Prohibited Actions: DO NOT DO
4. Surah an-Nisa
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا
الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ
لاَ
تَقْرَبُواْ
الصَّلاَةَ
وَأَنتُمْ
سُكَارَى
حَتَّىَ
تَعْلَمُواْ
مَا
تَقُولُونَ...
4: 43. O ye who believe! approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say,
C562. The reference is either to a state of intoxication or to a dazed state of mind on account of drowsiness or some other cause. Or perhaps both are implied.
Before the prohibition of intoxicants altogether was promulgated, it was at least unbecoming that people should come to prayers in such a state. For prayers it is only right that we should collect our whole minds and approach Allah in a spirit of reverence.
“Prayers” (Salah) here may mean “a place of prayer,” a Mosque:
the resulting meaning would be the same
... وَلاَ جُنُبًا إِلاَّ عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىَ تَغْتَسِلُواْ...
nor in a state of ceremonial impurity (except when traveling on the road), until after washing your whole body
... وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاء أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّن الْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لاَمَسْتُمُ النِّسَاء...
- if ye are ill, or
- on a journey, or
- one of you cometh from offices of nature, or
- ye have been in contact with women,
... فَلَمْ تَجِدُواْ مَاء فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ ...
and ye find no water,
then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands.
C563. The strictest cleanliness and purity of mind and body are required, especially at the time of prayer.
But there are circumstances when water for ablutions is not easily obtainable, especially in the dry conditions of Arabia, and then washing with dry sand or clean earth is recommended. Four such circumstances are mentioned: the
- two last when washing is specially required;
- the two first when washing may be necessary, but it may not be easy to get water.
For a man, when he is ill, cannot walk out far to get water, and a man on a journey has no full control over his supplies.
In all four cases, where water cannot be got, cleaning with dry sand or dry earth is recommended. This is called Tayammum.
... إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا ﴿٤٣﴾
For Allah doth blot out sins and forgive again and again.
Asad’s Version:
4: 43 O you have attained to faith! Do not attempt to pray while you are in a state of drunkenness, [but wait] until you know what you are saying; Asad, see note
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6: 151 Say: “Come, let me convey unto you what God has [really] forbidden to you;
Do not ascribe divinity, in any way, to aught beside Him;
and do good unto your parents;
and do not kill your children for fear of poverty – for it is We who shall provide sustenance for you as well as for them;
and do not commit any shameful deeds, be they open or secret;
and do not take any human being’s life – which God has declared to be sacred –otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice;
this has He enjoined upon you so that you might use your reason;
6: 152 And do not touch the substance of an orphan – save to improve it – before he comes of age.”
And give full measure and weight, with equity : [however], We do not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear; and when you voice an opinion, be just, even though it be against one near of kin.”
And [always] observe your bond with God: this has He enjoined upon you, so that you might keep it in mind.
6: 153 and [know] that 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. [All] this has He enjoined upon you, so that you might remain conscious of Him. Asad
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7. [al-Araf, Mecca 39]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قُلْ
إِنَّمَا
حَرَّمَ
رَبِّيَ
...
7: 33. Say:
The things that my Lord hath indeed forbidden are:
C1016. The forbidden things are described in four categories:
1. what is shameful or unbecoming; the sort of things which have also legal and social sanctions, not of a local but of a universal kind; they may be called offences against society:
2. sins against self and trespasses or excesses of every sort; these are against truth and reason; here would come in indiscipline, failure in doing intangible duties not clearly defined by law; selfishness or self-aggrandizement, which may be condoned by custom and not punished by law, etc.-
3. erecting fetishes or false gods; this is treason against the true God; and
4. corrupting religion by debasing superstitions, etc.
... الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ...
- shameful deeds, whether open or secret;
...وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُواْ بِاللّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا...
- sins and trespasses against truth or reason;
- assigning of partners to Allah, for which he hath given no authority;
...وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى اللّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾
- and saying things about Allah of which ye have no knowledge.
