The Qur’ān (16:90) states: “Allah enjoins justice, kindness (to all), and generosity to one’s kindred; and He forbids all that is shameful, all reprehensible conduct and aggression. He admonishes you so that you may take heed.”
According to Abdullah ibn Masud, this is the most comprehensive ayah of the Qur’ān where the essence of the entire range of Islamic teachings has been condensed into a few words. Therefore, the practice of reciting this ayah at the end of the special address (Khutbah) of Friday Prayer and the two Eids continues from the blessed period of the most righteous elders up to this day.
There is the case of another Companion (Sahabi), Aktham ibn al-Saifi. He actually embraced Islam on the basis of this very ayah. When he heard the ayah under reference, he promptly said: ‘This tells us that He bids morals which are high and forbids morals which are low. Let all of you embrace His religion as soon as possible so that you stay ahead of other people, and not lag behind as camp followers.’ (Ibn Kathir)
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited this ayah before Walid ibn Mughirah, he went to report his impression before his people, the Quraish of Makkah, in the following words: ‘By God, in it, there is a special sweetness and, above it there is a unique halo of light, and leaves are going to sprout out from its roots and fruits are going to show up on its branches – and this can never be the speech of any human being’.
Allah, the Exalted, bids three things in this ayah; (1) To do justice, (2) to be good, and, (3) to give relatives (their due). Then, He forbids three things; (1) Shameful acts, (2) evil deeds, and, (3) transgression.
The Qur’ān, has been revealed in order to bring a nation into existence, and to regulate it and to perfect the social order on the bases of truth and justice. It presents a worldview for mankind, which does not allow any special allegiance to tribe, nation or race. Faith is the only bond that unites a community. It puts forward the principles that ensure unity within the community, security and reassurance for individuals, groups, nations and states, as well as complete trust that governs all transactions, pledges and promises. It requires that justice should be established and maintained, because justice ensures a solid and constant basis for all transactions and deals between individuals and communities; a criterion devoid of prejudice, preference or favouritism; a standard influenced by no family relationship, wealth or strength; and a benchmark that ensures equal treatment for all and subjects all to the same standards and laws.
According to a saying of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ: “There is no sin, except injustice, the retaliation against which and the punishment for which comes so quickly.” From this we learn that the ultimate severe punishment for injustice due in the hereafter has to come anyway, however, much before that happens, Allah punishes the perpetrator of injustice in this mortal world as well – even though, he may fail to realise that the punishment he received was for a particular injustice committed by him and that Allah promised to help the victim of injustice.
The second command given in this ayah is that of kindness (Ihsan). Included here is the improvement in acts of worship. Also included here is the kindness or betterment of all deeds, morals and habits that is, seeing that they come out right, good and authentic in the form and spirit desired. And also included here is to be good to the whole creation of Allah, whether believer or infidel, human or animal.
Imam Al-Qurtubi has said: ‘The person in whose house his cat is and not fed and taken care of and the birds in whose cage are not attended to as due, then, no matter how devoted to acts of worship he may be, he would still not be counted among the Muhsinin, those who are good to others.
Along with justice, the Qur’ān urges kindness, which relaxes the strictness of absolute justice. It lays the door open for anyone who wishes to win the heart of an opponent to forgo part of what is rightfully his. This means that the chance is available to all to go beyond strict justice, which is both a right and a duty, to show kindness in order to allow wounds to heal or to win favour. One aspect of kindness is ‘generosity to one’s kindred’, but it is specially highlighted here in order to emphasise its importance. From the Islamic point of view, this is not based on narrow family loyalty, but on the Islamic principle of common solidarity which moves from the smaller, local circle to the larger social context. The principle is central to the implementation of the Islamic social system.
The ayah proceeds to outline three prohibitions in contrast to the three orders with which it begins, stating that Allah “forbids all that is shameful, all reprehensible conduct and aggression.” Under shameful conduct everything that goes beyond the limits of propriety is included, but the term is often used to denote dishonourable assault and indecency. Thus, it combines both aggression and transgression. Hence it has become synonymous with shamefulness. ‘Reprehensible conduct’ refers to any action of which pure, undistorted human nature disapproves. Islam also disapproves of any such conduct because it is the religion of pure human nature. Human nature can however become distorted, but Islamic law remains constant, pointing to what human nature is like before distortion creeps in.
“Aggression” in this context denotes injustice as well as any excess that goes beyond what is right and fair. No community can survive when it is based on the spread of shameful, reprehensible conduct and aggression. No community can hope to flourish if it does not stamp out shameful conduct, reprehensible actions and aggression. Hence human nature is bound to rebel against these whenever they are allowed to spread in society.
Human nature will not allow such destructive forces to remain in full play without staging a rebellion. This is inevitable even though such forces may be exceedingly powerful, functioning under the protection of tyrannical rulers. In fact, the history of humanity is full of such rebellions aiming to purge humanity of such parasites, in the same way that the human body mobilises its defences to expel any alien organism. The very fact that human nature rebels against them proves that they are alien to proper human life.
While Allah enjoins justice and kindness, He forbids shameful, reprehensible conduct and aggression. This is in perfect accord with what pure human nature desires. It strengthens human nature and supports its resistance to such alien forces. Hence the final comment in the ayah tells us that Allah “admonishes you so that you may take heed.” The admonition serves to awaken human conscience and support an undistorted human nature. The six commands, imperative and prohibitive, given in this ayah are – if pondered upon – an elixir for the perfect prosperity of man’s individual and collective life.