Al-Ma'idah


Al-Ma'idah of the Quran, with 120 verses. Regarding the timing and contextual background of the supposed revelation, it is a "Medinan surah", which means it is believed to have been revealed in Medina, instead of Mecca.
The chapter's topics include animals which are forbidden, Jesus' and Moses' missions. Verse 90 prohibits "The intoxicant". Verse 8 Contains the passage: "Do not let the injustice of others lead you into injustice". Verse 67 is relevant to the Farewell Pilgrimage and Ghadir Khumm.
Verses have been quoted to denounce killing, by using an abbreviated form such as, "If anyone slays a person, it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people". This verse is similar to that of one from the Talmud. The use of this abbreviated rephrasing has been criticised as misleading by Andrew Bostom .

Exegesis

Q5:3

This verse has a Parenthetical Sentence: "This day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear them not, and fear Me. This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion.." This verse was revealed at Arafat as reported in the authentic hadith:

Verse 51

Some Muslim hard liners have used verses such as this one to denounce close relationships with non-Muslims and forbidding non-Muslims from becoming leaders in Muslim countries. However, other Muslim scholars such as Shafi Usmani see this as forbidding only "indiscriminating intimacy" which might confuse the "distinctive hallmarks of Islam", while all other equitable relations as being allowed. Ghamidi in the context of his Itmam al-Hujjah interpretation of Islam, restricts the subjects of this verse to only the Jews and Christians of the Muslim Prophet's time. Other Muslim apologists argue that only belligerent non-Muslims are being referenced here.
Verse 51 is preserved in the Ṣan‘ā’1 lower text.

Verse 54

In Sahih International: O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion Gerrans translates O you who heed warning: whoso among you renounces his doctrine
Verse 54 is also interesting in relation to who the "beloved" are; some hadith view it as being Abu Musa al-Ashari. Verse 54 is preserved in the Ṣan‘ā’1 lower text.

Shia' view

On the Shia interpretation of this verse, God used the singular form "waliyyukum" implying the "wilayah" is a single project. In other words, the "wilayah" of the messenger and that of the Ali springs from the root of God's wilayah. The word "wali" in the context of this verse cannot mean "friend" because there is not a single verse in the Quran where God says that any one of his messengers is a friend or helper of their followers. Further if the verse implied "wilayah" in the sense of friend or helper, then the singular form "waliyyukum" would not have been used but the plural form "awliya'ukum" would be appropriate because the "friendship" of God is unique.
Tahir ul Qadri writes regarding this verse:

Verses 72 and 73

The Quran: An Encyclopedia says, "The Quran’s objection to Christian practice is Christianity’s shirk, its worship of Jesus, Mary and the saints ‘in derogation of Allah’. There is no justification in believing in the Trinity, for Jesus never would have condoned such a concept". In Sahih International: " They have certainly disbelieved who say, " Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary" while the Messiah has said, "O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers. They have certainly disbelieved who say, Allah is the third of three. And there is no god except one God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment."

Verse 90

In Verse 90 it says, "O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, stone alters , and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful." This is a clear ruling in The Quran for Muslims to avoid alcohol and gambling.