His saying, exalted is He: "And what was sacrificed on the stone altars, and that you seek to divide by arrows, that is a great sin. Today those who disbelieve have despaired of your religion, so do not fear them but fear Me. Today I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But whoever is forced by necessity, not intending to sin, then indeed Allah is Forgiving and Merciful" [Al-Ma'idah: 3]. "They ask you what has been made lawful for them. Say: 'Lawful for you are the good things, and what you have taught of the trained hunting animals, teaching them from what Allah has taught you'".

His saying: "And what was sacrificed"; [Al-Ma'idah: 3] is an addition to the mentioned prohibitions. And "the stone altars" is plural; its singular is "nisaab"; and it is said to be a singular noun; its plural is "ansab"; and they are stones that are erected. Among them were three hundred and sixty around the Ka'bah; and the people of Jahiliyyah used to venerate them; and they would sacrifice upon them for their idols; and they would also smear them with blood; and they would place the meat upon them in pieces for the people to eat. Mujahid, Qatadah, and others said: The stone altars are stones; the people of Jahiliyyah used to sacrifice upon them. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: And they would proclaim the name of Allah upon them. Ibn Jurayj said: The stone altars are not idols; the idol is carved and engraved; and these are stones that are erected.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: And the Arabs had in their lands stone altars that they worshipped; and they would recount the stone altars of Makkah; and among them is the stone called "Sa'd"; and others. Ibn Jurayj said: The Arabs would sacrifice in Makkah; and they would sprinkle blood on what came from the house; and they would cut the meat and place it on the stones. When Islam came, the Muslims said to the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him: We are more deserving to venerate this house with these actions; and it seemed that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, did not dislike that; so Allah, exalted is He, revealed: "Neither their meat nor their blood will reach Allah" [Al-Hajj: 37]; and it was revealed: "And what was sacrificed on the stone altars" [Al-Ma'idah: 3].

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The meaning and intention in it is the veneration of the stone altars; Mujahid said: And the people of Makkah would replace what they wished of those stones if they found something more pleasing to them. Ibn Zayd said: What was sacrificed on the stone altars; and what was proclaimed upon it for other than Allah; is one thing.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: What was sacrificed on the stone altars is part of what was proclaimed for other than Allah; but it was specified in mention after its kind; due to the fame of the matter; and the honor of the place; and the veneration of souls for it; and it may also be said for the idol "stone altars"; because it is erected. It has been narrated that Hasan ibn Abi Hasan read: "And what was sacrificed on the stone altar"; with the opening of the noon and the stopping of the sad; and he said: upon the idol. Talhah ibn Musarif read: "upon the stone altars"; with the damming of the noon and the stopping of the sad; and Isa ibn Umar read: "upon the stone altar"; with the opening of the noon and the sad; and it has been narrated from him that he read with the damming of the noon and the sad; like the reading of the majority.

'And His saying, the Exalted: "And that you should cast lots with arrows" [Al-Ma'idah: 3]; by this, the Exalted has prohibited seeking division; and it is the share; or the division; with the opening of the qaf; which is the source; with arrows; which are lots; one of them is "zalam"; with the zay being pronounced as a ضمّ or a فتح; and the arrows of the Arabs are of three types; among them are the three that every person would take for himself; on one of them: "Do"; and the other: "Do not do"; and the third is neglected, having nothing on it; so he places them in a container with him; and when he intends to do something, he puts his hand in - and they are similar - and takes one out; and he acts according to what comes out for him; and if the lot that comes out has nothing on it, he repeats the casting; and this is what Suraqa ibn Malik ibn Ju'shum used when he followed the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - and Abu Bakr; at the time of the Hijrah.

And the second type is seven lots; which were with Hubal; inside the Ka'bah; containing the judgments of the Arabs; and what occurs among people from events; among them is the blood money matters; and in another: "From you"; and in another: "From others"; and in another: "Stuck"; and in the rest of them: the rulings of water; and others; and this is what was cast against Banu Abd al-Muttalib; when he vowed to sacrifice one of them if they completed ten; and this is the long narration found in the biography of Ibn Ishaq; and these seven were also taken by every soothsayer from the soothsayers of the Arabs; and their judges; in a manner similar to what was in the Ka'bah with Hubal.

