Commentary on Surah al-Mā’idah
It is a Medinan surah.
(1) “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. O you who believe, fulfill your covenants. Livestock animals have been made lawful for you, except what is recited to you, but you may not treat game as lawful while you are in a state of consecration. Indeed, Allah decrees whatever He wills.”
This is a command from Allah Most High to His believing servants to do what faith requires of them by fulfilling their covenants: completing them in full and neither breaking them nor failing to fulfill any part of them. This includes the covenants between a servant and his Lord, whereby he commits himself to worshipping Him, carries this out as fully as possible, and does not neglect any of its obligations; those between him and the Messenger, which he fulfills by obeying and following him; and those between him and his parents and relatives, which he fulfills by treating them well, maintaining ties with them, and not severing those ties.
It also includes the covenants between him and his companions, which he fulfills by observing the rights of companionship in affluence and poverty, ease and hardship; and those between him and other people, including commercial contracts such as sales, leases, and the like, as well as voluntary transfers such as gifts and similar arrangements. Indeed, it includes fulfilling the rights among Muslims that Allah has bound them to uphold in His words, “The believers are but brothers,” by supporting one another in the truth, cooperating in it, fostering harmony among Muslims, and not severing relations.
This command therefore encompasses both the fundamentals of the religion and its subsidiary matters, for all of them fall under the covenants that Allah has commanded them to fulfill (1).
Then He says, reminding His servants of His favor: “have been made lawful for you”—that is, for your benefit and as a mercy to you—“livestock animals,” including camels, cattle, and sheep. This may also include their wild counterparts, such as gazelles, wild asses, and similar game animals.
Some of the Companions cited this verse as evidence that it is lawful to eat a fetus found dead in its mother’s womb after she has been slaughtered.
“Except what is recited to you” as being prohibited among them, in His words: “Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, and the flesh of swine,” through to the end of the verse. Although the things mentioned there fall under livestock animals, they are nevertheless prohibited.
Since livestock animals are generally lawful under all circumstances and at all times, He excluded game hunted while in a state of consecration, saying: “but you may not treat game as lawful while you are in a state of consecration.” That is, livestock animals have been made lawful for you in every circumstance, except that when you are in a state of consecration, you must not treat game as lawful by daring to kill it while consecrated or within the Sacred Precinct. That is not lawful for you if the animal is game, such as gazelles and the like.
Game means a wild animal that may be eaten.
“Indeed, Allah decrees whatever He wills.” That is, whatever Allah Most High wills, He decrees in a manner consistent with His wisdom. Thus, He commanded you to fulfill covenants so that your interests may be secured and harm averted from you.
He made livestock animals lawful for you as a mercy to you, while He prohibited those excluded from them because of disqualifying conditions, such as carrion and the like, to protect and honor you. He also prohibited hunting while in a state of consecration out of respect for that consecration and to exalt its sanctity.