related to us, saying: Ḥuṣayn related to us, on the authority of Mujāhid, that he said: it is a permitted dispensation (rukhṣa). He means His word: and when you leave the state of sacred consecration, then hunt .
8634 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Abū Khālid al-Aḥmar related to us, on the authority of Ḥajjāj, on the authority of al-Qāsim, on the authority of Mujāhid, he said: Five things in the Book of Allah are a dispensation and not an obligation, and he mentioned: and when you leave the state of sacred consecration, then hunt , he said: whoever wishes, does it, and whoever wishes, does not do it.
8635 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Abū Khālid related to us, on the authority of Ḥajjāj, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, the like of it.
8636 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Mujāhid: and when you leave the state of sacred consecration, then hunt , he said: when he has left the state of sacred consecration, then he hunts if he wishes, and he does not hunt if he wishes.
8637 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of a man, on the authority of Mujāhid: that he did not regard the eating of the sacrificial offering of the tamattuʿ as obligatory, and he explained this verse thus: and when you leave the state of sacred consecration, then hunt , and when the prayer is performed, then disperse over the earth .
"Hunt, and let not"
The explanation of His word, the Exalted: and let not lead you . The Exalted means by His word and let not lead you : and let it not incite you. As:
8638 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allah ibn Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya ibn Ṣāliḥ related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his word: and let not the hatred of a people lead you , he says: let not the hatred of a people incite you.
8639 — Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning his word: and let not the hatred of a people lead you , that is: let it not incite you.
As for the linguists, they differed concerning its interpretation. Some Basran scholars said: the meaning of His word and let not lead you is: let it not establish as certain for you; for His word lā jarama anna lahum al-nār means: it is established as certain (ḥaqqa) that for them is the Fire. And some Kūfan scholars said: its meaning is: let it not incite you. And he said: one says: "jaramanī fulān ʿalā an ṣanaʿtu kadhā wa-kadhā," that is: he incited me to it. And they all adduced as proof the verse of the poet:
"And indeed, I dealt Abā ʿUyayna a thrust, a thrust that led Fazāra to become wrathful thereafter."
And each group of them explained that in accordance with the meaning which they explained in the Qurʾān. Those who said lā yajrimannakum means: let it not establish as certain for you, explained the saying of the poet "jaramat Fazāra": the thrust established the wrath as certain for Fazāra. And those who said that its meaning is: let it not incite you, said that the meaning in the verse "jaramat Fazāra an yaghḍabū" is: it incited Fazāra to become wrathful. And another of the Kūfans said: the meaning of His word lā yajrimannakum is: let not the hatred of a people cause you to acquire (let it not earn for you). And the interpretation of him who made this statement of the verse of the poet "jaramat Fazāra" is: it earned for Fazāra that they became wrathful. He said: and I heard the Arabs say: "so-and-so is the breadwinner (jarīma) of his family," in the meaning of: their acquirer; and "he went out to acquire for them (yajrimuhum)": to earn for them. And these statements which we have narrated from those from whom we have transmitted them are close to one another in meaning; for whoever incites a man to aversion of a man, he has made him acquire his aversion, and whoever makes him acquire his aversion, he has established it as certain for him. And since that is so, the best in elucidating the meaning of the word is what Ibn ʿAbbās and Qatāda said, namely their explanation of the meaning of His word and let not the hatred of a people lead you : let not the hatred of a people incite you to enmity. And the reciters differed concerning its reading. Most of the reciters of the regions read it: wa-lā yajrimannakum with fatḥa on the "yāʾ," derived from "jaramtuhu ajrimuhu." And some Kūfan reciters read it, and that is Yaḥyā ibn Waththāb and al-Aʿmash, namely:
8640 — Ibn Ḥumayd and Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, both saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, that he recited: "wa-lā yujrimannakum" with ḍamma on the "yāʾ," derived from "ajramtuhu ujrimuhu wa-huwa yujrimunī."
And as for the most correct of the two readings, it is the reading of him who recited it: wa-lā yajrimannakum with fatḥa on the "yāʾ," on account of the widespread currency of that reading among the reciters of the regions and the rarity of what departs from it, and because it is the well-known, current language among the Arabs, even though from some of them has been heard: "ajrama yujrimu," despite its rarity; and the reciting of the Qurʾān according to the most eloquent of the languages is more fitting and more correct than according to anything else. And of the language of him who said "jaramtu" is the saying of the poet:
"O you who raise complaint against ʿUkl — and what has it earned me with the tribes of killing and misery?"
