Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 90

(Ayah90) ➊ { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَاْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَ الْاِحْسَانِ:} The meaning of justice is to adopt moderation and the middle path in one's beliefs and actions, avoiding excess or deficiency. This is also what fairness and equity mean. The word {’’ الْاِحْسَانِ ‘‘} comes in two ways: one, without the intermediary of {’’إِلٰی‘‘} or any other particle, in which case it means to do a task very well, with perfection and strength, for example, {’’أَحْسَنْتُهٗ ‘‘} meaning "I did this work very well." And one, with the intermediary of {’’ إِلٰی‘‘} etc., such as {’’أَحْسَنْتُ اِلَيْهِ‘‘} meaning "I treated him well," that is, the meaning of this {’’اِحْسَانٌ‘‘} is to benefit the creation of Allah.

The requirement of Allah Almighty creating all creation and granting every blessing is that neither should there be negligence (deficiency) nor excess in His right. Deficiency is to deny His existence, or to deny any of His attributes (as He has described them), which is called تعطیل (ta'til), or to liken Him to the creation, which is called تشبیہ (tashbih). Or to interpret it in such a way that it leads to the denial of that attribute, which is called false interpretation or distortion (باطل تاویل or تحریف). Or to say that we do not know the meaning of Allah's attributes, such as سمیع (All-Hearing) or بصیر (All-Seeing), only Allah knows, this too is a form of denial, called تفویض (tafwid). All these are forms of negligence (deficiency) regarding the right of the Most Merciful and are against justice and equity. Excess regarding Allah Almighty is to consider any creation as His partner in His essence or any attribute, which is a severe injustice and a great oppression against the One and Only Creator and Owner. That is why Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) has interpreted the justice mentioned in this verse as the testimony of "La ilaha illallah." (Tabari with a Hasan chain: 21995)

Justice regarding creation is that no one should be given less or more than their due right, but everyone should be given their full right, even if it is burdensome for oneself, or if there is enmity or friendship with any of those between whom you are judging, that enmity or friendship should not prevent you from giving full rights. Allah Almighty has greatly emphasized this, as He said: «{ وَ اِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ اَنْ تَحْكُمُوْا بِالْعَدْلِ }» [ النساء : ۵۸ ] "And when you judge between people, judge with justice." And He said: «{ وَ لَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَاٰنُ قَوْمٍ عَلٰۤى اَلَّا تَعْدِلُوْا اِعْدِلُوْا هُوَ اَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوٰى }» [ المائدۃ : ۸ ] "And let not the enmity of a people incite you to not act justly. Act justly; that is nearer to piety." And He said: «{ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا كُوْنُوْا قَوّٰمِيْنَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَآءَ لِلّٰهِ وَ لَوْ عَلٰۤى اَنْفُسِكُمْ اَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَ الْاَقْرَبِيْنَ اِنْ يَّكُنْ غَنِيًّا اَوْ فَقِيْرًا فَاللّٰهُ اَوْلٰى بِهِمَا }» [ النساء : ۱۳۵ ] "O you who have believed! Be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both."

➋ If the meaning of {’’ الْاِحْسَانِ ‘‘} is to do a task well, then its explanation is in the hadith of Jibril (peace be upon him), where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in response to Jibril's question, "What is Ihsan?" said: [ أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللّٰهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ فَإِنْ لَّمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ ] [ بخاری، الإیمان، باب سؤال جبریل النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم عن الإیمان و الإسلام… : ۵۰۔ مسلم : ۸ ] "Ihsan is that you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then (know that) He sees you." Obviously, one who does every task with the awareness of being watched tries to do it in the best possible way. Then, in every action—prayer, fasting, charity, Hajj, trade, industry, agriculture, and labor—if one keeps in mind that the Lord of the worlds is watching, then surely a person will do every deed in the best way and will avoid every sin.

And if, due to {’’إِلٰي‘‘ }, kindness to another is meant, then the best example is the saying of the Children of Israel to Qarun: «{ وَ اَحْسِنْ كَمَاۤ اَحْسَنَ اللّٰهُ اِلَيْكَ }» [ القصص : ۷۷ ] "And do good as Allah has done good to you." Whatever Allah has given to man, He has not given in exchange for anything, but it is His favor and immense grace that He has given every blessing to them without any right of the creation upon Him. The purpose is that man should treat the creation well without expecting any compensation, and give them more than their due right. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also commanded kindness to animals and explained how a sinful woman entered Paradise for giving water to a dog, and a woman entered Hell for tying up a cat and letting it die of hunger. (See Bukhari, 3321, 2365) Even the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَتَبَ الْإِحْسَانَ عَلٰی كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوْا الْقِتْلَةَ، وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ، وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ، فَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيْحَتَهُ] [مسلم، الصید والذبائح، باب الأمر بإحسان الذبح والقتل… : ۱۹۵۵، عن شداد بن أوس رضی اللہ عنہ ] "Allah has prescribed kindness in everything, so when you kill, kill in a good way (i.e., do not torture or mutilate), and when you slaughter, slaughter in a good way. Sharpen your knife and give comfort to your slaughtered animal." In many places in the Noble Qur'an, the command of kindness and its virtue is mentioned, as He said: «{ وَ بِالْوَالِدَيْنِ۠ اِحْسَانًا }» [ البقرۃ : ۸۳۔ بنی إسرائیل : ۲۳ ] "And do good to parents." And He said: «{ وَ اَحْسِنُوْا اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِيْنَ } » [ البقرۃ : ۱۹۵ ] "And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good." And He said: « { اِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللّٰهِ قَرِيْبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِيْنَ }» [ الأعراف : ۵۶ ] "Indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good." And He said: «{ وَ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِيْنَ }» [ العنکبوت : ۶۹ ] "And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good."

➌ {وَ اِيْتَآئِ ذِي الْقُرْبٰى:} Although this was also included in kindness, it was mentioned separately for special emphasis, because the rights of relatives are greater and giving to them is generally more difficult, as they are rarely appreciative and mutual grievances become obstacles in giving and receiving. For the verses about giving to {’’ ذِي الْقُرْبٰى ‘‘}, see Surah Ar-Rum (38), Bani Isra'il (26), Al-Baqarah (177), and Surah Al-Balad (14, 15), etc.

➍ {وَ يَنْهٰى عَنِ الْفَحْشَآءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ الْبَغْيِ : ’’ الْفَحْشَآءِ ‘‘} are those sins which are excessive in evil, such as adultery and the act of the people of Lot; in Surah Al-Baqarah, severe miserliness is also called {’’ الْفَحْشَآءِ ‘‘}. See Surah Al-Baqarah (268). {’’ الْمُنْكَرِ ‘‘} are those evils which reason rejects and human nature also considers bad. {’’ الْبَغْيِ ‘‘} is to oppress someone, to exceed limits, to be abusive or violent, to be rebellious.

➎ In this verse, three virtues (justice, kindness, giving to relatives) have been commanded, which include all fundamental good deeds, and three evils (lewdness, evil, oppression) have been forbidden, which can ruin all individual and collective affairs of Muslims. Therefore, this is one of the most comprehensive verses of the Noble Qur'an.