Islam's response to contemporary world problems (29)

A summary of duties and prohibitions prescribed by the Holy Quran for the sake of a better society.

At the end of the chapter on Social Peace, we present a series of verses from the Holy Qur'an dealing with the issue at hand, which we hope will be of interest to the reader. This compilation of The Quranic verses classified according to themes will compose several of the following instalments.

We have divided these prescriptions of the Holy Quran into DUTIES and PROHIBITIONS, and have grouped these Quranic prescriptions by subject.

DUTIES

Chastity

وَلَا تَقۡرَبُوا الزِّنٰۤی اِنَّہٗ کَانَ فَاحِشَۃً ؕ وَسَآءَ سَبِیۡلا

"Do not approach adultery; indeed, it is an obscenity and an evil way." (17:33)

وَالَّذِیۡنَ ہُمۡ لِفُرُوۡجِہِمۡ حٰفِظُوۡنَ ۙ﴿۶﴾اِلَّا عَلٰۤی اَزۡوَاجِہِمۡ اَوۡ مَا مَلَکَتۡ اَیۡمَانُہُمۡ فَاِنَّہُمۡ غَیۡرُ مَلُوۡمِیۡنَ ۚ﴿۷﴾فَمَنِ ابۡتَغٰی وَرَآءَ ذٰلِکَ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡعٰدُوۡنَ

"And who preserve their chastity. Except with their wives or with what their right hands possess, for then they cannot be blamed. But those who seek anything beyond that will be transgressors" (23:6-8).

قُلۡ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ یَغُضُّوۡا مِنۡ اَبۡصَارِہِمۡ وَیَحۡفَظُوۡا فُرُوۡجَہُمۡ ؕ ذٰلِکَ اَزۡکٰی لَہُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ خَبِیۡرٌۢ بِمَا یَصۡنَعُوۡنَ

"Tell the believing men to beware of their gaze and to guard their private parts. This is the purest thing for them. Verily, Al'lah knows perfectly well what they do" (24:31).

وَلۡیَسۡتَعۡفِفِ الَّذِیۡنَ لَا یَجِدُوۡنَ نِکَاحًا حَتّٰی یُغۡنِیَہُمُ اللّٰہُ مِنۡ فَضۡلِہٖ ؕ

"And those who find no means for marriage, they should keep themselves chaste until Al'lah grants them the means of His magnanimity". (24:34)

وَالۡقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ الّٰتِیۡ لَا یَرۡجُوۡنَ نِکَاحًا فَلَیۡسَ عَلَیۡہِنَّ جُنَاحٌ اَنۡ یَّضَعۡنَ ثِیَابَہُنَّ غَیۡرَ مُتَبَرِّجٰتٍۭ بِزِیۡنَۃٍ ؕ وَاَنۡ یَّسۡتَعۡفِفۡنَ خَیۡرٌ لَّہُنَّ ؕ وَاللّٰہُ سَمِیۡعٌ عَلِیۡمٌ

"As for older women, who have passed the age of marriage, nothing can be reproached if they lay aside their outer garments - though without deliberately showing their charms - but if they prefer to exercise greater caution in guarding their purity, that is even better for them. For Al'lah is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing"(24:61).

وَالَّذِیۡنَ لَا یَدۡعُوۡنَ مَعَ اللّٰہِ اِلٰـہًا اٰخَرَ وَلَا یَقۡتُلُوۡنَ النَّفۡسَ الَّتِیۡ حَرَّمَ اللّٰہُ اِلَّا بِالۡحَقِّ وَلَا یَزۡنُوۡنَ ۚ وَمَنۡ یَّفۡعَلۡ ذٰلِکَ یَلۡقَ اَثَامًا

"And those who do not invoke any other god along with Al'lah, nor kill any person whom Al'lah has forbidden - except for a just cause - nor commit fornication, for whoever does so will receive the punishment of sin." (25:69)

اِنَّ الۡمُسۡلِمِیۡنَ وَالۡمُسۡلِمٰتِ وَالۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ وَالۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ وَالۡقٰنِتِیۡنَ وَالۡقٰنِتٰتِ وَالصّٰدِقِیۡنَ وَالصّٰدِقٰتِ وَالصّٰبِرِیۡنَ وَالصّٰبِرٰتِ وَالۡخٰشِعِیۡنَ وَالۡخٰشِعٰتِ وَالۡمُتَصَدِّقِیۡنَ وَالۡمُتَصَدِّقٰتِ وَالصَّآئِمِیۡنَ وَالصّٰٓئِمٰتِ وَالۡحٰفِظِیۡنَ فُرُوۡجَہُمۡ وَالۡحٰفِظٰتِ وَالذّٰکِرِیۡنَ اللّٰہَ کَثِیۡرًا وَّالذّٰکِرٰتِ ۙ اَعَدَّ اللّٰہُ لَہُمۡ مَّغۡفِرَۃً وَّاَجۡرًا عَظِیۡمًا

