Allah has neither appointed (cattle consecrated to idols such as) Bahirah, Sa’ibah ▶
49 This verse enunciates a standard of evaluation and judgement quite distinct from the standards employed by superficial people. For the latter, a hundred dollars would be worth more than five dollars, since the figure hundred is more than five. But according to this verse, if those hundred dollars have been earned in a manner entailing the disobedience of God, the entire amount becomes unclean. If, on the contrary, a man earns five dollars while obeying God then this amount is clean; and anything which is unclean, whatever its quantity, cannot be worth that which is clean.
50 People used to ask the Prophet (peace be on him) many questions which were of no practical relevance to either religious or day-to-day affairs. Hence they were given this directive.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 104–5
Wasilah nor Ham;51 but those who disbelieve forge lies against Allah and of them most have no understanding (and therefore succumb to such superstitions). (104) When they are asked: “Come to what Allah has revealed, and come to the Messenger,” they reply: “The way of our forefathers suffices us.” (Will they continue to follow their forefathers) even though their forefathers might have known nothing, and might have been on the wrong way?
(105) Believers, take heed as regards your own selves. ▶
51 Here is a mention of some of the superstitious practices of the Arabs of the Jahiliyah period. Bahirah was the name of a female camel which had already borne five young, the last of which was a male. The practice was to slit the ear of such a camel and then let her loose. Thereafter no one could ride her, use her milk, slaughter her or shear her hair. She was entitled to graze and drink water wherever she liked. Sa’ibah was the name of either a male or female camel which had been let loose after consecration as a mark of gratitude in fulfilment of a vow taken for either the recovery from some ailment or delivery from some danger. In the same way the female camel which had given birth ten times, and each time to a female, was let loose. As for Wasilah if the first kid born to a goat was a male, it was slaughtered in the name of the deities; but if it was a female, it was kept by the owners for themselves. If twins were born and one of them was a male and the other a female goat, the male was not slaughtered but rather let loose in the name of the deities. This male goat was called wasilah. There was also another category known as ham: If the young of camels in the second degree of descent had become worthy of riding they were let loose. Likewise, if ten offspring had been borne by a female camel she was also let loose and called ham.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 106
If you are rightly-guided, the error of he who strays will not harm you.52 To Allah will all of you return; then He will let all of you know what you did.
(106) Believers! When death approaches you, let two persons of equity53 among you act as witnesses when you make your bequest; or let two of those from others than yourselves act as witnesses if you are on a journey when the affliction of death befalls you. Then if any doubt occurs you shall detain both of them (in the mosque) after the Prayer, and they shall swear by Allah: ▶
52 What is stressed here is that rather than occupying oneself unduly with examining faults in the belief and conduct of others, one should pay greater attention to a critical examination of one’s own conduct. This verse, however, in no way means that a person should be occupied only with his own salvation and should remain unconcerned with the reform of others. Abu Bakr removed this misconception in one of his sermons when he remarked: “You recited this verse but interpret it erroneously. I have heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) say that when people see corruption but do not try to change it, and when they see a wrong-doer commit wrong but do not prevent him from doing so, it is not unlikely that God’s chastisement will seize them all. By God, it is incumbent upon you that you bid what is good and forbid what is evil or else God will grant power over you to those who are the worst among you. They will greatly chastise you and then when your righteous ones pray to God, their prayers will not be answered.”
53 That is, pious, straightforward and trustworthy Muslims.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 107–9
“We shall neither sell our testimony in return for any gain even though it concerns any near of kin nor shall we conceal our testimony which we owe to Allah, for then we should become among the sinners.” (107) Then if it is discovered later that the two are guilty of such sin, then two others shall stand in their place from among those against whom the two had sinfully deposed, and swear by Allah: “Our testimony is truer than the testimony of the other two, and we have not transgressed in our statement; for then indeed we would become sinners.” (108) Thus it is more likely that they will either bear the right testimony or else they will at least fear that their oaths may be rebutted by other oaths. Have fear of Allah and pay heed. Allah does not direct the disobedient to the Right Way.
(109) The Day when Allah will gather together the Messengers and say: “What answer were you given?”54 ▶
54 On the Day of Judgement the Prophets will be asked: what was the response of the people of the world to their call?
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 110
They will reply: “We have no real knowledge of it. You alone fully know all that lies beyond the reach of perception.” (110) Imagine, then, when Allah will say: “Jesus, son of Mary, recall My favour upon you and your mother, and when I strengthened you with the spirit of holiness so that you talked to people in the cradle and also when you became of age; and when I taught you the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel; and when, by My leave, you fashioned from clay the likeness of a bird and you breathed into it, and by My leave it became a bird; and you healed, by My leave, the blind by birth and the leprous; and when, by My leave, you caused the dead to come to life.55 And recall when I restrained the Israelites from you when you came to them with clear proofs whereupon those of them who disbelieved said: “This is nothing but plain magic.” ▶
55 That is, with God’s command Jesus restored people to life from the state of death.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 111–14
(111) And recall when I revealed to the disciples to believe in Me and in My Messenger, they said: “We do believe, and we bear witness that indeed we are the ones who submit to Allah.” (112) Also recall56 when the disciples asked: “Jesus, son of Mary, has your Lord the power to send down to us a repast from the
