yet His command to uphold justice is binding, whereas His command to practice iḥsān is recommended, a voluntary act of devotion.

“And the giving to relatives”—that is, to grant one’s kinsfolk their due. A relative has a right—the right of kinship: whoever maintains those ties, Allah will maintain him; whoever severs them, Allah will cut him off.

“And He forbids indecency, wrongdoing, and transgression. He admonishes you so that you might remember.” He forbids al-faḥshā’ (indecency), meaning every sin regarded as repugnant, such as disobedience to parents, severing family ties, fornication, marrying one’s unmarriageable kin, and every deed the Law and sound custom deem abhorrent. Al-munkar (wrongdoing) is whatever is repudiated; it is less grave than al-faḥshā’ and covers the general run of sins. Al-baghy (transgression) is to exceed the limits by assaulting people—seizing their wealth, shedding their blood, or violating their honor. All of this falls under baghy.

Allah—exalted be He—has clarified that His commands and prohibitions serve as an admonition and a means to set our affairs aright; hence His words, “He admonishes you so that you may remember.”

We have already spoken about the ḥadith: “Each of you is a shepherd and every one of you is responsible for his flock.” As for the ḥadith of Maʿqil ibn Yasār cited by the author, it warns against betraying one’s subjects: “No servant whom Allah places in charge of a people, and who dies while cheating them, will enter Paradise; Allah will make it forbidden to him.” If he fails to safeguard them through sincere counsel, he will not enter Paradise together with them.

This demonstrates that those in authority are accountable for both the great and the small; they must offer sincere advice to those over whom Allah has given them charge and expend every effort on their behalf.