Believers!! Do not be like those who fell into factions after clear signs had come to them

The Divine Scriptures have been gradually revealed to mankind through selected revered prophets so that man absorbs the Divine Direction and guidance for his own very benefit. But the men  who claim to be the custodians of these scriptures used these Scriptures to their benefit so that their hold on  communities could be maintained and their status remains that of elevated beings. This personal "possession" of Divine Scriptures has thus resulted into extreme polarization in the propagation of the Divine Commandments and guidance and creation of factions within as everyone wanted to interpret the religion according to one's own covert personal knowledge to prevail upon others.

This happened before the advent of Islam and it continued both during life and death of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The false prophets sprang up and different factions start to proliferate the religion of Islam as well. And we are witnessing mushrooming of sects and even divisions therein and each faction calling others non Muslims, for perhaps they may never know who may be the true Muslims.

We share today the 105th verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran which was revealed in times of advent of Islam to warn the beleivers no to follow the false traditions that were existant at that time and remain united so that they don't wither away into small factions. Unfortunately the same happened and today we find Islam scattered into factions within two main sects and each trying to label the other on the wrong path. Read the verse below and see how eminent scholars of time have explained it keeping in view the historical perspective:

وَلَا تَكُوۡنُوۡا كَالَّذِيۡنَ تَفَرَّقُوۡا وَاخۡتَلَفُوۡا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ الۡبَيِّنٰتُ​ؕ وَاُولٰٓـئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِيۡمٌۙ‏ 

(3:105) Do not be like those who fell into factions and differed among themselves after clear signs had come to them. A mighty chastisement awaits them.

This refers to those communities which received the Guidance and clear teachings from the Messengers of Allah but after some time discarded the basic principles of the Guidance and divided themselves into different sects on the basis of irrelevant and minor side-issues and were involved in useless and meaningless squabbles. They became so engrossed in these things that they totally forgot the mission which Allah had entrusted to them and lost interest even in the basic principles on which, in fact, depends the real success of humanity.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

In this Ayah, Allah forbids this Ummah from imitating the division and discord of the nations that came before them. These nations also abandoned enjoining righteousness and forbidding evil, although they had proof of its necessity.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu `Amir `Abdullah bin Luhay said, "We performed Hajj with Mu`awiyah bin Abi Sufyan. When we arrived at Makkah, he stood up after praying Zuhr and said, `The Messenger of Allah said, "(The People of the Two Scriptures divided into seventy-two sects. This Ummah will divide into seventy-three sects, all in the Fire except one, that is, the Jama`ah. Some of my Ummah will be guided by desire, like one who is infected by rabies; no vein or joint will be saved from these desires.)"

Mu`awiyah said next: By Allah, O Arabs! If you do not adhere to what came to you from your Prophet then other people are even more prone not to adhere to it. '' Similar was recorded by Abu Dawud from Ahmad bin Hanbal and Muhammad bin Yahya.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

( And be not like those who have drawn apart from one another and have taken to conflicting views after all evidence of the truth has come unto them: ) I.e., like the followers of the Bible, who became "Jews" and "Christians" in spite of the fact that their beliefs have a common source and are based on the same spiritual truths (see also 6:159 and the corresponding note,) as appended below:

(6:159 VERILY, as for those who have broken the unity of their faith and have become sects - thou hast nothing to do with them): 

A reference, primarily, to the Jews and the Christians, who have departed from the fundamental religious principles which they had originally shared in their entirety, and have gone different ways in respect of doctrine and ethics (cf. 3:105 ). Beyond this "primary" reference, however, the above verse connects logically with verse {153} above, "this is the way leading straight unto Me: follow it, then, and follow not other ways, lest they cause you to deviate from His way" - and thus relates prophetically to the followers of the Qur'an as well: in other words it expresses a condemnation of all sectarianism arising out of people's intolerant, mutually-exclusive claims to being "the only true exponents" of the Qur'anic teachings. Thus, when asked about the implications of this verse, the Prophet's Companion Abu Hurayrah is reported to have answered "It has been revealed with reference to this [our] community" (Tabari).

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Ie., merely because of arrogance they refused to accept it. Further down, this attitude is called reverting back to disbelief from the state of belief.

If the verses of this paragraph are deliberated upon, the facts which come to light can be stated in the words of Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī thus:

Firstly, after being deprived of holding fast to the rope of God, the People of the Book became divided and disunited and in reality this division and disunity is synonymous to turning back to disbelief after belief.

Secondly, if people who are granted success and authority by the Almighty by being handed over His rope by Him put other yokes around their necks because of their own ill-ways, they will end up in failure on the Day of judgement commensurate with this success. The faces of only those people will shine who grasp this rope in all circumstances. Indeed, these people will be worthy of God’s blessings and mercy.

Thirdly, all these warnings are bound to materialize. People who think that they are mere warnings will only hasten their own doom through their own hands and as such they themselves will be entirely responsible for it. The Almighty has sent a reminder to them in the form of the Qur’ān because He does not want to punish people without communicating the truth to them to such an extent that they have no excuse to deny it.

Fourthly, in the heavens and the earth, all authority rests with the Almighty. All affairs will be presented before Him and only His decision shall be implemented. If a person has pinned his hopes on someone, they will be dashed to the ground and it will be a mere mirage once the reality manifests itself. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 2, 155)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

A fresh warning to the Muslim community against falling out with one another is added here. The example of those people of earlier revelations who were entrusted with the implementation of God’s method but who allowed division and conflict to creep into their ranks is given. Therefore, God deprived them of the leadership position and instead assigned that role to the Muslim community, which fosters its bond of brotherhood. Moreover, those who are not true to their task will be sternly punished on the day when faces will either shine or be blackened.

Please listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others life miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so  that they are able to discuss issues with Non Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

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Islam in Fiji - A Tribute to Muslims Community, which is role model for all Muslim Communities in non Muslim countries

Republic of Fiji is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about 110 are permanently inhabited. The most outlying island group is Ono-i-Lau. About 87% of the total population of 924,610 live on the two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. 

