Translation
They ask you about what is lawful. Say: “All things good and pure are lawful.” With respect to hunting animals that you teach how to hunt with knowledge that God has imparted on you, eat what they hunt for you, but do mention God’s name over them and be mindful of your responsibility and remain conscious of God. Surely God is swift in taking accounts. Today all things pure and good are made lawful for you. The food of those who have received revelations before (e.g., Jews, Christians, and others) are lawful to you, and so is your food to them. (It is lawful also) to marry women who are faithful and women from faiths that have received revelations before, provided you offer dowry, intending to marry them and not fornicate or engage in secret love (e.g., a mistress). Whoever denies faith (after such broad guidance) will render his work vain, and he will be among the losers in the Afterlife. 297
O People of Faith: When you get ready to pray, wash your face and your hands and arms up to the elbows, wipe your head, and wash your feet up to the ankles. If you have an obligation for shower, then do so (rather than just ablution). But if you are sick, or on a journey, or have satisfied a call of nature, or have sexual intimacy but cannot find water, then take advantage of pure dust, lightly passing over your hands and face. God intends no hardship on you but wishes to purify you and to bestow His full grace on you so that you have reasons to be grateful. 298
Interpretation
297 This verse is of fundamental importance as far as the broadness of Islamic principles goes and the amount of latitude and freedom given to human societies and individuals within Islam and among all people of faith and good conscience. All things in nature, including each member of humanity, are created to benefit us and one another, and we are free to partake of these gifts and treasures of God as long as they are pure and good and do not go contrary to any specific prohibitions. Too many clerics, imams, rabbis, fundamentalists, and people with a narrow view of faith and human potential want to impose too many restrictions in our lives, whereas God gives us the broadest possible freedom of choices with very limited restrictions. Islam accepts food from all people of faith, allows marriage with people of faith, and collaborates in all acts and rituals that are good and pure. God wants us to remain ever conscious of our purpose and goal in life and to interact, partake in all good things, and engage in all good activities in collaboration with all with shared values and visions.
298 Physical purity in spiritual acts is a fundamental teaching of Islam and reflects the recognition and enhancement of the duality of our existence in the physical domain and the spiritual domain. While we need to perform physical cleanliness in order to achieve spiritual closeness to God and one another, the same is true in terms of all our activities that need to be cleansed with good intention. Two of the famous quotations from the Prophet go as follows: (1) cleanliness is 50 percent of your faith, and (2) each and every action will be judged by its intention. Also, in the matter of our mandate to clean ourselves before prayer, God lightens the burden in the event we can’t find water and allows the token use of pure dust, which is as abundant as air and water on this planet. Here lies another fundamental principle: Every rule has an exception, and such exceptions should be granted based on our good and collective judgment. Another famous quotation from the Prophet: when it comes to social rules and regulations, if I have multiple options, I always choose the one that is easy for people to follow.
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REFLECTION
These verses point out the awesome elegance, beauty, simplicity, and comprehensiveness of God’s guidance for mankind. We are encouraged to engage in all that is good and pure; impose no burden beyond one’s capacity and availability; and keep faith, goodness, and our sense of responsibility and accountability to God and fellow human beings in the forefront of our consciousness. God means our life on this earth not to be a burden but to be a spontaneous expression of free will, seeking knowledge, practicing love and peace, and helping one another reach our highest human potential.
ACTION
Going beyond reflection but with appropriate reflections, thoughtfulness, knowledge, and practical wisdom, we need to implement simple, commonsense, fair, and just remedies for our ailments and solutions to our common failures in the world today.