285 Page Notes

17 Al-Isra (continued)

Page 285 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 285 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 285 of the Qur'an covers Surah Al-Isra (The Night Journey), verses 28 through 38. This page continues the surah's essential ethical, financial, and behavioral manifesto. It provides a blueprint for financial moderation, fiercely prohibits the killing of children and taking innocent life, bans adultery, outlaws the mismanagement of orphans' wealth, demands absolute honesty in business weights and measures, and warns against arrogance and acting on unverified information.

The Hadith and Sunnah provide the legal limits, psychological definitions, and historical context for these societal rules.

1. Financial Balance: The Golden Mean (Verses 29–30)

"And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck or extend it to its utmost limit, so that you sit blamed and insolvent." (Qur'an 17:29)

This verse uses visual metaphors to forbid two financial extremes: stinginess (the hand chained to the neck) and reckless extravagance (the hand overextended). The Sunnah establishes moderation as a virtue in all aspects of life, including charity.

• Moderation in Spending: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ praised balanced financial management as a pillar of wisdom:
  "Moderation in spending is half of one's livelihood." (Al-Mu'jam al-Awsat by Al-Tabarani; see also Musnad Ahmad on the virtue of Iqtisad / moderation).

• Protecting the Family's Financial Future: The Sunnah implements this verse by preventing individuals from giving away all their wealth in charity if it leaves their dependents poor. When Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas wanted to leave his entire fortune to charity, the Prophet ﷺ restricted him to a maximum of one-third, explaining:
  "It is better for you to leave your heirs wealthy than to leave them poor and begging from people." (Sahih al-Bukhari 2742)

2. The Worst Forms of Killing and Infanticide (Verses 31, 33)

"And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is ever a great sin." (Qur'an 17:31)

Pagan Arabs occasionally practiced infanticide (Wa'd), particularly burying newborn daughters alive, due to social shame or fear of economic strain.

• The Hierarchy of Major Sins: Abdullah ibn Mas'ud asked the Prophet ﷺ about the greatest sins in the sight of Allah. The Prophet's response perfectly aligns with the sequence of prohibitions on this page of the Qur'an:
  "To assign a partner to Allah though He alone created you." I asked, "What next?" He said, "To kill your child for fear that they will share your food with you." I asked, "What next?" He said, "To commit adultery with your neighbor's wife." (Sahih al-Bukhari 4761, Sahih Muslim 86)

• The Sanctity of Inviolable Human Life (Verse 33): Regarding the phrase "And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except by right," the Sunnah explicitly restricts when capital punishment can legally apply under state authority:
  "The blood of a Muslim... cannot be lawfully shed except in one of three cases: a married person who commits adultery, a life for a life (retribution for murder), and one who turns away from their religion and leaves the community." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6878)

3. The Prohibition of Approaching Adultery (Verse 32)

"And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse (Zina). Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way." (Qur'an 17:32)

Notably, the Qur'an does not just say "do not commit adultery"; it says "do not approach it," meaning all pathways, triggers, and preliminary behaviors leading to it are blocked.

• The "Adultery" of the Senses: The Sunnah unpacks how the human senses can drift toward Zina before the actual physical act occurs, illustrating the divine wisdom of "not approaching" it:
  "Allah has written for the son of Adam his share of adultery which he will inevitably commit. The adultery of the eyes is the gaze, the adultery of the ears is listening (to obscene talk), the adultery of the tongue is speech, the adultery of the hand is the touch, and the adultery of the foot is walking (towards sin). The heart desires and wishes, and the private parts either confirm or deny it." (Sahih Muslim 2657, Sahih al-Bukhari 6243)

4. Honesty in Business and Measurements (Verse 35)

"And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with an even (accurate) balance. That is the best [way] and best in result." (Qur'an 17:35)

• Ethical Trading as a Spiritual Rank: The Sunnah treats commercial integrity not just as a civic duty, but as a deeply spiritual endeavor. The Prophet ﷺ elevated honest merchants to a stellar status in the afterlife:
  "The truthful, trustworthy merchant will be with the prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs on the Day of Resurrection." (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1209)

5. Acting on Unverified Information (Verse 36)

"And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned." (Qur'an 17:36)

This verse provides a strict epistemological standard: it forbids spreading rumors, operating on baseless suspicion, or testifying to things one did not actually see or verify.

• The Sin of Spreading Unverified News: The Prophet ﷺ directly warned against the common habit of repeating everything one hears without checking its accuracy:
  "It is enough sin for a person to speak of everything that he hears." (Sahih Muslim, Introduction, Hadith 5)

• The Danger of Mere Suspicion: In another major tradition, the Prophet ﷺ labeled unverified assumptions as the most deceitful form of thought:
  "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the falsest of speech..." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6064)

6. Shunning Arrogance (Verse 37)

"And do not walk upon the earth exultantly (arrogantly). Indeed, you will never tear the earth [apart], and you will never reach the mountains in height." (Qur'an 17:37)

• The Definition of Arrogance: The Prophet ﷺ echoed this psychological check by identifying pride as a barrier to entering Paradise and clearly defining its characteristics:
  "He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride will not enter Paradise." A man remarked, "A person likes his dress to be fine and his shoes to be fine." The Prophet replied, "Allah is Beautiful and He loves beauty. Pride is dismissing the truth and looking down upon people." (Sahih Muslim 91)