سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 42
سَمَّـٰعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ أَكَّـٰلُونَ لِلسُّحْتِ ۚ فَإِن جَآءُوكَ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُمْ أَوْ أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ ۖ وَإِن تُعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ فَلَن يَضُرُّوكَ شَيْـًٔا ۖ وَإِنْ حَكَمْتَ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ ﴿42﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
(They like to) listen to falsehood, to devour anything forbidden. So if they come to you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), either judge between them, or turn away from them. If you turn away from them, they cannot hurt you in the least. And if you judge, judge with justice between them. Verily, Allâh loves those who act justly.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
سَمَّـٰعُونَ
sammāʿūna
Listeners
لِلْكَذِبِ
lil'kadhibi
to [the] falsehood
أَكَّـٰلُونَ
akkālūna
devourers
لِلسُّحْتِ ۚ
lilssuḥ'ti
of the forbidden
فَإِن
fa-in
So if
جَآءُوكَ
jāūka
they come to you
فَٱحْكُم
fa-uḥ'kum
then judge
بَيْنَهُمْ
baynahum
between them
أَوْ
aw
or
أَعْرِضْ
aʿriḍ
turn away
عَنْهُمْ ۖ
ʿanhum
from them
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
تُعْرِضْ
tuʿ'riḍ
you turn away
عَنْهُمْ
ʿanhum
from them
فَلَن
falan
then never
يَضُرُّوكَ
yaḍurrūka
will they harm you
شَيْـًۭٔا ۖ
shayan
(in) anything
وَإِنْ
wa-in
And if
حَكَمْتَ
ḥakamta
you judge
فَٱحْكُم
fa-uḥ'kum
then judge
بَيْنَهُم
baynahum
between them
بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ
bil-qis'ṭi
with [the] justice
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
يُحِبُّ
yuḥibbu
loves
ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ
l-muq'siṭīna
the ones who are just
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 42) ➊ {سَمّٰعُوْنَ لِلْكَذِبِ:} It can have two meanings: listening more in order to spy, or listening in order to accept and follow what others say. Here, both meanings can be intended, as in the footnote (2) of verse (41) both types of groups have been mentioned.
➋ {لِلسُّحْتِ:} Its literal meaning is to erase and destroy, as if unlawful wealth is something that ruins a person's good deeds, and every despicable wealth for which there is shame in taking and which is taken secretly is called {”سُحْتٌ“}, this includes bribery as well, and in hadiths, the wages of a prostitute, the price of a dog, alcohol, and carrion have been called {”سُحْتٌ“}. Interest, stolen goods, and wealth earned from gambling are also included in {”سُحْتٌ“}. (Kabir, Qurtubi)
➌ At the time when this verse was revealed, the Jews were merely a treaty-bound nation with whom there was an agreement to live in peace, and they were not dhimmis, i.e., subjects of the Islamic government, therefore the court of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was given the choice that if he wished, he could decide their cases, and if he wished, he could refuse, and this is the same authority that an Islamic government has regarding deciding between individuals of any non-Muslim treaty-bound nation. As for dhimmis, if they bring their cases to the Islamic court, then it is necessary to decide their cases. (Al-Manar) This same detail is narrated from Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him), so this authority is related to treaty-bound nations. (Kabir) However, other scholars believe that this authority has been abrogated, and now if they bring a case, it must be decided. Among these scholars are Umar bin Abdul Aziz and Imam Nakha'i (may Allah have mercy on them). Nahaas has also written in "Nasikh wa Mansukh" that this verse is abrogated by verse: «فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَاۤ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ » [ المائدۃ : ۴۸ ], which means that you should judge between them according to what Allah has revealed. The more authentic opinion of Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) is also this. Imam Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "From the beginning, the practice has been that in mutual rights and inheritance, the People of the Book are judged according to their religion, but if they willingly desire a decision according to Islamic law, then it should be done accordingly." This detail proves that although there is a difference of opinion among scholars in some particulars, the majority of them are of the view of abrogation. (Qurtubi)
➋ {لِلسُّحْتِ:} Its literal meaning is to erase and destroy, as if unlawful wealth is something that ruins a person's good deeds, and every despicable wealth for which there is shame in taking and which is taken secretly is called {”سُحْتٌ“}, this includes bribery as well, and in hadiths, the wages of a prostitute, the price of a dog, alcohol, and carrion have been called {”سُحْتٌ“}. Interest, stolen goods, and wealth earned from gambling are also included in {”سُحْتٌ“}. (Kabir, Qurtubi)
➌ At the time when this verse was revealed, the Jews were merely a treaty-bound nation with whom there was an agreement to live in peace, and they were not dhimmis, i.e., subjects of the Islamic government, therefore the court of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was given the choice that if he wished, he could decide their cases, and if he wished, he could refuse, and this is the same authority that an Islamic government has regarding deciding between individuals of any non-Muslim treaty-bound nation. As for dhimmis, if they bring their cases to the Islamic court, then it is necessary to decide their cases. (Al-Manar) This same detail is narrated from Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him), so this authority is related to treaty-bound nations. (Kabir) However, other scholars believe that this authority has been abrogated, and now if they bring a case, it must be decided. Among these scholars are Umar bin Abdul Aziz and Imam Nakha'i (may Allah have mercy on them). Nahaas has also written in "Nasikh wa Mansukh" that this verse is abrogated by verse: «فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَاۤ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ » [ المائدۃ : ۴۸ ], which means that you should judge between them according to what Allah has revealed. The more authentic opinion of Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) is also this. Imam Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "From the beginning, the practice has been that in mutual rights and inheritance, the People of the Book are judged according to their religion, but if they willingly desire a decision according to Islamic law, then it should be done accordingly." This detail proves that although there is a difference of opinion among scholars in some particulars, the majority of them are of the view of abrogation. (Qurtubi)