Humans have lived in Fiji since the second millennium BC. The present population of Fiji is 926,276 (2018 estimates) of which There are about 60,000 Muslims. that is about 6.3% of the total population. Muslims in Fiji are mostly Sunni Muslim. The Muslims migrated to Fiji from South Asia in the early 19th century. Later Muslim migrants from Arab Countries such as Sudan, Yemen and Egypt have also settled in Fiji forming a Fijian-Arab Population, with other migrants from other country's around the Islamic World. Islamic holy days such as Mawlid are also given as a holiday by the Fijian government.

The affairs of Muslims is managed by  the Fiji Muslim League, which was formed at the Jamia Masjid in Toorak on October 31, 1926. The Fiji Muslim League has contributed in the education in Fiji. Their first school, the Suva Muslim Primary School, was launched in the founding year 1926. Today, the Fiji Muslim League owns and operates 17 primary and 5 secondary schools, plus a tertiary institution known as the Islamic Institute of the South Pacific. The Fiji Muslim League, represents all other Sunni Muslims in Fiji who are mostly followers of Imam Hanafi. another organization by the name of Maunatul Islam Association of Fiji (MIAF) represents approximately 30% of the Sunni Muslims in Fiji who are mostly followers of Imam Shafi. The followers of Imam Shafi in Fiji are the descendants of Muslims of Malyalam origin who came to Fiji. [2,3]

The Fiji Muslim League also is the main pivot for organizing various social gatherings and assist the Muslims in the social needs of the Muslim community. Its involvement in social welfare is both at national and branch levels. In times of natural disasters or turmoil, the Fiji Muslim League directly helps Muslims and non-Muslims alike whose homes and lives have been disrupted. Its charity work ensures many families are fed, clothed, housed, and children sent to school.

The Muslim community enjoys equal citizenship and are prominent businessmen, ministers in the government, senior civil servants and community leaders. They live in a harmonious relationship with all ethnicities. Every major town in Fiji has a mosque, majority of which are managed by the Fiji Muslim League. Besides Eids, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is celebrated as a public holiday. The success of the spread of Islam in Fiji is owed to many devoted and learned Muslims, some of them were born during the initial period of arrival of Muslims from South Asia. The Muslim community is reaping the benefits from the sacrifices made by our pious predecessors. [4]

While looking for substance to add for my post, I came across a page "Fiji Muslim Youth Movement - Suva Central Sisters Branch" on Facebook which is maintained by the sisters of Fijian Muslim community and report their activates.

Please view a video about managing of affairs of Muslims in Fiji. I  was amazed to find a working model of use of Zakat (The Obligatory charity in Islam) and its disbursement to poor Muslim families. This is something I have not found such an excellent system of Zakat disbursement in any other non Muslim country:

Besides disbursement of Zakat, another commendable feat of Fijian Muslims is the establishment of an orphanage - a $1.2 million project to construct a vocational centre.

Officials of the Darul Uloom Darul Yatama in Drasa, Lautoka, at the site of the $1.2 million vocational centre which is under construction. Photo: Avinesh Gopal

The Darul Uloom Darul Yatama (Islamic Institute and Orphans Home) in Drasa, Lautoka, has 110 students attending various schools in the district. As of 2019, of the 110 students, about 60 per cent are orphans while some are said to be from good families and others from overseas. [5]

Viewing the way Muslims in Fiji live, one is simple amazed as for such a small community, the efforts to take along the poor and orphans is really commendable.

" Muslims living in Fiji are an example to Islamic faiths around the world of how the world should be." This was the message from Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister Faiyaz Koya as he spoke at the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday celebrations organized by the Ma’unatul Islam Association held at the Maruru Mosque in Ba yesterday. “We are showing the world the way to be and how Fiji Muslims living side by side with people of other faiths can produce great things,” Mr Koya said. [6]

I am really impressed by the efforts of Muslim community of Fiji to really work for their community as is ordained by Qur'an and Sunnah. To my reockoning, this should serve as a role model for all Muslim communities in other non Muslim countries. 

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non Muslim countries, please visit our page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

Photo  | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Good and evil are never equal - So Repel (evil) with that which is good

The fight between good and evil has been in vogue from the very first day of human life on the earth. The story of Cane and Able is perhaps the perhaps encounter of good with evil and it was seen that the good prevailed. But man, never learns from history and prefers to live in the present and continues to part of the tug of war between evil and good forces. 

Although seemingly evil is seen prevailing, yet in the end good prevails. No matter how an influential person may be who using his power of wealth and authority tries to beat off the fable yet good. But we have seen empires and demagogues crumbling and being subdued or perishing in a miserable end.

Islam also teaches that while good and evil can never be equal, yet still a believer should continue to respond evil with good, for in the end good prevails upon the evil. When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ presented the concept of a new religion to the pagans of Makkah, He ﷺ was rebuked, mocked, teased and laughed at and even called a sorcerer and a magician. Yet Prophet ﷺ stood to his ground, bore the evil machinations of the polytheists of Makkah, till a time came when Makkah  fell without any resistance from them for they finally came to know that Islam was all about good, completely tangent to evil. 

The very theme of 34th verse of Surah 41 Ha Mim (also known as Surah As Sajdah, and also as Surah Fussilat (Explained in Detail) is hinged on a directive from God to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to remain good even in the face of treachery and evil unleashed by the pagans of Makkah for ultimately good and the truth will prevail - and the world saw the truth and goodness finally prevailed.

وَلَا تَسۡتَوِى الۡحَسَنَةُ وَ لَا السَّيِّئَةُ ؕ اِدۡفَعۡ بِالَّتِىۡ هِىَ اَحۡسَنُ فَاِذَا الَّذِىۡ بَيۡنَكَ وَبَيۡنَهٗ عَدَاوَةٌ كَاَنَّهٗ وَلِىٌّ حَمِيۡمٌ‏ 

(41:34) (O Prophet), good and evil are not equal. Repel (evil) with that which is good, and you will see that he, between whom and you there was enmity, shall become as if he were a bosom friend (of yours).