And the third type is the lots of gambling; and they are ten; seven of them have lines; having shares according to their number; and three are blank; and they would use them for gambling; so there is amusement for those seeking it; and play; and their wise ones would aim to use them to feed the poor; and the needy; in the time of winter; when the cold is severe; and it becomes difficult to move; and among the Arabs were those who would cast lots for themselves seeking gain; and gambling; and I have explained its matter more thoroughly than this in Surah "Al-Baqarah"; in the interpretation of gambling; so casting lots with all of this is the seeking of division; and the share; and it is from eating wealth unlawfully; and it is forbidden; and every gambling with a pigeon; or with dice; or with chess; or with other than these games - it is casting lots with what is in the meaning of arrows - all of it is forbidden.

And His saying, the Exalted: "That is a transgression"; [Al-Ma'idah: 3] is a reference to casting lots with arrows; and transgression is: exiting from an encompassing place; it is said: "The date has transgressed": it has exited from its skin; and "the mouse from its hole"; and the term has been used in Shari'ah for one who exits from the encompassing nature of the legal matter; and its surrounding.

And His saying, the Most High: "Today those who disbelieve have despaired of your religion" [Al-Ma'idah: 3]; its meaning according to Ibn Abbas - may Allah be pleased with both of them - is that they have despaired of your returning to their religion. This was also said by Al-Suddi and 'Ata. The apparent matter of the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - and his companions, and the triumph of his religion, necessitates that the despair of the disbelievers about returning to their religion had already occurred a long time ago. This despair, in my view, is due to the decline of the matter of Islam and the corruption of its gathering. This was something that those who remained from the disbelievers hoped for. Do you not see the words of my brother Safwan ibn Umayyah on the day of Hawazin, when the Muslims were exposed and he thought it was a defeat: "Today the magic has failed"? There are other examples like this. This verse was revealed after the Farewell Pilgrimage; it is said that it was on the Day of Arafah. At that time, the polytheists were only in a state of fewness; no one from them attended the season. On that day, the matter of polytheism was erased from the rituals of Hajj. His saying, the Most High: "Today"; it may indicate the day itself, especially in the saying of the majority - Umar ibn al-Khattab and others - that it was revealed on the evening of Arafah, on the day of Friday, while the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - was in the standing position on his she-camel, and there was no polytheist present at the season. It may also indicate the time and period; that is, at this time the disbelievers have despaired of your religion.

And His saying, the Most High: "Those who disbelieve" [Al-Ma'idah: 3]; it includes the polytheists of the Arabs and others from the Romans, the Persians, and others. This strengthens that the despair is from the dissolution of the matter of Islam and the loss of its strength. It reinforces that the reference to the day is indeed to the time that began on the Day of Arafah; and there was no polytheist at the season. This is supported by His saying, the Most High: "So do not fear them, but fear Me" [Al-Ma'idah: 3]; for He has prohibited the believers from fearing all types of disbelievers and commanded them to fear Him, the Most High, which is the essence of all worship - as he said - blessings and peace be upon him - and the key to all good. It has been narrated from Abu Amr that he read "yayi'sa" without a hamzah; and this is the reading of Abu Ja'far.

And His saying, the Most High: "Today I have perfected for you your religion" [Al-Ma'idah: 3]; the reference to the day may be as we have mentioned. This perfection, according to the majority, is the manifestation and the inclusion of the major obligations, and the lawful and the unlawful. They said: And after that, many verses of the Qur'an were revealed; the verse of usury was revealed, and the verse of inheritance was revealed, and others. However, the greatness of the religion has been completed, and the matter of Hajj is that they perform Hajj and there is no polytheist with them. Ibn Abbas and Al-Suddi said: It is a complete perfection; and no lawful or unlawful, nor obligation was revealed to the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - after that day. Al-Tabari narrated from some who said this that the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - did not live after the revelation of this verse except for eighty-one nights.

The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: It is apparent that he lived - blessings and peace be upon him - for many more days; and it has been narrated that this verse was revealed on the Day of the Greater Hajj; and the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - recited it, and Umar ibn al-Khattab - may Allah be pleased with him - cried. The Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - said to him: "What makes you cry?" He said: It makes me cry that we were in an increase in our religion; but now that it is complete, nothing is complete except that it diminishes. The Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - said to him: "You have spoken the truth."

And it has been narrated that Umar ibn al-Khattab - may Allah be pleased with him - said to a Jew: There is a verse in your book that you recite; if it had been revealed to us, the Jews, we would have taken that day as a festival. Umar - may Allah be pleased with him - said: "Which verse is it?" He said: ﴿Today I have perfected for you your religion﴾ [Al-Ma'idah: 3]. Umar - may Allah be pleased with him - said: "We already know that day; it was revealed to the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - while he was standing at Arafah on the day of Friday."

