The Society

Serve God and do not associate with Him anything; and be good to parents and to kindred , orphans , needy, neighbor who is of kin, neighbour who is a stranger, companion by the side, traveller, and those whom your right hands own. (4:36)

In his social life, man deals with his parents, wife, children, relatives, neighbours, traveller’s, friends, orphans, servants, strangers etc. His first problem, therefore, will be how to live amicably with other men. These are daily problems, more common and more important than economic or political issues which are the subjects for the specialists. The Quran , therefore, deals with them in detail, so that people may easily know them and live in peace.

Thy Lord has decreed that you shall not serve any but Him, and be good to parents. When one or both of them attain old age with thee, say not to them ‘fie’, nor scold them, but speak to them respectful words. And lower to them the wings of humbleness out of mercy and say, ‘my Lord, have mercy on them as they brought me up in childhood.’ Your Lord very well knows what is in your souls; if you are righteous, then He is surely forgiving to those who turn to Him.

And give the kinsman his due, and also to the needy and the traveller, and never squander. The squanderers are surely the brothers of the Devil, and the Devil is unthankful to his Lord. And if thou hast to turn from them seeking mercy of thy Lord, speak to them gentle words. And keep not thy hand chained to thy neck, nor outspread it to the utmost, or thou wilt sit reproached and denuded. It is thy Lord who outspends and straitens the provision for whom He will; He is surely aware of and sees His servants.

And kill not your children for fear of poverty; it is We Who provide for them and also for you; their killing is surely a great sin.

And approach not fornication; it is surely an indecency; and it is an evil way.

And kill not the soul God has forbidden except by right; and whoso is killed unjustly, We have given authority to his next-of-kin; but let him not exceed limits in killing; he is helped.

And approach not the property of the orphan except in a manner that is most handsome, till he attains his maturity.

And fulfil the covenant; the covenant shall surely be questioned of.

And fill up the measure when you measure and weigh with the straight balance; that is beneficent and best in result.

And pursue not that thou hast no knowledge of; the ears, the eyes and the hearts, all these shall be questioned of about it.

And walk not on earth exultantly; for thou wilt never tear the earth open, nor attain the mountains in height.

The evil of all these is hateful in the sight of thy Lord.

This is of the wisdom that thy Lord has revealed to thee, so take not with God another god, or thou wilt be cast in Hell, reproached and rejected. (17:23-39)

 

Family

Family, linked by the force of love, makes the basic unit of society, created by nature itself. A man’s happiness depends more on the well-being of his family than anything else. Preference of blood relations over others is, therefore, accepted by the Quran as an established fact. The rights of inheritance of property are held by them alone.

 

Those bound by blood are closer to one another in the Book of God than Believers and Emigrants, except that you act towards your friends in a desirable way. (33:6)

However, this basic unit, like the units of any organism or machinery, has no right to be hostile to other units of human society. Instead, it should live in harmony with them so that humanity at large not only becomes a well-knit political and economic whole, but a brotherhood in the real sense also.

 

Marriage

The family starts with marriage. It gives comfort to man and protection and food to the wife and children. It brings nearer the families to which the man and the woman belong, and thus on a broader front the whole world. Without marriage, there would have been no families and no love in the world; children would have perished and women would have been miserable and compelled to earn living for them and their children---a task beyond their capacity. The world would then be a real hell Islam, therefore, encourages to marriage. Slaves, divorcees and widows all are encouraged to marry. Prostitution is banned. The poor are asked to abstain till they can afford to marry.

Marry the spouseless among you and also your righteous slaves and hand-maidens; if they are poor, God will enrich them out of His bounty; God is Resourceful, Knowing. And let those who do not find the means to marry, live in continence till God enriches them out of His bounty. (24:32-33)

Constrain not your slave girls to prostitution, if they desire to live chaste, that you may seek the chance goods of the worldly life. (24:33)

When you divorce women, and they have reached their term, do not prevent them form marrying their husbands, when they agree together desirably. (2:232)

Those of you who die and leave wives, they shall wait for four months and ten days; then, when they have reached their term, there is no blame on you in what they do with themselves in a desirable way. (2:234)

 

No Fornication, No Indecency

Islam makes the marriage a compulsory and a sacred institution and bans all sexual intercourse outside the marriage. The offenders are to be punished with 100 stripes in public.

