Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:1
سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ · Medinan · Verse 1 of 120
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَوْفُوا۟ بِٱلْعُقُودِ ۚ أُحِلَّتْ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ ٱلْأَنْعَٰمِ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ غَيْرَ مُحِلِّى ٱلصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ
Translation
You who believe, fulfil your obligations. Livestock animals are lawful as food for you, with the exception of what is about to be announced to you. You are forbidden to kill game while you are on pilgrimage––God commands what He will,
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This foundational verse of Surah Al-Ma'idah opens with a direct, profound address from Allah to His believers, "يا أيها الذين آمنوا" (O you who have believed). It is a call that demands full attention, immediately followed by a pivotal command: "أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ" (Fulfill your covenants).
The Weight of Covenants
The word "العقود" (al-uqud), plural of *'aqd*, literally means to tie something firmly, like knotting a rope. Metaphorically, as Ibn Ashur explains, it came to signify a firm commitment or agreement between two parties. Imam al-Razi notes how Allah calls these duties "contracts" because He has "tied" them to His servants. This comprehensive term, through the definite article "al," encompasses *all* types of covenants: those between us and Allah (like our commitment to His religion and laws), those between Muslims and others (like peace treaties), and those among Muslims themselves (like marriage, business transactions, or pledges of mutual support). This opening, according to Ibn Ashur, is a masterful prelude, setting the stage for the many laws and commitments that follow in the Surah. To "أوفوا" (fulfill) means to give something completely, without reduction, often implying going above and beyond.
Grace in Specifics
Following this general command, the verse transitions to a specific example of Allah's rulings: "أُحِلَّتْ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ الْأَنْعَامِ" (The grazing livestock are made lawful for you). The phrase "بهيمة الأنعام" (beast of the livestock) clarifies that it refers to specific domestic animals like camels, cattle, and sheep, as al-Zamakhshari and al-Razi note. Ibn Ashur highlights this as an act of grace, a prelude that reassures believers by mentioning what is permitted before delving into restrictions. It's as if Allah is saying, "If We forbid some things, We have permitted more."
Tightly Woven Exceptions
This general permission for livestock is immediately qualified by two exceptions, woven together with remarkable linguistic precision, as Ibn Ashur points out. Firstly, "إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ" (except what will be recited to you), which refers to the detailed prohibitions of carrion, blood, and other forbidden meats found later in the Surah. Secondly, "غَيْرَ مُحِلِّي الصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ" (without violating the prohibition against game while you are in the state of ihram). Here, "غير محلي الصيد" means "not making lawful hunting," and "وأنتم حرم" refers to being in the sacred state of *ihram* for Hajj or Umrah, or being within the sacred precinct of the Kaaba, as al-Razi explains. This phrase beautifully contrasts the general permissibility of livestock with a specific, temporary prohibition on hunting during these sacred times and in these sacred places.
Divine Authority
The verse concludes with an emphatic statement of Allah's absolute authority: "إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ" (Indeed, Allah judges what He wills). This phrase, as al-Razi explains, serves as a comprehensive answer to any questions regarding the wisdom or reason behind these specific commands and prohibitions. It underscores that Allah, as the Owner and Creator, has the sole right to legislate and His judgments are always rooted in ultimate wisdom and benefit for His creation, even if we do not fully grasp them.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:1 is discussed in 18 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
- Pledges (Ahd) (key verse)
- The Covenant (Mithaq)
- Fulfillment (Wafa')
- Foreign Relations (Alaqat Dawliyyah)
- The Earth (Ard)
- Eating (Akl)
- Economy (Iqtisad)
- Trustworthiness (Amanah)
- Righteousness (Birr)
- Allegiance (Bay'ah)
- The Forbidden (Haram)
- Hajj
- Ruling (Hukm)
- Curse (La'n)
- Time (Waqt)
- Reconciliation (Silm)
- Truthfulness (Sidq)
- Responsibility (Mas'uliyyah)
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:1 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.