Principles for Organizing Muslim Community
(Do not worship other gods besides Allah, thus, you will become censured, forsaken.
Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him, and be dutiful to the parents. If one or both of them become old, being under your care, do not say the slightest bad word to them, nor scold them, and speak kindly to them.
Be submissively, mercifully humble towards them, and say, ‘O my Lord! Have mercy on them as they brought me up when I was a child.’
Your Lord knows best of what is in your minds. If your intentions are righteous, indeed, He is ever Oft-Forgiver to those who are repentant.
Give the relatives, the poor, and the wayfarers their rights, and do not be a squanderer.
Indeed, the squanderers are brothers of Satan. Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord.
If you turn away from them, seeking mercy from your Lord, then speak to them kind words.
Do not be tight-fisted as if your hand is tied to your neck, nor be entirely open-handed so that you become reproached, destitute.
Indeed, your Lord gives abundantly to whomever He wills, and sparingly to whomever He wills. Indeed, He is ever All-Aware of, and sees His slaves.
[Quran Surah al-Isra:22- 30]
Relationship with the Previous Part
After Allah, Exalted is He, mentioned that there are two types of people. Those who seek only the reward of this world by their efforts. They will be punished in the Hellfire on the Day of Judgment. And those who seek the reward of the Hereafter by believing in Allah and obeying His commands. They will be rewarded if their intentions are sincere to attain the pleasure of Allah.
In the following ayat, Allah, Exalted is He, presents detailed explanation about these general concepts. The ayat begin by explaining the reality of belief in Allah, and that He must be worshipped with no partner. Then some of the deeds of the seekers of the hereafter are mentioned.
Tafsir
(Do not worship other gods besides Allah, thus, you will become censured, forsaken.) [22]
O man! Do not worship other gods besides Allah, Exalted is He. You must worship Allah alone, as there is no deity worthy of worship but Him. If you worship other gods besides Allah, you will be censured. Allah will not help you. He will leave you helpless, and forsaken.
Indeed, it is a painful experience when man suffers from calamity, but he does not find anyone to help and support him.
The ayah gives the impression that the person, who worships Allah alone, is praised and supported.
After mentioning the greatest pillar of belief, that is to say, worshipping Allah alone, Allah mentions characteristics denoting belief in Allah, Exalted is He.
(Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him, and be dutiful to the parents. If one or both of them become old, being under your care, do not say the slightest bad word to them, nor scold them, and speak kindly to them.)[23]
(Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him…)
Allah prohibits worshipping other gods besides Him, as He is the Creator of everything, and the One, who is able to do everything. Other beings are created, and cannot do anything without the permission and help of Allah.
(Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him…)
After Allah, Exalted is He, has guided us regarding the greatest matter, that is to say, commanding not to worship other gods besides Him, He says that belief in Him is incomplete unless righteous deeds are present. It is insufficient to acknowledge that Allah exists. One must know what Allah has commanded him to do and perform righteous deeds. That is because the fruit of belief in Allah is performing righteous deeds. The disbelievers of Mecca refused to testify that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah because they knew that belief in the Oneness of Allah necessitated performing righteous deeds in agreement with the principles of this belief.
(…and be dutiful to the parents.)
After commanding to worship Him alone, Allah has commanded to be dutiful to the parents. Commanding to be dutiful to the parents has come after commanding to worship Allah alone in many ayat in the Quran.
For example, Allah says, interpretation of meaning,
(Say, ‘Come! I shall recite to you what your Lord has prohibited you to do. Do not worship other gods besides Him, and be dutiful to your parents…) [Q 6:151]
Perhaps the reason why Allah has commanded to be dutiful to the parents is that they are the cause of the existence of their offspring, and suffer hardship to raise them. Thus, it is obligatory to meet their sacrifice with gratitude and acknowledgement.
Then, Allah, Exalted is He, mentions how a person can be dutiful to his parents.
