Al-Mizan

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Verses 151–157 ​

Chapter 6: Al-Anʿām (The Cattle) · Printed edition: Volume 14, pp. 203–224

قُلْ تَعالَوْا أَتْلُ ما حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَلاَّ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئاً وَ بِالْوالِدَيْنِ إِحْساناً وَ لا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلادَكُمْ مِنْ إِمْلاقٍ نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَ إِيَّاهُمْ وَ لا تَقْرَبُوا الْفَواحِشَ ما ظَهَرَ مِنْها وَ ما بَطَنَ وَ لا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ ذلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ١٥١ وَ لا تَقْرَبُوا مالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَ أَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ وَ الْمِيزانَ بِالْقِسْطِ لا نُكَلِّفُ نَفْساً إِلاَّ وُسْعَها وَ إِذا قُلْتُمْ فَاعْدِلُوا وَ لَوْ كانَ ذا قُرْبى‏ وَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ أَوْفُوا ذلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ ١٥٢ وَ أَنَّ هذا صِراطِي مُسْتَقِيماً فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَ لا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ ذلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ١٥٣ ثُمَّ آتَيْنا مُوسَى الْكِتابَ تَماماً عَلَى الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ وَ تَفْصِيلاً لِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَ هُدىً وَ رَحْمَةً لَعَلَّهُمْ بِلِقاءِ رَبِّهِمْ يُؤْمِنُونَ ١٥٤ وَ هذا كِتابٌ أَنْزَلْناهُ مُبارَكٌ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَ اتَّقُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ ١٥٥ أَنْ تَقُولُوا إِنَّما أُنْزِلَ الْكِتابُ عَلى‏ طائِفَتَيْنِ مِنْ قَبْلِنا وَ إِنْ كُنَّا عَنْ دِراسَتِهِمْ لَغافِلِينَ ١٥٦ أَوْ تَقُولُوا لَوْ أَنَّا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْنَا الْكِتابُ لَكُنَّا أَهْدى‏ مِنْهُمْ فَقَدْ جاءَكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَ هُدىً وَ رَحْمَةٌ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ كَذَّبَ بِآياتِ اللَّهِ وَ صَدَفَ عَنْها سَنَجْزِي الَّذِينَ يَصْدِفُونَ عَنْ آياتِنا سُوءَ الْعَذابِ بِما كانُوا يَصْدِفُونَ ١٥٧

  1. Say: Come, I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you—that you do not associate anything with Him and show kindness to your parents, and do not slay your children for (fear of) poverty—We provide for you and for them—and do not draw nigh to indecencies, those which are apparent and those which are concealed, and do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except for the requirements of justice; this He enjoins you with that you may apply reason.
  2. And do not approach the property of the orphan except in the best manner until he attains his maturity, and give full measure and weight with justice—We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability; and when you speak, then be just though it be (against) a relative, and fulfill Allah’s covenant; this He enjoins you with that you may be mindful.
  3. And (know) that this is my path, the straight one therefore follow it, and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way; this He enjoins you with that you may guard (against evil).
  4. Then We gave the Book to Moses complete for him who would do good, and as an elaboration of all things and a guidance and a mercy, so that they should believe in the meeting of their Lord.
  5. And this is a Book We have revealed, blessed; therefore follow it and guard (against evil) that mercy may be shown to you.
  6. Lest you say that the Book was only revealed to two parties before us and we were truly unaware of their study.
  7. Or lest you should say: If the Book had been revealed to us, we would certainly have been better guided than they, so indeed there has come to you clear proof from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. Who then is more unjust than he who rejects Allah’s communications and turns away from them? We will reward those who turn away from Our communications with an evil chastisement because they turned away.

Introduction ​

These verses discuss what has been universally forbidden in all divine religions. They are:

Associating partners with God,

Being unkind to parents,

Committing indecencies,

Killing an innocent soul without a just cause, which includes killing one’s children in fear of poverty,

Laying hands on the property of orphans except in good cause,

Not giving full measure and weight with justice,

Unjust speech,

Failing to fulfill God’s covenant, and

Following any path other than that of God, which results in religious disagreement.

These are universal laws because we find the same points in what the previous prophets preached to their nations, as related by God in the stories of Noah, Hūd, Ṣāliḥ, Abraham, Lot, Shuʿayb (Jethro, Reuel), Moses, Jesus and others. The Qur’an says: He has made plain to you the religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you and that which We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus—that keep to obedience and be not divided therein (). A subtle connection here is that the verb used in verse is tawṣiyah (to enjoin, to advise) which is the same verb used in these three verses that talk about the God’s principal prohibitions, as He says: This He enjoins you with that you may apply reason (); This He enjoins you with that you may be mindful (); This He enjoins you with that you may guard (against evil) ().

Moreover, upon contemplation, it becomes clear that a divine religion cannot be complete and correct if it misses any of these commands—irrespective of how simple it is, and irrespective of how simple its intended audience may be.

