Allah's Comprehensive Guidance: Commands And Prohibitions For Believers

Jumu'ah Khutbah — Ml Abdul Ahad

Allah, as our creator and the supreme being of this entire universe, has created us for a certain purpose. We are not able to ascertain and realize that objective and that purpose on our own without Allah sending certain messengers. If Allah wanted, He could have sent the message to us without messengers, but Allah used messengers and prophets in order to convey the message and what Allah is pleased with to us.

You'll find, for example, even a father and a child — a child will not be able to understand and even know what pleases the father unless the father actually tells them, unless the child sees what the father likes. But sometimes the child doesn't even know: what is the favorite food of my father? What does my father prefer? What will make my father happy? A child sometimes won't be able to tell. Hence, us human beings — we're not able to understand with our intellect and rationally, completely, what Allah wants from us and what will make Allah pleased and happy. So Allah sent messengers, and all these messengers had two common things that they would convey to the people: what you call awāmir — the commands — and the prohibitions, the nawāhi.

So Allah mentions in Surah An-Nahl:

Allah is addressing Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم that on the Day of Judgment, when we will resurrect every witness for a nation — there will be a witness for every nation, which are the prophets — and we will make you as a witness for your own nation also:

And We reveal to you the Book as a means of clarification and a source of guidance and mercy and glad tidings for the believers. So Allah mentioned that He has revealed the Quran to Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم for a few objectives: as a source of guidance, as a source of mercy, and glad tidings for the believers.

Now, we won't be able to find every single juz'i mas'ala — every single meticulous matter — mentioned in the Quran that will be pertaining to our lives and the solution to our lives. Rather, Allah in the Quran has given basic awāmir and basic nawāhi — basic commands and prohibitions — by which you can derive the solutions to your specific problems.

The Most Comprehensive Āyah of the Quran

This one specific āyah which we hear numerous times week after week is in Surah An-Nahl:

We hear it week after week, but do we know the meaning of it? Do we know what Allah is telling us in this āyah? Ibn Masud رضي الله عنه, as well as many tābi'ūn and salafus sālihīn, have mentioned that if Allah were to not reveal any other āyah to clarify the Quran, this āyah alone would have sufficed. Meaning, this āyah that we hear week after week in Jumu'ah contains within it three commandments and three prohibitions, because the majority of things which Allah addresses us with revolves around prohibitions and commandments. Allah has summarized all of that into these three principles for commandments and three for prohibitions.

The Three Commands

Allah starts off with commands because the majority of our deen revolves around commandments to do things. There are few things which Allah has made prohibited. If you were to actually look, Allah has made the majority of foods halal for us to eat — we have only a few foods which are impermissible. Allah has given us a choice to marry whoever we want — only a few individuals are impermissible to marry. The things that Allah has made halal for us are more in comparison to those things which Allah has prohibited. So Allah starts off with the commands.

1. Al-'Adl — Justice and Moderation

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ — Now, what is considered as 'adl? Some may translate it as justice, some as being moderate. In one of the tafāsīr — in Allāmah Ālūsī's Rūh al-Ma'āni — how is it translated? 'Adl is عِبَارَةٌ عَنِ التَّوَسُّطِ بَيْنَ طَرَفَيِ الْإِفْرَاطِ وَالتَّفْرِيطِ — it is expressed as a person being moderate between the two extremes, that a person is neither exceeding the bounds nor being deficient in fulfilling rights. And the rights of whom? The rights of everyone. Being moderate in every single way, being just in every single way.

If you look in our deen, we have different types of actions — some a'māl pertain to the heart, which is what we consider as our aqā'id, our beliefs. Our belief in accordance to Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamā'ah is in between all the other different factions and sects. We don't just go based off our intellect and rational, but at the same time we don't go to the other extreme end where we base every single thing on our emotions. We're in between.

Allah has told us to use our 'aql:

Allah has told us to think and ponder and reflect. But at the same time, emotions play a role also. Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم did not negate one's emotions — he himself exhibited his emotions. Those feelings that you might feel in the salah — it helps motivate you to pray more salah. The feelings you feel when reciting Quran — it motivates you to recite more Quran. So Allah created a deen of 'adāla.