"Verily, men who submit to Al'lah and women who submit to Him; believing men and believing women; obedient men and obedient women; truthful men and truthful women; men who persevere in their faith and women who persevere in their faith; humble men and humble women; men who give alms and women who give alms; men who fast and women who fast; men who keep their chastity and women who keep their chastity; men who remember Al'lah much and women who remember Him: for all of them Al'lah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward". (33:36)

وَالَّذِیۡنَ ہُمۡ لِفُرُوۡجِہِمۡ حٰفِظُوۡنَ ﴿ۙ۳۰﴾لَّا عَلٰۤی اَزۡوَاجِہِمۡ اَوۡ مَا مَلَکَتۡ اَیۡمَانُہُمۡ فَاِنَّہُمۡ غَیۡرُ مَلُوۡمِیۡنَ ﴿ۚ۳۱﴾فَمَنِ ابۡتَغٰی وَرَآءَ ذٰلِکَ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡعٰدُوۡنَ

"And those who keep their private parts. Except from their wives and from those who possess their right hands. For them, indeed, there is no blame. But those who attempt to go beyond this, they are the transgressors." (70:30-32)
 
Cleansing

وَیَسۡـَٔلُوۡنَکَ عَنِ الۡمَحِیۡضِ ؕ قُلۡ ہُوَ اَذًی ۙ فَاعۡتَزِلُوا النِّسَآءَ فِی الۡمَحِیۡضِ ۙ وَلَا تَقۡرَبُوۡہُنَّ حَتّٰی یَطۡہُرۡنَ ۚ فَاِذَا تَطَہَّرۡنَ فَاۡتُوۡہُنَّ مِنۡ حَیۡثُ اَمَرَکُمُ اللّٰہُ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ یُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِیۡنَ وَیُحِبُّ الۡمُتَطَہِّرِیۡنَ

"And they ask you about menstruation. Say to them: 'It is an indisposition, so you should keep away from women during menstruation, and not cohabit with them until they are clean. But when they have purified themselves, approach them as Al'lah has commanded you. Al'lah loves those who turn to Him, and He loves those who keep themselves clean". (2:223)

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَقۡرَبُوا الصَّلٰوۃَ وَاَنۡتُمۡ سُکٰرٰی حَتّٰی تَعۡلَمُوۡا مَا تَقُوۡلُوۡنَ وَلَا جُنُبًا اِلَّا عَابِرِیۡ سَبِیۡلٍ حَتّٰی تَغۡتَسِلُوۡا ؕ وَاِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ مَّرۡضٰۤی اَوۡ عَلٰی سَفَرٍ اَوۡ جَآءَ اَحَدٌ مِّنۡکُمۡ مِّنَ الۡغَآئِطِ اَوۡ لٰمَسۡتُمُ النِّسَآءَ فَلَمۡ تَجِدُوۡا مَآءً فَتَیَمَّمُوۡا صَعِیۡدًا طَیِّبًا فَامۡسَحُوۡا بِوُجُوۡہِکُمۡ وَاَیۡدِیۡکُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ کَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُوۡرًا

"O you who believe!, do not approach the Prayer with a confused mind until you know clearly what you are saying; nor when you are unclean, unless you are on a journey, until you bathe. But if you are sick, or on a journey, and are not clean, or if you have just relieved yourselves, or have cohabited with your wives, and find no water, then resort to the pure sand, and rub your face and hands with it. Verily, Al'lah is the Most Forgiving, the Pardoner." (4:44)

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِذَا قُمۡتُمۡ اِلَی الصَّلٰوۃِ فَاغۡسِلُوۡا وُجُوۡہَکُمۡ وَاَیۡدِیَکُمۡ اِلَی الۡمَرَافِقِ وَامۡسَحُوۡا بِرُءُوۡسِکُمۡ وَاَرۡجُلَکُمۡ اِلَی الۡکَعۡبَیۡنِ ؕ وَاِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ جُنُبًا فَاطَّہَّرُوۡا ؕ وَاِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ مَّرۡضٰۤی اَوۡ عَلٰی سَفَرٍ اَوۡ جَآءَ اَحَدٌ مِّنۡکُمۡ مِّنَ الۡغَآئِطِ اَوۡ لٰمَسۡتُمُ النِّسَآءَ فَلَمۡ تَجِدُوۡا مَآءً فَتَیَمَّمُوۡا صَعِیۡدًا طَیِّبًا فَامۡسَحُوۡا بِوُجُوۡہِکُمۡ وَاَیۡدِیۡکُمۡ مِّنۡہُ ؕ مَا یُرِیۡدُ اللّٰہُ لِیَجۡعَلَ عَلَیۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ حَرَجٍ وَّلٰکِنۡ یُّرِیۡدُ لِیُطَہِّرَکُمۡ وَلِیُتِمَّ نِعۡمَتَہٗ عَلَیۡکُمۡ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تَشۡکُرُوۡنَ

"O you who believe! When you go to perform the Prayer, wash your faces and hands up to the elbows; rub your heads with wet hands and wash your feet up to the ankles. And if you are impure, purify yourselves with a bath. And if you are sick, or on a journey in an impure state, or one of you comes out of the toilet, or you have touched women, and you cannot find water, then resort to pure sand, and rub your face and hands with it. Al'lah does not wish to impose any hardship on you, but He wishes to purify you and to complete His grace upon you that you may be grateful."  (5:7)

