One of the Last Sūrahs to Be Revealed

Sūrat al-Māʾidah, then, begins. It is somewhat shorter than some of the sūrahs that come after it, comprising only a hundred and twenty verses and sixteen sections in terms of general themes. It is a Madanī sūrah, and one of the last sūrahs to be revealed: according to some orderings it is said to be the hundred and twelfth sūrah in order of revelation. It follows that, being one of the last, it contains many rulings, many aḥkām, and treats many other highly relevant matters, especially those belonging to the later period of Islam.

It was clearly revealed after the migration, being a Madanī sūrah; and according to some riwāyāt, one of them from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her), she states in one narration that this was the final sūrah to be revealed. There is not necessarily any agreement on that, it seems, but it is certainly one of the final sūrahs; in another ordering it is the hundred and twelfth of the hundred and fourteen. Allah knows best. Numerous aḥkām of the ḥalāl and the ḥarām, the lawful and the unlawful, are mentioned in it; and three prominent stories are related in it as well — three prominent incidents and accounts of great importance.

Another matter of great importance: the notable āyāt that feature here deserve to be pointed out, those that are often quoted on their own. This is the sūrah that includes the wonderful verse:

That famous verse of the completion of the faith and the perfecting of the bounties upon the believers. It too is among the verses included here, and it forms part of verse three.

The significance of that verse is considerable. It may not seem so from our own perspective, since we know the dīn to be complete; but it should be seen from the perspective of the Ṣaḥābah. For some twenty-odd years they had been receiving new commands. The dīn was in motion; it was, as it were, evolving. Certain things were prohibited first and permitted later; others were permitted first and prohibited later. There was a state of flux, with new issues continually arising. Then suddenly Allah (swt) reveals this: that today We have completed your faith. That was the end of it — the whole had now been given; the entire package was in their hands. The effect of such an announcement can only be imagined.

This is understood from the following. The verse was revealed during the Ḥajjat al-Wadāʿ, the farewell pilgrimage, the year before the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed away. When one of the Jews of Madīnah Munawwarah heard it, he said to ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him), the Amīr al-Muʾminīn — this was later; it did not happen at the same time. It was when ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) was Khalīfah, some ten years or so afterwards — ten or so, fifteen, five to ten years or so — that this Jew said to the Amīr al-Muʾminīn that had this verse been revealed to us, we would have made that day an Eid. For it is a very special verse. It amounts to being told: that is it, it is sealed now; this is the final point you have reached. We would have made it a day of Eid, a celebration.

ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: I know exactly the moment that it was revealed. Not merely the time or the day — it was, of course, the day of ʿArafah — but, he said, I know the moment that it was revealed. It was revealed on the night of ʿArafah, and it was a Friday. I know exactly the moment it was revealed. And in that case it is two Eids for us: two Eids, because we have the Jumuʿah and we have ʿArafah — and, subḥānAllāh, we have this all the time in any case.