To understand the full significance of these words also, one should keep in view the conditions in which the Holy Prophet and, through him, his followers were given this instruction. The conditions were that the invitation to the Truth was being resisted and opposed with extreme stubbornness and severe antagonism, in which All bounds of morality, humanity and decency were being transgressed. Every sort of lie was being uttered against the Holy Prophet and his Companions; every kind of evil device was being employed to defame him and to create suspicions against him in the minds of the people; every kind of accusation was being leveled against him and a host of the propagandists were busy creating doubts against him in the hearts; in short, he and his Companions were being persecuted in every possible way because of which a substantial number of the Muslims had been compelled to emigrate from the country. Then the program that had been prepared to stop him from preaching was that a hand of the mischievous people was set behind him, who would raise such a hue and cry that no one should be able to hear anything as soon as he opened his mouth to preach his message. In such discouraging conditions when apparently every way of extending invitation to Islam seemed to be blocked, the Holy Prophet was taught this recipe for breaking the opposition.

First, it was said that goodness and evil are not equal, as if to say: "Although apparently your opponents might have raised a dreadful storm of mischief and evil, as against which goodness might seem absolutely helpless and powerless, yet evil in itself has a weakness which ultimately causes its own destruction. For as long as man is man, his nature cannot help hating evil. Not only the companions of evil, even its own upholders know in their hearts that they are liars and wicked people and arc being stubborn for selfish motives. Not to speak of creating dignity and honor for them in the hearts of others, it lowers them in their own esteem, and causes their morale to be weakened and destroyed in the event of every conflict. As against this evil, the good which appears to be utterly helpless and powerless, goes on operating and working and it becomes dominant in the long run. For, in the first place, the good has a power of its own which wins the hearts and no man however perverted and corrupted, can help esteeming it in his own heart. Then, when the good and evil are engaged in a face to face conflict and their nature and merits become apparent and known, after a long drawn out struggle, not many people would be left, who would not start hating the evil and admiring the good.

Second, it was said that evil should be resisted not by the mere good but' by a superior good, as if to say: "If a person treats you unjustly and you forgive him, it is the mere good. The superior good is that you treat the one who ill-treats you which kindness and lout. "

The result would be that "your worst enemy would become your closest friend," for that is human nature itself. If you remain quiet in response to an abuse, it will be mere goodness but it will not silence the abuser. But if you express good wishes for him in response to his abuses, even the most shameless opponent will feel ashamed, and then would hardly ever be able to employ invectives against you. If a person doesn't miss any opportunity to harm you, and you go on tolerating his excesses, it may well make him even bolder in his mischiefs. But if on an occasion he gets into trouble and you come to his rescue, he will fall down at your feet, for no mischief can hold out against goodness. However, it would be wrong to take this general principle in the meaning that every enemy will necessarily become a close friend when you have treated him with the superior good. There are such wicked people also in the world, whose inimical nature will never change for the better no matter how tolerantly you may overlook their excesses and how benevolently you may react and respond to every evil committed by them. But such devil-incarnates are as few in the world as the embodiments of goodness are. 

Yusuf Ali Explanation:

You do not return good for evil, for there is no equality or comparison between the two. You repel or destroy evil with something which is far better, just as an antidote is better than poison. You foil hatred with love. You repel ignorance with knowledge, folly and wickedness with the friendly message of Revelation. The man who was in the bondage of sin, you not only liberate from sin, but make him your greatest friend and helper in the cause of Allah! Such is the alchemy of the Word of Allah! Cf. xxiii. 96; xxviii. 54.

Asad Ali Explanation:

In the present instance, the injunction to "repel [evil] with something that is better" relates to scurrilous objections to, and hostile criticism of, the Qur'an. The whole of this passage (verses {33} ff.) connects with verse {26}.

This verse is better explained for the 22nd verse of Surah 13 Ar R'ad. wherein the same theme is covered "... and [who] repel evil with good". Some of the commentators take this to mean that "if they have committed a sin, they repel it [i.e., its effect] by repentance" (Ibn Kaysan, as quoted by Zamakhshari), while others think that the "repelling" connotes the doing of a good deed in atonement of a - presumably unintentional - bad deed (Razi), or that it refers to endeavours to set evil situations to rights by word or deed (an alternative interpretation mentioned by Zamakhshari). But the great majority of the classical commentators hold that the meaning is "they repay evil with good"; thus Al-Hasan al-Basri (as quoted by Baghawi, Zamakhshari and Razi): "When they are deprived [of anything], they give; and when they are wronged, they forgive." Tabari's explanation is very similar: "They repel the evil done to them by doing good to those who did it"; and "they do not repay evil with evil, but repel it by [doing] good". See also {41:34-36}.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

(In reality, good and evil are not equal. [There is no doubt that these disbelievers of yours are now after evil, ) It is mentioned earlier that that miscreants of the Quryash had gone so far to oppose the Prophet (sws) that they would urge people to make noise when he stood to recite the Qur’ān so that nothing could be heard. The attitude that should be adopted in return is explained ahead. 

(but] you do that which is good in response to evil.)  Ie., patience and forgiveness because it is only this attitude which is befitting to reform people. Thus every caller to the truth has been directed by the Almighty to adhere to this attitude before the phases of conclusive communication of the truth and decisive punishments arrive.

(Then you will see that the very person between who and yourself there is enmity, it is as if he has become a bosom friend. ) This is stated with regard to general human nature. 

Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes: " … When people whose nature has not been perverted see that so anxious is a person in wishing well for them that in spite of their bad behaviour and disrespect for him, his graciousness towards them remains the same and in fact he responds to this bad behaviour with prayers for them, their attitude does change: even if because of some misunderstanding they have animosity for him, they are deeply influenced by his magnanimous behaviour and their animosity gives way to love and affection and they become his bosom friends. Thus, it is an undeniable fact that the most effective factor in the preaching mission of Muḥammad (sws) was this aspect of his character. Whoever among his enemies had any trace of decency in them were greatly influenced by this aspect of his character and ultimately became his sincere companions and undaunted men of Islam. Only those hard-hearts whose nature had been perverted were not affected by this attitude. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 7, 103)"

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: (Wisdom in Da`wah)

(The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal.) means, there is a huge difference between them.