ثُمَّ لۡیَقۡضُوۡا تَفَثَہُمۡ وَلۡیُوۡفُوۡا نُذُوۡرَہُمۡ وَلۡیَطَّوَّفُوۡا بِالۡبَیۡتِ الۡعَتِیۡقِ

"Let them then complete the task of cleansing themselves, fulfil their vows, and circle around the Old House". (22:30)

وَثِیَابَکَ فَطَہِّرۡ ۪﴿ۙ۵﴾وَالرُّجۡزَ فَاہۡجُرۡ

"Purify your clothing. Avoid impurity". (74:5-6)

Anger management

الَّذِیۡنَ یُنۡفِقُوۡنَ فِی السَّرَّآءِ وَالضَّرَّآءِ وَالۡکٰظِمِیۡنَ الۡغَیۡظَ وَالۡعَافِیۡنَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ؕ وَاللّٰہُ یُحِبُّ الۡمُحۡسِنِیۡنَ

"Those who spend in prosperity and in adversity, and those who restrain their anger and forgive men; for Al'lah loves those who do good." (3:135)

Cooperation

وَلَا یَجۡرِمَنَّکُمۡ شَنَاٰنُ قَوۡمٍ اَنۡ صَدُّوۡکُمۡ عَنِ الۡمَسۡجِدِ الۡحَرَامِ اَنۡ تَعۡتَدُوۡا ۘ وَتَعَاوَنُوۡا عَلَی الۡبِرِّ وَالتَّقۡوٰی ۪ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوۡا عَلَی الۡاِثۡمِ وَالۡعُدۡوَانِ ۪ وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ شَدِیۡدُ الۡعِقَابِ

"And do not let the enmity of a people who hindered you from entering the Sacred Mosque incite you to transgress. Rather help one another in virtue and piety, but not in sin and transgression. And fear Al'lah; verily, Al'lah is severe in punishment." (5:3)

Forgiveness

وَدَّ کَثِیۡرٌ مِّنۡ اَہۡلِ الۡکِتٰبِ لَوۡ یَرُدُّوۡنَکُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ اِیۡمَانِکُمۡ کُفَّارًا ۚۖ حَسَدًا مِّنۡ عِنۡدِ اَنۡفُسِہِمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَیَّنَ لَہُمُ الۡحَقُّ ۚ فَاعۡفُوۡا وَاصۡفَحُوۡا حَتّٰی یَاۡتِیَ اللّٰہُ بِاَمۡرِہٖ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ قَدِیۡرٌ

"Many of the People of the Book would wish, out of the sheer envy of their souls, to turn you into disbelievers after you have believed, after the truth has been made clear to them. But forgive them and turn away from them, until Al'lah brings His decree. Verily, Al'lah has the power to do whatsoever He pleases". (2:110)

الَّذِیۡنَ یُنۡفِقُوۡنَ فِی السَّرَّآءِ وَالضَّرَّآءِ وَالۡکٰظِمِیۡنَ الۡغَیۡظَ وَالۡعَافِیۡنَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ؕ وَاللّٰہُ یُحِبُّ الۡمُحۡسِنِیۡنَ

"Those who spend in prosperity and in adversity, and those who restrain their anger and forgive men; for Al'lah loves those who do good" (3:135).

فَبِمَا رَحۡمَۃٍ مِّنَ اللّٰہِ لِنۡتَ لَہُمۡ ۚ وَلَوۡ کُنۡتَ فَظًّا غَلِیۡظَ الۡقَلۡبِ لَانۡفَضُّوۡا مِنۡ حَوۡلِکَ ۪ فَاعۡفُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَاسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَہُمۡ وَشَاوِرۡہُمۡ فِی الۡاَمۡرِ ۚ فَاِذَا عَزَمۡتَ فَتَوَکَّلۡ عَلَی اللّٰہِ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ یُحِبُّ الۡمُتَوَکِّلِیۡنَ

"And by the great mercy of Al'lah you have been kind to them; for if you had been rigorous and hard-hearted, they would certainly have turned away from you. Forgive them, then; ask forgiveness for them and consult them in important matters; and when you are determined, put your trust in Al'lah. Verily, Al'lah loves him who puts his trust in Him" (3:160).

اِنۡ تُبۡدُوۡا خَیۡرًا اَوۡ تُخۡفُوۡہُ اَوۡ تَعۡفُوۡا عَنۡ سُوۡٓءٍ فَاِنَّ اللّٰہَ کَانَ عَفُوًّا قَدِیۡرًا  

"Whether you make manifest or conceal a good deed, or whether you forgive evil, know that Al'lah is indeed the Forgiver of sins and He is Omnipotent." (4:150)
(To be continued in instalment 30).
 
 
The Ahmadi Khalifa, the Fifth Khalifa, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masrur Ahmad, addresses the London Mosque in a Friday sermon in a month-long Ramadan speech advising the Ahmadi community on what we should do and what we should not do.