(If either or both of them become old, being under your care, do not say the slightest bad word to them, nor scold them, and speak kindly to them.)[23]
If one or both of parents become old, being under the care of their offspring, they must not say the slightest bad word to their parents, indicating boredom, nor scold them if they do any unpleasant thing. Rather, they must treat their parents respectfully, and speak kind words to them.
(If one or both of them become old…)
It has specifically been referred to the parents’ reaching old age because it is the usual case, and in such age, the parents need to be cared for more than their need to be cared for when they are strong and not very old. However, being dutiful and kind to the parents is an obligation that must be fulfilled regardless the parents are old or not.
(Be submissively, mercifully humble towards them, and say, ‘O Allah! Have mercy on them as they brought me up when I was a child.’) [24]
Besides speaking kindly to the parents, one must be extremely humble with them, respect them, and not refuse any of their requests, as long they do not involve disobedience to Allah. He must also be extremely merciful towards them. He should pray to Allah, saying, ‘O Allah! Be merciful to my parents and forgive their sins as they brought me up when I was a child.’
A literal translation of ‘Be submissively, mercifully humble towards them,’ will be as follows: ‘Mercifully, lower the wing of humility to them…’
The word ‘wing’ is used to indicate extreme humbleness with the parents. It likens being greatly merciful and humble towards the parents to the bird when it embraces its young birds with its wings out of mercy and love. Moreover, treating the parents very mercifully and humbly is likened to the bird’s wings because when the bird wants to cultivate its young birds, it embraces them with its wings. When the bird wants to fly, it raises its wings, and when it wants to stop flying, it lowers its wings. Thus, lowering the wings is used to refer to humbleness and mercifulness with the parents.
Kindness to the parents is done during their life and after their death by praying to Allah to forgive their sins and doing righteous deeds that bring them reward.
If the parents are disbelievers, their offspring may pray to Allah for them by asking Allah to guide them to believe in Allah alone. But if they die as disbelievers, it is prohibited for the believers to pray for the disbelievers even if they are their close relatives. Allah says, interpretation of meaning,
(It is impermissible for the Prophet and the believers to pray for forgiveness for the disbelievers even if they are close relatives after it has become clear to them that they will be dwellers of Hellfire.)[Q 9:113]
It is impermissible for Prophet Muhammadﷺ and those who believe in the Oneness of Allah to pray to Allah for forgiveness for the disbelievers even if they are close relatives after it has become clear to them that they die as disbelievers in Oneness of Allah and His messenger so that they will be dwellers of Hellfire. That is because Allah will never forgive the sins of the disbeliever.
(Your Lord knows best of what is in your minds. If your intentions are righteous, indeed, He is ever Oft-Forgiver to those who are repentant.) [25]
O people! Allah knows best of what is within your minds, whether good or evil. He knows whether you intend to be dutiful and kind to your parents, or you conceal evil intentions within minds. He will requite you for them. Therefore, beware of concealing evil intentions.
(If your intentions are righteous, indeed, He is ever Oft-Forgiver to those who are repentant.)
If your intentions are righteous, and you intend to be kind and dutiful to your parents, Allah will accept your repentance as He forgives the sins of those who repent of their sins.
The ayah is a severe warning to whoever neglects the rights of his parents or any of the rights of Allah on him. It also promises those who repent of their sins that Allah will accept their repentance.
The Quran repeats commanding the children to be kind to their parents, but it does not command the parents to be kind to their children. That is because in normal life circumstances, efforts and care are given to living and young beings, i.e. the children. It is rare that care is directed to old generations. Thus, the children need to be reminded of taking care of their parents, and being merciful to them. Moreover, parents naturally take care of their children and sacrifice for them. On the other hand, children usually forget their parents’ sacrifice, and their offspring and spouses become their first priority. Therefore, children are needed to be admonished and reminded of the rights of their parents.
