[Footnote 80:  And the other half will go to the public treasury.]

[Footnote 81:  That is, he shall inherit her whole substance.]

CHAPTER V

Entitled, the Table[82]—­Revealed at Medina

In the Name of the Most Merciful God.

O True believers, perform your contracts.  Ye are allowed to eat the brute cattle,[83] other than what ye are commanded to abstain from; except the game which ye are allowed at other times, but not while ye are on pilgrimage to Mecca; God ordaineth that which he pleaseth.  O true believers, violate not the holy rites of God, nor the sacred month,[84] nor the offering, nor the ornaments hung thereon, nor those who are travelling to the holy house, seeking favor from their Lord, and to please him.  But when ye shall have finished your pilgrimage, then hunt.  And let not the malice of some, in that they hindered you from entering the sacred temple, provoke you to transgress, by taking revenge on them in the sacred months.  Assist one another according to justice and piety, but assist not one another in injustice and malice:  therefore fear God; for God is severe in punishing.  Ye are forbidden to eat that which dieth of itself, and blood, and swine’s flesh, and that on which the name of any besides God hath been invocated, and that which hath been strangled, or killed by a blow, or by a fall, or by the horns of another beast, and that which hath been eaten by a wild beast, except what ye shall kill yourselves; and that which hath been sacrificed unto idols.  It is likewise unlawful for you to make division by casting lots with arrows.[85] This is an impiety.  On this day, woe be unto those who have apostatized from their religion; therefore fear not them, but fear me.  This day have I perfected your religion for you, and have completed my mercy upon you; and I have chosen for you Islam, to be your religion.  But whosoever shall be driven by necessity through hunger to eat of what we have forbidden, not designing to sin, surely God will be indulgent and merciful unto him.  They will ask thee what is allowed them as lawful to eat?  Answer, Such things as are good are allowed you; and what ye shall teach animals of prey to catch, training them up for hunting after the manner of dogs, and teaching them according to the skill which God hath taught you.  Eat therefore of that which they shall catch for you; and commemorate the name of God thereon; and fear God, for God is swift in taking an account.  This day are ye allowed to eat such things as are good, and the food of those to whom the scriptures were given is also allowed as lawful unto you; and your food is allowed as lawful unto them.  And ye are also allowed to marry free women that are believers, and also free women of those who have received the scriptures before you, when ye shall have assigned them their dower; living chastely with them, neither committing fornication, nor taking