The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: On that day, there are two festivals for the people of Islam until the Day of Resurrection.

And Dawud ibn Abi Hind said to al-Shabi: The Jews say: How did the Arabs not preserve this day on which Allah completed their religion? Al-Shabi said: Did you not preserve it? Dawud said: I said: Which day is it? He said: The Day of Arafah.

And Isa ibn Jariyah al-Ansari said: We were sitting in the council; and a Christian said to us the same as the Jew said to Umar ibn al-Khattab - may Allah be pleased with him -; and none of us answered him. I met Muhammad ibn Kab al-Qurazi and informed him; he said: Why did you not answer him? Umar ibn al-Khattab said: "It was revealed to the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - while he was standing on the mountain on the Day of Arafah."

The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - mentioned that Ikrimah reported from Umar ibn al-Khattab - may Allah be pleased with him - that he said: "Surah Al-Ma'idah was revealed in Medina; on a Monday." And al-Rabi' ibn Anas said: Surah Al-Ma'idah was revealed during the journey of the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - to the Farewell Pilgrimage; and all of this indicates that the surah is Medinan after the Hijrah; and the completion of the blessing is in the emergence of Islam; and the light of beliefs; and the completion of the religion; and the abundance of circumstances; and other matters that this Hanif religion encompasses; until entering Paradise; and eternal life in the mercy of Allah; all of these are the complete blessings of Allah upon us.

And His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "And I have chosen for you Islam as a religion" [Al-Ma'idah: 3]; the meaning of 'pleased' in this context may be understood as 'will'; and it may also be understood as a description of an action; expressed by Allah making it manifest; because 'pleasure' is one of the attributes that oscillates between the attributes of essence and the attributes of actions; and Allah, glorified and exalted is He, has willed for us Islam; and He is pleased with it for us; and there are things that Allah, glorified and exalted is He, wants to occur, but He does not approve of them; and Islam in this verse is that which is mentioned in His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "Indeed, the religion with Allah is Islam" [Al-Imran: 19]; and it is that which was explained in the question of Gabriel to the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him -; which is faith; and actions; and branches.

And His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "So whoever is compelled by necessity" [Al-Ma'idah: 3]; means: "Whoever is compelled by necessity to eat the dead animal; and other such prohibited things"; "And the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - was asked: When is the dead animal permissible? He said: 'If you have not eaten or drunk, and you have not taken it as a vegetable.'"

Qadi Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: "This is an example in the case of the non-edible; until that leads to the loss of strength; and life."

Ibn Muhaisin read: "So whoever is compelled"; by merging the dhad into the ta; and it is not by analogy; but the Arabs have used it in a few words frequently; and the discussion on the rulings of necessity has already been mentioned in relation to this verse in Surah Al-Baqarah; and "Al-Makhmasah": is the hunger that causes the bellies to shrink; meaning: to become thin; and "Al-Khamas": is the thinning of the belly; thus, the physique from it is good in women; and from it is said: "Khumsanah"; and "a thin belly"; and from it "the back of the foot is thin"; and this is often used in hunger; and deprivation; and from it is the saying of Al-A'sha:

You spend the night in the winter with full bellies ∗∗∗ while your neighbors are starving, they spend the night thin

meaning: they are enveloped in hunger; their bellies have become thin.

And His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "Not inclined to sin" [Al-Ma'idah: 3]; is in the meaning of: "Not transgressing nor oppressing" [Al-Baqarah: 173]; and its interpretation and understanding has been previously mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah; and "Al-Janif": is the inclination; and Abu Abd al-Rahman; and Yahya ibn Thab; and Ibrahim al-Nakha'i read: "Not inclined"; without the alif; and it is more eloquent in meaning than "inclined"; because the emphasis on the letter 'ain' necessitates exaggeration and deepening in meaning; and affirmation of its ruling; and "Tafa'ala"; is merely imitating something and getting closer to it; do you not see if you say: "The branch swayed"; that necessitates a gentle movement; and a near inclination; and if you say: "It inclined"; then you have affirmed the ruling of inclination? And likewise: "Tasa'ana"; and "Tasawwana"; and "Taghafala"; and "Taghafilah".

And His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful" [Al-Ma'idah: 3]; substitutes for "There is no blame upon him"; to what it implies of an increase in promise; and easing of souls; and in the speech there is something omitted; which is indicated by what has been mentioned; its estimation is: "So he ate from those mentioned prohibited things."