The fornicatress and the fornicator, flog each one of them a hundred stripes, and let pity for them not hold you in (implementing) the religion of God, if you believe in God and the Last Day, and let a group of the Believers witness their punishment. (24:2)

The fornicator does not marry but a fornicatress or an idolatress; and the fornicatress, none marries her but a fornicator or and idolater; this is forbidden to the Believers (24:3)

Those of your women who commit indecency, call to witness four of you against them, and if they bear witness confine them in the houses till death takes them or God opens for them a way. And the two of you who commit it, give hurt to them; then if they repent and reform, turn aside from them; God is surely All-Returning, Merciful. (4:15-16)

Those women whose aversion you fear, admonish them, and leave them alone in their beds, and beat them; then if they obey you, seek not a way against them; God is surely High, Great. (4:34)

Those who love that indecency should spread among the Believers shall have a painful punishment in this world and in the Hereafter; and God knows but you don not know. (24:19)

 

Whom to Marry

Marriage is the biggest uniting factor among human beings. The Quran, therefore, permits marriage between any man and woman, with a few essential exceptions, like near blood relations and idolaters.

Forbidden to you are your mothers, your daughters, your aunts paternal, your aunts maternal, brothers’ daughters, sisters’ daughters, your mothers who have given suck to you, your suckling sisters, your wives’ mothers, your step-daughters who are in your care being born of your wives you have gone in to, but if you have not gone into, then there is no blame on you, and the spouses of your sons who are of your loins, and that you take to you two sisters together unless it be a thing of the past --- and wedded women save what your right hands own; it is a duty from God upon you; lawful to you are all beyond that, if you seek with your wealth in wedlock, not for lust. (4:23-24)

Do not marry women that your fathers married, unless it be a thing of the past. (4:22)

Those of you who have not the affluence to marry Believing free women, let them marry Believing hand- maids that your hands own; and God knows very well your faith; you are from one another, so marry them with their people’s leave. (4:25)

This day, all good things are permitted to you, and the food of those who were given the Book is permitted to you and your food is permitted to them, and free women out of Believers and free women out of those who were given the Book before you. (5:5)

O Believers, when Believing women come to you as emigrants, test them; God knows very well their belief. Then, if you know them to be Believers, do not return them to the unbelievers; they are not lawful to them, nor are the unbelievers lawful to them; and give them what they have expended. And there is no blame on you if you marry them when you pay them their dowries. And do not hold the ties of unbelieving women and ask for what you have expended and let them ask what they have expended. (60:10)

Do not marry idolatresses until they believe; a Believing slave girl is better than an idolatress, how marvelous she may appear to you; and do not give in marriage to idolaters until they believe; a Believing slave is better than an idolater, how marvelous he may appear to you. They call to the Fire, and God calls to Paradise and forgiveness by His leave. (2:221)

 

Dowries to be Given

Give the women their dowries as free gift; then if they, of their own, offer you a part of it, consume it with wholesome appetite. (4:4)

If you divorce them before you have touched them, but you have prescribed (dowry) for them, then half of what you have prescribed, except that they forgo or he in whose hand is the knot of the marriage forgoes; and if you forgo, it is nearer to piety. (2:237)

 

Sexes Separated

There is no bigger attraction in the world than between the sexes. None can claim to remain unaffected from its influences. To save man from falling prey to its temptations, to safeguard the seed and family, and to limit sexual relations to marriage effectively, Islam gave orders that sexes shall be separated as far as it was compatible with work. Women might join in war and other calamities, but routine mixing is forbidden. Distance must be kept in all cases.

