Tafsir of Surah Al-Ma'idah - Verse 97

Water Game is Allowed for the Muhrim

Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, Sa`id bin Jubayr and others commented on Allah's statement;

أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَحْرِ

(Lawful to you is (the pursuit of) water game...) that it means, what one eats fresh from it, while,

وَطَعَامُهُ

(And its use for food) what is eaten dry and salted. Ibn `Abbas said that `water game' refers to what is taken from water while still alive, while,

وَطَعَامُهُ

(and its use for food) refers to what the water throws ashore dead. Similar statements were reported from Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, Zayd bin Thabit, `Abdullah bin `Amr, Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari, `Ikrimah, Abu Salamah bin `Abdur-Rahman, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i and Al-Hasan Al-Basri. Allah's statement,

مَتَـعاً لَّكُمْ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ

(for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel,) as food and provision for you,

وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ

(and those who travel, ) those who are in the sea and traveling along the sea, according to `Ikrimah. Other scholars said that water game is allowed for those who fish it from the sea, as well as, when it is salted and used as food for travelers inland. A similar statement was reported from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and As-Suddi and others. Imam Malik bin Anas recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah said, "Allah's Messenger sent an army towards the east coast and appointed Abu `Ubaydah bin Al-Jarrah as their commander, and the army consisted of three hundred men, including myself. We marched on until we reached a place where our food was about to finish. Abu `Ubaydah ordered us to collect all the food for our journey, and it was collected in two bags of dates. Abu `Ubaydah kept on giving us our daily ration in small amounts from it, until it was exhausted. The share of each of us used to be one date only." I (one of the narrators from Jabir) said, "How could one date suffice for you" Jabir replied, "We came to know its value when even that finished." Jabir added, "When we reached the seashore, we saw a huge fish which was like a small mountain. The army ate from it for eighteen days. Then Abu `Ubaydah ordered that two of its ribs be affixed in the ground. Then he ordered that a she-camel be ridden, and it passed under the two ribs (forming an arch) without touching them." This Hadith was also collected in the Two Sahihs. eMalik recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "A man asked Allah's Messenger ﷺ, `O Allah's Messenger! We go to sea and carry little water with us. If we use it for Wudu', we get thirsty, so should we use seawater for Wudu" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«هُوَ الطَّهُورُ مَاؤُهُ الْحِلُّ مَيْتَتُه»

(Its water is pure and its dead are lawful)." The two Imams, Ash-Shafi`i and Ahmad bin Hanbal, recorded this Hadith, along with the Four Sunan compilers. Al-Bukhari, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban graded it Sahih. This Hadith was also recorded from the Prophet by several other Companions.

Hunting Land Game is Prohibited During Ihram

Allah said,

وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَرِّ مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُماً

(but forbidden is land game as long as you are in a state of Ihram.) Therefore, hunting land game during Ihram is not allowed, and if someone who is in the state of Ihram hunts, he will have to pay expiation, along with the sin he earns if he does it intentionally. If he hunts by mistake, he will have to pay the expiation and is not allowed to eat from it, because this type of game is just like dead animals, be he a Muhrim or a non-Muhrim. If someone who is not in the state of Ihram hunts and gives the food to a Muhrim, the Muhrim is not allowed to eat from its meat if it was killed for him in particular. As-Sa`b bin Jaththamah said that he gave a zebra as a gift to the Prophet in the area of Waddan or Abwa', the Prophet gave it back. When the Prophet saw the effect of his returning the gift on As-Sa`b's face, he said,

«إِنَّا لَمْ نَرُدَّهُ عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا أَنَّا حُرُم»

(We only gave it back to you because we are in a state of Ihram.) This Hadith was collected in the Two Sahihs. The Prophet thought that As-Sa`b hunted the zebra for him, and this is why he refused to take it. Otherwise, the Muhrim is allowed to eat from the game if one who is not in Ihram hunts it. For when Abu Qatadah hunted a zebra when he was not a Muhrim and offered it to those who were in the state of Ihram, they hesitated to eat from it. They asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he said,

«هَلْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ أَشَارَ إِلَيْهَا أَوْ أَعَانَ فِي قَتْلِهَا»

(Did any of you point at it or help kill it) They said, "No." He said,

«فَكُلُوا»

(Then eat,) and he also ate from it. This Hadith is also in the Two Sahihs with various wordings. Ibn Kathir only mentioned Ayat 96 to 99 here and explained the better part of Ayah number 96, but he did not mention the explanation of the rest of that Ayah or the other Ayat (97 to 99). This is the case in all of the copies of his Tafsir in existence, and he might have forgotten to do that, for it is less likely that all who copied this book forgot to copy only this part. So we used a summary of the Tafsir of these Ayat from the Imam of Tafsir, Ibn Jarir At-Tabari. We tried to summarize At-Tabari's eloquent words to the best of our ability, by Allah's help and leave.

وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ الَّذِى إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَV

(And have Taqwa of Allah to Whom you shall be gathered back. ) Allah says, fear Allah, O people, and beware of His might, by obeying what He commands you and avoiding what He prohibits for you in these Ayat revealed to your Prophet . These Ayat forbid Khamr, gambling, Al-Ansab and Al-Azlam, along with hunting land game and killing it while in the state of Ihram. To Allah will be your return and destination, and He will punish you for disobeying Him and will reward you for obeying Him.

جَعَلَ اللَّهُ الْكَعْبَةَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ قِيَاماً لّلنَّاسِ

(Allah has made the Ka`bah, the Sacred House, an asylum of security and benefits for mankind,) Allah says, Allah made the Ka`bah, the Sacred House, an asylum of safety for the people who have no chief to prevent the strong from transgressing against the weak, the evil from the good-doers, and the oppressors from the oppressed.

وَالشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ وَالْهَدْىَ وَالْقَلَـئِدَ

(And also the Sacred Month and the animals of offerings and the garlanded.) Allah says that He made these symbols an asylum of safety for the people, just as He made the Ka`bah an asylum of safety for them, so that He distinguishes them from each other, for this is their asylum and symbol for their livelihood and religion. Allah made the Ka`bah, the Sacred Month, the Hady, the garlanded animals and people an asylum of safety for the Arabs who used to consider these symbols sacred. Thus, these symbols were just like the chief who is obeyed by his followers, and who upholds harmony and public safety. As for the Ka`bah, it includes the entire sacred boundary. Allah termed it "Haram" because He prohibited hunting its game and cutting its trees or grass. Similarly, the Ka`bah, the Sacred Month, the animals of offerings and the garlands were the landmarks of existing Arabs. These symbols were sacred during the time of Jahiliyyah and the people's affairs were guided and protected by them. With Islam they became the symbols of their Hajj, their rituals, and the direction of the prayer. i.e., the Ka`bah in Makkah.

ذلِكَ لِتَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

(that you may know that Allah has knowledge of all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and that Allah is the All-Knower of each and everything.) Allah says; O people, I made these symbols an asylum for you, so that you know that He Who made these symbols that benefit your life and provide you with security, also knows everything in the heavens and earth that brings about your immediate or eventual benefit. Know that He has perfect knowledge of everything and that none of your deeds or affairs ever escapes His observation; and He will count them for you so that He rewards those who do good with the same and those who do evil in kind.

اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(Know that Allah is severe in punishment and that Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Allah says, know that your Lord, Who has perfect knowledge of whatever is in the heavens and earth, and Who is never unaware of your deeds - public or secret - is severe in punishment for those who disobey and defy Him. He also pardons the sins of those who obey and repent to Him, more Merciful than to punish them for the sins that they repented from.

مَّا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلاَّ الْبَلَـغُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا تَكْتُمُونَ

(The Messenger's duty is but to convey. And Allah knows all that you reveal and all that you conceal.) This is a warning from Allah for His servants in which He says: Our Messenger ﷺ, whom We sent to you, has only to convey Our Message and then the reward for the obedience, and punishment for the disobedience is on Us. The obedience of those who accept Our Message never escapes Our knowledge, just as in the case of those who disobey and defy Our Message. We know what one of you does, demonstrates physically, announces, and utters with his tongue, and what you hide in your hearts, be it of faith, disbelief, certainty, doubt or hypocrisy. He Who is so capable, then nothing that the hearts conceal, nor any of the apparent acts of the souls in the heavens and earth could escape His knowledge. In His Hand, alone, is the reward and punishment, and He is worthy to be feared, obeyed and never disobeyed.

Commentary

Four Sources of Tranquility

The first verse (97) mentions four things as the cause of constancy, survival and tranquility for people.

The first is the Ka'bah. In Arabic, Ka'bah is the name of a place which is square. Another house made by the Arab tribe of Khath'am carried the same name, that is, al-ka'bah-al-Yamaniyah, to be exact. Therefore, to distinguish the Baytullah (House of Allah) from this place, the words: الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَ‌امَ (Al-Baytul-Haram: The Sacred House) were added to the name of the Ka'bah.

The word "Qiyam" and Qiwam are verbal nouns. They refer to that on which the stability and survival of something depends. Therefore, " قِيَامًا لِّلنَّاسِ " in the text comes to mean that the Ka'bah and its adjuncts are the cause and source of the stability and survival of people.

