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۳

How a subject of God should live in the world has been clearly described in this verse. In view of its importance, Caliph ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Aziz included this verse in the weekly sermon. The first thing an individual must ensure is that justice (‘adal) is done. This means that whatever right one person has over another should be fully discharged, be the claimant weak or strong. In the fulfillment of rights, only the nature of the right will be considered and not any other factors. The next thing is showing consideration (ihsan). This means that while honouring rights, one should be broadminded. Human consideration should be added to the demands of justice. One should exhibit generosity and sympathy beyond the legal requirement. Man should have the courage as far as possible to reconcile with whatever is rightfully due to him and try to give to others more than is rightfully their due. The third thing is ‘giving their due to near relatives’ (wa i’ta zil qurba). This means that just as a man becomes anxious when he sees his wife and children in need and fulfills that need, he should be similarly sensitive about the needs of others who are close to him. No well-to-do person should behave as if only he himself and the members of his household are entitled to his property: he should also include in his responsibilities the fulfillment of the rights of his relatives. After this three things have been prohibited in this verse. The first thing is moral evil (fahsha’) which is clearly judged to be such by the human conscience and universally considered shameful. The second is the perpetration of such deeds as are judged improper by common moral standards. This includes all those things which are considered as evil by man and which man’s nature refuses to accept. Munkar is the opposite of ma‘ruf. Ma‘ruf consists of such things as are considered good in every society. The third thing is transgressing all limits (baghi). This includes arrogance when a man exceeds his recognized limit and attacks another person; his engaging in sinful behaviour in order to harm another’s life, property and honour; his making use of his strength and influence to gain an illegitimate advantage.