This surahs title means "The Table," which alludes to the table with food mentioned in v. 114. The surah covers various - one might say, miscellaneous - topics. It is widely regarded as the last surah which Muhammad delivered, as suggested by the statement in v. 3 that "This day I have perfected your religion for you." However, some parts of it were delivered separately (earlier), and were inserted as supplements.
The first five verses resemble Leviticus 11: they prescribe some animals as legal ("Halal") food, and prohibit others. A few terms in the text need to be defined: In v. 2, the "Sacred Month" is, I think, a collective reference to four months (the first, seventh, eleventh, and twelfth months of the Islamic lunar calendar). "Ihram" is a state of being on a pilgrimage to Mecca, wearing a special garment which signifies that one is traveling to Mecca. "Al-Masjid-Al-Haram" is the main sanctuary at Mecca. In v. 3, "An-Nusub" refers to formless idols, or "standing stones," which the pagans had put in place in Mecca.
At www.balagh.net/english/index.htm one can track down and read a Shiite commentary on this text which explains some details. Carrion is forbidden (but game killed by a trained hunting-animal is not considered carrion); pig-meat is forbidden; lots of other meats are forbidden - not just due to their species, but also because of the means by which they died. Islamic interpreters have discovered a plethora of technicalities in these regulations, as one may see at www.as-sidq.org/maidah/maidah3.htm .
Verse 5 says that "The food of the People of the Book is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them." Taken as it stands, this would mean that Christians pork chops would be acceptable food for Muslims. However, inasmuch as this would create a direct contradiction of v. 3, it has been consistently interpreted to refer only to bloodless food-products (vegetables, fruits, grains). The text seamlessly morphs into a pronouncement of which women are hilal (i.e., which women may be married by a Muslim), and under what circumstances.
The legal way of preparing for prayer is then described: before Salat, one must wash ones face, hands and forearms, moisten ones face or head, and ones feet. (There are variations between the Sunni and Shiite way of performing these pre-prayer ablutions.) Some exceptions to this are allowed, in sync with 4:43. One who is in a state of pollution should purify himself, i.e., wash his whole body. (The Hilali-Khan rendering identifies this "pollution" as uncleanness due to a sexual discharge.) It is probably not far from the mark to say that the feeling of spiritual security which a Christian feels immediately after baptism is like the feeling of spiritual security that a Muslim feels after Salat. (Rodwell notes that a parallel to the dust-ablution ("Tayammum") exists in the Talmud, in Berachoth 46, but I have been unable to find it.)
Verses 7-14 briefly describe three covenants: first, an oath which was taken by 12 men at Al-Aqaba early in Muhammads career (which is described at anwary-islam.com/prophet-story/muh2.htm it was called the Womens Oath because it did not obligate anyone to fight. This was around the same time that the leaders of Mecca had resolved to declare Muhammad a menace and kill him, and that might be the scenario described in v. 11). Twelve men had made that oath. In v. 12, the same number of men are said to have been appointed as leaders among the Israelites (when the covenant of the Law was instituted in the days of Moses). Halfway through verse 13, the historical focus seems to shift from the Jews in the days of Moses to the Jews in the days of Muhammad. Muhammad frequently described the Jews in generally negative terms, but here as he recalls the Jews of Yathrib who had joined him he points out that there are a few good Jews (who had embraced Islam), and he instructs his followers to forebear the shortcomings of the others.
The third covenant mentioned is the covenant with the Christians, mentioned in v. 14. The Christians, the text claims, "have forgotten a part of what they were taught." Unfortunately the text here does not specify exactly which part of the Injil the Christians have forgotten. As a consequence of this, the text states that Allah "planted hatred and enmity among them." The exact same thing is re-stated in 5:64, referring there to Jews. This is a difficulty: the text credits Allah with causing some people to harbor hatred and enmity. Also, this is another indication that the pseudo-Christians of Arabia, and not genuine Christians, are in view here: Jesus said that His followers would be known by the love they share (in John 13:35).