Commentary ​

قُلْ تَعالَوْا أَتْلُ ما حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَلاَّ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئاً وَ بِالْوالِدَيْنِ إِحْساناً وَ لا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلادَكُمْ مِنْ إِمْلاقٍ نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَ إِيَّاهُمْ وَ لا تَقْرَبُوا الْفَواحِشَ ما ظَهَرَ مِنْها وَ ما بَطَنَ وَ لا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ ذلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ١٥١

(6:151) Say: Come (taʿālaw), I will recite (atlu, from tilāwah) what your Lord has forbidden to you (ʿalaykum)— that you do not associate anything with Him and show kindness to your parents, and do not slay your children for (fear of) poverty—We provide for you and for them—and do not draw nigh to indecencies, those which are apparent and those which are concealed, and do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except for the requirements of justice; this He enjoins you with that you may apply reason.

It is said that the taʿāl (lit. “come up”) is derived from ʿuluww (height, elevation). This implies that the caller is standing at a height [in terms of etymology], even though that may not literally be true [in terms of common usage]. Tilāwah is similar in meaning to qirāʾah (to recite, to read). ʿAlaykum (to you, upon you, against you) can be either the complement of I will recite or the complement of has forbidden. This is an example of al-tanāzuʿ fī al-mutaʿalliq, where a single word serves to complement two verbs and thus the verb is not repeated twice. Some have said that ʿalaykum here is a noun [as opposed to a particle or preposition] which functions as a verb (called ism fiʿl), meaning khudhū (take, hold fast; in the imperative). The meaning would be: “Take and hold fast to this: that you do not associate anything with Him and show kindness to your parents…” This, however, is not the first meaning that springs to mind in this context.

There is an apparent inconsistency here because the list is titled: what your Lord has forbidden to you, but what follows is sometimes stated as prohibitions and sometimes stated as commands. For example, the verses include some prohibitions such as: do not associate anything with Him… and do not slay your children for (fear of) poverty… and do not draw nigh to indecencies, and some commands like: and show kindness to your parents… and give full measure and weight with justice… and when you speak, then be just…. However, it should be noted that in the first place, the Prophet calls the people to his recitation: Come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden…. Therefore, what follows is expressed exactly as revealed by God [as opposed to being paraphrased and interpreted by the Prophet].

Polytheism is mentioned before all other prohibitions because it is surely a grievous iniquity () for which there is no hope of being forgiven by God. He says: Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and forgives what is besides that to whomsoever He will (, ). Moreover, all sins trace back to polytheism, just as all good deeds trace back to monotheism in one way or another.

… and show kindness (iḥsānan) to your parents…: The word iḥsānan (goodness, kindness) is an object that indicates the implied omitted verb of the sentence: aḥsinū (do good, show kindness). Majmaʿ al-bayān says:

It means that “He has enjoined kindness to parents.” This is because the verb taḥrīm (to forbid, to prohibit) [as in what your Lord has forbidden to you] includes the meaning of enjoining the prohibition of something and commanding to abstain from it.

There are a few other places in the Noble Qur’an that command kindness to parents right after enjoining monotheism or prohibiting polytheism. For example: And your Lord has decreed that you shall not serve (any) but Him, and goodness to your parents (); And when Luqmān said to his son while he admonished him: O my son! Do not associate aught with Allah; most surely polytheism is a grievous iniquity. And We have enjoined man with respect to his parents ().

This shows that ʿuqūq (disobedience, persecution, disrespect) against one’s parents is among the major sins. It is the greatest sin after associating partners with God. This is also confirmed by social convention. Human beings depend on society for their worldly and religious life. Human society is a conventional structure that relies on cross-generational love for both its building and its maintenance. This is a mutual bond of love and mercy that develops in the family, connected to the parents at one end and to the children at the other. Children need the mercy and kindness of their parents in a period when the parents naturally incline toward them. This natural attraction is a sufficient incentive for parents to show the required kindness to their children. However, an opposite story holds for the parents’ need for the mercy and kindness of their children. Their need coincides with their age, when they are incapable of taking care of themselves, while their children are young and independent.

If it becomes widespread among humankind that children neglect and disregard their parents in the time of their need, then it will have the following consequences: (1) People will lose interest in begetting and rearing children. (2) People will stop procreation, which results in the termination of the human race. (3) People will be reluctant to establish a family and unwilling to form this small social unit. (4) People will lose interest in retaining the positions of fatherhood and motherhood. The result of all this is that there will be no affinity between a new generation of humankind and their parents, as though they are not related by blood. This means the disintegration of the society’s parts as their bonds are severed and their unity is split. This is a destruction that cannot be mended by any social law, custom or convention. As a result, happiness will depart from them both in this world and in the hereafter. We shall present a complete discussion of this element of religion later, if God wills.

… and do not slay your children for (fear of) poverty (imlāq)—We provide for you and for them…: Imlāq means “lack of money and provision.” The verse talks about a common practice among Arabs before Islam due to widespread famine and drought. When they were threatened by poverty they would kill their children to spare them from a miserable life in hunger and need.

… We provide for you and for them…: This sentence justifies the previous prohibition. It means: “You kill your children because you fear that you may not be able to provide for them, but the fact is that you are not their providers. Rather, it is God Who provides for you and them all, so do not kill your children.”

… and do not draw nigh to indecencies (al-fawāḥish), those which are apparent and those which are concealed…: Fawāḥish is the plural of fāḥishah, which means “an evil and indecent act.” God has described adultery, sodomy and accusing chaste women of adultery as examples of indecency in His Book.

… which are apparent and those which are concealed…: Apparently this refers to indecencies that are committed openly and those that are committed in private, respectively. For example, sometimes adultery is committed publicly and openly, while sometimes one has a private and secret affair.