(Repel (the evil) with one which is better,) means, `when someone does you wrong, repel him by treating him well,' as `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "There is no better punishment for one who has disobeyed Allah with regard to you, than your obeying Allah with regard to him.''

(then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend.) means, `if you treat well those who treat you badly, this good deed will lead to reconciliation, love and empathy, and it will be as if he is a close friend to you and he will feel pity for you and be kind to you.' 

Having explained the above said verse in detail, you may now listen to explanation of the Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the  Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be firm on our feet of goodness and truth and respond to evil with good for we know good will prevail over evil one day. May we be like the ones Allah loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others life miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible to make you accept it forcibly, And if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, You will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so  that they are able to discuss issues with Non Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Important DOs and DON'Ts from Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages: Understanding Al Qur'an and  Selected Verses from the Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Believers! Do not be Over-inquisitive and unnecessarily curious

It is always good to be inquisitive and curious about things one doesn't know much about. In fact it is this ability of the human mind that has provided answers to the hidden mysteries and has even lead to strange discoveries and new inventions. Most inventions have been attributed to this ability of the man.

However, when it comes to Divine Commandments, one need not be excessively curious and over inquisitive for these are guiding lines in the form of DOs and DON'Ts which have to be obeyed and not to be probed in for the answers to some are made known in course of time or would remain hidden forever for it is willed by God that way.  Like many people are still engrossed to find the answer as to why eating pork is not allowed in Islam. Earlier it were non Muslims who had been asking this from Muslims, and now even some Muslims are trying to find the answer to it. Whereas the simple answer is that it has been so willed by God. One may try to find scientific reasons for its prohibition, yet no answer can counter weight the Divine Commandment.

The reverts should read the meaning of this verse carefully for they may be encountered with questions by over inquisitive and over curious non Muslims or even Muslims who may not have not read this verse and its meaning in detail.

When Islam was in its initial phase, some over inquisitive and curious non Muslims or even newly converted Muslims would ask questions from Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for no good reason and the revered prophet would often keep quiet when confronted with such people. It is in this regard the 101st verse / Ayat of Surah 5 Al Maida (The Table Spread) was revealed to calm down the agitating minds of such people:

يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَسۡـئَلُوۡا عَنۡ اَشۡيَآءَ اِنۡ تُبۡدَ لَـكُمۡ تَسُؤۡكُمۡ​ۚ وَاِنۡ تَسۡـئَـلُوۡا عَنۡهَا حِيۡنَ يُنَزَّلُ الۡقُرۡاٰنُ تُبۡدَ لَـكُمۡ ؕ عَفَا اللّٰهُ عَنۡهَا​ ؕ وَاللّٰهُ غَفُوۡرٌ حَلِيۡمٌ‏ 

(5:101) Believers! ask not questions about things which if made plain to you may cause you trouble. But if ye ask about things when the Qur'an is being revealed they will be made plain to you: Allah will forgive those: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Forbearing.

This verse forbids people to ask useless and unnecessary questions because some people used to put such questions to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as were of no practical good for mundane affairs nor for spiritual up-lift. 

For example, once a certain person while sitting in a gathering asked him, "Who is my real father?'' Likewise, sometimes, some people put unnecessary questions concerning legal matters so as to get these defined, whereas they had been purposely kept undefined for the good of the people. Far example, when Hajj was made obligatory by a commandment in the Qur'an a certain person heard it, and instantly asked. "Has it been made obligatory to perform Hajj every year'" Prophet ﷺ  did not make any reply. The man repeated the question, but he again kept quiet. When the man put the question for the third time, he replied, "Woe to you! If I had said: 'Yes', the performance of Hajj every year would have become obligatory and people like you would have been unable to perform it and been guilty of disobedience. "

Prophet ﷺ himself forbade people to ask questions for the sake of it and to probe into things aimlessly. In a Tradition he warned, "The worst offender against the Muslims is the person who asked a question about something that had not been made unlawful but was made so because of his question." In another Tradition he said{

"Allah has prescribed some obligatory duties for you; let not these go unfulfilled, and He has made certain things unlawful, so do not go near them. He has prescribed certain limits, do not transgress them. He has been silent concerning certain things, but not because He has forgotten them; so do not try to probe into such things."

In these two Traditions a warning has been served against a very serious matter. There are certain things and commandments which have been left vague and without details. This is not because the Law-giver had forgo ten to give details or to make them specific but because He did not intend to limit these in order to leave a wide scope for the people. Therefore if a person goes on creating one issue after the other, by putting unnecessary and useless questions and thus creates limitations and specifications, he puts the people to unnecessary trouble. Likewise if he tries to deduce the details by the force of his "reasoning". and does trot rest content till .he has made the vague things specific and the indefinite definite. he in reality puts the Muslims in a very awkward position. This is because the more details we otter for the Unseen and the Next World, the more will be the chances for creating doubts about them and, likewise, the more limitations are imposed concerning the Commandments, the greater will be the chance for their violation.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

This verse connects directly with verse {99}: "No more is the Apostle bound to do than deliver the message." Read in conjunction with the sentence, "Today have I perfected your religious law for you" (occurring in verse {3} of this surah), the above statement implies that the believers should not try to deduce "additional" laws from the injunctions clearly laid down as such by the Qur'an or by the Prophet, since this "might cause you hardship" - that is, might (as has indeed happened in the course of the centuries) impose additional burdens on the believers above and beyond anything that has been stipulated in terms of law in the Qur'an or in the authentic commandments of the Prophet. On the basis of this verse, some of the greatest Muslim scholars have concluded that Islamic Law, in its entirety, consists of no more than the clear-cut injunctions forthcoming from the self-evident (zahir) wording of the Qur'an and the Prophet's commandments, and that, consequently, it is not permissible to extend the scope of such self-evident ordinances by means of subjective methods of deduction. (A most enlightening discussion of this problem is to be found in the Introduction to Ibn Hazm's Muhalla, vol. I, 56 ff.) This, of course, does not prevent the Muslim community from evolving, whenever necessary, any amount of additional, temporal legislation in accordance with the spirit of the Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet: but it must be clearly understood that such additional legislation cannot be regarded as forming part of Islamic Law (the shari'ah) as such.

