Which Surah and Juz is Quran 5:42 from?

This ayah is from Surah Al-Maaida (The Table), the 5th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 6.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 5:42?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sunan Abu Dawud, Sunan an-Nasa'i, Sahih Muslim.

What tafsir is available for Quran 5:42?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 5:42 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Hypocrisy, Allah, Justice, Ethical Conduct, Divine Support.

Ayah 41

۞ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلرَّسُولُ لَا يَحْزُنكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ...

5:42Al-Maaida

Q: What does Quran 5:42 mean?

Quran 5:42 (Surah Al-Maaida, Ayah 42) translates to: "[They are] avid listeners to falsehood, devourers of [what is] unlawful. So if they come to you, [O Muhammad], judge between them or turn away from them. And if you turn away from them - never will they harm you at all. And if you judge, judge between them with justice. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly."

Ayah 43

وَكَيْفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَعِندَهُمُ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ ...

سَمَّٰعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ أَكَّٰلُونَ لِلسُّحْتِ ۚ فَإِن جَآءُوكَ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُمْ أَوْ أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ ۖ وَإِن تُعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ فَلَن يَضُرُّوكَ شَيْـًۭٔا ۖ وَإِنْ حَكَمْتَ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ

Sammaa'oona lilkazibi akkaaloona lissuht; fa in jaaa'ooka fahkum bainahum aw a'rid anhum wa in tu'rid 'anhum falany-yadurrooka shai'anw wa in hakamta fahkum bainahum bilqist; innal laaha yuhibbul muqsiteen

[They are] avid listeners to falsehood, devourers of [what is] unlawful. So if they come to you, [O Muhammad], judge between them or turn away from them. And if you turn away from them - never will they harm you at all. And if you judge, judge between them with justice. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.

Themes in this ayah

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Justice & honesty98 The Prophet ﷺ86

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5:42Ayah 1120

13 ayahs in Al-Maaida are strongly about justice and honesty. This is one of them.

← Previous on Justice & honesty5:32Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land Next on Justice & honesty →5:44Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to Allah] judged by it for the Jews,

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 5:42→

They are listeners to calumny and consumers of unlawful gain read suhut or suht that which is illicit such as bribes. If they come to you to judge between them then judge between them or turn away from them the second option given here was abrogated by His saying So judge between them to the end of the verse Q. 548. Therefore we Muslims are obliged to judge between them if they request arbitration before us — and this is the more sound of al-Shāfi‘ī’s two opinions. If their request for arbitration involves a Muslim however then we are obliged to judge according to the consensus of legal scholars and not just al-Shāfi‘ī; if you turn away from them they cannot harm you at all; and if you judge between them then judge justly between them; God loves the just those that judge fairly meaning that He will reward them.

The Qur'anic verse: "If they do come to thee, either judge between them, or decline to interfere" was abrogated by the verse: "So judge between them by what Allah hath revealed."

Sunan an-Nasa'i #4743It was narrated from Dawud hin Al-Husain, from 'Ikrimah, from Ibn 'Abbas, that the Verses in AL-Ma'idah, in which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, says:Hasan

"Either judge between them, or turn away from them. If you turn away from then up to: those who act justly." - were revealed concerning the matter of blood money between An-Nadir and Quraizah. That was because the slain of An-Nadir were of noble status, so the blood money would be paid in full for them, but for Banu Quraizah only half of the blood money would be paid. They referred the matter to the Messenger of Allah for judgment, then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed that concerning them, so the Messenger of Allah told them to do the right thing and he made the blood money equal.

Sahih Muslim #4343Umm Salama reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Sahih

You bring to me, for (judgment) your disputes, some of you perhaps being more eloquent in their plea than others, so I give judgment on their behalf according to what I hear from them. (Bear in mind, in my judgment) if I slice off anything for him from the right of his brother, he should not accept that, for I sliced off for him a portion from the Hell.

Sunan Abu Dawud #3592Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:Sahih

When this verse was revealed: "If they do come to thee, either judge between them, or decline to interfere....If thou judge, judge in equity between them." Banu an-Nadir used to pay half blood-money if they killed any-one from Banu Qurayzah. When Banu Qurayzah killed anyone from Banu an-Nadir, they would pay full blood-money. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made it equal between them.

Jami` at-Tirmidhi #1344'Ali narrated:Hasan

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: 'When two men come to you seeking judgement, do not judge for the first until you have heard the statement of the other. Soon you will know how to judge.'" 'Ali said: "I did not err since then."