Surah Al-Maeda, Verse 1 and 2

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*Surah Al-Maeda, Verse 1:*

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ أُحِلَّتْ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ الْأَنْعَامِ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ غَيْرَ مُحِلِّي الصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ

O you who believe! Fulfill (your) obligations. Lawful to you (for food) are all the beasts of cattle except that which will be announced to you (herein), game (also) being unlawful when you assume Ihram for Hajj or 'Umrah (pilgrimage). Verily, Allah commands that which He wills.

#COMMENTARY

This line has been justly admired for its terseness and comprehensiveness. Obligations: 'uqud: the Arabic word implies so many things that a whole chapter of commentary can be written on it. First, there are the divine obligations that arise from our spiritual nature and our relation to Almighty Allāh (Sub-haanahu wata'aala). He created us and implanted in us the faculty of knowledge and foresight: besides the intuition and reason which He gave us. He made Nature responsive to our needs, and His Signs in Nature are so many lessons to us in our conduct in individual, social, and public life. All these gifts create corresponding obligations which we must fulfill. But in our own human and material life we undertake mutual obligations express and implied. We make a promise: we enter into a commercial or social contract; we enter into a contract of marriage: we must faithfully fulfill all obligations in all these relationships. Our group or our State enters into a treaty; every individual in that group or State is bound to see that as far as lies in his power, such obligations are faithfully discharged. There are tacit obligations; living in civil society, we must respect its tacit conventions unless they are morally wrong, and in that case we must get out of such society. There are tacit obligations in the characters of host and guest, wayfarer of companion, employer or employed, etc., which every man of Faith must discharge conscientiously. The man who deserts those who need him and goes to pray in a desert is a coward who disregards his obligations. All these obligations are interconnected. Truth and fidelity are parts of religion in all relations of life.

This verse is numbered separately from the succeeding verses. That is, the exceptions named not only in the Glorious Qur-ān but in the Sunnah as well. See Sūra Al-Mā'idah, verse 3 below.

Compared Sūra Al-Mā'idah, verses 94-96. Hunting and the use of game are forbidden "while ye are hurumun," i.e., while ye are:

1. In the Sacred Precincts, or

2. In the special pilgrim garb (ihrām), as to which see Sūra Al-Baqara, verse 196. In most cases the two amount to the same thing. The Sacred Precincts are sanctuary both for man and beast.

Allāh's commands are not arbitrary. His Will is the perfect Archetype or plan of the world. Everything He wills has regard to His Plan, in which are reflected His perfect wisdom and goodness.

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*Surah Al-Maeda, Verse 2:*

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحِلُّوا شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ وَلَا الشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ وَلَا الْهَدْيَ وَلَا الْقَلَائِدَ وَلَا آمِّينَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرِضْوَانًا وَإِذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فَاصْطَادُوا وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ أَن صَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ أَن تَعْتَدُوا وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

O you who believe! Violate not the sanctity of the Symbols of Allah, nor of the Sacred Month, nor of the animals brought for sacrifice, nor the garlanded people or animals, etc. [Marked by the garlands on their necks made from the outer part of the tree-stems (of Makkah) for their security], nor the people coming to the Sacred House (Makkah), seeking the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord. But when you finish the Ihram (of Hajj or 'Umrah), you may hunt, and let not the hatred of some people in (once) stopping you from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part). Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.

#COMMENTARY

Compared Sūra Al-Baqara, verse 158, where Safā and Marwa are called "symbols (sha'ā'īr) of Allāh." Here the symbols are everything connected with the pilgrimage, viz., 

1. The places (like Safā and Marwa, or the Ka'abah or Arafāt, etc);

2. The rites are ceremonies prescribed;

3. Prohibitions (such as that of hunting, etc);

4. The times are seasons prescribed. There is spiritual and moral dimension in all these.

The month of pilgrimage, or else, collectively, the four sacred months (chapter ix, verse 36), viz., Rajab (7th). Dhul-Qa'adah (11th), Zhul-Hijja (12th, the month of Pilgrimage), and Muharram (the first month of the Islamic year). In all these months War was prohibited. Excepting Rajab the other three months are consecutive.

The immunity from attack or interference extended to the animals brought as offerings for sacrifice and the garlands or fillets or distinguishing marks which gave them immunity. They were treated as sacred symbols. And of course every protection or immunity was enjoyed by the Pilgrims.

This is the state opposite to that described before, when ye have left the Sacred Precincts, and have doffed the special pilgrim garb, showing your return to ordinary life.

In the sixth year of Hijra the Pagans, by way of hatred and persecution of the Muslims, had prevented them access to the Sacred Mosque. When the Muslims were re-established in Makkah, some of them wanted to retaliate. Passing from the immediate event to the general principle, we must not retaliate or return evil for evil. The hatred of the wicked does not justify hostility on our part. We have to help each other in righteousness and piety, not in perpetuating feuds of hatred and enmity. We may have to fight and put down evil, but never in a spirit of malice or hatred, but always in a spirit of justice and righteousness.