"And the fallen (al-mutaraddiyah)," that which falls into a well and dies. "And the gored (al-natihah)," meaning: two rams [butting each other] and one of them dies.
"And that which the beast of prey has eaten, except what you slaughter," meaning: what you manage to slaughter of this entire list, excluding the swine. "And what has been slaughtered on stone altars (al-nusub)," these were stones that the people of the Jahiliyyah [used to worship] and offer sacrifices to. "And that you seek decision through divining arrows (al-azlam)." Qatadah said: They are arrows they used for seeking decision in their affairs. When a man wanted to travel, he would take an arrow and say, "This one commands me to go out," and he would take another arrow and say, "This one commands me to stay."
Muhammad said: 'Al-istiqsam' (divining/seeking decision) is derived from 'al-qasam', which is the share (nasib); it is as if the seeking of decision is the seeking of one's share.
"This day, those who disbelieve have despaired of your religion." Al-Hasan said: They despaired [that] they would be able to permit within it what they permitted in their own religion.
"So do not fear them, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you." Qatadah said: It was mentioned to us that it was revealed to the Prophet of Allah ﷺ on a Friday, the Day of Arafah, when Allah [forbade] the polytheists from the Sacred Mosque and purified the pilgrimage for the Muslims.
Yahya: From Hammad ibn Salamah, from Ammar, the mawla of Banu Hashim, from Ibn Abbas, "that he recited this verse: 'This day I have perfected for you your religion,' while a man from the Jews was with him. The Jew said: 'Had this verse been revealed to us, we would have taken that day as a festival.' Ibn [Abbas] said..."