( for, if you should ask about them while the Qur'an is being revealed, they might [indeed] be made manifest to you [as laws] ) I.e., with possibly unfortunate consequences. An illustration of this problem has been provided in the following authentic Tradition, quoted by Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurayrah. In one of his sermons, the Prophet said: "O my people! God has ordained the pilgrimage (al-hajj) for you; therefore perform it." Thereupon somebody asked, "Every year, O Apostle of God?" The Prophet remained silent; and the man repeated his question twice. Then the Prophet said: "Had I answered 'yes', it would have become incumbent on you [to perform the pilgrimage every year]: and, indeed, it would have been beyond your ability to do so. Do not ask me about matters which I leave unspoken: for, behold, there were people before you who went to their doom because they had put too many questions to their prophets and thereupon disagreed [about their teachings]. Therefore, if I command you anything, do of it as much as you are able to do; and if I forbid you anything, abstain from it." Discussing this Tradition, Ibn Hazm observes: "It circumscribes all the principles of religious law (ahkam ad-din) from the first to the last - namely: what the Prophet has left unspoken - neither ordering nor forbidding it - is allowed (mubah), that is, neither forbidden nor obligatory; whatever he ordered is obligatory (fard), and whatever he forbade is unlawful (haram); and whatever he ordered us to do is binding on us to the extent of our ability alone" (Muhalla I, 64). It should be borne in mind that the term "the Prophet" comprises, in this context, the Qur'an as well, since it was through the Prophet that the Qur'anic message was communicated to mankind.

( God has absolved [you from any obligation] in this respect: for God is much-forgiving forbearing ) I.e., by leaving certain matters unspoken, God has left them to man's discretion, thus enabling him to act in accordance with his conscience and the best interests of the community.

Yusuf Ali Explanation:

Many secrets are wisely hidden from us. If the future were known to us, we need not necessarily be happy. In many cases we should be miserable. If the inner meaning of some of the things we see before our eyes were disclosed to us, it might cause a lot of mischief. Allah's Message, in so far as it is necessary for shaping our conduct, is plain and open to us. But there are many things too deep for us to understand, either individually or collectively. It would be foolish to pry into them, as some people tried to do in the time of the Prophet. Where a matter is mentioned in the Qur-an, we can reverently ask for its meaning. That is not forbidden. But we should never pass the bounds of (1) our own capacity to understand, (2) the time and occasion when we ask questions, and (3) the part of the Universal Plan which it is Allah's purpose to reveal to us.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(O you who believe! Ask not about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble.) This Ayah refers to good conduct that Allah is teaching His believing servants, by forbidding them from asking about useless things. Since if they get the answers they sought, they might be troublesome for them and difficult on their ears. Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas bin Malik said, "The Messenger of Allah gave a speech unlike anything I heard before. 

In this speech, he said, (If you but know what I know, you will laugh little and cry a lot.) The companions of Allah's Messenger covered their faces and the sound of crying was coming out of their chests.

Anas bin Malik narrated that once, the people were questioning the Messenger of Allah until they made him angry. So he ascended the Minbar and said, (You will not ask me about anything today but I will explain it to you.) So the Companions of the Messenger of Allah feared that it was the commencement of a momentous event, and I looked to my right and left and found only people who covered their faces, crying. An argumentative man who was said to be the son of someone other than his true father asked, "O Allah's Messenger! Who is my father The Prophet said, `Your father is Hudhafah.'' `Umar stood up (when he saw anger on the Prophet's face) and said, "We accept Allah as our Lord, Islam as our religion and Muhammad as our Messenger, I seek refuge with Allah from the evil of the Fitan (trials in life and religion).''

The Messenger of Allah said, (I have never witnessed both goodness and evil like I have today. Paradise and the Fire were shown to me and I saw them before that wall.) This Hadith was recorded in the Two Sahihs from Sa`id. 

(O you who believe! Ask not about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble.).'' At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah also recorded this Hadith. The apparent wording of this Ayah indicates that we are forbidden to ask about things that if one has knowledge of, he would be sorry he had asked. Consequently, it is better to avoid such questions. 

Allah's statement, (But if you ask about them while the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be made plain to you.) means, if you ask about things that you are prohibited from asking about, then when the revelation about them comes to the Messenger , they will be made plain for you,

(and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.) Do not ask about things that do not have a ruling yet, for because of your questions, a difficult ruling may be ordained. A Hadith states, (The worst criminal among the Muslims is he who asks if a matter is unlawful (or not), and it becomes unlawful because of his asking about it.) It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said, (Leave me as I have left you, those before you were destroyed because of many questions and disputing with their Prophets.) 

An authentic Hadith also states, (Allah, the Most Honored, has ordained some obligations, so do not ignore them; has set some limits, so do not trespass them; has prohibited some things, so do not commit them; and has left some things without rulings, out of mercy for you, not that He forgot them, so do not ask about them.) 

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

 This is the answer to a question which begins with an on the spot admonition. It is said that people should refrain from unnecessary questions. This admonition was required because such questions tighten the limits of a directive, and then people are not able to follow them and as a result invite the wrath of God. God wants that a directive be followed the way it is given. Difficulties should not be created by asking to explain what is concise and by asking to limit and restrict what is absolute. Moreover, it also should remain in consideration that the last sharī‘ah of God is until the Day of Judgement and hence the freedom of ijtihad and fiqh cannot be curtailed in it. There is a possibility that this freedom might get curtailed because of asking unnecessary questions, and the coming generations might be faced with hardships as a result.

