Surah Al-An’am Ayat 151 (6:151 Quran) With Tafsir

Ala-Maududi

(6:151) Say to them (O Muhammad!): ‘Come, let me recite what your Lord has laid down to you:^[127] (i) that you associate nothing with Him;^[128] (ii) and do good to your parents;^[129] (iii) and do not slay your children out of fear of poverty. We provide you and will likewise provide them with sustenance; (iv) and do not even draw to things shameful^[130] – be they open or secret; (v) and do not slay the soul santified by Allah except in just cause;^[131] this He has enjoined upon you so that you may understand;

127. The restrictions which had shackled their lives were not those imposed by God. The really worthwhile restrictions are those prescribed by God in order to regulate human life. These have always served as the essential basis of all God-given codes (cf. Exodus. chapter 20).

128. The first principle is that they should associate none with God in His divinity: neither in His essence, nor in His attributes, nor in His powers and authority, nor in the rights He has against His creatures.

To associate someone with God in His divinity is to declare that the former shares the essence of God’s divinity. Instances of associating others in God’s essence are the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, the belief of the pagan Arabs that angels are daughters of God, and the belief of other polytheists in the divine character of their self-styled gods and goddesses and, in some cases, of their royalty. Likewise, a person associates others in the attributes of God when he considers someone other than God to be invested with those attributes which belong exclusively to God. One becomes guilty of this kind of polytheism if one believes somebody either to know all the mysteries of the Unseen or to be all-seeing and all-hearing or to be free of all defects and weaknesses and thus infallible. Again, a person associates others in the authority of God when he recognizes someone to be possessed of authority which belongs to God alone by virtue of His godhead; for example, the power to either benefit or harm people in a supernatural manner, to fulfil the needs of people and rescue them from distress. to protect and shield them, to hear their prayers, to make or mar their fate. A person is guilty of the same when he recognizes someone as possessing the rightful authority to determine what is lawful and what is unlawful, and to make laws for the regulation of human life. Such authority belongs to God alone, and recognizing anyone other than God as possessing it is tantamount to associating others with God in His authority.

Moreover, to associate others with God in His divine rights means that one recognizes someone beside God as legitimately deserving that which may he asked of man by God alone, viz. bowing and prostrating, standing in awe and reverence with folded hands, devotional greeting and kissing the earth, slaughtering animals and making any other offerings in thanksgiving for his grace and benevolence and in acknowledgement of his overlordship, vowing offerings in his name, calling him to rescue one from one’s affliction and misfortune, and all the other forms of worship, adoration and reverence which are exclusively for God. In the same way, no one has the-right to be loved to the exclusion of all other attachments, or to be held in such awe that one always fears his wrath and dreads the violation of his command, both openly and in secret. Likewise, it is God – and God alone – Who has the right to be obeyed unconditionally, and Whose guidance should be considered the only criterion of right and wrong. In the same way, man should not commit himself to obey any authority which is either independent of obedience to God or whose command lacks the sanction of God.

If someone accords any of these rights to anyone other than God, he is guilty of associating others with God in His divinity. His guilt is the same whether or not he calls such beings divine.

129. Accordingly, good treatment of one’s parents includes showing them respect and reverence, obeying them, trying to keep them pleased, and serving them. The Qur’an always mentions this right of the parents immediately after mentioning the duty one owes to God alone. This makes it quite clear that the rights of parents have precedence over those of other human beings.

130. The word fawahish applies to all those acts whose abominable character is self-evident. In the Qur’an all extra-marital sexual relationships, sodomy, nudity, false accusations of unchastity, and taking as one’s wife a woman who had been married to one’s father, are specifically reckoned as ‘shameful deeds’ (fawahish). In Hadith, theft, taking intoxicating drinks and begging have been characterized as fawahish, as have many other brazenly indecent acts. Man is required to abstain from them both openly and in secret.

131. This means that human life, which has been declared inviolable by God, can only be destroyed for just cause. As for what is meant by ‘just cause’, we ought to remember that three cases are embodied in the Qur’an whereas two additional cases have been stated by the Prophet (peace be on him). The cases mentioned by the Qur’an are the following:

(1) That a man is convicted of deliberate homicide and thus the claim of retaliation is established against him.

(2) That someone resists the establishment of the true faith so that fighting against him might become necessary.

