“Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” That is, He knows all that is outward and inward and is fully aware of the hidden aspects and secrets of every matter. It is by His knowledge and perfect awareness that He has prescribed for you these sublime rulings and beautiful laws. ⦗178⦘

(36–38) “Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him. Show kindness to parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, the related neighbor, the unrelated neighbor, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Surely Allah does not love anyone who is self-conceited and boastful, * those who are miserly, urge others to be miserly, and conceal what Allah has granted them of His bounty. We have prepared a humiliating punishment for the disbelievers.”

Allah Most High commands His servants to worship Him alone, without any partner. This means submitting themselves fully as His servants and complying with His commands and prohibitions out of love, humility, and sincere devotion to Him in every outward and inward act of worship.

He forbids them to associate anything with Him, whether the association is minor or major and whether it involves an angel, a prophet, a saintly person, or any other created being who has no power even over his own benefit or harm, death, life, or resurrection. Rather, worship must be devoted exclusively to the One who possesses absolute perfection in every respect and whose governance is perfect, with no one sharing in it or assisting Him. After commanding His servants to worship Him and fulfill His right, He commands them to fulfill the rights of others, beginning with those closest to them. He says, “Show kindness to parents.” That is, treat them well through noble words, gentle speech, and gracious deeds: obey their commands, refrain from what they forbid, provide for them, honor those connected to them, and maintain the ties of kinship that exist for you only through them. Kindness has two opposites: mistreatment and failure to show kindness. Both are forbidden.

“And relatives” are likewise to be treated kindly. This includes every relative, near or distant. One should treat them well in word and deed and must not sever the ties of kinship through anything said or done.

“And orphans” means young children who have lost their fathers (1). They have rights over the Muslims, whether they are relatives or not: they must be cared for, treated benevolently, comforted, disciplined, and given the finest upbringing in matters that serve their religious and worldly interests.

“And the needy” are those whom need and poverty have reduced to helplessness, leaving them unable to obtain enough for themselves or for those they support. Allah Most High commands that they be treated kindly by meeting their needs, relieving their poverty, encouraging others to do so, and doing whatever one is able in that regard.

“And the related neighbor” means a neighbor who is also a relative and therefore has two rights: the right of a neighbor and the right of kinship. He is owed neighborly consideration and kindness according to recognized custom. Likewise, “the unrelated neighbor” means one who is not a relative. The closer a neighbor’s door is, the stronger his right becomes. A person should therefore regularly attend to his neighbor with gifts, charity, invitations, kind words and deeds, and by refraining from harming him in word or deed.

“And the companion at your side” has been interpreted as a traveling companion, as one’s wife, and as any companion in general. The last interpretation is perhaps preferable, for it includes companions both at home and while traveling, as well as one’s wife. A companion has rights beyond those due merely because he is a Muslim. These include helping him in his religious and worldly affairs, sincerely advising him, remaining loyal to him in ease and hardship and in what is pleasant and unpleasant, loving for him what one loves for oneself, and disliking for him what one dislikes for oneself. The closer the companionship becomes, the more firmly established and extensive these rights become.

“And the traveler” is a stranger away from his homeland, whether or not he is in need there. He has rights over the Muslims because of the severity of his need and because he is away from home. They should help him reach his destination, or at least part of the way, [and honor him and make him feel at ease] (2).

“And those whom your right hands possess” means the human beings and animals under your ownership. Their needs must be adequately met; they must not be burdened with what is too difficult for them; they must be assisted in carrying out the tasks assigned to them; and they must be disciplined in whatever serves their welfare.

Whoever fulfills these commands is submissive to his Lord, humble toward Allah’s servants, and compliant with Allah’s command and law. Such a person deserves abundant reward and beautiful praise. Whoever fails to fulfill them is a servant who turns away from his Lord, does not comply with His commands, and shows no humility toward creation. Rather, he is arrogant toward Allah’s servants, conceited, and boastful in his speech. Hence Allah says, “Surely Allah does not love anyone who is self-conceited”—that is, someone impressed with himself and arrogant toward others—“and boastful,” praising and commending himself out of pride and insolence toward Allah’s servants. Their conceit and boastfulness prevent them from fulfilling the rights owed to others.

Allah therefore condemns them by saying, “Those who are miserly,” meaning that they withhold the obligatory rights they owe, “and urge others to be miserly” through their words and deeds, “and conceal what Allah has granted them of His bounty.” This refers to the knowledge by which those who have gone astray may be guided and the ignorant may find direction. They conceal it from them and instead present falsehood that bars them from the truth. They thus combine miserliness with wealth and miserliness with knowledge, while striving to bring loss upon themselves and others. These are the traits of the disbelievers. Allah Most High therefore says, “We have prepared a humiliating punishment for the disbelievers.” Just as they were arrogant toward Allah’s servants, withheld due rights, and caused others to be deprived through their miserliness and failure to guide them, He will humiliate them with a painful punishment and everlasting disgrace. We seek refuge in You, O Allah, from every evil.