Say to the Believers to lower their eyes and guard their private parts; and say to the Believing women to lower their eyes, to guard their private parts and not to show their adornment, except what is apparent, and let them draw their scarves over their bosoms and not show their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, what their right hands own, attendants without desire, or the boys who do not appreciate the privacies of women – and not to take out the step in a way that their hidden adornment becomes known; and turn to God, all of you, O Believers, that you may prosper. (24:30-31)

Such women of past age who have no hope of marriage, there is no blame on them if they put off their gowns without displaying adornment; but if they abstain, it is better for them. (24:60)

O Believers, do not enter houses other than your own until you first ask permission and salute the people thereof; that is better for you; may be you pay heed. And if you find none there do not enter them till you are permitted. And if it is said to you, ‘return,’ then return; that is purer for you; and God knows what you do. There is no blame on you if you enter uninhabited houses wherein is you baggage; and God knows what you show and what you hide. (24:27-29)

O Believers, let those whom your right hands own and those of you who have not reached puberty ask your permission three times - before the Morning-Prayer, and when you put off your garments at midday and after the Evening - Prayer; they are three times of privacy for you. (24:58)

O Prophet, tell thy wives and thy daughters and women of the Believers that they draw their veil close to them; this way it is likelier that they may be identified and not hurt. (33:59)

 

PLOYGAMY

To protect the naturally weak and dependent women and children, Islam permits PLOYGAMY with strict orders of justice to all wives. It is essentially meant to rehabilitate women who become surplus in war or by over-production. No student of nature can deny the usefulness of this provision. A woman has no asylum except man’s home. By her nature, she does not mind marrying an already married man. Moreover, human species is polygamous by nature. A society which believes in chastity, nay, integrity of family, must permit polygamy to protect women and to save them from being let loose on the streets or hiding places, selling their bodies to the dirtiest men on earth, only to fill their bellies.

If you fear that you will not act justly towards the orphans, marry such women as seem pleasing to you, two, three, four; but if you fear that you will not be equitable to them, then only one or what your right hands own. (4:3)

You will not be able to be equitable between your wives, how eager you may be, yet do not incline altogether that you leave her as suspended. (4:129)

 

Divorce

When, after making all efforts, a husband and a wife are unable to love and live together and, if not rescued, are likely to fall prey to a sinful and miserable life, Islam permits separation as a last resort. Its intentions to keep the family intact may be seen from the checks it provides to stop separation. The Quranic instructions on the subject are as under:

For those who forswear their women is a waiting time of four months; then if they revert, God is Forgiving, Merciful. And if they resolve on divorce, then God is Hearing, Knowing. (2:226-227)

Divorced women shall wait themselves for three periods. (2:228)

Their husbands have better right to take them back during this time, if they desire to reform. (2:228)

But if they separate, God will suffice each from His resources; God is Resourceful, Wise. (4:130)

If you fear a break between the two, then appoint a judge from his people and a judge from her people’ if they desire reformation, God will affect harmony between them; God is Knowing, Aware. (4:35)

O Prophet, when you people divorce women, divorce them for their period and count the period, and fear God, your Lord. Do not expel them from their homes, nor should they go forth, except when they commit a flagrant indecency. (65:1)

The divorce is twice; then retain her desirably or let her off with kindness. (2:229)

If he divorce her (finally), she shall not be lawful to him after that, until she marries a husband other than he; if he also divorces her, there is no blame on them if they return to each other. (2:230)

Those of your women who have despaired of menstruation, their period, if you are in doubt, shall be three months, and same is for those who have not yet menstruated; and the pregnant, their term is that they lay down their burden. (65:4)

O Believers, when you marry Believing women and divorce them before you have touched them, you have no period to reckon against them. (33:49)

 

Suckling and Weaning

Mothers shall suckle their children for two complete years, for him as desires to complete the suckling; upon his father shall be their feeding and clothing according to good usage; no soul shall be charged but to its capacity; a mother shall not be made to suffer for her child, nor his father for his child, and the heir shall have a duty similar to that. But if the two desire to wean by mutual consent and consultation, there is no blame on them. But if you desire to seek nursing for your children, there is no blame on you, provided you hand over what you give according to good usage; and fear God, and know that God sees what you do. (2:233)

 

Man versus Woman

Islam gives the same rights to woman as to man except that it accepts man’s status a rank above. Woman is physically weak and needs protection. She has no time to earn her living. Her main purpose in life is to continue the human race by not only producing it but by rearing it under her tender care.

The Quran recognizes this natural fact and is not led away by foolish talks of equality, which has only brought the woman on the stage as an instrument of pleasure for the animal hidden in the male partner.