Indecencies are very attractive and pleasurable things to the base carnal soul (nafs). The human faculty of shahwah (appetite, lust) inclines strongly to these acts, and the last thing that it wants to see is their prohibition. If such indecencies are legalized, then they would no longer be viewed as evil, vices, or reprehensible, and thus they will spread across the society. That would cut off the progeny and destroy the family as a social unit. The end result will be the destruction of the greater human society. We shall discuss this in detail later in its appropriate place, by God’s will.

Likewise, if murder and other similar indecencies are permitted, then there will be a loss of national security. This will shatter the foundation of human societies and shake its pillars.

… and do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden (ḥarrama, from taḥrīm) except for the requirements of justice…: The object of the verb taḥrīm (to forbid, to consecrate) is omitted in this sentence. The implied meaning could be either of the following: (1) “God has forbidden its killing”; or (2) “God has consecrated the soul by honoring it in His legislation in a way that preserves its blood and protects its right.” According to some exegetes, murder is a specific example of the indecencies which the verse just prohibited. God explicitly mentions it again to show the significance and immensity of this indecency. A similar explanation can be said about the killing of children in fear of poverty. It is mentioned separately because of its important position and applicability to the Arabs. They used to think that the fear of poverty gave the father the right to kill his children in order to preserve his dignity. They viewed fatherhood as a form of ownership.

“A forbidden soul” is the soul of either a Muslim or a non-Muslim who has a peace treaty with Muslims (called a muʿāhid). They cannot be killed except for a just cause, which would be either retaliation (qiṣāṣ, qawad) or religious penalty (ḥadd).

… this He enjoins you with that you may apply reason: This sentence emphasizes the prohibitions in the verse. They are justified by saying: that you may apply reason. We shall discuss the connection between this justification and the five points in the verse below [under verse ].

وَ لا تَقْرَبُوا مالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَ أَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ وَ الْمِيزانَ بِالْقِسْطِ لا نُكَلِّفُ نَفْساً إِلاَّ وُسْعَها وَ إِذا قُلْتُمْ فَاعْدِلُوا وَ لَوْ كانَ ذا قُرْبى‏ وَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ أَوْفُوا ذلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ ١٥٢

(6:152) And do not approach the property of the orphan except in the best manner until he attains his maturity, and give full measure and weight with justice—We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability; and when you speak, then be just though it be (against) a relative, and fulfill Allah’s covenant; this He enjoins you with that you may be mindful.

The verse prohibits “approaching” the property of the orphans in order to indicate a comprehensive meaning. This includes expenditure, investment, and any dealing with their property: it should be done in the best possible manner that preserves their property. This law is applicable until they reach maturity. At that point they are no longer orphans who are incapable of managing their property. By default they will be in charge of themselves financially, without needing their guardians to manage their funds. Given this condition, “attaining maturity” in this verse means both physical puberty and intellectual maturity. This is mentioned in the verse: And test the orphans until they attain puberty; then if you find in them maturity of intellect, hand over to them their property, and do not consume it extravagantly and hastily, lest they attain full age ().

It should also be clear that until he attains his maturity does not mean that the prohibition will be lifted at that point, and it will be permissible to use the property of the orphans. Instead, this qualification indicates the period of applicability of the previous law—that they should not approach the property of the orphans except in the best manner. Once they mature, the subject of this law will no longer exist. Therefore, this sentence is effectively saying: “Manage the property of orphans who cannot manage and grow their property until they grows up and becomes capable of doing so.”

… and give full measure and weight with justice—We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability…: “Giving full measure with justice” means being fair in measure and weight, without any diminution.

… We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability…: This sentence serves to answer a potential objection. It is as if the audience asks: “Giving full measure with justice and meeting true fairness in the real world is not possible for humans. There is no escape for human souls from approximation in these matters.” Thus God replies: “We do not impose on any soul any duty except according to its capacity.” It could be that this sentence applies to both commands that were mentioned prior to it in this verse: And do not approach the property of the orphan and give full measure and weight.

… and when you speak, then be just though it be (against) a relative…: Blood ties and feelings call one to take the side of one’s relative in order to protect his life and property against loss and misfortune. The mention of this word shows that “speaking” here pertains specifically to speech that can result in some benefit or loss for others. The command to “justice” confirms this idea because it implies that “injustice” is also a possible outcome. Therefore, this verse is about speech that is concerned with legal rights, such as testimony, judgment and fatwá (legal ruling, edict). The meaning is: “Watch your speech that can benefit or harm the people, and be just in what you say. Let not mercy, sympathy or any other emotion lead you to take the side of one party, causing you to modify your words and transgress the truth. Do not make a testimony or judgment that favors the side which you like and violates the right of the other side which you dislike.” Majmaʿ al-bayān says:

This sentence is an expressive command that has many applications, including confessions, testimonies, testaments, legal rulings, judicial verdicts, governmental laws, religious beliefs, enjoining good and forbidding evil.

… and fulfill Allah’s covenant (ʿahd)…: According to al-Mufradāt by al-Rāghib, ʿahd [in its verbal sense] is “to preserve and observe something under all circumstances.” That is why it is used for: (1) religious commands, duties and obligations; (2) covenants, contracts and agreements between two sides; (3) nadhr (vow) and yamīn (oath).

