---

Names

This surah is called Surat Al-Ma?idah. [63] See: Tafsir Ibn ?Ashur, 6/69.
It was narrated that Jubayr ibn Nufayr said: I went for Hajj and I visited ?A?ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said to me: O Jubayr, do you recite Al-Ma?idah? I said: Yes. She said: It was the last surah to be revealed? [64] Narrated by Ahmad, 25547; An-Nasa?i: As-Sunan Al-Kubra, 11073; Al-Hakim: Al-Mustadrak, 3210. We will see below the report of Al-Bara? which says that the last surah to be revealed was Bara?ah (At-Tawbah), and the report of Ibn ?Abbas, which says that Surat An-Nasr was the last to be revealed. We may reconcile between the report of ?A?ishah and the report of Al-Bara? by noting that each of them spoke on the basis of what he or she had learned, or that each of them meant last in a particular sense, because being first or last is a relative matter, and what is meant by surah in the report of Al-Bara? is part or most of the surah he mentioned, because there are many verses in Surat Bara?ah that were revealed before the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died. Even clearer than that is the fact that the first part of Bara?ah (At-Tawbah) was revealed immediately after the conquest of Makkah in 9 AH, the year in which Abu Bakr went for Hajj, and the verse This day have I perfected your religion for you ? which is in Al-Ma?idah (v. 3) ? was revealed during the Farewell Pilgrimage in 10 AH. What appears to be the case is that what is meant is most of Surat Bara?ah, because undoubtedly most of it was revealed regarding the Tabuk campaign, which was the last campaign of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). As for Surat An-Nasr being the last surah to be revealed, what is meant is that it was the last surah to be revealed in full all at once. See: Ibn Hajar: Fat-h Al-Bari, 8/316, 734.

Virtues and characteristics

One of the characteristics of this surah is that it was one of the last parts of the Qur?an to be revealed. [65] See: Tafsir Ar-Razi, 12/452; Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 2/321.
It was narrated that ?Abdullah ibn ?Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ?The last surah to be revealed was Al-Ma?idah.? [66] Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, 3063; Al-Hakim, 3211; Al-Bayhaqi, 14353.
It was narrated that Jubayr ibn Nufayr that ?A?ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said to him: O Jubayr, do you recite Al-Ma?idah? He said: Yes. She said: It was the last surah to be revealed? [67] Narrated by Ahmad, 25547; An-Nasa?i: As-Sunan Al-Kubra, 11073; Al-Hakim: Al-Mustadrak, 3210.
Another of its characteristics is that it is the surah which mentions more rulings of sharia than any other surah; it mentions details about what is permitted, what is prohibited and what is obligatory that are not mentioned elsewhere. [68] See: Ibn Taymiyah: Majmu? Al-Fatawa, 14/448; Tafsir Ibn ?Ashur, 6/72.
It is the first surah according to the order of surahs in the Mus-haf that begins with the words O you who believe, and is the surah in which these words are repeated most often. Surat Al-Ma?idah addresses the believers with this call sixteen times. [69] See: At-Tantawi: At-Tafsir Al-Wasit, 4/16-17.
This surah contains the verse: This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My blessing upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion Al-Ma?idah 5:3.
It was narrated that Tariq ibn Shihab said: A Jewish man came to ?Umar and said: O Amir Al-Mu?minin, there is a verse in your Book which you recite; if it had been revealed to us Jews, we would have taken that day as a festival. He said: Which verse? He said: This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My blessing upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion Al-Ma?idah 5:3. ?Umar said: I know the day on which it was revealed, and the place in which it was revealed. It was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in ?Arafat, on a Friday. [70] Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 45; Muslim, 3017.

Makki or Madani?

Surat Al-Ma?idah is Madani, and a number of commentators narrated that there was consensus regarding that. [71] Those who narrated that there as consensus on that include: Ibn ?Atiyyah, Al-Qurtubi and Ibn ?Ashur. See: Tafsir Ibn ?Atiyyah, 1/243; Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, 6/30; Tafsir Ibn ?Ashur, 6/69.

Objectives

The most important objectives of Surat Al-Ma?idah include:
Emphasis on upholding and fulfilling promises and covenants, and a warning against breaking them. [72] See: Al-Fayruzabadi: Basa?ir Dhawi?l-Tamyiz, 1/179.
Highlighting many matters of creed (?aqidah), the most significant of which include loyalty towards the believers and disavowal of the disbelievers (Al-wala? wa?l-bara?), and ruling in accordance with what Allah has revealed.
Highlighting many juristic rulings. [73] See: Tafsir Ibn ?Ashur, 6/73.
Setting out guidelines on relationships between Muslims and others. [74] Op. cit.

Topics

The most significant topics addressed in Surat Al-Ma?idah include:
Explanation of correct creed, focusing on issues of Tawhid, correcting many false beliefs, and reminding of the Day of Resurrection.
Affirming that ruling and judgement are for Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, alone, and that there is no rule or judgement better than His; highlighting the obligation to rule in accordance with what Allah has revealed; abolishing the rule of Jahiliyyah and exposing its ugliness.
Highlighting the importance of belief in loyalty towards the believers and disavowal of the disbelievers (Al-wala? wa?l-bara?); emphasising the importance of taking the believers as allies whilst sternly warning against taking the disbelievers as allies; and highlighting the fact that those in whose hearts is a disease are those who hasten to become allies of the disbelievers.
Guidelines on Muslims? relations with others, especially the Jews and Christians.
Stating and explaining many Islamic rulings, including: Islamic rulings having to do with acts of worship and interactions with others, such as rulings on covenants and contracts, slaughter of animals for food, hunting, ihram, marrying Christian or Jewish women, and apostasy; rulings on purification; the hadd punishment for stealing, the hadd punishment for rebelling against the state and spreading mischief in the land; the prohibition on alcohol and gambling; expiation for breaking an oath (kaffarat yamin); the prohibition on killing game animals when in ihram; making bequests at the time of death; and so on.
Some stories, including the story of the Children of Israel with Musa (peace be upon him), the story of the two sons of Adam, and the story of the table spread with food.
Highlighting the attitude and behaviour of the People of the Book, their breaking of the covenants, and their distorting of the revealed Books; discussing some of their false beliefs, such as attributing a son to Allah, their rejection of the message of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and other false beliefs of theirs.

---