Surah al-Ma'idah (The Table) 5 : 100

Overview (Verse 100)

Foul and Wholesome
 
At the concluding part of this passage God provides us with a standard so that we may give correct judgement of all things. In these scales, only what is good and wholesome is weighty, while that which is foul and evil carries no weight. This prevents a Muslim from being deceived when he finds that the foul is plentiful and the evil too numerous. “Say: Evil and good are not equal, even though the abundance of evil may be pleasing to you. Have fear of God, you who are endowed with understanding, so that you may triumph.” (Verse 100)
 
Evil and good are mentioned here within the context of elaborating which food and game are permissible and which are forbidden. What is forbidden is evil, while everything that is permissible is good. Certainly the good and the evil cannot be equal, even though the evil may come in such plenty that it attracts and tempts people. That which is good provides enjoyment that is not followed by foul consequences, such as regret, waste, pain or disease. The pleasure gained out of evil things cannot be matched even by a modicum of the good things in life. What is more is that with the good things, man enjoys safety in this life and in the life to come. When the human mind is free of the shackles of desire as a result of its being God-fearing and when it has attained a keen watchfulness, it will inevitably prefer good to evil. This is bound to end in success and triumph, both in this world and in the Hereafter: “Have fear of God, you who are endowed with understanding, so that you may triumph.” (Verse 100)
 
This verse especially suits the present occasion, but it has a much wider implication. It looks to a broad horizon, encompassing life in its totality.
 
God, who has raised this community as the best model for mankind, wants it to undertake the great trust of establishing His system and constitution on earth, so that it maintains it in practical life as no previous community ever did. Hence, this community has been in need of long and sustained training that purges it from all traces of past ignorance and takes it by the hand from the low ebb of material life along the incline of an Islamic life. The training then continues to purify the concepts, habits, practices and feelings of the Muslim community, strengthening its will and determination to advocate only the truth. What is more is that it takes place amidst all the adversity it has to face and the responsibility it has to shoulder in so doing. The final stage is that the Muslim community has to shape and mould its whole life in accordance with Islamic values. This places the Muslim community truly on God’s side. It gives it the fairest form of humanity, upholding a standard that will never equate evil with good, even though the evil is plentiful and replete with temptation. The ability to distinguish evil from good and to give each its proper value as shown in God’s system makes evil very light in God’s scale and good very much heavier, even though it may be much smaller in quantity. When the Muslim community attains such a standard, it becomes worthy of shouldering God’s trust, providing leadership for humanity, weighing things up according to God’s scales, choosing what is good for mankind, and refusing to be tempted by an abundance of evil.
 
Another situation in which this standard is found to be most suitable is that when falsehood puts on airs and graces so that people think it mighty, plentiful and powerful. But a believer looks at such rising falsehood with a firm gaze, remains unaffected by its apparent might, and chooses, in preference to it, the truth which displays no apparent strength and commands no ready forces. He prefers it only because it is the truth, plain and simple, carrying no weight or authority other than its being true in God’s measure.
 
God subjected the first Muslim community to the Qur’ānic system of education, under the supervision of His Messenger (peace be upon him), until it attained the standard which He had determined to be necessary for its role as trustee of the Divine faith. This standard does not merely apply to conscience and inner belief, but also to practices and life affairs. It looks at all desires, attractions, aspirations, and conflicting interests with which human life abounds, whether these belong to individuals or the community as a whole and then evaluates them by God’s standard. This makes it worthy of shouldering the heavy responsibility of trusteeship over human life as a whole.
 
In His education of the Muslim community, God used all sorts of directives, influences, tests, trials and legislation, placing them all in one bunch to fulfil a single role, namely, the preparation of this community for its role as guardian of God’s faith on earth. This preparation required equipping it with the right concepts, formulating the right reactions and responses, adopting the proper morality, legal code and system, and following the right practices, etc. When that preparation was completed, God achieved with that community whatever He willed. God certainly is able to accomplish His purpose at all times. Thus, the earth witnessed a sublime model of the Divine faith in practice. Humanity can always emulate that model, provided it realises that it has to struggle hard for that purpose. When it is determined to go ahead with such a struggle, God will give it His help and support.