The most plausible interpretation for “God’s ʿahd” in this verse is the religious duties that God has decreed. This is because: (1) the most common usage of ʿahd in the Noble Qur’an is God’s commandments; (2) the word ʿahd here is ascribed to God; and (3) it is mentioned in a context of explaining God’s universal laws and commandments.

It could also be that ʿahd here means an individual or mutual commitment that one takes upon himself in God’s name. The Qur’an says: and fulfill the promise; surely (every) promise shall be questioned (). If so, then ascribing a covenant to God in this verse would be like ascribing testimony (shahādah) to Him in the verse: and we will not hide the testimony of Allah (). Such ascription is a reminder that the other side of the contract is really God.

… this He enjoins you with that you may be mindful: This sentence emphasizes the rulings mentioned in the verse.

وَ أَنَّ هذا صِراطِي مُسْتَقِيماً فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَ لا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ ذلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ١٥٣

(6:153) And (know) that (anna) this is my path, the straight one therefore follow it, and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way; this He enjoins you with that you may guard (against evil).

The conjunction “and” at the beginning of this verse would join the next part—that this is…—to that you do not associate anything with Him (). This is based on reciting the second word of the verse with stress as anna (that, indeed) or without stress as an (meaning “that”). The word has also been recited as inna (indeed), which makes this verse a new statement, not a continuation of the above.

The context and flow of these verses show that the message of this verse is among the general principles and universal commandments of religion which God ordered His Prophet to convey to the people, as he was told: Say: Come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you (). Meanwhile, those principles were already covered in the last two verses. Hence, the first part of this verse—And (know) that this is my path, the straight one therefore follow it—is not meant as an independent command by itself, but as a prelude to the next part—and follow not (other) ways—which is itself a prelude to what follows after: for they will lead you away from His way. Therefore, the central and ultimate message of the verse is: “Do not diverge from God’s way and do not disagree in it.”

This makes the current verse similar to the following verse: He has made plain to you of the religion what He enjoined upon Noah, and that which We have revealed to you, and that which We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses and Jesus: that maintain the religion and be not divided therein (). We see a similar repetition in this verse []: the command to maintain the religion refers back to “the enjoined religion which God has made plain.” It is repeated at the end of the verse to set the stage for the following prohibition: be not divided therein ().

The meaning is: “Among what your Lord has commanded and prohibited is that you should not follow other ways besides this straight path which involves no internal contradiction or external failure. Following any way other than that of God will divert you from His way. This creates disagreement among you with regards to the way and makes you exit the straight path. The straight path is a consistent way without any contradiction between its parts, and without any disagreement amongst its travelers.”

The speaker in these verses is the Prophet, who was told to convey these duties to the people, as per God’s instruction: Say: Come I will recite (). Hence, the possessive pronoun “my” in “my path” refers to the Prophet, because he is the one who is addressing these words to the people. In all of these three verses, God is referred to in the third person, even in the subsequent part of this verse, where it says: for they will lead you away from His way; this He enjoins you with. There is no problem with ascribing the “path” to the Prophet because elsewhere in the Qur’an it is ascribed to a multitude of God’s servants, as He says: Guide us on the straight path, the path of those whom Thou hast blessed () and: Those whom Thou hast blessed are the prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the righteous ().

However, apparently, other exegetes have assumed unanimously that the pronoun my in my path refers to God. The meaning would be: “Come so that I recite to you what your Lord has enjoined you to. He says to you—or His enjoinment is—that this is My path, the straight one therefore follow it, and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way.” This interpretation requires a transition in the speaker—not where it says “My way” but where it says “His way.”

Either way, in this verse God refers to the above-mentioned principal inunctions of religion as His [or his] “straight path.” It is straight in two senses: (1) it has no takhalluf (violation, failure) in guiding its travelers and leading them to their destination; and (2) it has no ikhtilāf (difference, disagreement, conflict) whether between its various parts or between its travelers. As long as they adhere to this path they will certainly not disagree with one another. He then forbids the people against following other ways because those paths will undoubtedly result in failure and disagreement, for they are courses of satanic desires which are not based on any standard or structure. The way of God, on the other hand, is based on the innate human nature and creation (fiṭrah and khilqah): There is no altering of Allah’s creation; that is the right religion ().

… this He enjoins you with that you may guard (against evil): Here God emphasizes His command in this verse.

The endings of these three verses differ. The first verse ends with: this He enjoins you with that you may apply reason (); the second verse ends with: this He enjoins you with that you may be mindful (); and the third verse ends with: this He enjoins you with that you may guard (against evil) ().

Here is a possible explanation for this difference: The first verse talks about things that are evidently wrong to innate human nature, including associating partners with God, disobeying one’s parents, killing one’s children due to poverty, approaching heinous indecencies, and murdering an innocent soul without a just cause. Humans, which are distinguished from other animals by ʿaql (reason, intellect), would never commit these sins unless they pursue their desires and are completely encircled by dark emotions that set a thick veil over their reason. Therefore, awakening the reason and leaving the base desires—even partially—would suffice for people to realize that these acts are forbidden and inauspicious for them inasmuch as they are human. That is why the first verse ends by: this He enjoins you with that you may apply reason (taʿqilūna, from ʿaql) ().

