Although there are other verses in the Qur’an revealing clear commandments, our sources also tell us that in the following verses 23-40 from Surah 17 deal with instructions of theoretical, practical, and logical doctrine covering ethical, domestic, social and economic aspects of human life. Aayat 39 is revealed as a source of wisdom repeating the principle of Faith in Tawhid.

Although I will give you about this passage some hints, I would like you to take this passage as a homework for you to sit individually or with your family. You will be happily surprised and will feel good at the wisdom these verses will inspire. These verses are a source of great wisdom revealed to Rasul Allah (S) for mankind.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَـٰنًا‌ۚ إِمَّا يَبۡلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلۡڪِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوۡ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ۬ وَلَا تَنۡہَرۡهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوۡلاً۬ ڪَرِيمً۬ا

Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. (17:23)

وَٱخۡفِضۡ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحۡمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرۡحَمۡهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرً۬ا

And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: “My Lord! bestow on them Thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.” (17:24)

رَّبُّكُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا فِى نُفُوسِكُمۡ‌ۚ إِن تَكُونُواْ صَـٰلِحِينَ فَإِنَّهُ ڪَانَ لِلۡأَوَّٲبِينَ غَفُورً۬ا

Your Lord knoweth best what is in your hearts: if ye do deeds of righteousness, verily He is Most Forgiving to those who turn to Him again and again (in true penitence). (17:25)

Our sources tell us that verses 23,24 and 25 to note the highest rank Islam gives to obedience to parents, which is next only to Allah. This is particular to Islam. See “The Holy Qur’an” by S.V. Mir Ahmed Ali. See pages 894.

With the following verses, please continue to read from our above source pages 894-900.

وَءَاتِ ذَا ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ حَقَّهُ وَٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرۡ تَبۡذِيرًا

And render to the kindred their due rights, as (also) to those in want and to the wayfarer: but squander not (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift. (17:26)

إِنَّ ٱلۡمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوٓاْ إِخۡوَٲنَ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينِ‌ۖ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ لِرَبِّهِۦ كَفُورً۬ا

Verily spendthrifts are brothers of the Evil Ones; and the Evil One is to his Lord (Himself) ungrateful. (17:27)

وَإِمَّا تُعۡرِضَنَّ عَنۡہُمُ ٱبۡتِغَآءَ رَحۡمَةٍ۬ مِّن رَّبِّكَ تَرۡجُوهَا فَقُل لَّهُمۡ قَوۡلاً۬ مَّيۡسُورً۬ا

And even if thou hast to turn away from them in pursuit of the Mercy from thy Lord which thou dost expect yet speak to them a word of easy kindness. (17:28)

وَلَا تَجۡعَلۡ يَدَكَ مَغۡلُولَةً إِلَىٰ عُنُقِكَ وَلَا تَبۡسُطۡهَا كُلَّ ٱلۡبَسۡطِ فَتَقۡعُدَ مَلُومً۬ا مَّحۡسُورًا

Make not thy hand tied (like a niggard’s) to thy neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that thou become blameworthy and destitute. (17:29)

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرَۢا بَصِيرً۬ا

Verily thy Lord doth provide sustenance in abundance for whom He pleaseth, and He provideth in a just measure: for He doth know and regard all His servants. (17:30)

وَلَا تَقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَوۡلَـٰدَكُمۡ خَشۡيَةَ إِمۡلَـٰقٍ۬‌ۖ نَّحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُهُمۡ وَإِيَّاكُمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ قَتۡلَهُمۡ ڪَانَ خِطۡـًٔ۬ا كَبِيرً۬ا

Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide, sustenance for them as well as for you: verily the killing of them is a great sin. (17:31)

وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلزِّنَىٰٓ‌ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَـٰحِشَةً۬ وَسَآءَ سَبِيلاً۬

Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils). (17:32)

وَلَا تَقۡتُلُواْ ٱلنَّفۡسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۗ وَمَن قُتِلَ مَظۡلُومً۬ا فَقَدۡ جَعَلۡنَا لِوَلِيِّهِۦ سُلۡطَـٰنً۬ا فَلَا يُسۡرِف فِّى ٱلۡقَتۡلِ‌ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مَنصُورً۬ا

Nor take life which Allah has made sacred except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully We have given his heir authority (to demand Qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life: for he is helped (by the Law). (17:33)

وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ مَالَ ٱلۡيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحۡسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبۡلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ ‌ۚ وَأَوۡفُواْ بِٱلۡعَهۡدِ‌ۖ إِنَّ ٱلۡعَهۡدَ كَانَ مَسۡـُٔولاً۬

Come not nigh to the orphan’s property except to improve it until he attains the age of full strength; and fulfil (every) engagement, for (every) engagement will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning). (17:34)

وَأَوۡفُواْ ٱلۡكَيۡلَ إِذَا كِلۡتُمۡ وَزِنُواْ بِٱلۡقِسۡطَاسِ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمِ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ خَيۡرٌ۬ وَأَحۡسَنُ تَأۡوِيلاً۬

Give full measure when ye measure, and weigh with a balance that is straight: that is the most fitting and the most advantageous in the final determination. (17:35)

وَلَا تَقۡفُ مَا لَيۡسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمٌ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَٱلۡبَصَرَ وَٱلۡفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ كَانَ عَنۡهُ مَسۡـُٔولاً۬

And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge; for every act of hearing, or of seeing or of (feeling in) will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning). (17:36)

وَلَا تَمۡشِ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَرَحًا‌ۖ إِنَّكَ لَن تَخۡرِقَ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَلَن تَبۡلُغَ ٱلۡجِبَالَ طُولاً۬

Nor walk on the earth with insolence: for thou canst not rend the earth asunder, nor reach the mountains in height. (17:37)

كُلُّ ذَٲلِكَ كَانَ سَيِّئُهُ عِندَ رَبِّكَ مَكۡرُوهً۬ا

Of all such things the evil is hateful in the sight of thy Lord. (17:38)

ذَٲلِكَ مِمَّآ أَوۡحَىٰٓ إِلَيۡكَ رَبُّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ‌ۗ وَلَا تَجۡعَلۡ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتُلۡقَىٰ فِى جَهَنَّمَ مَلُومً۬ا مَّدۡحُورًا

These are among the (precepts of) wisdom which thy Lord has revealed to thee. Take not with Allah another object of worship, lest thou should be thrown into Hell, blameworthy and rejected. (17:39)

أَفَأَصۡفَٮٰكُمۡ رَبُّڪُم بِٱلۡبَنِينَ وَٱتَّخَذَ مِنَ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِنَـٰثًا‌ۚ إِنَّكُمۡ لَتَقُولُونَ قَوۡلاً عَظِيمً۬ا

Has then your Lord (O Pagans!) preferred for you sons and taken for Himself daughters among the angels? Truly ye utter a most dreadful saying! (17:40).