سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 90
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْخَمْرُ وَٱلْمَيْسِرُ وَٱلْأَنصَابُ وَٱلْأَزْلَـٰمُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ فَٱجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿90﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansâb, and Al-Azlâm (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaitan’s (Satan) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
who
ءَامَنُوٓا۟
āmanū
believe
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Verily
ٱلْخَمْرُ
l-khamru
the intoxicants
وَٱلْمَيْسِرُ
wal-maysiru
and [the] games of chance
وَٱلْأَنصَابُ
wal-anṣābu
and (sacrifices at) altars
وَٱلْأَزْلَـٰمُ
wal-azlāmu
and divining arrows
رِجْسٌۭ
rij'sun
(are an) abomination
مِّنْ
min
from
عَمَلِ
ʿamali
(the) work
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ
l-shayṭāni
(of) the Shaitaan
فَٱجْتَنِبُوهُ
fa-ij'tanibūhu
so avoid it
لَعَلَّكُمْ
laʿallakum
so that you may
تُفْلِحُونَ
tuf'liḥūna
(be) successful
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
90. 1. This is the third ruling regarding alcohol. In the first and second rulings, a clear prohibition was not stated. But here, by declaring it, along with gambling, altars, and divining arrows as rijs (impure) and satanic acts, a clear command to avoid them has been given. Furthermore, in this verse, additional harms of alcohol and gambling are mentioned, and the question is asked: will you still not desist? The purpose of this is to test the believers. Thus, those who were believers understood the divine intent and accepted its absolute prohibition and said: اُنْتَھَیْنَا رَبَّنَا! O Lord, we have desisted. But nowadays, some "intellectuals" say: Where has Allah declared alcohol to be forbidden? (One should weep for such intellect and wisdom). That is, according to these jurists, declaring alcohol as rijs (impurity) and a satanic act, commanding to avoid it, and considering this avoidance as a means of success, is not sufficient for prohibition. This means that, according to them, impure acts are also permissible in the sight of Allah, satanic acts are also permissible, those things which Allah commands to avoid are also permissible, and those about which He says that their commission leads to failure and their avoidance leads to success are also permissible. (اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَاِنَّآ اِلَيْهِ رٰجِعُوْنَ 156ۭ) 2:156