Having explained the above said verse in detail, you may now listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the  Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others life miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible to make you accept it forcibly, And if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, You will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so  that they are able to discuss issues with Non Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Important DOs and DON'Ts from Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages: Understanding Al Qur'an and  Selected Verses from the Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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Who are believers being ordained ( in Qur'an ) to be good with

Islam by its very meaning means peace - to be good, helping and loving to others irrespective of caste and creed, colour or race, rich or poor, gifted or ungifted. Qur'an is replete with Divine Commandments that urge the believers to be good with others. We have published many posts on this basic theme of Islam.

The essence of Islam is to serve Allah and do good to your fellow-creatures. This is wider and more comprehensive than "Love God and love your neighbour". For it includes duties to animals as our fellow-creatures, and emphasises practical service rather than sentiment.

Today we share the 36th verse / Ayat of Surah 4. An Nisa (The Women) which  has three parts:

• Believers are cautioned to serve none other than One True God, Who has no partner to Him. This is the basic pillar of Islam and unless a believer wholeheartedly believe in the Oneness of Allah, he can never proclaim himself as Muslim.
• The second portion lists down a number of people a believer should always be on the lookout to help and being good with them, and
• A believer should never be arrogant and looked down upon others for Allah does not like the arrogant and the boastful.

وَاعۡبُدُوا اللّٰهَ وَلَا تُشۡرِكُوۡا بِهٖ شَيۡـئًـا​ ؕ وَّبِالۡوَالِدَيۡنِ اِحۡسَانًا وَّبِذِى الۡقُرۡبٰى وَالۡيَتٰمٰى وَ الۡمَسٰكِيۡنِ وَالۡجَـارِ ذِى الۡقُرۡبٰى وَالۡجَـارِ الۡجُـنُبِ وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالۡجَـنۡۢبِ وَابۡنِ السَّبِيۡلِ ۙ وَمَا مَلَـكَتۡ اَيۡمَانُكُمۡ​ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَنۡ كَانَ مُخۡتَالًا فَخُوۡرَا ۙ‏ 

(4:36) Serve Allah and ascribe no partner to Him. Do good to your parents, to near of kin, to orphans, and to the needy, and to the neighbour who is of kin and to the neighbour who is a stranger, and to the companion by your side, and to the wayfarer, and to those whom your right hands possess. Allah does not love the arrogant and the boastful,

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

Allah orders that He be worshipped Alone without partners, because He Alone is the Creator and Sustainer Who sends His favors and bounties on His creation in all situations and instances. Therefore He deserves to be singled out, without associating anything or anyone from His creation with Him in worship. 

Indeed, the Prophet said to Mu`adh, (Do you know what Allah's right on His servants is) Mu`adh replied, "Allah and His Messenger know better.'' He said, (That they should worship Him and should not worship any others with Him.) 

The Prophet then said, (Do you know what the right of the servants on Allah is if they do this He should not punish them.) Allah then commands the servants to be dutiful to their parents, for Allah made parents the reason for the servants to come to existence, after they did not exist. Allah joins the order to worship Him with being dutiful to parents in many places. 

For example, He said, (give thanks to Me and to your parents), and, (And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents). 

After Allah ordained being dutiful to parents, He ordained kind treatment of relatives, males and females. 

A Hadith states, (Charity given to the poor is Sadaqah, while charity given to relatives is both Sadaqah and Silah (keeping the relations).) 

Allah then said, (orphans), because they lost their caretakers who would spend on them. So Allah commands that the orphans be treated with kindness and compassion. 

Allah then said, (Al-Masakin (the poor)) who have various needs and cannot find what sustains these needs. Therefore, Allah commands they should be helped in acquiring their needs in a sufficient manner that will end their inadequacy. We will further elaborate on the matter of the destitute and the poor in Surah Bara'h (9:60).

The Right of the Neighbor: Allah said, (the neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a stranger) 

`Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said that, (the neighbor who is near of kin) means, "The neighbor who is also a relative'', while, (The neighbor who is a stranger) means, "Who is not a relative.'' It was also reported that `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Maymun bin Mihran, Ad-Dahhak, Zayd bin Aslam, Muqatil bin Hayyan and Qatadah said similarly. 

Mujahid was also reported to have said that Allah's statement, (the neighbor who is a stranger) means, "The companion during travel.'' There are many Hadiths that command kind treatment to the neighbors, and we will mention some of them here with Allah's help. 

The First Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said, (Jibril kept reminding of the neighbor's right, until I thought that he was going to give him a share of the inheritance.) The Two Sahihs recorded this Hadith. 

The Second Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said that the Messenger of Allah said, (Jibril kept reminding me of the neighbor's right, until I thought he was going to appoint a share of the inheritance for him.) Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi recorded this Hadith, which At-Tirmidhi said was "Hasan Gharib through this route.'' 

The Third Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As said that the Prophet said, (The best companions according to Allah are those who are the best with their friends, and the best neighbors according to Allah are the best with their neighbors.) At-Tirmidhi recorded this Hadith and said, "Hasan Gharib''. 

The Fourth Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad said that the Messenger of Allah asked his Companions, (What do you say about adultery) They said, "It is prohibited, for Allah and His Messenger have prohibited it. So it is forbidden until the Day of Resurrection.'' 

The Messenger of Allah said, (For a man to commit adultery with his neighbor's wife is worse than if he commits adultery with ten women.) 

He then said, (What do you say about theft) They said, "It is prohibited, for Allah and His Messenger prohibited it.'' He said, (If a man steals from his neighbor, it is worse for him than stealing from ten homes.)

The Fifth Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah asked the Messenger of Allah, "I have two neighbors, so whom among them should I give my gift'' He said, (The neighbor whose door is the closest to you.) Al-Bukhari narrated this Hadith We will elaborate on this subject in the Tafsir of Surah Bara'h, Allah willing and upon Him we depend.

Being Kind to Slaves and Servants: Allah said, (and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess,) this is an order to be kind to them because they are weak, being held as captives by others. 