And the reason for the revelation of His saying, the Most High: ﴿They ask you what has been made lawful for them﴾; "That Gabriel - peace be upon him - came to the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him -; and he found a dog in the house; so he did not enter; and the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - said to him: 'Enter'; he said: 'I do not enter a house in which there is a dog'; so the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - commanded the killing of dogs; and they were killed until they reached the highlands; then came 'Asim ibn 'Adi; and Sa'd ibn Khaythamah; and 'Uwaymir ibn Sa'idah; and they said: O Messenger of Allah: What is lawful for us from these dogs?"

The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: And this reason was narrated by Abu Rafi', the freedman of the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him -; and he was the one responsible for killing the dogs; and it was also narrated by 'Ikrimah; and Muhammad ibn Kab al-Qurazi; as a report attributed to them; and the apparent meaning of the verse is that a questioner asked about what is lawful for the people from the foods; because His saying, the Most High: ﴿Say: 'Lawful for you are the good things'﴾; is not the answer to: 'What is lawful for us regarding the keeping of dogs?'; unless this is part of the answer to the questioner that is more than what he asked about; and this is often found in the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him -; like his answers regarding the clothing of the muhrim; and others; and he - blessings and peace be upon him - is clarifying the legislation; for he only responds by extending the elaboration of the teaching for his nation.

And "the good things": are the lawful; this is the meaning according to Malik and others; and it does not take into account whether it is pleasurable or not; and Al-Shafi'i said: The good things are the lawful that are pleasurable; and everything that is repugnant - like the lizard; and the beetles; and others - is from the filthy things; it is forbidden.

And His saying, exalted is He: "And what you have taught of the trained hunting animals"; its meaning is: "And the hunting of what you have taught"; or: "And the taking of what you have taught". The highest levels of training are that the animal is set on fire and it runs away; and it is called and it responds; and it is restrained after it has caught its prey and it stops; and that it does not eat from its prey. So if there is a dog with these characteristics; and it is not a completely black dog; the community has agreed on the validity of hunting with it; on the condition that it is trained by a Muslim; and that a Muslim hunts with it; here the consensus has been established; but if something from what we mentioned is broken, then disagreement enters; if the one being hunted is not a dog - like a cheetah; and what is similar to it; and like a falcon; and a hawk; and similar birds; then the majority of the community holds that whatever is hunted after training is a trained animal; meaning: it is a hunter; it is said: "So-and-so hunted"; and "he acquired"; and from it is His saying, exalted is He: "And He knows what you have acquired during the day" [Al-An'am: 60], meaning: "What you have earned of good and evil"; and Ibn Umar used to say: Hunting is only done with dogs; as for what is hunted with falcons; and other birds; whatever you have caught its slaughter, then slaughter it; it is lawful for you; otherwise do not eat it; thus reported Ibn al-Mundhir; he said: And Abu Ja'far was asked about the falcon and the hawk: Is its hunting lawful? He said: "No; unless you catch its slaughter"; he said: "Some people excluded the falcons; and permitted its hunting; due to the hadith of 'Adi ibn Hatim; he said: I asked the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - about the hunting of the falcon; and he said: "If it catches for you, then eat."

And Al-Dahhak and Al-Suddi said: "And what you have taught of the trained hunting animals"; it specifically refers to dogs; if the dog is a completely black dog; then Hasan ibn Abi al-Hasan; and Qatadah; and Ibrahim al-Nakha'i disliked its hunting; and Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: "I do not know anyone who permits it if it is completely black"; and with him said Ibn Rahawaih; but the common people of knowledge in Medina and Kufa see the permissibility of hunting with every trained dog.

As for the eating of the dog from the game, Ibn Abbas, Abu Huraira, Al-Shabi, Ibrahim Al-Nakha'i, Sa'id ibn Jubair, Ata ibn Abi Rabah, Qatadah, Ikrimah, Al-Shafi'i, Ahmad, Ishaq, Abu Thawr, Al-Nu'man, and his companions said: "What remains should not be eaten; for it has only held onto itself and not onto its Lord." This statement is supported by the words of the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - to Adi ibn Hatim - regarding the trained dog: "And if it eats, do not eat; for it has only held onto itself." These people interpret His saying, the Most High: ﴿So eat from what they have caught for you﴾; meaning: the complete holding onto it; and whenever it eats and does not hold onto the game. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, Abdullah ibn Umar, Abu Huraira as well, and Salman Al-Farsi - may Allah be pleased with them - said: "If the predator eats, what remains is permissible, even if only a small portion is left." This is the opinion of Malik and all his companions, as far as I know; and they interpret His saying, the Most High: ﴿From what they have caught for you﴾; as general holding onto it; so whenever there is holding onto it, even if it is in a small portion, its eating becomes permissible. It has been narrated from Al-Nakha'i, and the people of opinion, and Al-Thawri, and Hamad ibn Abi Sulayman: that they permitted what the hawk has eaten from it, especially in the case of the hawk.

