Surah al-Ma'idah (The Table) 5 : 49

Overview (Verses 49- 50)

The Temptation to Abandon God’s Law
 
It is a false notion to try to unite people at the expense of God’s law. Moreover, the attempt is bound to fail. The price asked is too high, since any modification of God’s law will lead to corruption on earth, injustice and the subservience of some people to others. This is, indeed, a great evil. If no compromise of God’s law is admissible for pursuing the noble purpose of uniting people, how can it be justified for something which is more petty. Some of those who claim to be Muslims argue that God’s law should not be implemented so that we do not lose the tourist trade! Absurdity knows no limit!
 
Hence, judge between them in accordance with what God has revealed, and do not follow their vain desires and beware of them lest they tempt you away from any part of what God has revealed to you. If they turn away, then know that it is God’s will to afflict them for some of their sins. Indeed, a great many people are transgressors. (Verse 49) Do they desire to be ruled by the law of pagan ignorance? But for those who are firm in their faith, who can be a better law giver than God? (Verse 50)
 
Again, this principle is stated with greater clarity. In the first statement, the Prophet is instructed in these words: “Judge, then, between them in accordance with what God has revealed, and do not follow their vain desires, forsaking thereby the truth that has come to you.” (Verse 48) This statement may be construed as meaning abandoning God’s law in total and following their vain desires in preference to it. In the second part, the Prophet is warned against compromising even a portion of what has been revealed to him: “Judge between them in accordance with what God has revealed, and do not follow their vain desires and beware of them lest they tempt you away from any part of what God has revealed to you.” (Verse 49) The warning here is more precise, stricter and stronger. It also states the matter in its true nature. It is a temptation which must be resisted. The choice is either to implement God’s law in full, or to follow vain desires.
 
At that time, they had the choice whether to refer their disputes to God’s law, a choice which was later abrogated in the land of Islam. God’s law has to be implemented except in those areas where the followers of other religions have specific provisions. These they are allowed to implement. As this was the case, the Prophet is told not to worry about them if they do not like his commitment to every detail of God’s law or if they turn away from Islam: “If they turn away, then know that it is God’s will to afflict them for some of their sins. Indeed, a great many people are transgressors.” (Verse 49) Do not worry about them if they turn away. Do not let their attitude weaken your resolve to implement God’s law in full. It is they who will suffer as a result of their turning away because God will then afflict them with their sins. Neither the Prophet, nor the Muslim community, nor indeed God’s law will come to any harm as a result of their turning away. Moreover, it is in human nature that many people will transgress. The Prophet is told that he has no say in this state of affairs. Nor is it the fault of God’s law. It is they who will not follow the right path.
 
Having made it absolutely clear to all believers that nothing of the provisions of God’s law will be compromised for any purpose and under any circumstances, the sūrah then contrasts the choices available. It is either God’s law or man-made law, based on inadequate knowledge and vain desire. There can be no meeting ground between the two. “Do they desire to be ruled by the law of pagan ignorance? But for those who are firm in their faith, who can be a better law giver than God?” (Verse 50)
 
This statement defines the meaning of jāhiliyyah, rendered here as “pagan ignorance”, as the term is used in the Qur’ān. Jāhiliyyah means that people are ruled by people, because this signifies that they submit to one another. They refuse to submit to God alone and reject His Godhead, acknowledging instead that some human beings have qualities of Godhead and hence they submit to their authority. As such, the term pagan ignorance, or jāhiliyyah, does not refer to a particular period of time, but to a certain situation which may come into existence at any time. Whenever it exists, it must be described as jāhiliyyah which is in contrast to Islam.
 
In all ages and places, people may implement God’s law, yielding no part of it for any reason, submitting to it willingly. As such, they follow the religion chosen for them by God. Alternatively, they may acknowledge and implement a man-made law in any shape or form. As such they follow ignorance. In this latter situation, they submit to the one who gives them the law and they cannot be described as following God’s religion. Anyone who does not wish to be ruled by God’s law actually desires to be ruled by the law of pagan ignorance. It is at this point that the two ways part and people are left to their choices.
 