7: 33 Asad Say: “Verily, my Sustainer has forbidden only shameful deeds, be they open or secret, and [every kind of] sinning, and unjustified envy, and the ascribing of divinity to aught beside Him – since He has never bestowed any warrant therefore from on high – and the attributing of God of aught of which you have no knowledge.”
Pickthall Say: My Lord forbidden only indecencies, such of them as are apparent and such as are within, and sin and wrongful oppression, and that ye associate with Allah that for which no warrant hath been revealed, and that ye tell concerning Allah that which ye know not.
Transliteration Qul innama_ harrama rabbiyal fawa_hisya ma_ zahara minha_ wa ma_ batana wal isma wal bagya bi gairil haqqi wa an tusyriku_ billa_hi ma_ lam yunazzil bihi sulta_naw wa an taqu_lu_ 'alalla_hi ma_ la_ ta'lamu_n(a).
[[ Ali’s note - 1016 The forbidden things are described in four categories: (1) what is shameful or unbecoming; the sort of things which have also legal and social sanctions, not of a local but of a universal kind; they may be called offences against society: (2) sins against self and trespasses or excesses of every sort; these are against truth and reason; here would come in indiscipline, failure in doing intangible duties not clearly defined by law; selfishness or self-aggrandisement, which may be condoned by custom and not punished by law, etc.- (3) erecting fetishes or false gods; this is treason against the true God; and (4) corrupting religion by debasing superstitions, etc. (7.33)]]
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The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِلَى مَدْيَنَ
أَخَاهُمْ
شُعَيْبًا...
11: 84. To the Madyan people (We sent) Shu'ayb, one of their own brethren:
C1582. Cf. 7:85-93.
The location of Madyan is explained in n. 1053 to 7:85 and the chronological place of Shu'ayb in n. 1064 to 7:93.
The point of the reference here is different from that in Surah 7. Here the emphasis is on Allah's dealings with men and men's crooked and obstinate ways:
there the emphasis was rather on their treatment of their Prophet, thus throwing light on some of the sins of the Makkans in later times.
...قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرُهُ...
he said:
"O my people! worship Allah:
ye have no other god but Him.
...وَلاَ تَنقُصُواْ الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ...
And give not short measure or weight:
...إِنِّيَ أَرَاكُم بِخَيْرٍ وَإِنِّيَ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُّحِيطٍ ﴿٨٤﴾
I see you in prosperity, but I fear for you the Penalty of a Day that will compass (you) all round.
C1583. The Midianites were a commercial people, and their besetting sin was commercial selfishness and fraudulent dealings in weights and measures.
Their Prophet tells them that that is the surest way to cut short their "prosperity", both in the material and the spiritual sense. When the Day of Judgment comes, it will search out their dealings through and through: "it will compass them all round," and they will not be able to escape then, however Much they may conceal their frauds in this world.
وَيَا
قَوْمِ أَوْفُواْ
الْمِكْيَالَ
وَالْمِيزَانَ
بِالْقِسْطِ ...
11: 85. "And O my people!
give just measure and weight,
...وَلاَ تَبْخَسُواْ النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءهُمْ ...
nor withhold from the people the things that are their due:
C1584. Both Plato and Aristotle define justice as the virtue which gives every one his due.
From this point of view Justice becomes the master virtue, and includes most other virtues. It was the lack of this that ruined the Midianites. Their selfishness was "intent on mischief," i.e., spoiling other people's business by not giving them their just dues.
... وَلاَ تَعْثَوْاْ فِي الأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ ﴿٨٥﴾
commit not evil in the land with intent to do mischief.
وَلاَ
تَرْكَنُواْ
إِلَى الَّذِينَ
ظَلَمُواْ
فَتَمَسَّكُمُ
النَّارُ...
