Ramadhan 2016 – Day 5 (Al-Maidah)

Today we come to the last chapter of the Fantastic Four (Our special name Chapters 2 – 5), Al-Maidah. Al-Maidah is the fraternal twin of An-Nisaa. Like An-Nisaa, it starts with a call but not to humankind (4/1) but rather to those who have believed (5/1). Believed in what? Believed in Verse Zero (the bismillah) and perhaps the system of Ch 4. 5/1 is a single verse passage for those who seek a stable bounty from Allah. The way to achieve this is throught fulfilling all you ties (uqud).

5/2-5 also tells us about the state of ad-deen al-kamil (the perfected religion) which is what is achieved when you fulfil your ties. It is a time when you will obtain all the wholesome things in life (5/4-5).

5/6 begins with the instructions to this state. The chapter then continues to the followers of Isa, the failure of Musa’s people and finally the two children of adam whose failure led to the law that we must fulfil – giving life to others is giving life to humanity and killing one life has the same global effect.

Chapter 5 is also unique in the sense that it has two calls to the rasool (5/41 and 5/67). The rasool is the leader of the community and is given instructions on how to organise his people. This is the same conceptual system as Ch 4 but taken to the peak of achievement thanks to the rasool.

Chapter 5 ends with a blueprint of the messenger’s duty (beginning Vs 109) – to take his people to the peak of their potential (5/110-115). He then is a witness for them on judgement day. This is an apt end for the Fantastic Four.