The final sentence is a rhetorical question which decries their pursuit of the law of jāhiliyyah and emphasises the superiority of God’s law: “For those who are firm in their faith, who can be a better law-giver than God?” (Verse 50) Indeed, who can be? Who can claim that he can give people a better law than that of God? What argument can be given to prove this hollow claim? Can anyone say that he knows mankind’s nature better than their Creator? Can he say that he is more compassionate and sympathetic to mankind than God? Can he say that he knows their interests better than the God of mankind? Or can he say that when God promulgated the final version of His law and sent His last Messenger to all mankind, giving him the final and complete version of the Divine message, He might have been unaware of future circumstances and needs and as a result did not take them into account in His legislation?
 
What can anyone say in justification of setting God’s law aside and substituting for it a law of jāhiliyyah, placing in the process his own desires, or those of a particular community or generation, above God’s law? What can he say if, in spite of this, he still claims to be a Muslim? What is his justification: circumstances, events, people’s unwillingness, or fear of the enemy? Were all these not known to God when He commanded Muslims to implement His law and follow His way of life and never be tempted away from any part of His revelations? Or does he justify his attitude by claiming that God’s law does not cater for new needs and new situations? Were these needs and situations not known to God when He made this very stern warning? A non-Muslim may say anything he wants, but what can those who claim to be Muslims say of any of this and imagine that they continue to be within the fold of Islam? As we have said: this is the point where the ways part. It is either Islam or jāhiliyyah, faith or unfaith, the rule of God or the rule of pagan ignorance. Those who choose not to judge in accordance with what God has revealed are unbelievers, wrongdoers and transgressors. People who do not accept God’s law are not believers.
 
This question must be absolutely clear in every Muslim’s mind. Unless it be so, a Muslim will not be able to differentiate between truth and falsehood and will not be able to take one step in the right direction. If it is still not that clear to some people, it cannot remain so in the minds of those who want to claim for themselves the most honourable title of being Muslim.

Overview (Verses 49- 50)

The Temptation to Abandon God’s Law
 
It is a false notion to try to unite people at the expense of God’s law. Moreover, the attempt is bound to fail. The price asked is too high, since any modification of God’s law will lead to corruption on earth, injustice and the subservience of some people to others. This is, indeed, a great evil. If no compromise of God’s law is admissible for pursuing the noble purpose of uniting people, how can it be justified for something which is more petty. Some of those who claim to be Muslims argue that God’s law should not be implemented so that we do not lose the tourist trade! Absurdity knows no limit!
 
Hence, judge between them in accordance with what God has revealed, and do not follow their vain desires and beware of them lest they tempt you away from any part of what God has revealed to you. If they turn away, then know that it is God’s will to afflict them for some of their sins. Indeed, a great many people are transgressors. (Verse 49) Do they desire to be ruled by the law of pagan ignorance? But for those who are firm in their faith, who can be a better law giver than God? (Verse 50)
 
Again, this principle is stated with greater clarity. In the first statement, the Prophet is instructed in these words: “Judge, then, between them in accordance with what God has revealed, and do not follow their vain desires, forsaking thereby the truth that has come to you.” (Verse 48) This statement may be construed as meaning abandoning God’s law in total and following their vain desires in preference to it. In the second part, the Prophet is warned against compromising even a portion of what has been revealed to him: “Judge between them in accordance with what God has revealed, and do not follow their vain desires and beware of them lest they tempt you away from any part of what God has revealed to you.” (Verse 49) The warning here is more precise, stricter and stronger. It also states the matter in its true nature. It is a temptation which must be resisted. The choice is either to implement God’s law in full, or to follow vain desires.
 