The second verse talks about keeping away from the property of orphans, giving full measure and weight with fairness, being just in speech, and fulfilling God’s covenant. These instructions are not as readily evident as the points mentioned in the first verse. In order to appreciate these rulings, one needs to not only apply reason, but also remember the general benefits and harms that human reason recognizes. Then one will realize how detrimental these sins are in destroying the foundations of society and hurting one’s fellow human beings. What good is a human society if the weak and disadvantaged are not taken care of, if fairness is not observed in measures and weights, if the governments and the courts are unjust, and if the word of truth goes unheard? That is why the second verse ends by: this He enjoins you with that you may be mindful ().

The purpose of the third verse is to prohibit people from disagreeing and deviating in religion by following ways other than that of God. The relevant justification for this prohibition is that one cannot have proper and complete taqwá (self-restraint, Godwariness, guarding oneself) in religion unless one abstains from these deviant ways. In order to have religious taqwá, one needs to first recognize what God has forbidden, and then abstain from it. This requires applying reason and being mindful. In other words, taqwá means abiding by the innate human nature (fiṭrah) which is the basis of religion, as He says: And the soul and Him Who made it perfect, then He inspired it to understand what is right (taqwá) and wrong for it ().

God has promised the believers that if they have taqwá [that is, if they observe their duties to God and guard against evil], then He will assist them by a means of clarifying their way and distinguishing the truth from falsehood. He says: And whoever is careful of (his duty to) Allah (yattaqi Allāh, from taqwá), He will make for him an outlet (); If you are careful of (your duty to) Allah (tattaqū Allāh, from taqwá), He will grant you a distinction ().

One pursues the path of taqwá as long as he adheres to the way of applying reason and being mindful, and as long as he follows the course of his innate nature. One deviates from this path if he follows his desires, clings to material life, and falls for the deceptive glamor of life in this world. Such a person is unbridled by his passions and desires. Thus he ends up forsaking religious taqwá and opposing the judgments of sound reason, not caring the least about the evil consequences that he is facing. He will be like a drunkard who does not realize what he does nor what is done to him.

The thing is that personal interests and selfish desires are very divergent. They are not governed by any regulation and their followers are not subject to any unifying system. That is why it is seldom seen that any two individuals who pursue their personal desires go a single way and keep each other’s company until the end. God has mentioned many of these paths in His Book [referring to the discord among their followers]: And so that the way of the guilty may become clear (); And do not follow the way of the mischief-makers (); And do not follow the path of those who do not know (). Similarly, concerning the polytheists He says: They follow naught but conjecture and the low desires which (their) souls incline to; and certainly the guidance has come to them from their Lord (). If you research the verses about guidance, error, obedience and following, you will see that many verses confirm this idea.

Overall, one cannot achieve religious taqwá by deviation, disagreement, pursuing any path that opens up to the person, and entering any field that one comes across. Instead, one should adhere to the straight path which is free from conflict [between its travelers] and contradiction [between its parts]. This is how one may hope to acquire taqwá. For this reason, after saying, and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way, God says: this He enjoins you with that you may guard (against evil) (tattaqūna, from taqwá) ().

Rūḥ al-maʿānī says:

The first verse ends with that you may apply reason () while the second verse ends with that you may be mindful (). This is because the audience used to persist in the acts mentioned in the first verse—polytheism, killing their children, committing adultery, and murdering innocent souls without just cause—shamelessly and ignorant of their vileness. That is why God forbids them so that they may understand the evil of these acts, feel ashamed of committing them, and stop doing so. The acts mentioned in the second verse, on the other hand—preserving the property of the orphans for them, giving full measure, being just in speech, and fulfilling their covenants—are things that they used to observe and were proud of maintaining. Thus God commands these acts so that they may be mindful in case they forget. This is what Quṭb al-Rāzī says.

As you certainly know, saying that the Arabs were committed to preserving the property of the orphans, giving full measure, and being just in speech is contrary to the historical records about the custom of the Arabs prior to Islam. Moreover, the above interpretation implies that tadhakkur (to be mindful) in the verse [] is the same as dhikr (to remember), which is not the common meaning of tadhakkur as used in the Qur’an.

Rūḥ al-maʿānī then continues:

According to al-Imām [al-Rāzī] in al-Tafsīr al-kabīr, the five duties in the first verse are clear and evident commands. That is why one should be able to understand them by applying reason. The four duties in the second verse are rather hidden and intricate matters. That is why one needs to do tadhakkur, which means exerting effort and thinking in order to figure out the balanced approach that one should pursue in these subjects. This is the reason for the different ending of the verses.

This interpretation is similar to what we said above. The only problem is that the four items mentioned in the second verse are things that one can reach by the slightest bit of contemplation. Realizing the evil of these practices is not as hidden and intricate as he says. That is why he had to justify his interpretation [of tadhakkur as “exerting much thought and effort”] by saying that the goal is to figure out the balanced way in these interactions. This ruins the meaning of the verse, because of three reasons: (1) To have a consistent flow, the object of mindfulness—in that you may be mindful ()—should be the very items mentioned in the verse [not the balanced approach in them]. (2) The idea of striking the right balance is only applicable to the first two orders: approaching the property of the orphans, and giving full measure and weight. (3) The verse already addresses this issue by saying: We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability (). The reader should reflect on this.

Rūḥ al-maʿānī further adds under the third verse:

Abū Ḥayyān says: In the third verse, God enjoins following the straight path and prohibits following other ways. Since the straight path includes all religious duties, the verse ends by referring to taqwá, which means guarding oneself against the Fire. If one follows His path, he will achieve everlasting salvation and eternal bliss.

