151–153. “Say, ‘Come, and I will recite what your Lord has forbidden you: Do not associate anything with Him; honor your parents; do not kill your children because of poverty—we provide for you and for them; do not approach shameful deeds, whether open or hidden; and do not take a life that Allah has made inviolable, except with legal right. This He has enjoined upon you, so that you may understand.’”
Allah Most High says to His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: “Say” to those who have forbidden what Allah has made lawful: “Come, and I will recite what your Lord has forbidden you”—a general prohibition applying to everyone and encompassing all forbidden foods, drinks, words, and deeds. “Do not associate anything with Him,” whether little or much.
The reality of associating partners with Allah is that a created being is worshiped as Allah is worshiped, is exalted as Allah is exalted, or is assigned any prerogative belonging exclusively to Allah’s lordship and divinity. When a servant abandons every form of polytheism, he becomes a true monotheist, sincerely devoted to Allah in all his circumstances. This is Allah’s right over His servants: that they worship Him and associate nothing with Him.
He then began with the most binding right after His own, saying: “Honor your parents” through noble and gracious words and beautiful, commendable deeds. Every word or deed that benefits one’s parents or brings them joy is an act of kindness toward them. When such kindness is present, undutifulness is absent.
“Do not kill your children,” whether male or female, “because of poverty”—that is, because of poverty and your distress at having to provide for them, as was practiced in the harsh and unjust Age of Ignorance. If they are forbidden to kill their own children in these circumstances, then it is even more emphatically forbidden for them to kill them without any warrant or to kill the children of others.
“We provide for you and for them.” That is, We have guaranteed provision for everyone. You are not the ones who provide for your children—or even for yourselves—so you need not feel burdened on their account. “Do not approach shameful deeds”—grave and abhorrent sins—“whether open or hidden.” ⦗280⦘ That is, do not approach either their open or concealed forms, or those pertaining to outward conduct and those pertaining to the heart and inward self.
The prohibition against even approaching shameful deeds is more emphatic than merely prohibiting their commission, for it also forbids their preliminaries and every means leading to them.
“Do not take a life that Allah has made inviolable.” This includes every Muslim—male or female, young or old, righteous or sinful—as well as any non-Muslim whose life is protected by treaty and covenant. “Except with legal right,” such as in the case of a previously married adulterer, a life for a life, or one who forsakes his religion and separates from the community.
“This”—all that has been mentioned—“He has enjoined upon you, so that you may understand”: that you may understand Allah’s injunction, retain it, observe it, and fulfill it. The verse indicates that a servant’s fulfillment of Allah’s commands is proportionate to the soundness of his intellect.