Al-Isra: (24-25) And lower for them the wing of humility...

Issues in the Verse

Allah commanded the worship of Himself, immediately followed by the command to honor parents. The connection between these two commands can be understood in several ways:

1. The True and Apparent Cause: The true cause for human existence is Allah's creation, while the apparent cause is the parents. Therefore, the command to revere the True Cause is followed by the command to revere the apparent cause.
2. Treatment of the Eternal vs. the Created: Existence is either eternal (God) or created (humans). Treatment of the Eternal God must be with glorification and servitude. Treatment of the created must be with compassion. As the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Glorification for the command of Allah, and compassion for the creation of Allah." The people most deserving of compassion are the parents due to their immense bestowals upon the child. Thus, ${ \text{And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him} } points to glorifying Allah's command, and { \text{and to parents do good} } points to compassion for Allah's creation.
3. The Obligation of Gratitude: Thanking the benefactor is obligatory. The true Benefactor is Allah. Gratitude is also due to any created being who bestows a favor, based on the saying: "Whoever does not thank people has not thanked Allah." No creature has a greater favor upon a person than their parents. This is established in several ways:
   • The child is a piece of the parents (as the Prophet said regarding Fatimah: "Fatimah is a piece of me").
   • The parents' compassion for their child is immense, and their drive to bring good and repel harm is like a natural imperative. Where the incentives for good are abundant and the deterrents are removed, the bestowal of good is naturally plentiful. Thus, the favors of parents upon a child are more numerous than any favor one human bestows upon another.
   • The parents bestow favors when the child is at the peak of weakness and inability. The impact of favors bestowed under such circumstances is immense.
   • Bestowing good upon others can sometimes be mixed with other motives, but the bestowal of good upon a child is primarily for the child's sake, making the favor more complete and perfect.

Therefore, after thanking the Creator ({ \text{And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him} }) comes thanking the parents ({ \text{and to parents do good} }) because their favor is the greatest after the Creator's.

Objection: Parents only sought the pleasure of intercourse, which resulted in the child entering the world of affliction, danger, death, poverty, and disability. How is this a favor? (Examples of poets and philosophers who lamented being brought into existence are cited, such as Abu al-Ala al-Ma'arri).

Answer: Even if their initial motive was pleasure, is not their continuous effort to bring good and repel harm from the moment of birth until old age greater than any imagined good or benefit? This refutes the doubt.

Linguists suggest the structure implies: "And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you do good to your parents with goodness." Alternatively: "And He decreed that you worship none but Him, and do good to your parents."

The author of Al-Kashshaf argued that the preposition bā' (in bi-l-wālidayn) cannot relate to the maṣdar (verbal noun, iḥsān) because the ṣilah (the object/complement of the maṣdar) cannot precede it. However, Al-Wāḥidī in Al-Basīṭ stated the bā' relates to iḥsān and was fronted, like saying bi-Zayd fa-m-murr (Pass by Zayd). The text notes Al-Wāḥidī's example is not perfectly analogous to fronting the ṣilah of a maṣdar.

Al-Qaffāl noted that iḥsān (goodness) can be connected by the prepositions bā' or ilā (e.g., aḥsanta bihi or ilayhi). The verse contains several elements emphasizing the magnitude of the required goodness:

1. Context of Salvation: This verse follows the one mentioning those who strive for the Hereafter and are rewarded. Since honoring parents is mentioned among the deeds leading to eternal happiness, it signifies that this obedience is a fundamental act leading to salvation.
2. Order of Importance: Allah began with the command for monotheism, followed it with obedience to Him, and then commanded kindness to parents. This high placement indicates the immense status of this act of obedience.
3. Fronting the Parents: Allah did not say, "and do good to the parents," but rather { \text{and to parents, do good} }. Fronting the mention of the parents shows intense focus.
4. Indefinite Noun (Iḥsān): Using the indefinite form { \text{iḥsānan} } implies great, complete goodness. Since their kindness to you reached the utmost degree, your kindness to them must be likewise. Furthermore, even if you do all this, it will not fully compensate them, as their kindness was an initial, unprompted act, and the one who initiates kindness is not repaid in kind.

Then Allah states: { \text{If either of them or both of them reach old age with you} }.

Issue 4.1: The Particle Imā

The word imā is a compound of in (if, conditional) and mā (also conditional, like in { \text{Whatever We abrogate of a verse} }). Combining them emphasizes the conditionality. However, the jazm (jussive mood marker) is absent because the verb is built upon the nūn of emphasis.