In our aqīdah, we don't believe that we are forced to do every single one of our actions, but at the same time we don't believe in complete free will. Rather, we believe in something called kasb — that Allah's divine assistance is linked whenever we try to do an action. So when it comes to aqīdah, we are moderate — we have 'adl in that. When it comes to our own a'māl regarding our limbs, our jawārih, there is 'adāla there also. When it comes to our akhlāq, Allah mentioned:

You're not completely stingy — meaning, you don't have your hand tied to your neck — and at the same time you're not spending extravagantly, opening up to everyone until you run out of your money and then start blaming others and yourself. So you have 'adāla in your akhlāq.

When it comes to one's anger, Allah did not say to erase your anger. Allah mentioned those that suppress their anger. Because as it comes in a hadith, even Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم — what were the signs that he would get angry? He had a vein at his temple that would become red and would bulge out when he became angry. But what was the reason why he became angry? It was for Sharī'ah reasons — when the laws of Sharī'ah were being broken. Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم himself demonstrated the meaning of 'adl.

When a sahābiyyah happened to steal and the tribe members came to Usāmah bin Zayd رضي الله عنه asking him to be an intercessor and talk to Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم — because he was the beloved of Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم — hoping that he would not implement the Islamic punishment upon her. When Usāmah bin Zayd رضي الله عنه came to Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم, then Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم became upset. He did not release his anger upon Usāmah bin Zayd but rather addressed the entire public: what is it with some people that they come and try to seek intercession on behalf of a crime which requires the punishment to be implemented? The previous nations would punish the poor and leave the rich out — if someone had prestige and status and honor in society, they would leave them out if they committed a crime. But Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم was equal with everyone. No one was above Sharī'ah.

2. Al-Ihsān — Excellence and Beautification

Then Allah addresses إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ. The 'adl — that is being moderate in every aspect of our life, whether in our akhlāq or our own actions. We don't just suffice upon the farā'id but we want to do the sunnah mu'akkadah, we want to do the mustahabbāt. At the same time, we don't just suffice upon the mustahabbāt but we do the farā'id and the wājibāt also.

Then beyond that — what is ihsān? We hear the definition of ihsān in numerous talks:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 50; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 8 — from the Hadith of Jibrīl عليه السلام)

You are worshipping Allah as if you see Him. If you are not able to achieve that level, then know that Allah is always watching over you, and you have that concern and that mindset. So you're not just sufficing upon the bare minimum — you're going beyond that. In every single action that you do, you have ihsān. Rather than just coming to the masjid, you'll come early. Rather than staying in the back row, you'll come to the first row. Rather than just sufficing upon your bare farā'id, wājibāt, and sunnah mu'akkadah, you'll perform the nawāfil salah. Rather than giving a meager amount of sadaqah:

You'll spend from those things which you love. You'll go beyond that because you have ihsān in that. And ihsān with whom? Not just with your own self, but ihsān with Allah — ihsān in the ibādah of Allah — and ihsān with the creation in your mu'āmalāt, in your mu'āsharāt, in your akhlāq. So this encompasses all of our deen.

3. Ītā' Dhil-Qurbā — Giving to Relatives

When dealing with others, إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ. Now Allah mentions something specific here — that amongst all of your relatives, those that have more of a right upon you are your aqārib, your mahārim: your mother, your father, your uncle, brother, sister, etc. وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ — what are you giving them? Some mufassirūn mention here material wealth; some say to keep it general — that you're fulfilling their rights, whatever their rights are. You're not severing ties from them. If they need some assistance, you're there and willing to assist them, maintaining that family relation, those family ties.

The Three Prohibitions

Then Allah did not just suffice upon the commandments but also mentioned the prohibitions: وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ.

1. Al-Fahshā' — Obscenity

Some mufassirūn translate fahshā' as zinā and fornication. Others have kept it general — those major sins. Others have kept it even broader — those sins which are pertinent to one's own shahawāt, one's own desires. All obscene things.

وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ — How do you know what fahshā' and obscene things are? Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم defined them. It comes in the Sīrah — the description of Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم — that he was not fāhish nor was he mutafāhish. He himself did not like obscenity nor was he obscene himself. Whenever he disliked something, you could see the dislikeness on his face. Anytime if a sahābi did a certain action, Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم would not remain quiet if that action was not in accordance to Sharī'ah — he would speak out.

So Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم himself prohibited all types of fahshā' and obscene acts, whether in how we speak. Look at how keen Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم was in his own speech. As it comes in a hadith — a person should not dip their hands inside a container of water until they wash their hand first:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 162; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 278)

He doesn't know where his hand slept in the night. The literal meaning is he doesn't know where his hand touched in different places throughout the night. At that time, they didn't always have clean water — they would sometimes use dirt clods and clay to clean themselves, so sometimes there might be a little bit of najāsah left. If there was any amount of najāsah and the hand touched it, and then you put it into the water, the water becomes najas — it becomes impure. But notice — Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم said "he doesn't know where his hand slept in the night" — he didn't mention it explicitly. Even in his own speech, Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم had hayā'. When we talk also, we should speak in a dignified manner — how Allah, how the sahābah, how Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم spoke — rather than using vulgar language.

2. Al-Munkar — The Reprehensible

Munkar comes from نَكِرَ يَنْكَرُ — something you don't recognize, and something that you have a dislike and aversion towards. It encompasses all minor sins also. And how do you decide something to be munkar? That is decided by Allah — not by our own fitrah, not by our own nature, because our own nature is becoming completely different from the original fitrah and the original nature in which Allah created the human being.

That is why Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2553)

What is the actual sin — a sign to know that something is a sin — is that when you commit it or if you were to commit it, it causes you remorse, it scratches your heart. مَا حَاكَ فِي صَدْرِكَ — it scratches your heart, you get remorse, you feel regret over it. وَكَرِهْتَ أَنْ يَطَّلِعَ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ — and you dislike that if someone were to come to know about it, you feel ashamed. But now when we commit sin, rather than that — what do we do? We boast and brag about it and openly tell our friends and companions. Rather, when a person commits a sin, it should remain between them and Allah. You hide it, you conceal it, you do tawbah. You don't brag about it.

3. Al-Baghy — Oppression

The third thing Allah has prohibited is baghy. Some 'ulamā translate it as oppression. And Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned:

(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Hadith 4902; Sunan Ibn Mājah, Hadith 4211)

There is no sin more suitable that Allah should hasten the punishment for in this world — in addition to what is preserved for that individual in the Ākhirah — than being oppressive (baghy) and severing one's ties with one's own relatives. Oppression doesn't have to be just physical — it could be verbal oppression, or certain ideology that we're spreading against others. And this is something Allah has prohibited in numerous places in the Quran — not to cause any fasād in the lands:

Why is there havoc? Why is there chaos around us? Because of our own sins. And Allah is very concerned about this — to the extent that it comes in a hadith that Allah will accept even the du'ā of the mazlūm, the person who is oppressed, immediately. So we have to be very careful that even when it comes to our mu'āmalāt — our dealings with others, be it family or others — we are not oppressing them in the least amount.

What is the meaning of oppression? وَضْعُ شَيْءٍ فِي غَيْرِ مَحَلِّهِ — you're placing something in a place where it doesn't belong. It could be something major, it could be minor. But remember, when it comes to zulm — it's with mu'āmalāt, with huqūq al-'ibād — Allah does not forgive you until you seek forgiveness from the other individual.

Conclusion

يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ — Allah is admonishing and advising you so that you can take heed. So these are the principles Allah has given us in the Quran — three main commands and three main prohibitions. From all of these you can derive all of the furū'āt — all the meticulous different scenarios and situations that may come about. They will fall into one of these categories, whether when it comes to sins or to doing good deeds.

May Allah give us the tawfīq to implement whatever has been said. وَآخِرُ دَعْوَانَا أَنِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ.

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Weekly Programs: Saturday Team Fajr will continue tomorrow — Fajr Iqāmah will be at 6:15 AM. Bukhārī Dars continues on Mondays after 'Ishā. All brothers and sisters are encouraged to join and invite their friends and families. Tuesday Tafsīr program after 'Ishā — this Tuesday will continue at Sūrah Al-Anbiyā', be sure to join with your friends and family. Weekly Salawāt gathering on Thursdays after 'Ishā is continuing.

Du'ā Requests: Please make du'ā for Anwar Basha, father of Liyāqat Ali, one of our own musallīn here. Du'ā for shifā' for Brother Sayyid Fasāhat Ali — he is having open heart surgery on Tuesday. May Allah make it easy and give him a swift recovery. Also, there is a request for du'ā from one of our beloved teachers here — his uncle and grandmother are going through operations soon: one for a quadruple bypass and the other to remove a brain tumor. May Allah make the operations successful and grant them complete shifā' afterwards, as well as all the Muslims that are suffering through any pain and going through any sickness. May Allah grant them shifā' and make that sickness a source of expiation of their sins. Āmīn.