Islam as your religion” means that since the Muslims had proved by their conduct and their striving that they were honest and sincere about the commitment they had made to God in embracing Islam – the commitment to serve and obey Him – He had accepted their sincerity and created the conditions in which they were no longer yoked in bondage to anyone but Him. Thus the Muslims were no longer prevented from living in submission to God because of extraneous constraints just as there were no constraints preventing them from subscribing to true beliefs.
8 See Surah al-Baqarah 2: n. 52 above.
9 The questioners wanted a list of what was lawful so that they could treat everything else as prohibited, but the Qur’an provided them instead with a list of what is prohibited and then left them with the guiding principle that all “clean
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and such hunting animals as you teach, training them to hunt, teaching them the knowl- edge Allah has given you – you may eat what they catch for you10 – but invoke the name of Allah on it.11 Have fear of Allah (in violating His Law). Allah is swift in His reckoning.
(5) This day all clean things have been made lawful to you. The food of the People of the Book is permitted to you, ▶
things” are lawful. This meant a complete reversal of the old religious outlook according to which everything that had not been declared lawful was considered prohibited. The lawfulness of things has been tied, however, to the stipulation of their being “clean” so that no one can argue for the lawfulness of things which are unclean. The question which arises at this point is: How are we to determine which things are clean? The answer is that everything is clean apart from those things which can be reckoned as unclean either according to any of the principles embodied in the Law or which are repellent to man’s innate sense of good taste or which civilized human beings have generally found offensive to their natural feelings of cleanliness and decency.
10 The expression “hunting animals” signifies hounds, cheetahs, hawks and all those beasts and birds which men use in hunting. It is a characteristic of animals which have been trained to hunt that they hold the prey for their masters rather than devour it. It is for this reason that while the catch of these trained animals is lawful, that of others is prohibited.
11 Hunters should pronounce the name of God at the time of dispatching animals to the hunt. The verse under discussion makes it clear that it is necessary to pronounce the name of God while dispatching a hound to the hunt. If a man later finds the prey alive he should slaughter it. But if he does not find it alive it will still be lawful to eat it since the name of God had already been pronounced. The same rule applies with regard to shooting arrows in hunting.
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and your food is permitted to them.12 And permitted to you are chaste women, be they from among the believers, or from among those who have received the Book before you,13 provided you become their protectors in wedlock after paying them their bridal-due, rather than going around com- mitting fornication and taking them as secret-companions. The work of he who refuses to follow the Way of faith will go to waste, and he will be among the utter losers in the Hereafter.
(6) Believers! When you stand up for Prayer wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, ▶
12 The food of the People of the Book includes the animals slaughtered by them. The rule that “our food is lawful to them and theirs lawful to us” signifies that there need be no barriers between Muslims and the People of the Book regarding food. Muslims may eat with them and they with Muslims. But this general proclamation of permission is preceded by a reiteration of the statement: “All clean things have been made lawful to you.” This indicates that if the People of the Book do not observe those principles of cleanliness and purity which are considered obligatory by the Law or if their food includes prohibited items, then one should abstain from eating them. If, for instance, they either slaughter an animal without pronouncing the name of God or if they slaughter it in the name of anyone other than God it is not lawful for us to eat the flesh of that animal.
13 This expression signifies the Jews and the Christians. As for non-Muslim women, Muslims may marry only Christians and Jews, and of them only those who have been characterized as muhsanat (i.e. “well-protected women”.) A Muslim who avails of this permission has, however, been cautioned to guard his faith against any possible detrimental influences of his Jewish or Christian wife.
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and wipe your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankles.14 And if you are in the state of ritual impurity, purify yourselves (by taking a bath). But if you are either ill, or travelling, or have satisfied a want of nature or have had (intimate) contact with women and find no water, then have recourse to clean earth and wipe your faces and your hands therewith.15 Allah does not want to lay any hardship upon you; rather He wants to purify you and complete His favours upon you so that you may give thanks.
(7) Remember Allah’s favour upon you and His covenant which He made with you when you said: “We have heard and we obey.” So do fear Allah. Allah has full knowledge even of that which is hidden in the breasts of people. ▶
14 The explanation of this injunction by the Prophet (peace be on him) indicates that washing of the face includes rinsing one’s mouth and inhaling water into the nostrils. Unless this is done the washing of the face is not considered complete. Likewise, since the ears are part of the head, “wiping the head” includes wiping one’s hands over the external and internal parts of the ears as well. Moreover, before starting to wash the other parts one should first wash one’s hands so that the instruments of washing are themselves clean.
15 For explanation see Surah al-Nisa’ 4: nn. 41, 43 above.
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(8) Believers! Be upright bearers of witness for Allah, and do not let the enmity of any people move you to deviate from justice. Act justly, that is nearer to God-fearing. And fear Allah. Surely Allah is well aware of what you do. (9) Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds forgive- ness from sins and a great reward. (10) As for those who disbelieve and give the lie to Our Signs, they are destined for the Blazing Flame.
(11) Believers! Remember Allah’s favour upon you. When a certain people decided to stretch their hands against you,16 He restrained their hands from you. Do fear Allah. Men of faith should put their trust only in Allah.
(12) Surely Allah took a covenant with the Children of Israel, ▶
16 This alludes to the incident reported by [Abd Allah ibn [Abbas when a group of Jews invited the Prophet (peace be on him) and a number of his close Companions to dinner. They had in fact hatched a plot to pounce upon the guests and thus undermine the very foundation of Islam. But by the grace of God the Prophet (peace be on him) came to know of the plot at the eleventh hour and did not go to that dinner.
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