An authentic Hadith records that during the illness that preceded his death, the Messenger of Allah continued advising his Ummah: ((Protect) the prayer, (protect) the prayer, and (those slaves) whom your hands possess.) He was repeating it until his tongue was still.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Miqdam bin Ma`dykarib said that the Messenger of Allah said, (What you feed yourself is a Sadaqah (charity) for you, what you feed your children is Sadaqah for you, what you feed your wife is Sadaqah for you and what you feed your servant is Sadaqah for you.) An-Nasa'i recorded this Hadith which has an authentic chain of narration, all the thanks are due to Allah. 

`Abdullah bin `Amr said to a caretaker of his, "Did you give the slaves their food yet'' He said, "No.'' Ibn `Amr said, "Go and give it to them, for the Messenger of Allah said, (It is enough sin for someone to prevent whomever he is responsible for from getting their food. )'' Muslim recorded this Hadith. 

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said, (The slave has the right to have food, clothing and to only be required to perform what he can bear of work.) Muslim also recorded this Hadith. 

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said, (When your servant brings meals to one of you, if he does not let him sit and share the meal, then he should at least give him a mouthful or two mouthfuls of that meal or a meal or two, for he has prepared it.) This is the wording collected by Al-Bukhari.

Allah Does Not Like the Arrogant: Allah said, (Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful.) meaning, one who is proud and arrogant, insolent and boasts to others. He thinks that he is better than other people, thus thinking high of himself, even though he is insignificant to Allah and hated by people. 

Mujahid said that Allah's statement, (Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud) means arrogant, while, (boastful فَخُوراً ) means boasting about what he has, while he does not thank Allah. This Ayah indicates that such a person boasts with people about the bounty that Allah has given him, but he is actually ungrateful to Allah for this bounty. Ibn Jarir recorded that `Abdullah bin Waqid Abu Raja' Al-Harawi said, "You will find that those who are mean are also proud and boasting. 

He then recited, (and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess,) You will find that he who is undutiful (to parents) is also arrogant, and deprived. He then recited, (And dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, deprived.) 

Once a man asked the Prophet, "O Messenger of Allah, advise me.' The Prophet said, (Avoid lengthening the dress (below the ankles), for this practice is from arrogance. Verily, Allah does not like arrogance.)''

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

( And all of you worship God and associate none with Him.) This is a mention of good and bad morals. Like some other places in the Qur’ān, this too begins with a mention of the directive of worshipping the Almighty. Worshipping Him is His right and since He is the Creator, Master and Lord of this universe, hence His right is the greatest. The essence of worship is humility and servility and its foremost manifestation is devotion to Him. Then, because a person also possesses a physical entity, this devotion becomes inclusive of obedience. The manifestations of the first case are tasbīḥ (glorifying God), taḥmīd (thanking God), du‘ā (supplicating before God), rukū‘ u sujūd (kneeling and prostrating before God), nadhr niyādh (making vows to God), qurbānī (animal sacrifice) and i‘tikāf (secluding one’s self in the mosque in the month of Ramaḍān). In the second case, a person regarding someone an independent law-giver, submits to him and acknowledges his authority to declare things ḥalāl or ḥarām and give directives to do something or to abstain from some other thing. It is the verdict of the God of this universe that none of these things can be from anyone besides Him. Thus it is simultaneously said that no one should be associated in worshipping Him. This is the right of God only. If someone else is associated with Him in worship, then the latter is rendered baseless. 

( Show kindness to parents, )  The actual words are: وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ اِحْسَانًا. The letter ب found here shows that the word encompasses the meaning of loyalty. In other words, kindness to parents should be accompanied by fulfilling their rights. All divine scriptures instruct us to do so. The Qur’ān too in this instance and in verse 23 of Sūrah Banī Isrā’īl, in verse 8 of Sūrah al-‘Ankabūt, in verses 14-15 of Sūrah Luqmān and in verse 15 of Sūrah al-Aḥqāf has urged its followers to adopt this. There is no doubt that among human beings, parents have the greatest right. Thus immediately after directing the Muslims to worship God, they are asked to be kind to their parents. The reason for this is that it is a person’s parents who bring him into existence and are the means required for his upbringing. The way this directive is mentioned in Sūrah Luqmān and Sūrah al-Aḥqāf shows that among the parents, the right of the mother is more than that of the father. No doubt, the care and affection of the father is quite a lot, however the hardship a mother encounters in bringing up the child starting from her pregnancy, to childbirth and then breast-feeding the child is unmatched and no child can repay her for this great service. On these grounds, the Prophet (sws) has regarded the right of the mother as three times that of the father. (See: al-Bukhārī, no. 5971; Muslim, no. 6500) 

( and also be kind to relatives, ) It is evident from the verse that after the parents, a person’s foremost obligation is towards other relatives and the kindred. The expression ṣilāh-i raḥmī is used for kind treatment to these people. The basis of a relationship between human beings can be multifarious: people can be class mates, neighbours, friends or companions; they can have common interests or common professions and the basis can even entail being citizens of the same country; however, in all these relationships the greatest relationships are between blood relatives. This is the knot tied by the Almighty and it is not befitting for a human being to untie it. Thus safeguarding the rights of this relationship is a foremost obligation. 

( to orphans, to the destitute, ) After relatives and the kindred, the orphans and the needy are included in the list. It follows from this that they too fall in the category of the kindred; hence every Muslim should regard them to be so and with this motivation patronize them and be of service to them. 

( to neighbours who are your relatives and to neighbours you do not know and to those that keep company with you; similarly, to the traveler and to slave men and women in your possession.)  In spite of the change in society, even today travelers can become needy in some respect or the other; however, slavery no longer exists. The measures adopted by Islam in eradicating it are mentioned in the chapter “The Social Sharī‘ah” of my treatise: Mīzān.

With regard to one’s neighbours, the view of the Qur’ān is unique in the history of religion and morality. It is generally considered that a neighbour is a person who lives next door or nearby; however, the Qur’ān says that a neighbour is of three types:

First, someone who is a neighbour and also a relative. The Qur’ānic words used are الْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبٰي and it is mentioned the foremost. It means that among other neighbours, he is more worthy of kind treatment.

