أَفَحُكْمَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ ۚ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ حُكْمًا لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ 50
Translations
Then is it the judgement of [the time of] ignorance they desire? But who is better than Allāh in judgement for a people who are certain [in faith].
Transliteration
Afa-hukma al-jahiliyyati yabghun, wa-man ahsanu min-Allahi hukman li-qawmin yuqinun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rejects the pre-Islamic pagan laws and customs (jahiliyyah), rhetorically questioning why anyone would seek judgment according to ignorant, unguided principles when Allah's law is supreme. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this verse establishes the superiority of Islamic jurisprudence over all human-made systems, and Al-Tabari notes it was revealed to address those who wavered between Islamic and pagan judgment. The rhetorical question 'Who is better than Allah in judgment for a people who are certain (in faith)?' serves as a powerful affirmation that those with true conviction (yaqin) recognize Allah's wisdom as absolute and incomparable.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Ma'idah is predominantly Medinan and addresses legal and social matters of the Muslim community. This ayah appears in the context of judging disputes and establishing Islamic law among the believers, particularly relevant to those who still harbored attachments to pre-Islamic tribal customs and judgments.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever judges between people with knowledge and justice, Allah will grant him the best of gardens' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, 'The best of judges is he who judges according to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah' (related to various sources emphasizing adherence to divine law).
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should recognize that true justice and wisdom come exclusively from Allah's guidance, and submitting to any system of law or custom that contradicts Islamic principles reflects weak faith and spiritual conviction. In modern contexts, this teaches Muslims to critically evaluate contemporary legal systems and social norms through the lens of Quranic values rather than blindly following cultural or secular standards.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ءَأَنتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ ٱتَّخِذُونِى وَأُمِّىَ إِلَـٰهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِىٓ أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِحَقٍّ ۚ إِن كُنتُ قُلْتُهُۥ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُۥ ۚ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِى نَفْسِى وَلَآ أَعْلَمُ مَا فِى نَفْسِكَ ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّـٰمُ ٱلْغُيُوبِ
And [beware the Day] when Allāh will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, 'Take me and my mother as deities besides Allāh?'" He will say, "Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen.
فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَـٰقَهُمْ لَعَنَّـٰهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَـٰسِيَةً ۖ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ ۙ وَنَسُوا۟ حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ۚ وَلَا تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَىٰ خَآئِنَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ ۖ فَٱعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَٱصْفَحْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
So for their breaking of the covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hardened. They distort words from their [proper] places [i.e., usages] and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded. And you will still observe deceit among them, except a few of them. But pardon them and overlook [their misdeeds]. Indeed, Allāh loves the doers of good.
إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُمْ رَٰكِعُونَ
Your ally is none but Allāh and [therefore] His Messenger and those who have believed - those who establish prayer and give zakāh, and they bow [in worship].
قَالَ ٱللَّهُ إِنِّى مُنَزِّلُهَا عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بَعْدُ مِنكُمْ فَإِنِّىٓ أُعَذِّبُهُۥ عَذَابًا لَّآ أُعَذِّبُهُۥٓ أَحَدًا مِّنَ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
Allāh said, "Indeed, I will send it down to you, but whoever disbelieves afterwards from among you - then indeed will I punish him with a punishment by which I have not punished anyone among the worlds."