Towards Understanding the Qur'an. Sayyid Abul A'la Mawdudi
the time of Moses.
25 This does not mean that his brother assured him that when the latter stepped forward to kill him he would keep his hands tied and instead of defending himself he would stretch out his neck to be cut down. What this statement amounts to is an assurance on his part that even though his brother was intent on killing him, he himself had no such intention towards his brother.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 30–2
(30) At last his evil soul drove him to the murder of his brother, and he killed him, whereby he himself became one of the losers. (31) Thereupon Allah sent forth a raven who began to scratch the earth to show him how he might cover the corpse of his brother. So seeing he cried: “Woe unto me! Was I unable even to be like this raven and find a way to cover the corpse of my brother?” Then he became full of remorse at his doing.26
(32) Therefore We ordained for the Children of Israel that he who slays a soul unless it be (in punishment) for murder or for spreading mischief on earth shall be as if he had slain all mankind; and he who saves a life shall be as if he had given life to all mankind. And indeed again and again did Our Messengers come to them with clear directives, yet many of them continued to commit excesses on earth.
26 The purpose of mentioning this particular incident is to subtly reproach the Jews for the plot they had hatched to assassinate the Prophet (peace be on him) and some of his illustrious Companions (see n. 16 above). The resemblance between the two incidents is evident. These people wanted to kill the Prophet (peace be on him) out of sheer jealousy. The errant son of Adam also killed his brother and did so for the same reason.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 33–4
(33) Those who wage war against Allah and His Mes- senger, and go about the earth spreading mischief27 – indeed their recompense is that they either be done to death, or be crucified, or have their hands and feet be cut off from the op- posite sides or they be banished from the land. Such shall be their degradation in this world; and a mighty chastisement lies in store for them in the World to Come (34) except for those who repent before you have overpowered them. Know well that Allah is All-Forgiving, All- Compassionate.28
27 The word “land” here signifies either the country or territory wherein the responsibility of establishing law and order has been undertaken by an Islamic state. The expression “to wage war against Allah and His Messenger” denotes war against the righteous order established by the Islamic state. According to Islamic jurists the people to whom reference has been made here are organized and armed bands of criminals who commit robbery and indulge in plunder.
28 If they give up subversion and abandon their activities to disrupt or overthrow the righteous order, and if their subsequent conduct shows that they have indeed become peace-loving, law-abiding citizens of good character, they need not be subjected to the punishments mentioned here even if any of their former crimes against the state should come to light. If their crimes include violation of the rights of others they may not be absolved of their guilt. If, for instance, they have either killed a person, or seized someone’s property or committed any other crime against human life or property they will be tried according to the criminal law of Islam. They will, however, not be accused of either rebellion and high treason or of waging war against God and His Messenger.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 35–8
(35) Believers! Fear Allah and seek the means to come near to Him,29 and strive hard in His Way; maybe you will attain true success. (36) For those who disbelieved – even if they had all that is in the earth, and the like of it with it and they had offered it all as ransom from chastisement on the Day of Resurrection, it will not be accepted of them. A painful chastisement lies in store for them. (37) They will wish to come out of the Fire, but they will not. Theirs will be a long-lasting chastisement.
(38) As for the thief – male or female – cut off the hands of both.30 This is a recompense for what they have done, and an exemplary punishment from Allah. Allah is All-Mighty, All- Wise. ▶
29 People are urged to solicit all means which might bring them close to God and enable them to please Him.
30 The injunction is to cut off one not both hands. There is consensus among jurists that in the event of the first theft the right hand should be cut off. Theft is applicable only to acts involving the seizure by stealth of someone else’s property. The punishment of cutting off a hand should, however, not be applied in cases where the value of the article stolen is less than that of a shield. In the time of the Prophet (peace be on him) its value was ten dirhams. Moreover, there are several things the theft of which would not necessitate cutting off a hand. For instance, theft of fruit, vegetables, food, a bird, paltry things, an item from the public treasury, etc. will not warrant cutting off a hand.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 39–41
(39) But he who repents after he has committed wrong, and makes amends, Allah will graciously turn to him.31 Truly Allah is All-Forgiving, All- Compassionate. (40) Do you not know that to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth? He chastises whom He wills and forgives whom He wills. Allah is All- Powerful.
(41) O Messenger! Do not be grieved on account of those who vie with one another in disbelieving, even though they be those who say with their mouths: “We believe,” but their hearts have no faith; or they be Jews who have their ears eagerly turned to falsehood and spy for other people who did not chance to come to you, ▶
31 Forgiveness on the part of God does not mean that the hand of the thief should not be cut off. It rather means that he who repents and becomes righteous by purging his soul of the sin of stealing will be spared the wrath of God, Who will remove the stain of that sin from him. But if after his hand has been cut off the person concerned does not purge himself of evil intent and continues to nurture the same impure feelings which had led to his stealing and thus to the cutting off of his hand, it is evident that even though his hand has been severed from his body, stealing remains ingrained in his soul. The result will be that he will continue to merit God’s wrath as he did before his hand was cut off. The Qur’an, therefore, directs the thief to seek pardon from God and to try to reform himself. Judicial punishment does not automatically purify a person’s soul. Purity of soul can be achieved only by repentance and turning to God.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 42
who pervert the words of Allah, taking them out of their proper context in order to distort their meaning. They say to people: “If such and such teaching is given to you, accept it; if you are not given that, then avoid it.”32 You can be of no avail to him whom Allah wills to fall into error.33 Those are the ones whose hearts Allah does not want to purify. For them there is degradation in this world and a mighty chastisement in the Next.
(42) They are listeners of falsehood and greedy devour- ers of unlawful earnings. If they come to you (for your judgement), you may either