Allah said,
﴿وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَرِّ
مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُماً﴾
(but forbidden is land game as long as you are in a state of Ihram.) Therefore,
hunting land game during Ihram is not allowed, and if someone who is in the state
of Ihram hunts, he will have to pay expiation, along with the sin he earns if he
does it intentionally. If he hunts by mistake, he will have to pay the expiation
and is not allowed to eat from it, because this type of game is just like dead animals,
be he a Muhrim or a non-Muhrim. If someone who is not in the state of Ihram hunts
and gives the food to a Muhrim, the Muhrim is not allowed to eat from its meat if
it was killed for him in particular. As-Sa`b bin Jaththamah said that he gave a
zebra as a gift to the Prophet in the area of Waddan or Abwa', the Prophet gave
it back. When the Prophet saw the effect of his returning the gift on As-Sa`b's
face, he said,
«إِنَّا لَمْ نَرُدَّهُ عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا
أَنَّا حُرُم»
(We only gave it back to you because we are in a state of Ihram.) This Hadith was
collected in the Two Sahihs. The Prophet thought that As-Sa`b hunted the zebra for
him, and this is why he refused to take it. Otherwise, the Muhrim is allowed to
eat from the game if one who is not in Ihram hunts it. For when Abu Qatadah hunted
a zebra when he was not a Muhrim and offered it to those who were in the state of
Ihram, they hesitated to eat from it. They asked the Messenger of Allah and he said,
«هَلْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ أَشَارَ
إِلَيْهَا أَوْ أَعَانَ فِي قَتْلِهَا»
(Did any of you point at it or help kill it) They said, "No.'' He said,
«فَكُلُوا»
(Then eat,) and he also ate from it. This Hadith is also in the Two Sahihs with
various wordings. ﴿Ibn Kathir only mentioned Ayat 96 to 99 here and explained the
better part of Ayah number 96, but he did not mention the explanation of the rest
of that Ayah or the other Ayat (97 to 99). This is the case in all of the copies
of his Tafsir in existence, and he might have forgotten to do that, for it is less
likely that all who copied this book forgot to copy only this part. So we used a
summary of the Tafsir of these Ayat from the Imam of Tafsir, Ibn Jarir At-Tabari.
We tried to summarize At-Tabari's eloquent words to the best of our ability, by
Allah's help and leave.﴾
﴿وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ الَّذِى إِلَيْهِ
تُحْشَرُونَV
(And have Taqwa of Allah to Whom you shall be gathered back. ) Allah says, fear
Allah, O people, and beware of His might, by obeying what He commands you and avoiding
what He prohibits for you in these Ayat revealed to your Prophet . These Ayat forbid
Khamr, gambling, Al-Ansab and Al-Azlam, along with hunting land game and killing
it while in the state of Ihram. To Allah will be your return and destination, and
He will punish you for disobeying Him and will reward you for obeying Him.
﴿جَعَلَ اللَّهُ الْكَعْبَةَ الْبَيْتَ
الْحَرَامَ قِيَاماً لّلنَّاسِ﴾
(Allah has made the Ka`bah, the Sacred House, an asylum of security and benefits
for mankind,) Allah says, Allah made the Ka`bah, the Sacred House, an asylum of
safety for the people who have no chief to prevent the strong from transgressing
against the weak, the evil from the good-doers, and the oppressors from the oppressed.
﴿وَالشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ وَالْهَدْىَ
وَالْقَلَـئِدَ﴾
(And also the Sacred Month and the animals of offerings and the garlanded.) Allah
says that He made these symbols an asylum of safety for the people, just as He made
the Ka`bah an asylum of safety for them, so that He distinguishes them from each
other, for this is their asylum and symbol for their livelihood and religion. Allah
made the Ka`bah, the Sacred Month, the Hady, the garlanded animals and people an
asylum of safety for the Arabs who used to consider these symbols sacred. Thus,
these symbols were just like the chief who is obeyed by his followers, and who upholds
harmony and public safety. As for the Ka`bah, it includes the entire sacred boundary.
Allah termed it "Haram'' because He prohibited hunting its game and cutting its
trees or grass. Similarly, the Ka`bah, the Sacred Month, the animals of offerings
and the garlands were the landmarks of existing Arabs. These symbols were sacred
during the time of Jahiliyyah and the people's affairs were guided and protected
by them. With Islam they became the symbols of their Hajj, their rituals, and the
direction of the prayer. ﴿i.e., the Ka`bah in Makkah.﴾
﴿ذلِكَ لِتَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ
يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ
عَلِيمٌ﴾
(that you may know that Allah has knowledge of all that is in the heavens and all
that is in the earth, and that Allah is the All-Knower of each and everything.)