The above interpretation implies that the main and primary theme of the verse is the command to follow the straight path. However, as we explained above, the verse’s flow suggests that this command is only a prelude that prepares the ground for the subsequent prohibition: and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way ().

ثُمَّ آتَيْنا مُوسَى الْكِتابَ تَماماً عَلَى الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ وَ تَفْصِيلاً لِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَ هُدىً وَ رَحْمَةً لَعَلَّهُمْ بِلِقاءِ رَبِّهِمْ يُؤْمِنُونَ ١٥٤

(6:154) Then We gave the Book to Moses complete for him who would do good, and as an elaboration of all things and a guidance and a mercy, so that they should believe in the meeting of their Lord.

The above verses enjoined a set of general principles and universal commandments that: (1) were legislated universally in the religion of all prophets; and (2) were mentioned in brief and general terms. That is why this verse shifts to saying that these concise rulings which were legislated for all nations were then differentiated and elaborated whenever it was needed: Then We gave the Book to Moses complete for him who would do good, and as an elaboration of all things. This verse refers to one case of elaboration which happened through the Book that was revealed to Moses, and the next verse talks about another elaboration for the Prophet through the blessed Book that was revealed to him.

The verse means: “After legislating the general religious laws mentioned above, We gave a complete Book to Moses: (1) to cover the lacks and deficiencies of those who did good with regards to the concise legislations; (2) as an elaboration that differentiates all specific rules that branch out from the above concise commandments, as needed by the Children of Israel; and (3) as a guidance and mercy so that they may believe in the meeting of their Lord.” This is how we can interpret this verse in its context, in a way that it connects to the previous three verses.

Then (thumma) We gave the Book to Moses…: This verse continues the thread of verses before: Say: Come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you (). The speaker here is God in the first person plural, addressed to the Prophet. The word “then” (thumma)—which implies a temporal delay and sequence—indicates that the Book revealed to Moses was given to him to complement and elaborate the concise and general commandments that were universally decreed before.

Some exegetes have suggested strange interpretations for then We gave the Book to Moses. For example:

  1. This statement involves an omission. The implied meaning is: “Then say, O Muḥammad, that We gave the Book to Moses.”
  2. There is an omission and the implied meaning is: “Then I shall also recite for you: We gave the Book to Moses.”
  3. There is an omission and the implied meaning is: “Then I shall also inform you that Moses was given the Book.”
  4. It connects back to the story of Abraham, where it says: And We gave to him Isaac and Jacob (). The meaning is: “And We gave to him Isaac and Jacob, then We gave the Book to Moses.”

What has made them come up with these suggestions is that the Torah was revealed before the Qur’an, while the verse uses the word “then” (thumma) which suggests temporal delay. The implication of using this word after the verses above—Say: Come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you… ()—is that the Torah was revealed after the Qur’an. However, our exposition above should clarify that there is no need for these contrived interpretations.

… complete for him who would do good…: The word “complete” shows that there was some deficiency in the Israelites who had done a good job with respect to the above general and universal commandments [in verses ]. Thus the Book was revealed to Moses to complete their deficiency. Elsewhere, after mentioning the revelation of the Book to Moses, God says: And We ordained for him in the tablets admonition of every kind and clear explanation of all things; so take hold of them with firmness and enjoin your people to take hold of what is best thereof (). He also says: And enter the gate making obeisance, and say, forgiveness. We will forgive you your wrongs and give more to those who do good (to others) (). Given these verses, him who would do good is a generic description indicating anyone who is a good-doer.

Here are some other interpretations suggested by the exegetes:

  1. It means: “To complete Our good to Moses by honoring him with prophethood.”
  2. It means: “To complete Our blessing upon the believers who do good.”
  3. It means: “To complete Our blessing upon the good-doers, referring to the prophets.”
  4. It means: “To complete Moses’ rank and honor in paradise for his goodness in this world.”
  5. It means: “To complete and complement God’s honoring of Moses through prophethood and other blessings.”
  6. It connects to the story of Abraham. It means: “To complete Our blessings upon Abraham.”

All of these are clearly weak interpretations.

… and as an elaboration of all things…: “All things” includes anything that is necessary or beneficial for the Children of Israel, or can be beneficial for others who come after them.

… and a guidance and a mercy…: This means guidance by which they may find their way, and a mercy by which they may be blessed.

… so that they should believe in the meeting of their Lord: This suggests that the Children of Israel were reluctant—or even refused—to believe in the meeting of their Lord, meaning the Last Day. This can be confirmed by the fact that there is no mention of the Day of Resurrection in the Torah as it is today—which the Qur’an describes as being distorted. According to some historians, certain tribes of Israel did not believe in the hereafter.

وَ هذا كِتابٌ أَنْزَلْناهُ مُبارَكٌ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَ اتَّقُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ ١٥٥

(6:155) And this is a Book We have revealed, blessed; therefore follow it and guard (against evil) that mercy may be shown to you.

That is: This is a blessed Book that has the same special qualities that We mentioned above about the Book of Moses. Therefore, follow it….

أَنْ تَقُولُوا إِنَّما أُنْزِلَ الْكِتابُ عَلى‏ طائِفَتَيْنِ مِنْ قَبْلِنا وَ إِنْ كُنَّا عَنْ دِراسَتِهِمْ لَغافِلِينَ ١٥٦

(6:156) Lest you say that the Book was only revealed to two parties before us and we were truly unaware of their study.