Qadi Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: It seems that there cannot be more than that; for the limit of its training is that it is called and it responds; and that it is grilled and it eats. And if the predator drinks from the blood of the game, the majority of people are of the opinion that this game is permissible to eat. Ata said: Drinking blood is not eating; and Al-Shabi and Sufyan Al-Thawri disliked eating that game.

Qadi Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: "And there is nothing among animals that accepts complete training except the dog as an exception;" and most of them eat from the game; and for this reason, Malik did not see that as a condition of training. As for the birds, Rabi'a said: What responds when called is the trained wild one.

The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: Because most animals by their nature are wild; and the companions of Abu Hanifah said: If the dog catches (p-108) and holds three times in succession, then it has obtained the teaching from it; Ibn al-Mundhir said: And al-Nu'man did not set a specific number for that; and others said: If it does that once, then it has obtained the teaching; and if the dog is a teaching dog of a Jew or a Christian, then al-Hasan al-Basri disliked hunting with it; as for the dog of a Magian, and its hawk, and its falcon, Jaber ibn Abdullah, al-Hasan, 'Ata, Mujahid, Ibrahim al-Nakha'i, al-Thawri, Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, and Malik - may Allah have mercy on him - and al-Shafi'i, and Abu Hanifah, and their companions are on the permissibility of hunting with their dogs, if the hunter is a Muslim; they said: And that is like his knife; but if the hunter is from the People of the Book, then the majority of the ummah agrees on the permissibility of his hunting, except for Malik - may Allah have mercy on him - for he did not permit the hunting of a Jew or a Christian; and he distinguished between that and their slaughter; and he recited the saying of Allah, the Exalted: 'Your hands and your spears will reach it' [Al-Ma'idah: 94]; he said: So Allah did not mention the Jews or the Christians in this; and Ibn Wahb and Ashhab said: The hunting of a Jew and a Christian is lawful like their slaughter; and in the book of Muhammad: The hunting of a Sabean is not permissible, nor is his slaughter; they are a people between the Jews and the Christians; they have no religion; and as for if the hunter is a Magian, Malik, al-Shafi'i, Abu Hanifah, and their companions, and 'Ata, and Ibn Jubair, and al-Nakha'i, and al-Layth ibn Sa'd, and the majority of the people prohibited eating from his hunting; and Abu Thawr said regarding it two sayings: One of them is like the saying of these; and the other is that the Magians are the People of the Book, and that their hunting is permissible.

And the majority of the people read: 'And what you have taught' with a فتح (fath) on the ع (ayn) and the ل (lam); and Ibn Abbas and Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah read: 'You were taught' with a ضم (dham) on the ع (ayn) and a كسر (kasr) on the ل (lam); meaning: the matter of the birds of prey and hunting with them.

And 'the birds of prey': the hunters; as previously mentioned; and Ibn al-Mundhir reported from a group that they said: 'The birds of prey' is derived from 'the one that injures'; meaning: 'the animal that has a fang, or a claw, or a talon with which it injures its prey.'

The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: 'And this is a weak saying; the people of language disagree with it'; and the majority of the people read: 'mukallibin' with a فتح (fath) on the ك (kaf) and a شَدّ (shadd) on the ل (lam); and the mukallib is the teacher of the dogs; and the one who trains it; and it is said for one who teaches another animal: 'mukallib'; because he brings that animal back like the dog; and al-Hasan and Abu Zayd read: 'muklibin' with a سُكُون (sukun) on the ك (kaf) and a تَخْفِيف (takhfif) of the ل (lam); and its meaning is: the companions of dogs; it is said: 'The man walked': his herd increased; and 'aklab': his dogs increased; and some of the commentators said: The mukallib with a فتح (fath) on the ك (kaf) and a شَدّ (shadd) on the ل (lam) is the owner of the dogs.

(p-109) The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: And this is not conclusive.

His saying, exalted is He: ﴿You teach them from what Allah has taught you﴾; that is: "You teach them the tricks in hunting; and the patience to obtain the animal"; and this is part of what Allah has taught man; so "from" is for part of it; and it is possible that it may be for beginning of the goal; and the pronoun in "You teach them" is feminine, considering the term for the birds; as it is the plural of "bird."