Allah says; O people, I made these symbols an asylum for you, so that you know that
He Who made these symbols that benefit your life and provide you with security,
also knows everything in the heavens and earth that brings about your immediate
or eventual benefit. Know that He has perfect knowledge of everything and that none
of your deeds or affairs ever escapes His observation; and He will count them for
you so that He rewards those who do good with the same and those who do evil in
kind.
﴿اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ
الْعِقَابِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴾
(Know that Allah is severe in punishment and that Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)
Allah says, know that your Lord, Who has perfect knowledge of whatever is in the
heavens and earth, and Who is never unaware of your deeds - public or secret - is
severe in punishment for those who disobey and defy Him. He also pardons the sins
of those who obey and repent to Him, more Merciful than to punish them for the sins
that they repented from.
﴿مَّا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلاَّ الْبَلَـغُ
وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا تَكْتُمُونَ ﴾
(The Messenger's duty is but to convey. And Allah knows all that you reveal and
all that you conceal.) This is a warning from Allah for His servants in which He
says: Our Messenger, whom We sent to you, has only to convey Our Message and then
the reward for the obedience, and punishment for the disobedience is on Us. The
obedience of those who accept Our Message never escapes Our knowledge, just as in
the case of those who disobey and defy Our Message. We know what one of you does,
demonstrates physically, announces, and utters with his tongue, and what you hide
in your hearts, be it of faith, disbelief, certainty, doubt or hypocrisy. He Who
is so capable, then nothing that the hearts conceal, nor any of the apparent acts
of the souls in the heavens and earth could escape His knowledge. In His Hand, alone,
is the reward and punishment, and He is worthy to be feared, obeyed and never disobeyed.
﴿قُل لاَّ يَسْتَوِى
الْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ كَثْرَةُ الْخَبِيثِ فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ
يأُوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ - يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ
تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْ أَشْيَآءَ إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ وَإِن تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْهَا
حِينَ يُنَزَّلُ الْقُرْءَانُ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنْهَا وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ
حَلِيمٌ - قَدْ سَأَلَهَا قَوْمٌ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحُواْ بِهَا كَـفِرِينَ
﴾
(100. Say: "Not equal are the bad things and the good things, even though the abundance
of the bad may please you. '' So have Taqwa of Allah, O men of understanding in
order that you may be successful.) (101. O you who believe! Ask not about things
which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. But if you ask about them while
the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be made plain to you. Allah has forgiven
that, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.) (102. Before you, a community
asked such questions, then on that account they became disbelievers.) Allah says
to His Messenger ,
﴿قُلْ﴾
(Say,) O Muhammad ,
﴿لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ
وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ﴾
(Not equal are the bad things and the good things, even though they may please you)
O human,
﴿كَثْرَةُ الْخَبِيثِ﴾
(the abundance of bad.) This Ayah means, the little permissible is better than the
abundant evil.
﴿فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ يأُوْلِى الأَلْبَـبِ﴾
(have Taqwa of Allah, O men of understanding...) who have sound minds, avoid and
abandon the impermissible, and let the permissible be sufficient for you,
﴿لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ﴾
(in order that you may be successful.) in this life and the Hereafter. '' So have
Taqwa of Allah, O men of understanding in order that you may be successful.) (101.
O you who believe! Ask not about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you
trouble. But if you ask about them while the Qur'an is being revealed, they will
be made plain to you. Allah has forgiven that, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Forbearing.) (102. Before you, a community asked such questions, then on that account
they became disbelievers.) Allah says to His Messenger ,
﴿قُلْ﴾
(Say,) O Muhammad ,
﴿لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ
وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ﴾
(Not equal are the bad things and the good things, even though they may please you)
O human,
﴿كَثْرَةُ الْخَبِيثِ﴾
(the abundance of bad.) This Ayah means, the little permissible is better than the
abundant evil.
﴿فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ يأُوْلِى الأَلْبَـبِ﴾
(have Taqwa of Allah, O men of understanding...) who have sound minds, avoid and
abandon the impermissible, and let the permissible be sufficient for you,
﴿لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ﴾
(in order that you may be successful.) in this life and the Hereafter.