The Spread Table

This is one of the last surahs revealed before the death of the Prophet, so all the things that are declared to be halal or haram in this surah will remain so until Judgment Day.

The surah teaches Muslims to honor their pledges with Allah and with people.

We should be grateful for Allah's favors.

The surah also provides details on what to eat, who to marry, how to make up for a broken oath, as well as hunting during Hajj, purifying oneself before salah, and making a last will before death.

Those who honor the rules set by Allah are promised a great reward and those who break those rules are warned of a horrible punishment.

Allah made pledges with the Jews and Christians, but they kept breaking those pledges.

Saving one person equals saving all of humanity and killing one person equals killing all of humanity.

There is no better judgment than the one revealed in the Quran.

Again, the hypocrites are criticized for their attitudes and practices.

'Isa (Jesus) never claimed to be God.

This surah starts off by telling the faithful to **honor their word**, including their pledge to:

Worship none but Allah.

Follow His laws.

Watch their oaths when they swear by Allah.

Honor their promises when they marry.

Deliver trusts to their owners.

Before Islam, idol-worshippers made decisions using various methods. For instance, they would throw a bird into the air: if it flew right, it was a good omen; if it went left, it was a bad sign. Another method involved seeking guidance from idols by drawing one of three straws: one indicating 'Do it,' another 'Don't do it,' and a blank one meaning 'try again.' This practice is mentioned in **verse 3**.

The Prophet always found comfort through salah (prayer) and prayed during difficult times, including before battles. He prayed for rain and when the sun was eclipsed. The Prophet also taught his companions a special prayer for making decisions, called **istikharah**, which literally means 'seeking guidance to choose what is good.' Jabir reported that the Prophet taught them to pray 2 optional rak'ahs, then recite this supplication (du'a): 'O Allah! I seek guidance through Your knowledge, strength through Your might, and I ask for Your great blessings—because You have the power and I don't, You have the knowledge and I don't, and You alone know all unknowns. O Allah! If You know that this (decision) is good for my faith, life in this world, and the Next Life, then make it possible for me. And if You know that this (decision) is bad for my faith, life in this world, and the Next Life, then keep it away from me and keep me away from it. Instead, bless me with something good, wherever it might be, and make me satisfied with it.' (Imam Al-Bukhari)

A few things to keep in mind when performing istikharah: 1. It can be performed once or several times, during the day or night. 2. This du'a can be recited in Arabic before or after salam. If you cannot say it in Arabic, you can say the translation after salam. 3. The person does not have to see a dream after performing istikharah. 4. If someone is unable to perform wudu (ablution) or pray 2 rak'ahs, they can simply recite the above du'a in Arabic or any other language.

This prayer is only for making decisions about something **halal** (permissible). For example, you can use it for starting a business, marrying someone, or choosing a certain school.

You can't perform istikharah for things you **must do** (like praying 5 times a day, going to Jumu'ah, or fasting in Ramadan).

Similarly, you cannot do it to decide on something **haram** (forbidden), such as robbing a bank or not talking to your parents.

We learn from the Prophet that it's important to do istikharah with Allah and also consult with people by asking those with knowledge and experience for their opinion or suggestions.

**Adam** had several children, including **Habil** and **Qabil**. Over time, Qabil grew jealous of Habil, who was a righteous person and a devout servant of Allah. Eventually, Qabil ended up killing his own brother but didn't know what to do with the body. So, Allah sent a crow to teach him how to dig a hole and bury it. According to **verse 31**, Qabil was filled with regret.

Someone might ask, 'Why wasn't **Qabil** forgiven after he regretted what he had done?' Technically, if someone sincerely regrets doing something wrong, it's a sign that Allah may forgive them. However, Qabil's regret was not because he killed his own brother, but because he felt bad that the crow was smarter than him.

This is similar to the story of **Pharaoh** in Surah 10 (verses 90-92), when he declared that he believed in Allah while drowning. His sudden faith was not accepted, because he was just afraid of dying, not because he really had faith in Allah.

Some thieves robbed a bank and escaped with the money to a cave outside the city. In the cave, one of the thieves looked at the massive piles of cash and started to cry. Another thief asked him, 'What's wrong with you? Do you regret stealing?' He replied, 'Of course not! I'm just crying because it will take us forever to count all this money, and I can't wait to take my share.'

The other thief responded, 'You fool! We don't have to count anything. If we watch the news tonight, they will tell us exactly how much was stolen from the bank!'

Islamic law, known as **Shariah**, primarily aims to support and protect life, faith, mind, dignity, and wealth. These are called **Shariah's 5 goals (مقاصد الشريعة)**, all of which are mentioned in this surah (including verses 5, 32-33, 38, 54, and 90).

For example, Islam protects: 1. **Human life**, by encouraging people to take care of themselves and by punishing those who injure or kill others. 2. **Faith**, by teaching people to believe in the One True God and by fighting those who force Muslims to leave Islam. 3. **Ability to think**, by asking people to stay focused and think deeply, and by punishing those who drink alcohol. 4. **Dignity and honor**, by encouraging people to be modest and by punishing those involved in illegal romantic relations and those who falsely accuse others of this sin. 5. **Wealth**, by encouraging people to make money legally and punishing those who steal.

The Islamic legal ruling known as **Hirabah** applies to armed criminals who attack innocent civilians, whether Muslim or non-Muslim. Different punishments are prescribed depending on the nature of the crime:

It's worth noting that the **death penalty** is applied in the case of serious crimes in over 50 countries worldwide, including the U.S., Japan, Singapore, India, China, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. While some people may consider the death penalty brutal and merciless, others see it as a fair punishment for horrific offenses like murder, rape, and high treason.

In Islam, **strict conditions apply for punishments**, which are intended solely for criminals who pose a threat to society. The wisdom behind these punishments is to make individuals think twice before committing a crime. For someone to be punished for theft, the following conditions must be met:

1. The thief must be a **sane adult**. 2. The crime must be proven either by **confession** or by **two reliable eyewitnesses**. 3. The stolen item must be **of value** and taken **secretly from a safe place**. 4. The owner **must claim it**.

Islamic punishments do not apply in non-Muslim countries or in Muslim lands where Shariah is not the law. Furthermore, punishment is only applied in a society where the **needs of the poor are taken care of** (through zakah, sadaqah, or welfare). If the theft is committed out of **necessity** (not mere desire), the punishment is waived. This includes cases where a starving person steals bread or fruit simply to survive. It's worth noting that **'Omar ibn Al-Khattab** suspended this punishment for one year due to widespread starvation during his rule.

Like Surah 9, this surah mentions some non-Muslim religious titles. Let's define those titles so you become familiar with them:

1. **Jewish faith leaders** 2. **Rabbis**: Jewish scholars 3. **Priests**: Christian scholars 4. **Monks**: Christian people of God, fully dedicated to worship