Women have (rights) similar to what (obligations) are upon them according to good usage, but men have a rank above them. (2:228)

Men stand above women, as God has exalted one above the other, and as they expend of their wealth. (4:34)

Your women are a tillage for you. (2:223)

They ask thee about monthly course. Say, ‘it is a hurt, so go apart from women during monthly course, and do not approach them until they are clean.’ (2:222)

O Believers, it is not lawful for you that you inherit women against will; and do not debar them that you may go off with some of what you have given them, except when they commit a flagrant indecency; and consort with them desirably. And if you desire to change a wife in place of another, and you have given to one of them a heap of gold, take of it nothing. Will you take it by calumny and manifest sin. (4:19-20)

 

Parents

Parents gave you birth and looked after you in your helpless age. You must respect them and obey them except when they try to take you away from God.

Be thankful to Me and to thy parents_ and if they strive with thee to make thee assign associates with Me whereof thou hast no knowledge, do not obey them, but keep company with them desirably. (31:14-15)

 

Orphans

The orphans may be rich or poor but, being young, helpless and unattended, they need special attention. Their property is theirs and is to be guarded by elders.

They ask thee concerning the orphans. Say, ‘their reform is good; and if you mix with them, they are your brothers.’ (2:220)

Give the orphans their property and exchange not the defective with the good, and consume not their property along with your property; which God has assigned to you to manage; and feed them with it and clothe them, and talk to them desirable words. And test the orphans till they reach the marriage age; then if you perceive in them right understanding, deliver their property to them. And consume it not wastefully and hastily, lest they should grow. And whoso is rich should abstain, and whoso is poor should consume desirably. Then, when you deliver them their property, take witnesses over it and God suffices for a reckoner…Those who devour orphans’ property wrongly, they devour only Fire in their belies; and they will soon enter a Blaze. (4:2,5,6,10)

 

Widows

Those of you who die and leave behind wives should make for their wives a testament – provision for a year without expulsion ; and if they go forth, there is no blame on you in what they do for themselves in some desirable way. (2:240)

 

Speech

Tell My servants to speaks to speak what is handsome, for the Devil provokes discord between them. (17:53)

Do not confound the truth with falsehood, and do not conceal the truth. (2:42)

When you speak, be just, even if it should be a near kinsman. (6:152)

O Believers, fear God and speak firm and to the point, He will reform your actions for you, and forgive you your sins. (33:70-71)

O Believers, why do you say what you do not do. (61:2)

O Believers, let not any people scoff at another people; maybe that they are better than they. (49:11)

Do not find fault with one another, nor call one another by nicknames. (49:11)

O Believers, avoid many of the guesses, for some guesses are sins. And do not spy, nor backbite one another; does anyone of you wish to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. (49:12)

God does not like speaking aloud of evil words, except by him who has been wronged; and God is Hearing, Knowing. If you do good openly or in secret, or pardon evil, God is Pardoning and Powerful. (4:148-149)

O Believers, if a transgressor brings you a news, make it clear lest you afflict a people in ignorance, and feel ashamed on what you have done. (49:6)

O Believers, do not raise your voices above the Prophet’s voice, and do not be loud in your speech to him as you are loud with each other, lest your deeds are wasted and you do not appreciate. (49:2)

Those who call thee from outside the apartments, most of them understand not. Had they been patient, till thou comest out to them, it would have been better for them; and God is Forgiving, Merciful. (49:4-5)

He has sent down to you in the Book that when you hear Signs of God being disbelieved and ridiculed, do not sit with them till they are involved in some other talk, for in that case, you shall be like them. (4:140)

 

Recommend Good Things

Whoso makes a good intercession, he will have a share in it, and whoso makes an evil intercession, he will have the like of it. (4:85)

 

Greetings

When you are greeted with a greeting, greet with one better than it, or return it; God surely keeps account of everything. (4:86)

 

Calumny

Whoso earns a fault or a sin, then casts it upon one innocent, he carries on him a calumny and a clear sin. (4:112)

 

Irresponsible Talk Punishable

Words have great influence on making or marring human relations. Irresponsible persons are to be punished to keep them under control.

