Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'idah Verse 94

Mufti Taqi Usmani

O you who believe, Allah shall certainly test you with some of the game coming in the range of your hands and spears, so that Allah may know those who fear Him, even though He is Unseen. Whoever transgresses the limit after all this, for him there is a painful punishment.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

O believers! Allah will surely test you with game within the reach of your hands and spears to distinguish those who fear Him in secret. Whoever transgresses from now on will suffer a painful punishment.

Ruwwad Translation Center

O you who believe, Allah will surely test you with game within the reach of your hands and spears, so that Allah may distinguish those who fear Him unseen. Whoever transgresses after that, for him there will be a painful punishment.

A. J. Arberry

O believers, God will surely try you with something of the game that your hands and lances attain, that God may know who fears Him in the Unseen. Whoso thereafter commits transgression, there awaits him a painful chastisement.

Abdul Haleem

You who believe, God is sure to test you with game within reach of your hands and spears, to find out who fears Him even though they cannot see Him: from now on, anyone who transgresses will have a painful punishment.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

O ye who believe! Allah shall surely prove you with aught of the chases which your hands and your lances may reach, in order that Allah may know whosoever feareth Him unseen; so whosoever shall trespass thereafter, for him is a torment afflictive.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

O ye who believe! Allah doth but make a trial of you in a little matter of game well within reach of game well within reach of your hands and your lances, that He may test who feareth him unseen; any who transgress thereafter, will have a grievous penalty.

Abul Ala Maududi

Believers! Allah will surely try you with a game which will be within the range of your hands and lances so that He might mark out those who fear Him, even though He is beyond the reach of human perception. A painful chastisement awaits whosoever transgresses after that the bounds set by Allah.

Ahmed Ali

O you who believe, God will surely try you with the game that you take with your hands or your lances, in order to know who fear Him unseen. Whosoever transgress after this will suffer grievous punishment.

Ahmed Raza Khan

O People who Believe! Allah will surely test you with some prey that is within reach of your hands and your spears, so that Allah may make known those who fear Him without seeing; so henceforth, a painful punishment is for anyone who transgresses.

Ali Quli Qarai

O you who have faith! Allah will surely test you with some of the game within the reach of your hands and spears, so that Allah may know those who fear Him in secret. So whoever transgresses after that, there is a painful punishment for him.

Ali Ünal

O you who believe! Something of the game that you take by your hands or your lances (while you are on the Pilgrimage) is God’s testing of you so that He may prove those who fear Him (though) unseen. Whoever, after that, exceeds the bounds, for him is a painful punishment.

Amatul Rahman Omar

O You who believe! Allâh is going to try you regarding something of the game which is within the reach of your hands and your lances. Allâh will do it so that He may distinguish those who stand in awe of Allâh even unseen. But he that transgresses even after that (warning) shall receive a grievous punishment.

English Literal

You, you those who believed, God will test you (E) with something from the hunt/fishing/trapping, your hands and your spears/lances take/receive/obtain (reach) it, (for) God (is) to know who fears Him with the unseen , so who transgressed/violated after that, so for him (is) a painful torture.

Faridul Haque

O People who Believe! Allah will surely test you with some prey that is within reach of your hands and your spears, so that Allah may make known those who fear Him without seeing; so henceforth, a painful punishment is for anyone who transgresses.

Hamid S. Aziz

O you who believe! Kill not game while you are on pilgrimage. But he amongst you who kills it purposely, he shall compensate the equivalent of that which he has killed, in domestic animals - of which two just persons amongst you shall judge - an offering brought to the Kaaba; or as an expiation, the feeding of the poor, or an equivalent thereof in fasting; that he may taste the evil result of his deed. Allah pardons bygones; but whoever repeats, Allah will take vengeance on him, for Allah is Mighty and Lord of Retribution.

