Surah Al Ma'ida Notes (94-99)

 O you who have believed, Allah will surely test you through something of the game that your hands and spears [can] reach, that Allah may make evident those who fear Him unseen. And whoever transgresses after that - for him is a painful punishment.

 O you who have believed, do not kill game while you are in the state of ihram. And whoever of you kills it intentionally - the penalty is an equivalent from sacrificial animals to what he killed, as judged by two just men among you as an offering [to Allah ] delivered to the Ka'bah, or an expiation: the feeding of needy people or the equivalent of that in fasting, that he may taste the consequence of his deed. Allah has pardoned what is past; but whoever returns [to violation], then Allah will take retribution from him. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Owner of Retribution.

 Lawful to you is game from the sea and its food as provision for you and the travelers, but forbidden to you is game from the land as long as you are in the state of ihram. And fear Allah to whom you will be gathered.

 Allah has made the Ka'bah, the Sacred House, standing for the people and [has sanctified] the sacred months and the sacrificial animals and the garlands [by which they are identified]. That is so you may know that Allah knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth and that Allah is Knowing of all things.

 Know that Allah is severe in penalty and that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

Not upon the Messenger is [responsibility] except [for] notification. And Allah knows whatever you reveal and whatever you conceal.

(5:94) Prohibiting hunting game in the sacred area and during the state of Ihram 

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

 This Ayah prohibits killing the game in state of Ihram, except what is exempt from this as mentioned in the Two Sahihs;

Aisha (ra) narrated that Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "It is not harmful in a state of Ihram to kill five kinds of animals: the crow, the kite, the scorpion, the mouse and the rabid dog.

The ruling concerning rabid dog also includes the wolf, lion, leopard, tiger and their like.

(5:95) The penalty of killing game in the sacred area or in the state of Ihram

• When a person is in the state of Ihram it is prohibited for him both to hunt and to assist in hunting animals.
• Even if an animal has been hunted for him by someone else he may not eat it.
• If someone hunts an animal for himself and makes a gift of it to the Muhrim (person in Ihram), there is no harm in his eating it.

Exception - A person in Ihram can kill animals which could be dangerous. (Snakes, scorpions, mad dogs etc.)

Penalty:
 Offering of livestock equivalent to the one he killed.
For example: Camel = ostrich; Cow = wild cattle; goat = deer.

Two just Muslim men should determine an equivalent to the game killed or the amount of its price.

This equivalent animal should be brought to Kaaba, meaning, the sacred area, where it should be slaughtered and its meat divided between the poor of the Sacred area.

And if he is not able to sacrifice, then he should feed number of people or fast for number of days as decided by the two just Muslim men. 

(5:96) Water Game is allowed for the Muhrim

Since one often runs out of provisions during a voyage and is left with no alternative but to catch sea creatures, fishing in the sea has been made lawful.

(5:97)  Allah made the Ka'bah, the Sacred house, an asylum of safety for the people who have no chief to prevent the strong from transgressing against the weak, the evil from the good doers and the oppressors from the oppressed. The Ka'bah, Sacred months and the animals of offerings and the garlands were the landmark of existing Arabs. These symbols were sacred during the time of jahiliyah and the people's affairs were guided and protected by them.

(5:98) Allah says, know that your Lord,  who has perfect knowledge of whatever is in the heavens and earth, and who is never unaware of your deeds - public or secret - is severe in punishment for those who disobey him and defy him. He also pardons the sin of those who obey and repent to Him.

(5:99) The duty of the Messengers is only to convey the Message. It is Allah who will reward or punish according to each person's deeds. He knows what a person does, demonstrates physically, announces, and utters with his tongue, and what he hides in his heart, be it of faith, disbelief, certainty, doubt or hypocrisy.