The particle an (lit. “that”) at the beginning of this verse means “lest that you say” or “that you may not say.” Such usage of this particle is common in Arabic. It refers back to We have revealed in the last verse.

… two parties before us…: This refers to the Jews and Christians, who received the Torah and the Gospel (Injīl). The Qur’an also talks about the books of other prophets before them, such as Noah and Abraham. However, these books did not comprise an elaborate and detailed system of religious law, although they included the principles. As with the other books given to some other prophets, such as the Psalms (Zabūr) of David, they did not comprise any legal code altogether [which is the subject of discussion here], and/or the audience of the Qur’an at the time of revelation was unaware of these books.

The meaning is: “We revealed the Qur’an because We do not want you to say, ‘A divine scripture with an elaborate legal code was only revealed to the two parties of Jews and Christians before us. Even with respect to these books, we were rather unaware of their study and reading. Thus we cannot be blamed because we were unaware.’”

أَوْ تَقُولُوا لَوْ أَنَّا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْنَا الْكِتابُ لَكُنَّا أَهْدى‏ مِنْهُمْ فَقَدْ جاءَكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَ هُدىً وَ رَحْمَةٌ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ كَذَّبَ بِآياتِ اللَّهِ وَ صَدَفَ عَنْها سَنَجْزِي الَّذِينَ يَصْدِفُونَ عَنْ آياتِنا سُوءَ الْعَذابِ بِما كانُوا يَصْدِفُونَ ١٥٧

(6:157) Or lest you should say: If the Book had been revealed to us, we would certainly have been better guided than they, so indeed there has come to you clear proof from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. Who then is more unjust than he who rejects Allah’s communications and turns away from them? We will reward those who turn away (yaṣdifūna, from ṣadaf) from Our communications with an evil chastisement because they turned away (yaṣdifūna, from ṣadaf).

The pronoun “they” in better guided than they refers to the group mentioned in the last verse: “those before us, to whom the Book was revealed.” Ṣadaf means iʿrāḍ (to turn away, to avert, to evade).

… so indeed (fa-qad) there has come to you clear proof (bayyinah) from your Lord…: The particle fāʾ (so, then, thus) shows that this sentence is consequential to both Lest you say () and Or lest you should say (). Here bayyinah (clear proof, evidence) is used interchangeably for the Book in order to indicate the clear proofs and manifest guidelines of this Book [that is, the Qur’an]. Hence, no one can have any excuse or justification for their shortcoming and noncompliance because this Book has such clear proofs and evidence. The meaning of the verse should be clear.

Examining Narrations ​

  1. Abū Baṣīr says: Once I was sitting next to Imam al-Bāqir while he was leaning on his mattress. He recited the muḥkamāt (decisive, solid, clear) verses in [Sūrah] al-Anʿām which have not been abrogated by anything. He said, “These [verse] were accompanied by seventy thousand angels: Say: Come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you—that you do not associate anything with Him ().”
  2. The Messenger of God said [to his Companions]: “Who among you would pledge allegiance to me to observe these three verses?” Then he recited: Say: Come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you… (). Then he added, “Whoever abides by these, his reward will be with God. If one falls short of any part of them and God catches him [with His chastisement] in this world, then that shall be his punishment. And if He defers him to the hereafter, then his case will be up to God: He may hold him accountable if He wills, and He may pardon him if He wills.”

Author’s comment: There are two problems with this narration: (1) One of the items mentioned in these verses is shirk (polytheism, associating partners with God). According to the explicit text of the Qur’an, shirk is not pardonable in the hereafter, and no worldly punishment is sufficient for it. God says: Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and forgives what is besides that to whomsoever He wills (, ) and: Surely those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers, these it is on whom is the curse of Allah and the angels and men all. Abiding in it; their chastisement shall not be lightened nor shall they be given respite (). (2) This narration apparently suggests that these commandments are exclusively Islamic laws. The same notion can be inferred from other narrations from some of the Companions and their Followers (tābiʿīn), such as the following narration.

  1. Ibn Masʿūd said: Whoever would like to see the advice [or a testament] of Muḥammad with his seal [of approval], should recite these verses: Say: Come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you… that you may guard (against evil) ().
  2. Concerning indecencies, those which are apparent and those which are concealed () ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn said: Those which are apparent would be marrying one’s stepmother, and those which are concealed would be adultery.

Author’s comment: This narration should be interpreted as giving some of the examples and instances of the verse.

  1. Ibn Masʿūd said: Once the Messenger of God drew a line on the ground with his hand and said, “This is God’s way.” Then he drew other lines branching off from it to the right and the left, and said, “As with these ways, at every one of them there is a devil calling to it.” Then he recited: And (know) that this is my path, the straight one therefore follow it, and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way ().
  2. Jābir b. ʿAbd-Allāh said: Once we were sitting with the Prophet, when he drew a line in front of him—like this—and said, “This is the path of God.” He drew two lines to the right of it and two lines to the left of it, and said, “These are the ways of Satan.” Then he placed his hand on the way in the middle and recited: And (know) that this is my path, the straight one therefore follow it… ().
  3. Concerning And (know) that this is my path, the straight one therefore follow it, and follow not (other) ways (al-subul), for they will lead you away from His way (sabīlihi) () Imam al-Bāqir said: We are “the way” (al-sabīl) [that is, the way of God, and/or the only way]. Whoever rejects [us], that would be “the other ways” (al-subul). Such a person has indeed disbelieved.