In the previous ayah, Allah commanded to worship Him alone, and linked it to being dutiful to the parents. Similarly, Allah commanded to thank Him and linked it to being thankful to the parents. Allah says, interpretation of meaning,
(We have commanded man to be dutiful to his parents. His mother conceives him, increasingly suffering weakness. His weaning lasts for two years. Be grateful to Me and your parents, and to Me is the final return.)[Q31:14]
Abdul-Allah bin Mas’ûd, may Allah be pleased him, said, ‘I asked the Prophetﷺ, which deed is best loved by Allah?’ He said, ‘Offering the prayers at their appointed time.’ Then Abdul-Allah said, ‘What comes next?’ The Prophetﷺ said, ‘Being dutiful to the parents.’ Abdul-Allah said, ‘What comes next?’ The Prophetﷺ said, ‘Fighting for the sake of Allah.’’
In the previous narration, the Prophetﷺ informed that being dutiful to the parents is the best deed after offering the prayer, which is the greatest pillar of Islam after testifying that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah, at its appointed time.
Being dutiful and kind to the parents is not restricted to Muslim parents. One must be dutiful and kind even to non-Muslim parents. Asma’, the daughter of abû Bakr, may Allah be pleased with them, reported, ‘My mother came to visit me while she was non-Muslim during the period of the treaty between the Muslims and the disbelieves. I consulted the Messengerﷺ. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! My mother came, seeking to visit me. Shall I be kind to her?’ He said, ‘Yes. Be kind to her.’’
After clarifying man’s obligations towards His Creator, Allah, and his parents, the ayat mention his obligations towards his relatives, the poor, and the wayfarers.
(Give the relatives, the poor, and the wayfarers their rights, and do not be a squanderer.) [26] Indeed, the squanderers are brothers of Satan. Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord.) [27]
(Give the relatives, the poor, and the wayfarers their rights.)
A relative is a person, who has blood relationship, or affinity, with another person.
The poor is a person, who does not have wealth, or has but it is insufficient.
The wayfarer is a traveler, who lost his wealth.
O man! Give your relatives their rights, e.g. be kind to them, visit them, and help them with money if they are poor. Likewise, give the poor and the wayfarer their rights by helping them with money and being kind to them.
The ayah mentions one’s relatives first because they have more right than other people. The Messengerﷺ said, ‘Giving charity to a poor person is an act of charity, and giving it to a relative includes two things: giving charity and maintaining ties of kinship.’
(…and do not be a squanderer. Indeed, the squanderers are brothers of Satan. Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord.)
As Allah, Exalted is He, has commanded to give charity, He prohibits spending wealth wastefully.
O man! Do not spend wealth wastefully and in things involving disobedience to Allah. Rather, spend it wisely to satisfy your needs and help the needy.
Allah says, interpretation of meaning,
(And those who are neither extravagant nor niggardly when spending, their spending is moderate between the two extremes.)[Q 25:67]
Then Allah, Exalted is He, refers to the ugliness of extravagant spending by stating that it is the practice of Satan. He says that the actions of those who spend their wealth wastefully is like the action of Satan. They are the brothers of Satan in the worldly life and the Hereafter. Abdul-Allah bin Mas’ûd, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ‘Spending wealth unrightfully is wastefulness.’
Mujãhid said, ‘If one spends all his wealth rightfully, he is not extravagant, and if he even spends a small part of it unrightfully, he is extravagant.’
(Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord.)
Satan is ever ungrateful to Allah since he denies the blessings of Allah on him, and disobeys Him.
Al-Karkhy said, ‘Whomever, Allah grants prestige and wealth, and spends it on what displeases Allah, is ungrateful to the blessings of Allah because he is like Satan in attribute and action.’
Likening the action of the extravagant to the action of Satan in his evil behavior and disobedience to Allah gives the impression that extravagance is one of the ugliest attributes that the prudent person should avoid so that he will not be like Satan.
Then the ayat mention what the believer should do if he is unable to help his relatives and the poor.