"Lead you; the hatred of a people"
The explanation of His word, the Exalted: the hatred (shanaʾān) of a people . The reciters differed concerning its reading. Some read it: shanaʾān with the "shīn" and the "nūn" moved to fatḥa, in the meaning of: the aversion of a people, whereby they understood it as the verbal noun (maṣdar) that has the form faʿalān, by analogy with al-ṭayarān (the flying), and al-nasalān, and al-ʿasalān, and al-ramalān. And others read it: shanʾān qawm with quiescence of the "nūn" and fatḥa on the "shīn," in the meaning of the noun; whereby they understood its meaning as: let not the aversion of a people incite you, so that "shanʾān" comes upon the pattern faʿlān; for its verb is upon the pattern faʿila, as one says: sakrān from sakira, and ʿaṭshān from ʿaṭisha, and what resembles that of the nouns. And as for the most fitting of the two readings therein for correctness, it is the reading of him who recited: shanaʾān with fatḥa, with the movement of the "nūn," on account of the widespread interpretation of the people of exegesis that its meaning is: the aversion of a people, and their understanding of it as the meaning of the verbal noun and not the meaning of the noun. And since it is understood as the meaning of the verbal noun, the eloquent thing in the language of the Arabs concerning what of the verbal nouns comes upon the pattern faʿalān is with fatḥa on the first consonant, the moving of the second and not the making of it quiescent, as I have described of their saying: al-darajān and al-ramalān from daraja and ramala; thus likewise is "al-shanaʾān" from "shaniʾtuhu ashnaʾuhu shanaʾānan." And among the Arabs there are those who say: "shanaʾān" upon the pattern faʿāl, but I know of no reciter who has recited it thus, and to that belongs the saying of the poet:
"And life is nothing but what one enjoys and desires, even though therein the man of aversion (al-shanān) censures and utters folly."
And this is in the language of him who omits the hamza from "al-shanaʾān," so that it comes upon the pattern faʿāl, while it is originally faʿalān. Mention of who among the people of exegesis explained shanaʾān qawm as: the aversion of a people:
8641 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allah ibn Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his word: and let not the hatred of a people lead you : let not the aversion of a people incite you.
* — And al-Muthannā related it to me another time with his isnād, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, and he said: let not the enmity of a people incite you to transgress.
8642 — Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: and let not the hatred of a people lead you : let not the aversion of a people incite you.
8643 — Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning his word: and let not the hatred of a people lead you , he said: their aversion, that you transgress.
"Of a people because they barred you from the Sacred Mosque, that"
The explanation of His word, the Exalted: because they barred you from the Sacred Mosque, that you transgress . The reciters differed concerning its reading. Some people of Medina and most of the reciters of the Kūfans read it: an ṣaddūkum with fatḥa on the alif of "an," in the meaning of: let not the aversion of a people lead you, because they barred you from the Sacred Mosque, that you transgress. And some reciters of the Ḥijāz and Basra read it: "wa-lā yajrimannakum shanaʾān qawm in ṣaddūkum" with kasra on the alif of "in," in the meaning of: and let not the aversion of a people lead you, if they bring about for you a barring from the Sacred Mosque, that you transgress. And they claimed that it is, in the reading of Ibn Masʿūd: "in yaṣuddūkum"; and that reading is thus by analogy with his reading. And the correct statement concerning that, in my view, is that they are two well-known, renowned readings among the readings of the regions, the meaning of each of the two of which is correct. For the Prophet ﷺ was barred from the House, he and his companions, on the day of al-Ḥudaybiya, and Sūrah al-Māʾida was revealed to him after that. So whoever recites: an ṣaddūkum with fatḥa on the alif of "an," its meaning is: let not the aversion of a people incite you, O people, on account of the fact that they barred you on the day of al-Ḥudaybiya from the Sacred Mosque, that you transgress against them. And whoever recites: "in ṣaddūkum" with kasra on the alif, its meaning is: let not the aversion of a people incite you, if they bar you from the Sacred Mosque when you wish to enter it; for those among the Quraysh who fought the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his companions on the day of the conquest of Mecca had sought to bar them from the Sacred Mosque before that issued from the barrers. Except that the matter — even though it is as I have described — its reading with fatḥa on the alif is clearer in meaning; for concerning this sūrah there is no disagreement among the people of knowledge that it was revealed after the day of al-Ḥudaybiya. And since that is so, the barring had already previously issued from the polytheists, so Allah forbade the believers transgression against the barrers on account of their barring of them from the Sacred Mosque. As for His word: that you transgress , by it He means: that you overstep the limit which Allah has appointed for you in their affair. The interpretation of the verse, then, is: and let not the aversion of a people incite you, because they barred you from the Sacred Mosque, O believers, that you transgress Allah's ruling concerning them and overstep it to what He has forbidden you; rather, hold fast to obedience to Allah in what you love and what you abhor. And it has been mentioned that it was revealed concerning the prohibition against pursuing blood-vengeances of the time of ignorance. Mention of who said that:
8644 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning Allah's word: that you transgress : a believing man of the allies of Muḥammad killed an ally of Abū Sufyān of Hudhayl on the day of the conquest at ʿArafa; for he used to kill the allies of Muḥammad, whereupon Muḥammad ﷺ said: "May Allah curse whoever kills for a blood-vengeance of the time of ignorance."
* — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, the like of it.
And others said: this is abrogated. Mention of who said that:
8645 — Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning his word: and let not the hatred of a people lead you, that you transgress , he said: their aversion, until you do what is not lawful for you. And he recited: because they barred you from the Sacred Mosque, that you transgress and cooperate; he said: all of this is already abrogated; the jihād abrogated it.
And the most fitting of the two statements therein for correctness is the statement of Mujāhid: that it is not abrogated, on account of the possibility it bears that you transgress the truth in what I have commanded you. And since it bears that possibility, it is not permissible to say: it is abrogated, except by a proof to which one must submit.
"Transgress; and cooperate in righteousness and God-fearing, and do not cooperate in sin"
The explanation of His word, the Exalted: and cooperate in righteousness (al-birr) and God-fearing (al-taqwā), and do not cooperate in sin (al-ithm) and aggression (al-ʿudwān) . The Exalted means by His word and cooperate in righteousness and God-fearing : and let some of you, O believers, help another in righteousness, and that is acting in accordance with what Allah has commanded to be done; and the God-fearing , that is the avoidance of what Allah has commanded to be avoided and shunned of His acts of disobedience. And His word: and do not cooperate in sin and aggression , that is: and let not some of you help another in sin, that is: in the omission of what Allah has commanded you to do. and the aggression , he says: nor in that you overstep what Allah has appointed for you in your religion and made obligatory for you toward yourself and toward others. And the meaning of the words is only: and let not the aversion of a people incite you, because they barred you from the Sacred Mosque, that you transgress; but let some of you help another through the command to adhere to what Allah has appointed for you with regard to the people who barred you from the Sacred Mosque and with regard to others, and the refraining from what Allah has forbidden you to do toward them and toward others, and in all the rest of what He has forbidden you; and let not some of you help another in opposition to that. And in accordance with what we have said concerning righteousness and God-fearing, the people of exegesis said. Mention of who said that:
8646 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allah related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his word: and cooperate in righteousness and God-fearing : Righteousness: that which you are commanded, and God-fearing: that which you are forbidden.
8647 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: ʿAbd Allah ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ, on the authority of Abū al-ʿĀliya, concerning his word: and cooperate in righteousness and God-fearing , he said: Righteousness: that which you are commanded, and God-fearing: that which you are forbidden.
"And the aggression; and fear Allah, indeed Allah is severe"
The explanation of His word, the Exalted: and fear Allah, indeed Allah is severe in punishment . And this is a threat from Allah, the Exalted, and a warning to whoever transgresses His limit and oversteps His command. He, Mighty is His mention, says: and fear Allah , that is: and beware, O believers, of meeting Him at your return while you have transgressed His limit in what He has appointed for you, and have transgressed His command in what He has commanded you, or His prohibition in what He has forbidden you, so that you deserve His punishment and become deserving of His painful torment. Then He described His punishment as severe, and He, Mighty is His mention, said: indeed Allah is severe in His punishment of whomever of His creatures He punishes; for it is a fire whose heat is not quenched, and whose glowing coals are not extinguished, and whose flame does not subside. We seek refuge with Allah from that, and from a deed that brings us near to it.