Author’s comment: This is an example of matching and applying the verse to a different context (jary). What the Imam said can be deduced from putting the following two verses together: Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives () and: Say: I do not ask you aught in return for it except for him who wishes to take a way to his Lord (). There are also many narrations, reported through both Shia and Sunni chains of transmission, saying that ʿAlī is the straight path (al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm). We discussed them in our exposition of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah [under verse ] in the first volume of this book.

  1. Here the author is grouping two of the prohibitions in the verse under one category. Otherwise, most exegetes have talked about ten points in the verse. These three verses () are the closest Qur’anic approximation to the Ten Commandments, as found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. (Trans.) ↩︎

  2. Perhaps one reason for favoring this meaning is that it explains the apparently additional negative particle lā (do not) in you do not associate anything… despite having introduced this as what your Lord has forbidden. (Trans.) ↩︎

  3. This is something specific to the Arabic construct of the verse. Stating an accusative ending (in this case, iḥsānan) instead of a verb (in this case, aḥsinū) sometimes simply serves to indicate the intended verb, and sometimes it shows emphasis. In this case, the emphasized interpretation of this construct would be: “Show kindness to your parents, such notable and mighty kindness.” (Trans.) ↩︎

  4. This means that in some cases, like here, taḥrīm does not mean prohibition, but it means injunction. More specifically, given the context of the verse and the root meaning of taḥrīm (from sanctuary and sanctity), the meaning would be: “Say: Come, I will recite to you the sanctuary of sacred law which your Lord has set for you.” (Trans.) ↩︎

  5. This can refer to either of two meanings: (1) a reduction in reproduction, which is a clear consequence of certain indecencies such as homosexuality; and (2) the confusion of lineage and a cut of ties between one generation and the next. (Trans.) ↩︎

  6. In the first case, the object of taḥrīm is “killing”; in the second case it is “the soul.” (Trans.) ↩︎

  7. Nadhr and yamīn are two specific terms in Islamic jurisprudence, where one commits oneself to do something. Their details can be found in the manuals of Islamic rulings (sing. risālah). (Trans.) ↩︎

  8. This point implies that the order to “fulfill God’s covenant” is a general conclusion that refers to all of God’s commandments, much like the last part of the verse: this He enjoins you with that you may be mindful. However, apparently this order is a specific command that is mentioned parallel to the other commands in the verse, which strengthens the next meaning that the author explains below: “fulfil the contracts that you make in God’s name.” This is also confirmed by the theme of this verse, which is justice. The verse enjoins justice in dealing with the property of orphans, justice in weight and measure, justice in testimony, and justice in maintaining contracts. (Trans.) ↩︎

  9. In other words, the verse starts as God’s speech in the first person, but then it shifts to the third person, as if God refers to Himself in the third person, or as if the subsequent part of the verse is no longer God’s speech but it is the Prophet who continues. (Trans.) ↩︎

  10. Another common and plausible translation is: this He enjoins you with that you may understand. The verb ʿaqala means “to understand.” (Trans.) ↩︎

  11. As the author interpreted above, tadhakkur means “referring to the proof and evidence of something, and calling to mind its benefits or harms.” It is not simply “remembrance” as opposed to forgetfulness. (Trans.) ↩︎

  12. Therefore, if the ending of the verse meant “having a balanced approach,” it would be repetitive and redundant. (Trans.) ↩︎

  13. The pronoun “We” here is a majestic plural, also called the royal “we.” (Trans.) ↩︎

  14. The above exegetes have assumed that the word “recite” in verse indicates recitation of the Qur’an. The author’s point is that what follows in verses are universal religious teachings that existed before the Qur’an. (Trans.) ↩︎

  15. In other words, him who would do good does not refer to any specific individual or story, but it means “anyone who would do good.” (Trans.) ↩︎

  16. Apparently the difference between this view and the first one is that in the first case, choosing Moses as a prophet was the completion of God’s good to him, but here that is an initial good which is to be complemented by further blessings. (Trans.) ↩︎

  17. Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī. ↩︎

  18. Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of ʿAbd b. Ḥamīd, Ibn Abī Ḥātim, Abū al-Shaykh, Ibn Mardawayh and al-Ḥākim (who has authenticated it), on the authority of ʿUbādat b. al-Ṣāmit. ↩︎

  19. Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of a group of scholars of hadith. A similar account is narrated [in Al-Durr al-manthūr] on the authority Mundhir al-Thawrī, from al-Rabīʿ b. Khuthaym. ↩︎

  20. Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Aḥmad, ʿAbd b. Ḥamīd, al-Nasāʾī, al-Bazzāz, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abī Ḥātim, Abū al-Shaykh, Ibn Mardawayh and al-Ḥākim (who has authenticated it). ↩︎

  21. Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Aḥmad, Ibn Mājah, Ibn Abī Ḥātim and Ibn Mardawayh. ↩︎

  22. Tafsīr al-Qummī, on the authority of al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Ḥusayn b. Saʿīd, on the authority of Muḥammad b. Sinān, on the authority of Abū Khālid al-Qammāṭ. ↩︎

  23. See volume 1 of the English translation, pp. 81-83. (Trans.) ↩︎