Lexically, the word: النَّاسِ (annas) is used for people in general. At this place, because of the topical context, they could mean the people of Makkah proper, or the people of Arabia and the peoples of the world as well. Obviously, it includes human beings of the whole world - however, the people of Makkah and the people of Arabia do have a unique status. Therefore, the sense of the verse would be that Allah Ta` ala has made Ka'batullah کعبۃُ اللہ (The Ka'bah of Allah) and what is mentioned later, the source of stability, survival and tranquility for people. As long as people of the world from each country, each region and each direction keep turning their orientation towards Baytullah to say their Salah, and the Hajj of Baytullah continues to be performed by those on whom its performance has become obligatory (fard) - until then, this whole world will keep going and stay safe. And if, there ever comes that fatal year when no one makes Hajj, or no one turns towards Baytullah to offer Salah, then, the whole world will be overtaken by mass Punishment.

Baytullah is the Mainstay of the Universe

The respected master of Tafsir, 'Ata' has stated the subject in the words which follow: لَو ترکوہ عامًا واحدا لم ینظروا یؤخروا (Al-Bahr Al-Mubit). This tells us that, significance-wise, Baytullah is the pillar of this whole world. As long as people keep turning towards it and Hajj keeps being performed, the world will stay. And if, this reverence of Baytullah were to terminate at some time, the world will also be terminated. However, there remains the question: What is the connection and linkage between the universal system and Baytullah? But then, knowing its reality is not necessary - who knows the reality behind the mutual connection of magnet and iron and lightening and straw? But, it is a reality proved through observation. It cannot be rejected. The comprehension of the reality of the mutual linkage between Baytullah and the universal system is also not within the reach and control of mortal man. That can be known only when the Creator of the universe tells us about it. That Baytullah is the cause of the survival of the whole universe is a thing of the spirit. Physical insight or formal research cannot reach it. But, its being the cause of peace and tranquility for Arabia and the people of Makkah stands proved by long experiences and observations.

Baytullah : Symbol and Substance of Peace

Peace is generally maintained in the world through government laws and its implementation. That is why robbers, thiefs, killers and plunderers do not dare. But, during the Arab Jahiliyyah, there was no formal government nor was there some general law to maintain public peace. Whatever political system there was, it was based on tribal con-siderations. One tribe could attack the life, property and honour of another tribe anytime at its choice. Therefore, no tribe had the occasion to enjoy peace and tranquility any time. Allah Almighty, with His perfect power, made the Baytullah in Makkah al-Mukarramah stand as a regular government ushering peace and tranquility. As anyone in his right frame of mind would not dare breaking the law of a strong government in our day, so it was, even during those days of ignorance, that Allah Almighty had impinged the reverence of the Baytullah on the hearts of common people in a manner that they would throw all their personal desires and emotions behind their backs when it came to upholding its honour and station.

So, this was Arab Jahiliyyah, the so called Age of Ignorance, proverbial for tribal prejudices and long drawn wars. But, such was the reverence for Baytullah and its adjuncts which Allah had placed in their hearts that they would say just nothing to even their sworn enemy despite their anger and chagrin - if the enemy had entered the Haram. A son who met the killer of his father in the Haram would lower his gaze and walk away from him.

Similarly, as much respect was also given to a person who had embarked on his Hajj and ` Umrah or who had been carrying animals for sacrifice in the Haram. The result was that even the worst person around would not hurt him in anyway - to the limit that they would say nothing to even a sworn enemy if he was in a condition when signs of his being on Hajj and ` Umrah, such as the garments of Ihram or garlands, were all too visible.

Take an example. The year was Hijrah 6. The Holy Prophet ﷺ accompanied by a group of his Sahabah entered into the Ihram of ` Umrah and started for his journey towards Baytullah. He stopped at Hudaybiyah close to the Haram limits and sent Sayyidna ` Uthman al-Ghani ؓ to Makkah along with some colleagues so that they can tell the chiefs of Makkah that Muslims have come at this time not for fighting but for performing ` Umrah, therefore, they should not be obstructed.

It was after a good deal of debate that they sent a representative of theirs to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . When he saw him, he said: This person is an upholder of the sanctities of Baytullah, therefore, the sacrificial animals marked for sacrifice should be brought before him.

When the representative saw these sacrificial animals, he conceded that such people should never be stopped from going to Baytullah.

So, as said earlier, Allah Almighty had placed such awe of the venerated Haram - even during the days of Jahiliyyah - that it became the very cause and source of peace and tranquility. As a direct result of this reverence, only those who either went in and out of Haram, or those who came for their Hajj and ` Umrah with some sign of the intended pilgrimage on them, were the ones who remained protected - outsiders did not benefit from this peace and tranquility. But, in Arabia itself, the way they honoured the site of Baytullah and its environs universally, they would also give equal respect to the months of Hajj. They called these, the Sacred Months. Some had included the month of Rajab along with them. During these months, fighting and killing - even outside the Haram - was considered by the whole Arabia as prohibited, from which they would abstain.

