Al-Isra 17:32
The Night Journey · Juz 15 · Page 285
وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلزِّنَىٰٓۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَٰحِشَةٗ وَسَآءَ سَبِيلٗا ٣٢
And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse.1 Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., avoid all situations that might possibly lead to it. ↩
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 17:32
Commentary
The seventh injunction given here relates to the forbiddance of zina (fornication, adultery). Given here are two reasons as to why it has been forbidden: (1) This is a shame, gross and immodest. Whoever is denuded of modesty is denuded of human nobility itself and is rendered incapable of distinguishing the good from the bad. This is more succinctly said in a Hadith:
اِذَا فَاتَک الحیاء فافعل ماشٔت
When goes your sense of shame (that could become a barrier against evil), so then, you will do what you will.
Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has declared sense of shame (haya' ) as a division of faith ('Iman): وَالحیاء شعبۃ من الایمان (al-Bukhari) (2) It generates limitless social disorder the consequences of which sometimes destroy whole groups of people. In our day all sorts of crimes have in-creased. If investigated, the reason behind a lot of them would turn out to be some man or woman who did it. Though, this crime is not directly related to the rights of the servants of Allah but it may have been mentioned here as part of other rights taken up at this place for the reason that this crime is contagious. It brings other crimes along which disturb the rights of the servants of Allah through loss of lives and properties. Therefore, Islam has declared this crime to be more serious than any other crime. Then, it has also fixed its punishment as the harshest of all crimes because this one is a carrier of hundreds of these.
It appears in Hadith that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "The heavens and the earth, the seven of them each, curse the married person who commits adultery. And the strong stench which spreads out from the private parts of such people will embarrass even the people condemned to Hell and thus there in Hell they will be suffering from the punishment of fire and disgrace both." (Reported by al-Bazzar on the authority of Sayyidna Buraidah - Mazhari) In another Hadith from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ it has been reported that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "A fornicator when fornicating is not a believer. A thief when stealing is not a believer. And a drunkard while drinking is not a believer." This Hadith is there in al-Bukhari and Muslim. Its explanation, as it appears in the report of Abu Dawud, says: At the time those committing such crimes are practically involved in it, 'Iman (faith) leaves their heart and comes out, and when they turn away from it, 'Iman returns back in. (Mazhari)
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17:28
وَإِمَّا تُعۡرِضَنَّ عَنۡهُمُ ٱبۡتِغَآءَ رَحۡمَةٖ مِّن رَّبِّكَ تَرۡجُوهَا فَقُل لَّهُمۡ قَوۡلٗا مَّيۡسُورٗا ٢٨
And if you [must] turn away from them [i.e., the needy] awaiting mercy from your Lord which you expect,1 then speak to them a gentle word.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., if you have not the means to give them at present. ↩
17:29
وَلَا تَجۡعَلۡ يَدَكَ مَغۡلُولَةً إِلَىٰ عُنُقِكَ وَلَا تَبۡسُطۡهَا كُلَّ ٱلۡبَسۡطِ فَتَقۡعُدَ مَلُومٗا مَّحۡسُورًا ٢٩
And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck1 or extend it completely2 and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.
17:30
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرَۢا بَصِيرٗا ٣٠
Indeed, your Lord extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. Indeed He is ever, concerning His servants, Aware and Seeing.
17:31
وَلَا تَقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَوۡلَٰدَكُمۡ خَشۡيَةَ إِمۡلَٰقٖۖ نَّحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُهُمۡ وَإِيَّاكُمۡۚ إِنَّ قَتۡلَهُمۡ كَانَ خِطۡـٔٗا كَبِيرٗا ٣١
And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is ever a great sin.
17:32
وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلزِّنَىٰٓۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَٰحِشَةٗ وَسَآءَ سَبِيلٗا ٣٢
And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse.1 Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., avoid all situations that might possibly lead to it. ↩
17:33
وَلَا تَقۡتُلُواْ ٱلنَّفۡسَ ٱلَّتِي حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّۗ وَمَن قُتِلَ مَظۡلُومٗا فَقَدۡ جَعَلۡنَا لِوَلِيِّهِۦ سُلۡطَٰنٗا فَلَا يُسۡرِف فِّي ٱلۡقَتۡلِۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مَنصُورٗا ٣٣
And do not kill the soul [i.e., person] which Allāh has forbidden, except by right.1 And whoever is killed unjustly - We have given his heir authority,2 but let him not exceed limits in [the matter of] taking life. Indeed, he has been supported [by the law].
17:34
وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ مَالَ ٱلۡيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبۡلُغَ أَشُدَّهُۥۚ وَأَوۡفُواْ بِٱلۡعَهۡدِۖ إِنَّ ٱلۡعَهۡدَ كَانَ مَسۡـُٔولٗا ٣٤
And do not approach the property of an orphan, except in the way that is best,1 until he reaches maturity. And fulfill [every] commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever [that about which one will be] questioned.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., to improve or increase it. ↩
17:35
وَأَوۡفُواْ ٱلۡكَيۡلَ إِذَا كِلۡتُمۡ وَزِنُواْ بِٱلۡقِسۡطَاسِ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمِۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞ وَأَحۡسَنُ تَأۡوِيلٗا ٣٥
And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with an even [i.e., honest] balance. That is the best [way] and best in result.
17:36
وَلَا تَقۡفُ مَا لَيۡسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمٌۚ إِنَّ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَٱلۡبَصَرَ وَٱلۡفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَانَ عَنۡهُ مَسۡـُٔولٗا ٣٦
And do not pursue1 that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., do not assume and do not say. ↩
17:37
وَلَا تَمۡشِ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَرَحًاۖ إِنَّكَ لَن تَخۡرِقَ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَلَن تَبۡلُغَ ٱلۡجِبَالَ طُولٗا ٣٧
And do not walk upon the earth exultantly. Indeed, you will never tear the earth [apart], and you will never reach the mountains in height.1
1 translator’s note
- Man, for all his arrogance, is yet a weak and small creature. ↩
17:38
كُلُّ ذَٰلِكَ كَانَ سَيِّئُهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّكَ مَكۡرُوهٗا ٣٨
All that [i.e., the aforementioned] - its evil is ever, in the sight of your Lord, detested.