(If you turn away from them, seeking mercy from your Lord, then speak to them kind words.) [28]
If you turn away from your relatives, the poor, and the wayfarers because you do not have anything to give them, and you are waiting for sustenance that Allah may grant you, then speak to them kindly, showing them that you care for them and what bring them happiness. Say to them, for example, ‘I do not have anything to offer you now. If Allah grants me sustenance, I will give you some of it.’
The instruction in the ayah is a wonderful discipline and pleasant statement. It instructs not to turn away from the relatives, the poor, and the wayfarers ignorantly, being proud of the wealth and power one has. Rather, one may turn away from them humbly, showing weakness, and hoping that Allah will grant him sustenance that will enable him to support and help them.
Then the ayat mention the best manner for spending wealth.
(Do not be tight-fisted as if your hand is tied to your neck, nor be entirely open-handed so that you become reproached, destitute.) [29]
Allah, Exalted is He, gives an example for a stingy person, who does not spend his wealth on fulfilling Allah’s obligations on him and an extravagant person, who spends his wealth immoderately.
Allah, Exalted is He, likens the stingy person to someone whose hand is tied to his neck so he cannot use it to give or take things. And He, Exalted is He, likens the extravagant person to someone whose hand is widely open so it becomes unable to hold anything.
O man! Be moderate in all your affairs. Spend your wealth moderately so that you become neither stingy nor extravagant. Being stingy or extravagant will make you reproached and prevent you from achieving your goals since you will lose your wealth.
Abû Hurarya, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophetﷺ said, ‘Two angels descend from heavens every day. One of them says, ‘O Allah! Give compensation to whoever spends on your cause.’ And the other angel says, ‘O Allah! Destroy the wealth of whoever does not spend on your cause.’’
Then Allah, Exalted is He, mentions that He alone controls all affairs. He is the One, Who gives, and withholds giving.
(Indeed, your Lord gives abundantly to whomever He wills, and sparingly to whomever He wills. Indeed, He is ever All-Aware of, and sees His slaves.)[30]
O man! Allah – your Lord – gives sustenance abundantly to whomever He wills, and He gives it sparingly to whomever He wills. Allah controls everything in this universe, and manages it wisely since He knows best about the visible and invisible circumstances of people, and nothing is hidden from Him, Exalted is He. Indeed, Allah gives and withholds due to wisdom He knows. He knows whom deserves to be rich, and whom deserves to be poor. Differences in the amount of sustenance given to people are for wisdom that Allah knows.
Allah says, interpretation of meaning,
(Whatever mercy Allah grants to people, none can withhold, and whatever He withholds thereof, none can grant what He withheld. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.)[Q 35:2]
Learned Lessons
• Worshipping Allah alone is the foundation of faith, and worshipping other gods besides Allah is the principle cause of misguidance and loss.
• Being dutiful and kind to the parents is obligatory. Allah has commanded to worship Him alone and He links it to being dutiful to the parents.
• Being dutiful and kind to the parents includes abstaining from saying the slightest bad word to them.
• It is obligatory to obey the parents regarding things involving obedience to Allah, but it is not obligatory to obey them regarding things involving disobedience to Allah, Exalted is He.
• One must be dutiful to his parents even if they are non-Muslims, but if they die as non-Muslims, it is impermissible for the Muslim to pray to Allah to forgive them.
• Allah knows what is in the hearts and minds of His slaves. He knows their good or evil intentions, and forgives the sins of the repentant.
• Allah has commanded people to be kind and help the relatives, the poor, and wayfarers.
• Islam prohibits extravagance. Allah has described the extravagant as being the brothers of Satan.
• Sublime ethics necessitate that when one does not have wealth to help the needy he should politely speak to them, and tells them that when his circumstances improve he will give them.
• Islam commands to spend wealth moderately, without being stingy, nor extravagant.
• Allah knows what is good for His slaves. He gives – out of His wisdom - abundantly to whomever He wills, and sparingly to whomever He wills.
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