(3) That someone is guilty of spreading disorder in the Domain of Islam and strives to overthrow the Islamic order of government.

The two cases mentioned in the Hadith are:

(1) That a person commits illegitimate sexual intercourse even after marriage.

(2) That a Muslim is guilty of apostasy and rebellion against the Muslim body-politic.

Except for these five reasons, slaying a human being is not permissible, regardless of whether he is a believer, a protected non-Muslim (dhimmi) or an ordinary unbeliever.

Ibn-Kathir

151. Say: “Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be kind and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children because of poverty — We provide sustenance for you and for them. Come not near to Al-Fawahish (immoral sins) whether committed openly or secretly; and kill not anyone whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause. This He has commanded you that you may understand.”

Dawud Al-Awdy narrated that, Ash-Sha`bi said that, `Alqamah said that Ibn Mas`ud said, “Whoever wishes to read the will and testament of the Messenger of Allah on which he placed his seal, let him read these Ayat,

(Say: “Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him…”) until,

(…so that you may have Taqwa) ﴿6:153﴾.” In his Mustadrak, Al-Hakim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, “In Surah Al-An`am ﴿6﴾, there are clear Ayat, and they are the Mother of the Book (the Qur’an).” He then recited,

(Say: “Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from…”) Al-Hakim said, “Its chain is Sahih, and they did not record it.” In his Mustadrak Al-Hakim also recorded that `Ubadah bin As-Samit said, “The Messenger of Allah said,

(Who among you will give me his pledge to do three things) He then recited the Ayah,

(Say: “Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from…”) until the end of the Ayat. He then said,

(Whoever fulfills (this pledge), then his reward will be with Allah, but whoever fell into shortcomings and Allah punishes him for it in this life, then that will be his recompense. Whoever Allah delays (his reckoning) until the Hereafter, then his matter is with Allah. If He wills, He will punish him, and if He wills, He will forgive him.)” Al-Hakim said, “Its chain is Sahih and they did not record it.” As for the explanation of this Ayah, Allah said to His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad : Say, O Muhammad, to those idolators who worshipped other than Allah, forbade what Allah provided them with and killed their children, following their opinions and the lures of the devils,’

(Say) to them

(Come) come here, come close

(I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from. ) meaning, I will inform you about what your Lord has forbidden for you in truth, not guessing or wishful thinking. Rather, it is revelation and an order from Him.

(Join not anything in worship with Him;) this Allah has ordained, for He said at the end of the Ayah,

(This He has commanded you that you may understand.) In the the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Abu Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah said,

(Jibril came to me and conveyed the good news that, “Whoever among your followers dies, worshipping none along with Allah, will enter Paradise.” I said, “Even if he stole or committed illegal sexual intercourse” He said, “Even if he stole or committed illegal sexual intercourse.” I said, “Even if he stole or committed illegal sexual intercourse” He said, “Even if he stole or committed illegal sexual intercourse.” I said, “Even if he stole or committed illegal sexual intercourse” He said, “Even if he stole or committed illegal sexual intercourse or even if drank alcohol.”) Some of the Musnad and Sunan compilers recorded that Abu Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah said,

(Allah said, `O Son of Adam! As long as you supplicate to Me and hope of Me, I will forgive whatever you committed, and it will be easy for Me to do that. And even if you brought the earth’s fill of sins to Me, I will bring forth its fill of forgiveness, as long as you do not associate anything or anyone in worship with Me. And even if you err and your errors accumulate until they reach the boundaries of the sky and you then ask Me for forgiveness, I will forgive you.’) This subject is also mentioned in the Qur’an, for Allah said,

(Verily, Allah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that.) ﴿4:116﴾ Muslim recorded a Hadith in the Sahih that reads,

(Whoever dies associating none with Allah will enter Paradise.) There are many Ayat and Hadiths on this subject.