1\. Therefore, the Holy Qur'an has included three more things as being قِيَامًا لِّلنَّاسِ (stability for people) along with the Ka'bah. The first is: الشَّهْرَ‌ الْحَرَ‌امَ , that is, the Sacred Month. Since the word, شَّهْرَ‌ (shahr: month) has been placed here in its singular form, most commentators say that it means the month of Dhul-Hijjah at this place, the month during which the rites of Hajj are performed. Some commentators have said that, though the word used is singular, but it signifies category where-by all Sacred Months are included here.

2\. Mentioned secondly is "al-hady" الْهَدْيَ which refers to an animal sacrificed in Haram. It was common Arab practice not to check and obstruct anyone carrying such sacrificial animals who could travel on in peace and be able to do what he intended to do. Thus, ` sacrificial animals' also became a cause of the establishment of peace.

3\. The third thing is الْقَلَائِدَ "Al-Qala'id." The word is the plural form of Qiladah. It means a garland. There was a custom in the age of Arab Jahiliyyah that a person who went out for Hajj would put a garland round his (sacrificial animal) neck as a sign so that people may know that here was someone going for Hajj and that he should not be molested. Similarly, they would put garlands round the necks of their sacrificial animals too. These were also known as the قَلَائِدَ Qala'id. So, the Qala'id also became a source of peace and tranquility.

A little thought will show that ` the sacred month,"the sacrificial animal,' and ` the Qala'id' are all adjuncts or auxiliaries of the Baytullah. Reverence for them is part of the reverence of Baytullah. Allah Ta` ala has made the combination of these a source of stability (even constancy and resilience) in all matters relating to the worldly and otherworldly life of the people of Arabia, and that of the people of Makkah particularly - as well as, for all humanity in general.

While explaining the expression: قِيَامًا لِّلنَّاسِ (stability for people), some commentators have said that it means that the Baytullah and the Sacred Haram around it has been made a place of peace for everyone. Others have said that it refers to the extended means of sustenance for the people of Makkah, for what is not grown or made there indigenously keeps reaching them from all over the world by the grace of Allah Ta` ala. Still some others have said that people of Makkah known as the custodians of Baytullah were held in great esteem as special people serving the House of Allah, therefore, it is the particular distinc-tion of these people which has been identified in the Qur'anic expression translated as ` stability for people.'

Imam al-Razi has said that there is no contradiction in all these sayings which are included within the sense of قِيَامًا لِّلنَّاسِ (stability for people) since Allah Ta` ala has made Baytullah the source of betterment, prosperity and success (both materially and spiritually) for the stay, survival, stability, sustenance and return (to it, as well as, through it to the final destination of the Hereafter) for all peoples. And as for the people of Arabia, particularly those of Makkah, they have been blessed by Allah with its outward and inward blessings.

At the end of the verse, it was said: ذَٰلِكَ لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّـهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ وَأَنَّ اللَّـهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (All this so that you may learn that Allah knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and that Allah is All-Knowing in respect of everything). It means that Allah has made Baytullah and its adjuncts the source of stability, survival, peace and tranquility for people, something the people of Arabia keep witnessing particularly. This has been said so that everyone should know that Allah Ta` ala knows everything in the earth and the heavens and He alone is capable of managing and administering it.

The Ka‘bah is the eternal centre for Islam and the Islamic community. By declaring it essential to turn towards the Ka‘bah to say one’s prayers (salat,), God has linked each and every Muslim with the centrality of the Ka‘bah. Then by means of Hajj (pilgrimage) it has been made the international meeting place of Islam. The symbolic rites to be performed in connection with the pilgrimage to the Ka‘bah are of great importance, not because of any inherent holiness in them, but because they are the signs of the trial of man. When a subject of God carries out His commandments on these symbolic rites, he reminds himself that though God is not apparently visible, He is actively present—He gives commands; He keeps a watch on His subjects; He is aware of all our actions. These thoughts develop fear of God in man and make him able to remain a true subject of God throughout the vicissitudes of his life. It is a human weakness to give the utmost importance to the drawing of crowds, and to accumulating an abundance of showy worldly goods, etc. In the eyes of God, however, importance attaches only to quality. Quantity has no value for Him. Those who rush towards ‘abundance’ and attach no value to truth think they are very clever, but in reality they are unwise. One who orders his life in fear of God and not on account of material considerations or worldly cares, is the one who is truly successful.