Disclaimer: These notes are my personal reflections on the Quran and have been organised in a way that identifies and groups different themes that emerge from each chapter, with the intention to help facilitate a deeper understanding, help pinpoint where key messages are located in the Quran, and foster a closer relationship with Allah. May this effort please Him, ameen. I hope that these notes will assist others in their own study and reflection.  Feel free to leave a comment and spark a discussion. If I have made any errors, I apologise and would appreciate it if you could correct me in the comments. These notes are not intended to be authoritative or definitive – please do refer to the original text and do your own research.

The beginning of the surah discusses animals that are lawful/unlawful for consumption/hunting. [5:1] [5:3] [5:4] [5:5]

Warnings

• Waging war: The penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and spread mischief in the land is death, crucifixion, cutting off their hands and feet on opposite sides, or exile from the land…they will suffer a tremendous punishment in the Hereafter. [5:33]

Advice

• Advice to get closer to Allah – Be mindful of Allah and seek what brings you closer to Him and struggle in His way, so you may be successful. [5:35]

The disbelievers on Judgment day

• Even if they were to possess everything in the world twice over and offer it all as to ransom themselves from the punishment of Day of Judgment, it would never be accepted from them. And they will suffer a painful punishment [5:36] They will be desperate to get out of the fire but they will never be able to. And they will suffer an everlasting punishment. [5:37]

Ruling on thieves

• Cut off their hands for what they have done – a deterrent from Allah. And Allah is Almighty All-Wise [5:38] But whoever repents after their wrongdoing and mends their ways, Allah will surely turn them in forgiveness…[5:39]

The Torah

• “Indeed, We reveal the Torah, containing guidance and light, by which the prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah, made judgements for Jews. So too did the Rabbis and scholars judge according to Allah’s Book, with which they were entrusted and of which they were made keepers…”  [5:44]
• “We ordained for them in the Torah, “ A life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth – and for wounds equal retaliation”  But whoever waives it charitably, it will be atonement for them. And those who do not judge by what Allah has revealed are ‘truly’ the wrongdoers. [5:45]

Messages to the believers

• O believers! Take neither Jews nor Christians as guardians – they are guardians of each other. Whoever does so will be counted as one of them. Surely Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. [5:51]
• O believers! Whoever among you abandons their faith, Allah will replace them with others who love Him and are loved by Him…” [5:54]
• Your only guardians are Allah, His Messenger and fellow believers – who establish prayer and pay alms-tax with humility. [5:55]
• O believers! Do not seek the guardianship of those given the Scripture before you and the disbelievers who have made your faith a mockery and amusement. And be mindful of Allah if you are truly believers. [5:57]
• O believers! Do not forbid the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, and do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors [5:87]
• O believers! Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and drawing lots of decisions are all evil of Satan’s handwork, so shun them so you may be successful. [5:90]
• Oh believers! Do not ask about any matter which if made clear to you, may disturb you. But if you inquire about what is being revealed in the Quran, it will be made clear to you. Allah has forgiven what was done in the past. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Forbearing. [5:101]
• Oh believers! When death approaches any of you, call upon two just Muslim men to witness as you made a bequest, otherwise, two non-Muslims if you are afflicted with death while on a journey. If you doubt their testimony, keep them after prayer and let them testify under oath saying ‘By Allah! We would never sell our testimony for any price, even in favour of a close relative, nor withhold the testimony of Allah. Otherwise, we would surely be sinful’. [5:106]

The trinity

• Those who say ‘Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary, have certainly fallen into disbelief. The Messiah himself said ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allah – my Lord and your Lord. Whoever associates others with Allah in worship will surely be forbidden Paradise by Allah. Their home will be the Fire. And the wrongdoers will have no helpers. [5:72]
• Those who say Allah is one in a Trinity have certainly fallen into disbelief. There is only One God. If they do not stop saying this, those who disbelieve among them will be afflicted with a painful punishment. [5:73]
• The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger. Many messengers had come and gone before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They both are food. See how We make the signs clear to them, yet see how they are deluded from the truth. [5:75]

Oaths

• Allah will not call you to account for your thoughtless oaths, but He will hold you accountable for deliberate oaths. The penalty for a broken oath is to feed ten poor people from what you normally feed your own family, or to clothe them, or to free a bondsperson. But if none of this is affordable, then you must fast three days. This is the penalty for breaking your oaths. Do be mindful of your oaths. This is how Allah makes things clear to you, so perhaps you will be grateful. [5:89]

The table spread:

• Remember when the disciples asked ‘O Jesus, son Mary! Would your Lord be willing to send down to us a table spread with food from heaven? Jesus answered, ‘Fear Allah if you are truly believers’ [5:112]
• They said, We only wish to eat from it to reassure our hearts, to verify you are indeed truthful to us, and to become witnesses [5:113]
• Jesus, son Mary, prayed ‘O Allah, our Lord! Send us from heaven a table spread with food as a feast for us – the first and last of us – and as a sign from you. Provide for us! You are indeed the Best provider’. [5:114]
• Allah answered, ‘I am sending it down to you. But whoever among you denier afterwards will be subjected to a torment I have never inflicted on anyone of My creation’ [5:115]

Last verse: To Allah ˹alone˺ belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and everything within. And He is Most Capable of everything. [5:120]