—how much more heinous, then, when the victim is a close relative.

“and withholding and demanding.” That is, a person becomes tight-fisted and grasping: he withholds the money he is obliged to give and clamors for what is not his. Hāt means “Hand it over—give me the money,” whereas manʿ means refusing to pay what one owes. This, too, is something Allah has forbidden, for it is impermissible to refuse what Allah has commanded one to spend, just as it is impermissible to ask for what one does not deserve; both are unlawful. Hence the Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah has forbidden you to be undutiful to your mothers, and to engage in withholding and demanding.”

“He dislikes for you idle talk, excessive questioning, and wasting wealth.” In the idiom of the Lawgiver, “dislike” carries the force of prohibition; there is no real difference between saying “He forbids” and “He dislikes.” Allah knows best—this is merely a variation in wording.

“He dislikes for you qīl wa qāl,” meaning the relaying of people’s speech, incessant chatter, and having no concern except to talk about others: “They said such-and-such; it was said such-and-such.” This is even more detested when it touches the honor of scholars or those in authority; in Allah’s sight it is all the more reprehensible.

The believer is one who speaks only good, as the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent.”

As for “excessive questioning,” it may refer to asking about matters of knowledge, or it may