125 Page Notes

05 Surah Al-Maidah (continued)

Page 125 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

5:104

5:105

5:106

5:107

5:108

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 125 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 125 of the standard Uthmani Mushaf covers Surah Al-Ma'idah (Chapter 5), verses 104 through 108.

This section shifts from analyzing pagan livestock superstitions directly into a critique of blind ancestral conformism, followed immediately by a highly intricate, fascinating set of legal guidelines regarding contract law, estate management, and the swearing of testimonies when a traveler faces impending death far away from home.

1. Surah Al-Ma'idah, Verse 104: Blind Ancestral Conformism vs. Divine Truth

"And when it is said to them, 'Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,' they say, 'Sufficient for us is that upon which we found our fathers.' Even though their fathers knew nothing, nor were they guided?" (5:104)

The Prophetic Warning Against Blind Conformity (Taqlid)

Verse 104 critiques individuals who completely surrender their intellect and reject direct divine guidelines simply because a practice aligns with family tradition or ancient cultural habits. The Sunnah actively mirrors this warning, commanding Muslims to maintain individual intellectual and moral integrity rather than moving blindly with societal trends:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Do not be conformists (Imma'ah), saying: 'If the people do good we shall do good, and if they do wrong we shall do wrong.' Rather, accustom yourselves to do good if the people do good, and if they do evil, do not be unjust."

• Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Book 27, Hadith 2007). Classified as Hasan (sound).

2. Surah Al-Ma'idah, Verses 106-108: The Law of Wills on a Journey

"O you who have believed, testimony [should be taken] among you when death approaches one of you at the time of bequest - [that of] two just men from among you or two others from outside your number if you are traveling through the land and the disaster of death strikes you..." (5:106)

These concluding verses of page 125 contain highly detailed legal instructions for a specific scenario: a Muslim is traveling far from home, falls terminally ill, and needs to make a binding will (Wasiyyah) regarding their belongings. If two Muslim witnesses cannot be found, the law uniquely permits taking two non-Muslim travelers as witnesses.

The Reason for Revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Case of Tamim and Ad-Dari

The Sunnah preserves the gripping historical court case that directly triggered the revelation of these specific legal parameters:

Ibn Abbas narrated that a Muslim man from the tribe of Sahm named Budayl ibn Abi Maryam set out on a commercial journey to Syria alongside two Christian companions, Tamim ad-Dari and Adi ibn Bada'. During the trip, Budayl fell fatally ill. Before passing away, he wrote down a complete inventory of his goods, hid the paper inside his baggage, and instructed his Christian companions to deliver his belongings to his family back in Medina.

When Tamim and Adi returned, they handed over the items but secretly stole a highly valuable silver bowl inlaid with gold threads. When the family found the hidden inventory list, they noticed the silver bowl was missing and confronted the two travelers. The travelers swore an oath in front of the Prophet ﷺ that they had no knowledge of it.

Later, the stolen bowl was discovered being sold in the markets of Makkah. The buyers claimed they bought it directly from Tamim and Adi. It was at this juncture that verses 106 through 108 were revealed, setting up a system where two representatives of the deceased's family could stand, swear a counter-oath to invalidate the original suspect testimony, and rightfully claim their property back.

• Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 48, Hadith 2780); Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Book 44, Hadith 3059).

(Note: The companion Tamim ad-Dari later embraced Islam and became a celebrated narrator of the Sunnah, famously recounting his prior seafaring experiences to the Prophet ﷺ.)

The Legislative Principle of the Will in the Sunnah

Because verse 106 heavily emphasizes setting up a secure testimony when death approaches ('In-da al-mawt), the Sunnah converted this into a strict habit of everyday preparedness for a believer:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "It is not permissible for a Muslim man who has anything to bequeath to stay for even two nights without having his last will and testament clearly written down and kept with him."

• Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 55, Hadith 2738); Sahih Muslim (Hadith 1627).

References

• Al-Bukhari, Muhammad ibn Ismail. Sahih al-Bukhari (Chapters: Kitab al-Wasaya / Wills and Testaments; Kitab al-Shahadat / Witnesses).

• Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj. Sahih Muslim (Chapters: Kitab al-Wasiyyah / The Book of Wills).

• Al-Tirmidhi, Muhammad ibn Isa. Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Chapters on the Exegesis of the Quran; Kitab al-Birr was-Silah / Piety and Good Manners).

• Ibn Kathir, Ismail ibn Umar. Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azeem (Volume 3, Exegesis of Surah Al-Ma'idah, Verses 104–108).