Those of you who declare their wives as their mothers, they are not their mothers; their mothers are only those who gave them birth; they surely speak dejected and false words; yet God is Pardoning and Forgiving. Those who declare their wives as their mothers, then retract from what they said, shall set free a slave before they touch each other; by this you are admonished, and God is aware of what you do. And whoso finds not this, let him fast for two successive months before they touch each other; and whoso is unable to do it, let him feed sixty poor persons – that is so that you believe in God and His Messenger. These are God’s bounds, and the unbelievers will have a painful punishment. (58:2-4)

 

Oaths

Seriously made bonds on oaths are answerable. However, they cannot be used for evil purposes.

Do not make God a hindrance through your oaths, that you be virtuous, godfearing or put things right between men, for God is Hearing, Knowing. God will not take you to task for vain in your oaths, but He will take you to task for what your hearts earn; and God is Forgiving, Forbearing. (2:224-225)

God will not take you to task for vain in your oaths, but He will take you to task for bonds you make on oaths; its expiation is to feed ten needy with the average of what you feed your family or their clothes or the freeing of a neck; and whoso does not find it, shall fast for three days; that is the expiation of your oaths when you swear – guard your oaths. (5:89)

 

Manners

Turn not thy cheek away from men, nor walk on earth exultantly; God loves not any man proud and boastful. And be modest in thy walk and keep thy voice low; the most hideous of voices is the voice of the ass. (31:18-19)

The servants of the All-Merciful are those who walk on the earth modestly and who, when the ignorant address them, say ‘peace’. (25:63)

 

Enmity

The recompense of evil, is a like evil; but if any forgives and reforms, his wage falls upon God. (42:40)

 

Dress

O mankind, We have sent down to you clothing to cover your shame and for adornment ; and the clothing of piety is the best; take your adornment at every place of worship, and eat and drink but be not prodigal. (7:26,31)

 

All Clean Food Permissible

O mankind, eat of what is in the earth lawful and clean and follow not the steps of the Devil; he is an open enemy to you. (2:168)

Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, flesh of swine, that over which name of other than God is invoked, the strangled, the beaten down, that fallen to death, the gored, and that devoured by beasts of prey --- except what you have duly slaughtered---that sacrificed on altars, and that you draw lots by divining arrows. (5:3)

Eat not of that on which God’s name has not been mentioned for it is a transgression. (6:121)

O Believers, make not unlawful the good things that God has made lawful for you. (5:87)

This day, all good things are made lawful to you. (5:5)

 

Where to Eat

Normally one must live at his own, but one is permitted to eat at his relatives and friends. The blind, the lame and the sick may ask for food from anybody.

There is no blame on the blind, nor on the lame, nor on the sick, nor on yourself, that you eat at your houses, or your fathers’ houses, or your mothers’ houses, or your brothers’ houses, or your sisters’ houses, or your paternal uncles’ houses, or your paternal aunts’ houses, or your maternal uncles’ houses, or your maternal aunts’ houses, or (at houses) whose keys you hold, or at your friends; there is no blame on you if eat together or separately. (24:61)

 

Alcohol and Gambling

O Believers, wine, gambling, altars and divining arrows are only an abomination of the Devil’s work; avoid them that you may prosper. The Devil only desires to precipitate enmity and hatred between you through wine and gambling, and hinder you from God’s remembrance and from the Prayer. Will you now desist? (5:90-91)

 

Decorations

Say, ‘who has made unlawful the adornments of God and good provisions that He has brought forth for His servants?’ Say, ‘they are for the Believers in the life of this world and (will be theirs) exclusively on the Day of Resurrection.’ Thus do We explain Our Signs to a people who have knowledge. Say, ‘my Lord has made unlawful only indecencies, open or hidden, and sin and rebellion without right, and that you associate with God that for which God has not sent down authority, and that you say concerning God what you do not know.’ (7:32-33)

 

Idle Non-sense

When they hear idle talk, they turn away from it and say, ‘for us are our deeds and for you your deeds; peace be upon you; we do not seek for the ignorant.’ (28:55)

 

Thankfulness

We gave Lokman wisdom---‘give thanks to God, for whoso gives thanks, gives thanks only for himself.’ (31:12)

 

The Holy Quran Society