Allah said next,

(be kind and dutiful to your parents;) meaning, Allah has commanded and ordered you to be kind to your parents. Allah said in another Ayah,

(And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents.) ﴿17:23﴾ Allah often mentions obeying Him and being dutiful to parents together. Allah said,

(Give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination. But if they (both) strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not; but behave with them in this world kindly, and follow the path of him who turns to Me in repentance and in obedience. Then to Me will be your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do.) ﴿31:14-15﴾ Therefore, Allah ordered children to be dutiful and kind to their parents, even if they were idolators. Allah also said,

(And (remember) when We took a covenant from the Children of Israel, (saying): Worship none but Allah and be dutiful and kind to parents.) ﴿2:83﴾ There are several Ayat on this subject. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Ibn Mas`ud said, “I asked Allah’s Messenger about which deed is the best. He said,

(The prayer, when it is performed on time.) I said, `Then’ He said,

(Being dutiful to parents.) I asked, `Then’ He said,

(Jihad in Allah’s cause.) Ibn Mas`ud said, “The Messenger of Allah said these words to me, and had I asked him for more, he would have said more.”

Allah said,

(Kill not your children because of poverty, We shall provide sustenance for you and for them.) After Allah commanded kindness to parents and grandparents, He next ordered kindness to children and grandchildren. Allah said,

(kill not your children because of poverty,) because the idolators used to kill their children, obeying the lures of the devils. They used to bury their daughters alive for fear of shame, and sometimes kill their sons for fear of poverty. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, “I asked the Messenger of Allah , `Which sin is the biggest’ He said,

(To call a rival for Allah, while He Alone created you.) I said, `Then what’ He said,

(To kill your son for fear that he might share your food.’) I said, `Then what’ He said,

(To commit adultery with your neighbor’s wife.) Then the Messenger of Allah recited the Ayah,

(And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse…) ﴿25:68﴾.” Allah’s statement,

(Because of Imlaq) refers to poverty, according to Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others. The Ayah means, do not kill your children because you are poor. Allah said in Surat Al-Isra’,

(And do not kill your children for fear from Imlaq.) ﴿17:31﴾, that is, do not kill your children for fear that you might become poor in the future. This is why Allah said,

(We shall provide sustenance for them and for you) ﴿17:31﴾, thus mentioning the provision of the children first, meaning, do not fear poverty because of feeding your children. Certainly, their provision is provided by Allah. Allah said,

(We provide sustenance for you and for them,) thus starting with parents, because this is the appropriate subject here and Allah knows. Allah said next,

(Come not near Al-Fawahish (immoral sins) whether committed openly or secretly) Allah said in a similar Ayah,

(Say: “(But) the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al-Fawahish (immoral sins) whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in worship) with Allah for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge.”) ﴿7:33﴾ We also explained this meaning in the explanation of the Ayah,

(Leave sin, open and secret) ﴿6:120﴾. The Two Sahihs recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said that the Messenger of Allah said,

(None is more jealous than Allah. This is why He has forbidden the immoral sins committed openly or secretly.) `Abdul-Malik bin `Umayr said that Warrad narrated that Al-Mughirah said that Sa`d bin `Ubadah said, “If I see a man with my wife (committing adultery), I will kill him with the sword.” When the matter came to the Messenger of Allah , he said,

(Do you wonder at Sa`d’s jealousy By Allah, I am more jealous than Sa`d, and Allah is more jealous than I. This is why He has forbidden the immoral sins committed openly and in secret.) This Hadith is in the Two Sahihs).

Allah said,

(And kill not anyone whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islamic law).) This part of the Ayah emphasizes this prohibition in specific, although it is included in the immoral sins committed openly and in secret. In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said that the Messenger of Allah said,

(The blood of a Muslim person who testifies that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah is prohibited, except for three offenses: a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse, life for life, and whoever reverts from the religion and abandons the Jama`ah (the community of faithful believers).) There is a prohibition, a warning and a threat against killing the Mu`ahid, i.e., non-Muslims who have a treaty of peace with Muslims. Al-Bukhari recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said that the Prophet said,

(Whoever killed a person having a treaty of protection with Muslims, shall not smell the scent of Paradise, though its scent is perceived from a distance of forty years. ) Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said,

(Whoever killed a person having a treaty of protection with the Muslims, and who enjoys the guarantee of Allah and His Messenger, he will have spoiled the guarantee of Allah ﴿for him﴾. He shall not smell the scent of Paradise though its smell is perceived from a distance of seventy years.) Ibn Majah and At-Tirmidhi recorded this Hadith, and At-Tirmidhi said, “Hasan Sahih.” Allah’s statement,

(This He has commanded you that you may understand.) means, this is what He has commanded you that you may comprehend His commandments and prohibitions.