Hilali & Khan

O you who believe! Allah will certainly make a trial of you with something in (the matter of) the game that is well within reach of your hands and your lances, that Allah may test who fears Him unseen. Then whoever transgresses thereafter, for him there is a painful torment.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

On those who believe and do good there is no blame for what they eat, when they keep their duty and believe and do good deeds, then keep their duty and believe, then keep their duty and do good (to others). And Allah loves the doers of good.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

O you who believe! Allah will certainly try you in respect of some game which your hands and your lances can reach, that Allah might know who fears Him in secret; but whoever exceeds the limit after this, he shall have a painful punishment.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

O ye who believe! Allah will surely try you somewhat (in the matter) of the game which ye take with your hands and your spears, that Allah may know him who feareth Him in secret. Whoso transgresseth after this, for him there is a painful doom.

Muhammad Sarwar

Believers, God will test you (to see the strength of your obedience) concerning what you hunt by hand or spear, so that He would know who has fear of Him in private. Whoever transgresses will suffer a painful torment.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Believers, Allah will test you by means of some hunting which you can catch with your hands and with your spears, in order that Allah knows those who fear Him in private. For he who transgresses thereafter shall be a painful punishment.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

O you who believe! Allah will certainly make a trial for you with something in the game that is well within reach of your hands and your lances, that Allah may test who fears Him in the unseen. Then whoever transgresses thereafter, for him there is a painful torment.

Wahiduddin Khan

Believers, God will test you with game which come within the reach of your hands and spears, so that He may know those who fear Him, even if they cannot see Him. Anyone who oversteps the limits after this will have a painful punishment.

Talal Itani

O you who believe! God will test you with something of the game your hands and spears obtain, that God may know who fears Him at heart. Whoever commits aggression after that will have a painful punishment.

Tafsir jalalayn

O you who believe, God will surely try you, He will surely test you, with some game, which He releases to you, the smaller of, which will be caught by your hands and, the larger of which by, your lances; this was in [the plain of] al-Hudaybiyya; while they were in [the state of] pilgrimage inviolability, beasts and birds would flock to their caravans; so that God may know, through knowledge outwardly manifested, who fears Him in the Unseen (bi'l-ghayb is a circumstantial qualifier), in other words, while He is absent [to the eyes], one who does not see Him but nonetheless avoids hunting game. Whoever transgresses thereafter, after that prohibition against it, and hunts, his shall be a painful chastisement.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Prohibiting Hunting Game in the Sacred Area and During the State of Ihram

Allah says;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ

you who believe!

لَيَبْلُوَنَّكُمُ اللّهُ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الصَّيْدِ تَنَالُهُ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَرِمَاحُكُمْ

Allah will certainly make a trial for you with something in (the matter of) the game that is well within reach of your hands and your lances,

Ali bin Abi Talhah Al-Walibi said that Ibn Abbas said that Allah's statement refers to,

"The weak and young game. Allah tests His servants with such game during their Ihram, that if they wish, they would be able to catch it with their hands. Allah has commanded them to avoid catching it."

Mujahid said that,

تَنَالُهُ أَيْدِيكُمْ
(well within reach of your hands), refers to the young game and chicks,

while
وَرِمَاحُكُمْ
(and your lances), refers to mature game.

Muqatil bin Hayyan said that;

this Ayah was revealed during the Umrah of Al-Hudaybiyyah, when wild game and birds were coming to the Muslim camping area, which they had never seen the likes of before. Allah prohibited them from hunting the game while in the state of Ihram.

لِيَعْلَمَ اللّهُ مَن يَخَافُهُ بِالْغَيْبِ

that Allah may test who fears Him in the unseen.

Therefore, Allah tests His servants with the game that comes near their camping area, for if they wish, they can catch it with their hands and spears in public and secret. This is how the obedience of those who obey Allah in public and secret becomes apparent and tested.

In another Ayah, Allah said;

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ

Verily! Those who fear their Lord in the unseen, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise). (67;12)

Allah said next,

فَمَنِ اعْتَدَى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ

Then whoever transgresses thereafter,

According to As-Suddi,

after this warning and threat, then,

فَلَهُ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ



for him there is a painful torment.

for his defiance of Allah's command and what He has decreed.

Allah said next