11: 113. And incline not to those who do wrong, or the Fire will seize you;
...وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاء ثُمَّ لاَ تُنصَرُونَ ﴿١١٣﴾
and ye have no protectors other than Allah, nor shall ye be helped.
Others version:
11: 84
Pickthall And unto Midian (We sent) their brother Shueyb. He said: O my people! Serve Allah. Ye have no other God save Him! And give not short measure and short weight. Lo! I see you well to do, and lo! I fear for you the doom of a besetting Day.
Transliteration Wa ila_ madyana akha_hum syu'aiba_(n), qa_la ya_ qaumi-'budulla_ha ma_ lakum min ila_hin gairuh(u_), wa la_ tanqusul mikya_la wal miza_na inni ara_kum bi khairiw wa inni akha_fu 'alaikum 'aza_ba yaumim muhit(in).
11: 85
Pickthall O my people! Give full measure and full weight in justice, and wrong not people in respect of their goods. And do not evil in the earth, causing corruption.
Transliteration Wa ya_ qaumi auful mikya_la wal miza_na bil qisti wa la_ tabkhasun na_sa asy-ya_'ahum wa la_ ta'sau fil ardi mufsidin(a).
11: 113
Asad And do not incline towards, not rely upon, those who are bent on evildoing lest the fire touch you; for you would have none to protect you from God, nor would you ever be succored.
Pickthall And incline not toward those who do wrong lest the Fire touch you, and ye have no protecting friends against Allah, and afterward ye would not be helped.
Transliteration Wa la_ tarkanu_ ilal lazina zalamu_ fatamassakumun na_r(u), wa ma_ lakum min du_nilla_hi min auliya_'a summa la_ tunsaru_n(a).
[ asad note 142: la tarkana = incline towards and rely]
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16. Surah al-Nahl
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ
اللّهَ يَأْمُرُ
بِالْعَدْلِ
وَالإِحْسَانِ
وَإِيتَاء ذِي
الْقُرْبَى...
16: 90. Allah commands
- justice,
- the doing of good,
- and liberality to kith and kin,
... وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ...
and He forbids
- all shameful deeds,
- and injustice and rebellion:
... يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٩٠﴾
He instructs you, that ye may receive admonition.
C2127. Justice is a comprehensive term, and may include all the virtues of cold philosophy. But religion asks for something warmer and more human, the doing of good deeds even where perhaps they are not strictly demanded by justice, such as returning good for ill, or obliging those who in worldly language "have no claim" on you; and of course a fortiori the fulfilling of the claims of those whose claims arc recognised in social life.
Similarly the opposites are to be avoided; everything that is recognised as shameful, and everything that is really unjust, and any inward rebellion against Allah's Law or our own conscience in its most sensitive form.
Others version:
16: 90
Asad Behold, God enjoins justice, and the doing of good, and generosity towards [one’s] fellow-man; and He forbids all that is shameful and all that runs counter to reason, as well as envy; [and ] He exhorts you [repeatedly] so that you might bear [all this] in mind.
Pickthall Lo! Allah enjoin justice and kindness, and giving to kinsfolk, and forbid lewdness and abomination and wickedness. He exhort you in order that ye may take heed.
Transliteration Innalla_ha ya'muru bil 'adli wal ihsa_ni wa ita_'i zil qurba_ wa yanha_ 'anil fahsya_'i wal munkari wal bagyi ya'izukum la'allakum tazakkaru_n(a).
[Qurba – near or close ones, relatives, kith and kinsfolk, or even fellow human being ]
[Asad note 109: The term al-munkar rendered by me “that which is wrong”]has here its original meaning of “that which the mind [or the moral sense] rejects”, respectively “ought to reject”. Zamakhshari is more specific, and explains this term as signifying in the above context “that which [men’s] intellects disown” or “declare to be untrue”……..all that runs counter to reason and good sense …….]
55: 8 …never transgress..
55:9 weigh, therefore, (your deeds) with equity, and cut not the measure short!