ٱلْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتُ ۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ ۖ وَٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتُ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتُ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَـٰفِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِىٓ أَخْدَانٍ ۗ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُۥ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ 5
Translations
This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them. And [lawful in marriage are] chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you, when you have given them their due compensation, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse or taking [secret] lovers. And whoever denies the faith - his work has become worthless, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.
Transliteration
Al-yawma uhilla lakumu at-tayyibatu wa ta'amu alladhina ututu al-kitaba hillun lakum wa ta'amukum hillun lahum wa al-muhsanatu mina al-mu'minati wa al-muhsanatu mina alladhina ututu al-kitaba min qablibkum idha ataytumuhunna ujurahunna muhsinina ghayra musafihina wa la muttakhidhi akhdanin wa man yakfur bi al-imani faqad habitat amaluhu wa huwa fi al-akhirati mina al-khasirin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah permits the consumption of good and pure foods, and specifically allows Muslims to eat the food of People of the Book (Christians and Jews), and permits marriage with chaste women from among the believers and the People of the Book, provided proper mahr (dower) is given and the marriage is conducted with honor and commitment. Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this represents a significant opening of relations between Muslims and the People of the Book, while maintaining moral boundaries by prohibiting fornication and illicit relationships.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in Medina during a period of established Islamic governance when detailed rulings on social interactions, dietary laws, and marriage were being codified. It comes in the context of Surah Al-Ma'idah, which addresses lawful and unlawful matters comprehensively, particularly regarding food, contracts, and interpersonal relations between Muslims and other faith communities.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari: The Prophet (peace be upon him) ate food prepared by a Jewish woman, indicating permissibility of food from People of the Book. Sunan Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi contain hadiths regarding marriage to chaste women from the People of the Book, with the requirement of proper mahr and righteous conduct.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Islam permits peaceful coexistence and interaction with People of the Book through shared meals and lawful marriage, emphasizing that such permissions are conditional upon maintaining moral integrity and proper Islamic conduct; it reminds us that material and social interactions across faith communities are possible when guided by justice and respect for divinely ordained boundaries.