Second, someone who is not a relative, yet he is a neighbour. The words used are الۡجَارِ الۡجُنُبِ (unfamiliar neighbour). This unfamiliarity can be on the basis of relationship or on the basis of having a different religion. After a neighbour who is a relative, is the status of this neighbour.

Third, a person who accompanies us in travel or is in our company at some place. الصَّاحِبِ بِالۡجَنۡبِ are the words used for such a person. Muslims have been directed to treat him kindly too the way they treat other neighbours.

( God does not like the arrogant and the conceited, ) After urging people to discharge their duties to others and to be kind, a mention of the opposite mentality is made. The implication is that those who regard the favours bestowed on them by God a consequence of their own ability and planning instead of becoming grateful and humble end up with an arrogant and conceited mentality.

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: 

Neighbours who are near: that is, in local situation as well as intimate relationships, just as neighbours who are strangers includes those whom we do not know or who live away from us.

The Companion by your side may be your intimate friends and associates, just as the way-farer you meet may be a casual acquaintance on your travels. This last is much wider than the "stranger within your gate."

Real deeds of service and kindness proceed, not from showing off or from a superior sort of condescension (cf. "White Man's Burden"), but from a frank recognition of our own humility and the real claims, before Allah, of all our fellow-creatures. For in our mutual needs we are equal before Allah, or perhaps the best of us (as the world sees us) may be worse than the worst of us (from the same point of view).

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

The expression shay'an (here rendered as "in any way") makes it clear that shirk ("the ascribing of divinity to anything beside God") is not confined to a worship of other "deities", but implies also the attribution of divine or quasi-divine powers to persons or objects not regarded as deities: in other words, it embraces also saint-worship, etc.

I.e., "whether he belongs to your own or to another community". That the expression "your own people" (dhu 'l-qurba) refers to the community and not to one's actual relatives is obvious from the fact that "the near of kin" have already been mentioned earlier in this sentence. The Prophet often stressed a believer's moral obligation towards his neighbours, whatever their faith; and his attitude has been summed up in his words, "Whoever believes in God and the Last Day, let him do good unto his neighbour" (Bukhari, Muslim, and other compilations).

According to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, 'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud and other Companions, "the friend by your side" (as-sahib bi'l-janb) is one's wife or husband (Tabari). By "those whom you rightfully possess" (lit., "whom your right hands possess") are meant, in this context, slaves of either sex. Since this verse enjoins the "doing of good" towards all people with whom one is in contact, and since the best that can be done to a slave is to free him, the above passage calls, elliptically, for the freeing of slaves (Manar V, 94). See also surah {2}, note [146], as well as 9:60 , where the freeing of human beings from bondage is explicitly mentioned as one of the objectives to which zakah funds are to be dedicated.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

The passage starts with a clear commandment to worship God alone and a clear prohibition against associating partners with Him. We note that this verse begins with a conjunction which links it with the preceding orders that relate to the family and its affairs. This serves to stress the total unity that pervades all aspects of Islamic faith. Islam is not merely a number of beliefs that our minds accept, nor is it a host of rituals and acts of worship, nor a worldly system divorced from faith and worship. It is a way of life that combines all these aspects and unites them together on the basis of believing in the Oneness of God and deriving all systems and legislation from Him alone. There can be no split between accepting God’s unity and implementing His legislation.

This is followed by an order to extend kind treatment to certain groups of one’s immediate family and of the human family at large. Miserliness, conceit, boastfulness and suppression of God’s favours, of whichever type, are denounced. This is coupled with a warning against following Satan, together with raising the prospect of punishment in the hereafter and all that attends on it of public humiliation. Again, all this is linked to the belief in God’s oneness and to acknowledging that He is the only source of legislation.

“Worship God alone and do not associate with Him any partners.” The first commandment is to worship God, which is followed by a prohibition of worshipping anyone other than Him. This is a total and absolute prohibition of all sorts of worship which man has practised in all ages and communities. False gods, be they animate or inanimate objects, angels or devils, have been ascribed as partners to God in one way or another. No claim of this sort is ever allowed in Islam. It is absolutely forbidden for all time.

This is followed by a commandment to extend kindness to parents in particular and relatives in general. Most Divine orders in this particular area tend to emphasize the need to be kind to one’s parents, although they do not overlook the other area of requiring parents to be kind to children. God is more merciful and compassionate to children than their own parents. But it is children who need to be directed more strongly to look after the older generation who stand in need of kindness. In most cases, the younger generation direct their feelings, sympathies and concerns to the generation which will follow them, not the preceding one, simply because in life people tend to look forward without turning back. Hence, these directives from the All-Merciful, the Compassionate, who does not neglect a parent or a child. It is He who has taught His servants how to be kind and compassionate to one another.

We also note in this verse, as in many others, that Divine directives begin by emphasising the need to be kind to one’s relatives before widening their concern to include all those who need to be looked after in society or in humanity at large. This fits in perfectly with human nature. Compassion towards others begins at home, in one’s own immediate family. A person who has not himself been a recipient of compassion in his childhood, within his family, hardly ever feels compassionate towards others. Moreover, man tends to look more favourably towards his relations, extending his kindness to them. There is no harm in this, as long as such compassion is continually enhanced and extended to a wider area so as to benefit more people.

In this particular verse, the directive begins by emphasising the need to be kind to parents, before widening the area to include kinsfolk, and then at a later stage, extending this to orphans and the needy. These are given precedence over one’s neighbours because their need may be more pressing and they must be looked after more immediately. Kindness is then urged towards a neighbour who may be a relation, and so to any other neighbour. Both take precedence over friends, because a neighbour always remains next to us. We meet our friends intermittently. Commentators on the Qur’ān have defined this type of friend as the one with whom we meet socially and whom we may choose as a travelling companion. The next type of person who deserves our kindness is a stranded wayfarer. This is followed by slaves who suffer the hardships of bondage, but with whom we have human ties common to all mankind.

Please listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the  Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others life miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible to make you accept it forcibly, And if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, You will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so  that they are able to discuss issues with Non Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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