At that time, they had the choice whether to refer their disputes to God’s law, a choice which was later abrogated in the land of Islam. God’s law has to be implemented except in those areas where the followers of other religions have specific provisions. These they are allowed to implement. As this was the case, the Prophet is told not to worry about them if they do not like his commitment to every detail of God’s law or if they turn away from Islam: “If they turn away, then know that it is God’s will to afflict them for some of their sins. Indeed, a great many people are transgressors.” (Verse 49) Do not worry about them if they turn away. Do not let their attitude weaken your resolve to implement God’s law in full. It is they who will suffer as a result of their turning away because God will then afflict them with their sins. Neither the Prophet, nor the Muslim community, nor indeed God’s law will come to any harm as a result of their turning away. Moreover, it is in human nature that many people will transgress. The Prophet is told that he has no say in this state of affairs. Nor is it the fault of God’s law. It is they who will not follow the right path.
 
Having made it absolutely clear to all believers that nothing of the provisions of God’s law will be compromised for any purpose and under any circumstances, the sūrah then contrasts the choices available. It is either God’s law or man-made law, based on inadequate knowledge and vain desire. There can be no meeting ground between the two. “Do they desire to be ruled by the law of pagan ignorance? But for those who are firm in their faith, who can be a better law giver than God?” (Verse 50)
 
This statement defines the meaning of jāhiliyyah, rendered here as “pagan ignorance”, as the term is used in the Qur’ān. Jāhiliyyah means that people are ruled by people, because this signifies that they submit to one another. They refuse to submit to God alone and reject His Godhead, acknowledging instead that some human beings have qualities of Godhead and hence they submit to their authority. As such, the term pagan ignorance, or jāhiliyyah, does not refer to a particular period of time, but to a certain situation which may come into existence at any time. Whenever it exists, it must be described as jāhiliyyah which is in contrast to Islam.
 
In all ages and places, people may implement God’s law, yielding no part of it for any reason, submitting to it willingly. As such, they follow the religion chosen for them by God. Alternatively, they may acknowledge and implement a man-made law in any shape or form. As such they follow ignorance. In this latter situation, they submit to the one who gives them the law and they cannot be described as following God’s religion. Anyone who does not wish to be ruled by God’s law actually desires to be ruled by the law of pagan ignorance. It is at this point that the two ways part and people are left to their choices.
 
The final sentence is a rhetorical question which decries their pursuit of the law of jāhiliyyah and emphasises the superiority of God’s law: “For those who are firm in their faith, who can be a better law-giver than God?” (Verse 50) Indeed, who can be? Who can claim that he can give people a better law than that of God? What argument can be given to prove this hollow claim? Can anyone say that he knows mankind’s nature better than their Creator? Can he say that he is more compassionate and sympathetic to mankind than God? Can he say that he knows their interests better than the God of mankind? Or can he say that when God promulgated the final version of His law and sent His last Messenger to all mankind, giving him the final and complete version of the Divine message, He might have been unaware of future circumstances and needs and as a result did not take them into account in His legislation?
 
What can anyone say in justification of setting God’s law aside and substituting for it a law of jāhiliyyah, placing in the process his own desires, or those of a particular community or generation, above God’s law? What can he say if, in spite of this, he still claims to be a Muslim? What is his justification: circumstances, events, people’s unwillingness, or fear of the enemy? Were all these not known to God when He commanded Muslims to implement His law and follow His way of life and never be tempted away from any part of His revelations? Or does he justify his attitude by claiming that God’s law does not cater for new needs and new situations? Were these needs and situations not known to God when He made this very stern warning? A non-Muslim may say anything he wants, but what can those who claim to be Muslims say of any of this and imagine that they continue to be within the fold of Islam? As we have said: this is the point where the ways part. It is either Islam or jāhiliyyah, faith or unfaith, the rule of God or the rule of pagan ignorance. Those who choose not to judge in accordance with what God has revealed are unbelievers, wrongdoers and transgressors. People who do not accept God’s law are not believers.
 
This question must be absolutely clear in every Muslim’s mind. Unless it be so, a Muslim will not be able to differentiate between truth and falsehood and will not be able to take one step in the right direction. If it is still not that clear to some people, it cannot remain so in the minds of those who want to claim for themselves the most honourable title of being Muslim.