Meaning: The Table Spread | Has 120 Verses | Revealed In: Medina (Madani Surah)
Significance of Surah Al-Ma'idah:
This Surah addresses dietary laws, justice, oaths, punishment for crimes, and the finality of Allah's message. It emphasizes the fulfillment of covenants and includes warnings to the People of the Book. It also contains the verse about the completion of the religion of Islam.
1.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَوْفُواْ بِٱلْعُقُودِۚ
O you who have believed, fulfill \[all] contracts.
أُحِلَّتْ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ غَيْرَ مُحِلِّي ٱلصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌۗ
Lawful for you are the animals of grazing livestock except for that which is recited to you \[in this Qur'an] – hunting not being permitted while you are in the state of ihram.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ
Indeed, Allah ordains what He intends.
2.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُحِلُّواْ شَعَـٰٓئِرَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا ٱلشَّهْرَ ٱلْحَرَامَ وَلَا ٱلْهَدْيَ وَلَا ٱلْقَلَـٰٓئِدَ وَلَآ ءَامِّينَ ٱلْبَيْتَ ٱلْحَرَامَ
O you who have believed, do not violate the rites of Allah or the sanctity of the sacred month or the sacrificial animals or the garlands \[marking them] or those coming to the Sacred House seeking bounty from their Lord and \[His] approval.
وَإِذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فَٱصْطَادُواْۚ
But when you come out of ihram, then \[you may] hunt.
وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوْمٍ أَن صَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ أَن تَعْتَدُواْۘ
And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Haram lead you to transgress.
وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلْبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقْوَىٰۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِۚ
And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.
وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ
And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.
3.
حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةُ وَٱلدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ
Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine,
وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ وَٱلْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَٱلْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَٱلْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَٱلنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ ٱلسَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ
and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and \[those animals] killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by falling, or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten – except what you are able to slaughter \[before death] –
وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى ٱلنُّصُبِ
and those that are sacrificed on stone altars,
وَأَنْ تَسْتَقْسِمُواْ بِٱلْأَزْلَـٰمِ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌۗ
and \[prohibited] is to divide meat among yourselves by drawing lots with arrows. This is grave disobedience.
ٱلْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِۚ
This day those who disbelieve have despaired of \[defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me.
ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمَ دِينٗاۚ
This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as your religion.
فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ فِي مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٖ لِّإِثْمٖ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ
But whoever is forced by extreme hunger with no inclination to sin – then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Here is the continuation of Surah Al-Ma’idah (Chapter 5), covering Verses 4–25, including Arabic and English translation:
4.
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَآ أُحِلَّ لَهُمْۖ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتُۙ
They ask you what has been made lawful for them. Say, “Lawful for you are \[all] good foods
وَمَا عَلَّمْتُم مِّنَ ٱلْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَكُلُواْ مِمَّآ أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَٱذْكُرُواْ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَرِيعُ ٱلْحِسَابِ
and \[game caught by] what you have trained of hunting animals which you train as Allah has taught you. So eat of what they catch for you and mention the name of Allah upon it, and fear Allah.” Indeed, Allah is swift in account.
5.
ٱلْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتُۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ حِلّٞ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلّٞ لَّهُمْۖ
This day \[all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them.
وَٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتُ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتُ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَـٰفِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِيٓ أَخْدَانٖۗ
\[Lawful in marriage are] chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you, when you have given them their due compensation, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse or taking them as mistresses.
وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُۥ وَهُوَ فِي ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
And whoever denies the faith – his work has become worthless, and he in the Hereafter will be among the losers.
6.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ
O you who have believed, when you rise to \[perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows
وَٱمْسَحُواْ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِۚ
and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles.
وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبٗا فَٱطَّهَّرُواْۚ
And if you are in a state of janābah, then purify yourselves.
وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٞ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَـٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُواْ مَآءٗ فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدٗا طَيِّبٗا
But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it.
مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٖ وَلَـٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.
7.
وَٱذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمِيثَـٰقَهُ ٱلَّذِي وَاثَقَكُم بِهِۦ إِذْ قُلْتُمْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَاۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
And remember the favor of Allah upon you and His covenant with which He bound you when you said, “We hear and we obey”; and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of that within the breasts.
8.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّـٰمِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَآءَ بِٱلْقِسْطِۖ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُواْۚ
O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just.
ٱعْدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.
9.
وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِۙ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٞ وَأَجْرٌ عَظِيمٞ
Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds \[that] for them there is forgiveness and great reward.
10.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَكَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَآ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْجَحِيمِ
But those who disbelieve and deny Our signs – those are the companions of Hellfire.
11.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ
O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allah upon you
إِذْ هَمَّ قَوْمٌ أَن يَبْسُطُوٓاْ إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَكَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنكُمْۚ
when a people determined to extend their hands \[in aggression] against you, but He withheld their hands from you.
وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ
And fear Allah. And upon Allah let the believers rely.
12.
وَلَقَدْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِيثَـٰقَ بَنِيٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ
And Allah had already taken a covenant from the Children of Israel,
وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ ٱثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبٗاۖ وَقَالَ ٱللَّهُ إِنِّي مَعَكُمْۖ
and We delegated from among them twelve leaders. And Allah said, “I am with you.
لَئِنْ أَقَمْتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَيْتُمُ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَءَامَنتُم بِرُسُلِي وَعَزَّرْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَقْرَضْتُمُ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنٗا
If you establish prayer and give zakah and believe in My messengers and support them and loan Allah a goodly loan,
لَّأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٖ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُۚ
I will surely remove from you your misdeeds and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow.
فَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ مِنكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ
But whoever of you disbelieves after that has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way.”
13.
فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَـٰقَهُمْ لَعَنَّـٰهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَـٰسِيَةٗ
So for their breaking of the covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts hard.
يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ وَنَسُواْ حَظّٗا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِۦۚ
They distort words from their \[proper] usages and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded.
وَلَا تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَىٰ خَآئِنَةٖ مِّنْهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا مِّنْهُمْۖ فَٱعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَٱصْفَحۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
And you will still observe deceit among them, except a few of them. But pardon them and overlook \[their misdeeds]. Indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.
14.
وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا نَصَـٰرَىٰٓ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَـٰقَهُمْ فَنَسُواْ حَظّٗا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِۦ
And from those who say, “We are Christians,” We took their covenant; but they forgot a portion of that of which they were reminded.
فَأَغْرَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ ٱلْعَدَاوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِۚ
So We caused among them animosity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection.
وَسَوْفَ يُنَبِّئُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَصْنَعُونَ
And Allah is going to inform them about what they used to do.
15.
يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرٗا مِّمَّا كُنتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَيَعْفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٖۚ
O People of the Scripture, Our Messenger has come to you to make clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlook much.
قَدْ جَآءَكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ نُورٞ وَكِتَـٰبٞ مُّبِينٞ
There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book.
16.
يَهْدِي بِهِ ٱللَّهُ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ رِضْوَٰنَهُۥ سُبُلَ ٱلسَّلَـٰمِ وَيُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِۦ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٖ مُّسْتَقِيمٖ
By which Allah guides those who pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace and brings them out from darknesses into the light, by His permission, and guides them to a straight path.
17.
لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَۚ
They have certainly disbelieved who say that Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary.
قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًٔا إِنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُهْلِكَ ٱلْمَسِيحَ ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُۥ وَمَن فِي ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعٗاۗ
Say, “Then who could prevent Allah at all if He had intended to destroy the Messiah, the son of Mary, or his mother or everyone on the earth?”
وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَاۚ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٖ قَدِيرٞ
And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them. He creates what He wills, and Allah is over all things competent.
18.
وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ نَحْنُ أَبْنَـٰٓءُ ٱللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّـٰٓؤُهُۥۚ
But the Jews and the Christians say, “We are the children of Allah and His beloved.”
قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُم بِذُنُوبِكُمۖ بَلْ أَنتُم بَشَرٞ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقَۚ
Say, “Then why does He punish you for your sins?” Rather, you are human beings from among those He has created.
يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَاۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, and to Him is the \[final] destination.
19.
يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ عَلَىٰ فَتْرَةٖ مِّنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ أَن تَقُولُواْ مَا جَآءَنَا مِنۢ بَشِيرٖ وَلَا نَذِيرٖۖ
O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger to make clear to you \[the religion] after a period of suspension of messengers, lest you say, “There came not to us any bringer of good tidings or a warner.”
فَقَدْ جَآءَكُم بَشِيرٞ وَنَذِيرٞۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٖ قَدِيرٞ
But there has come to you a bringer of good tidings and a warner. And Allah is over all things competent.
20.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ
And \[mention, O Muhammad], when Moses said to his people, “O my people, remember the favor of Allah upon you
إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنبِيَآءَ وَجَعَلَكُم مُّلُوكٗا وَءَاتَىٰكُم مَّا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَدٗا مِّن ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
when He appointed among you prophets and made you kings and gave you what He had not given anyone among the worlds.
21.
يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱدْخُلُواْ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِي كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَـٰرِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُواْ خَـٰسِرِينَ
O my people, enter the Holy Land which Allah has assigned to you and do not turn back and \[thus] become losers.
22.
قَالُواْ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّ فِيهَا قَوْمٗا جَبَّارِينَ وَإِنَّا لَن نَّدْخُلَهَا حَتَّىٰ يَخْرُجُواْ مِنْهَاۖ فَإِن يَخْرُجُواْ مِنْهَا فَإِنَّا دَاخِلُونَ
They said, “O Moses, indeed within it is a people of tyrannical strength, and indeed, we will never enter it until they leave it; but if they leave it, then we will enter.”
23.
قَالَ رَجُلَانِ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمَا ٱدْخُلُواْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْبَابَ فَإِذَا دَخَلْتُمُوهُ فَإِنَّكُمْ غَـٰلِبُونَۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَتَوَكَّلُوٓاْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
Said two men from those who feared \[to disobey] upon whom Allah had bestowed favor, “Enter upon them through the gate, for when you have entered it, you will be predominant. And upon Allah rely, if you should be believers.”
24.
قَالُواْ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّا لَن نَّدْخُلَهَآ أَبَدٗا مَّا دَامُواْ فِيهَاۖ فَٱذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَـٰتِلَآ إِنَّا هَـٰهُنَا قَـٰعِدُونَ
They said, “O Moses, indeed we will not enter it, ever, as long as they are within it; so go, you and your Lord, and fight. Indeed, we are remaining right here.”
25.
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لَآ أَمْلِكُ إِلَّا نَفْسِي وَأَخِيۖ فَٱفْرُقْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ
\[Moses] said, “My Lord, indeed I do not possess \[power] except over myself and my brother, so part us from the defiantly disobedient people.”