Verse 8, nestled within these brief descriptions of three covenants, appeals to Muslims to "Stand out firmly for Allah as just witnesses, and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice." This sentiment is in sync with Psalm 82:3, Proverbs 21:3, Isaiah 56:1, etc.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
The first five verses resemble Leviticus 11: they prescribe some animals as legal ("Halal") food, and prohibit others. A few terms in the text need to be defined: In v. 2, the "Sacred Month" is, I think, a collective reference to four months (the first, seventh, eleventh, and twelfth months of the Islamic lunar calendar). "Ihram" is a state of being on a pilgrimage to Mecca, wearing a special garment which signifies that one is traveling to Mecca. "Al-Masjid-Al-Haram" is the main sanctuary at Mecca. In v. 3, "An-Nusub" refers to formless idols, or "standing stones," which the pagans had put in place in Mecca.
At www.balagh.net/english/index.htm one can track down and read a Shiite commentary on this text which explains some details. Carrion is forbidden (but game killed by a trained hunting-animal is not considered carrion); pig-meat is forbidden; lots of other meats are forbidden - not just due to their species, but also because of the means by which they died. Islamic interpreters have discovered a plethora of technicalities in these regulations, as one may see at www.as-sidq.org/maidah/maidah3.htm .
Verse 5 says that "The food of the People of the Book is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them." Taken as it stands, this would mean that Christians pork chops would be acceptable food for Muslims. However, inasmuch as this would create a direct contradiction of v. 3, it has been consistently interpreted to refer only to bloodless food-products (vegetables, fruits, grains). The text seamlessly morphs into a pronouncement of which women are hilal (i.e., which women may be married by a Muslim), and under what circumstances.
The legal way of preparing for prayer is then described: before Salat, one must wash ones face, hands and forearms, moisten ones face or head, and ones feet. (There are variations between the Sunni and Shiite way of performing these pre-prayer ablutions.) Some exceptions to this are allowed, in sync with 4:43. One who is in a state of pollution should purify himself, i.e., wash his whole body. (The Hilali-Khan rendering identifies this "pollution" as uncleanness due to a sexual discharge.) It is probably not far from the mark to say that the feeling of spiritual security which a Christian feels immediately after baptism is like the feeling of spiritual security that a Muslim feels after Salat. (Rodwell notes that a parallel to the dust-ablution ("Tayammum") exists in the Talmud, in Berachoth 46, but I have been unable to find it.)
Verses 7-14 briefly describe three covenants: first, an oath which was taken by 12 men at Al-Aqaba early in Muhammads career (which is described at anwary-islam.com/prophet-story/muh2.htm it was called the Womens Oath because it did not obligate anyone to fight. This was around the same time that the leaders of Mecca had resolved to declare Muhammad a menace and kill him, and that might be the scenario described in v. 11). Twelve men had made that oath. In v. 12, the same number of men are said to have been appointed as leaders among the Israelites (when the covenant of the Law was instituted in the days of Moses). Halfway through verse 13, the historical focus seems to shift from the Jews in the days of Moses to the Jews in the days of Muhammad. Muhammad frequently described the Jews in generally negative terms, but here as he recalls the Jews of Yathrib who had joined him he points out that there are a few good Jews (who had embraced Islam), and he instructs his followers to forebear the shortcomings of the others.
The third covenant mentioned is the covenant with the Christians, mentioned in v. 14. The Christians, the text claims, "have forgotten a part of what they were taught." Unfortunately the text here does not specify exactly which part of the Injil the Christians have forgotten. As a consequence of this, the text states that Allah "planted hatred and enmity among them." The exact same thing is re-stated in 5:64, referring there to Jews. This is a difficulty: the text credits Allah with causing some people to harbor hatred and enmity. Also, this is another indication that the pseudo-Christians of Arabia, and not genuine Christians, are in view here: Jesus said that His followers would be known by the love they share (in John 13:35).
Verse 8, nestled within these brief descriptions of three covenants, appeals to Muslims to "Stand out firmly for Allah as just witnesses, and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice." This sentiment is in sync with Psalm 82:3, Proverbs 21:3, Isaiah 56:1, etc.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