Objection: The nūn of emphasis is used for affirmation and strengthening a ruling. Here, imā suggests a choice between two possibilities (this or that), which doesn't seem to require strong affirmation. How can imā and the nūn of emphasis coexist?

Answer: The meaning is that this established and confirmed ruling (honoring parents) either will occur (i.e., they will reach old age) or it will not occur.

Issue 4.2: Verb Conjugation and Subject

The majority read: { \text{Imā yablughenna 'indaka al-kibara aḥaduhumā aw kilāhumā} }. Here, { \text{yablughenna} } is the verb, and { \text{aḥaduhumā} } (one of them) is the subject, with { \text{aw kilāhumā} } (or both of them) being coordinated.

Ḥamzah and Al-Kisā’ī read: { \text{yablaghān} } (dual form). In this reading, the dual alif refers back to the parents, and { \text{aḥaduhumā} } is an appositive (badal) to the dual pronoun, with { \text{kilāhumā} } coordinated to aḥaduhumā.

Objection: If one read { \text{Imā yablaghān kilāhumā} }, then kilāhumā would be an emphatic particle (tawkīd), not an appositive. Why is it considered an appositive when coordinated with aḥaduhumā?

Answer: Because aḥaduhumā cannot be an emphatic particle for the dual, kilāhumā must follow its grammatical status (appositive) to maintain coordination.

Objection: Why can't { \text{aḥaduhumā} } be an appositive and { \text{aw kilāhumā} } an emphatic particle, coordinating the emphatic particle to the appositive?

Answer: Coordination generally implies sharing the same grammatical function; making one an appositive and the other an emphatic particle goes against the primary rule.

Issue 4.3: The Word Kullā (Dual Form)

Abū al-Haytham Al-Rāzī, Abū al-Fatḥ Al-Mawṣilī, and Abū ‘Alī Al-Jurjānī stated that kullā is a singular noun that conveys the meaning of duality (like mithnā). Its structure is fu'al, and its final letter is weak (like the final letter of ḥujjī or raḍī). It is a word specifically used to emphasize the dual, and it must always be in a construct state (muḍāf).

The proof is that if it were a true dual form, it would require the yā’ in the accusative/genitive case (e.g., marartu bi-kilyay ar-rajulayni), like bayna yaday ar-rajul (before the two men). Since this is not the case, we know it is a singular word used to denote duality, just as kull (all) is a singular word used for the plural. Thus, when reporting on kullā, one reports on a singular entity (e.g., kullā ikhwatika kāna qā’iman), just as Allah said: { \text{And all of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone} }. Similarly, Allah said regarding the two gardens: { \text{Both gardens yielded their produce} } (not the dual verb form ātatā).

Issue 4.4: Meaning of Reaching Old Age

{ \text{If either of them or both of them reach old age with you} } means they reach a state of weakness and inability, becoming to you in their final years as you were to them in your early years.

When Allah mentioned this, He obligated the person regarding their parents in five categories of duties:

Issue 1.1: Linguistic Variations of Uff

Al-Zajjāj mentioned seven variations: fā’ with kasrah or ḍammah or fatḥah, each with or without tanwīn (six variations). The seventh is affay (with a yā’). Al-Akhfash suggested this implies the speaker attributes the utterance to himself: "This is my saying." Ibn Al-Anbārī added three more variations beyond Al-Zajjāj's list.

Issue 1.2: Recitation Variations

Ibn Kathīr and Ibn ‘Āmir recite with fatḥah on the fā’ without tanwīn. Nāfi‘ and Ḥafṣ recite with kasrah and tanwīn. The rest recite with kasrah without tanwīn. These are all established linguistic forms, also seen in other verses like { \text{Uff to you both} }.

The difficult question here is why, given ten linguistic variations, the reciters limited themselves to only a few forms in this specific instance. (The answer is not provided here, but the question is posed.)

Issue 1.3: Interpretations of Uff

1. Al-Farrā’: Arabs say someone ta’affa (expresses uff) from a smell they perceive, meaning they say "uff, uff."
2. Al-Aṣma‘ī: Aff is earwax, and taff is fingernail dirt. This is used to express disgust, later generalized to anything causing annoyance.
3. Some Scholars: Uff means scarcity, derived from afīf (something small), and taff is an accompanying sound, like in poetic pairings.
4. Ibn Al-A‘rābī (via Tha‘lab): Aff means vexation/impatience.
5. Al-Quṭbī: The origin is blowing away dust or ash that falls on you; the sound produced is uff. This usage was broadened to cover any unpleasantness encountered.
6. Al-Zajjāj (Mujāhid): Uff means foul odor. Mujāhid interpreted the prohibition as: "Do not show disgust toward them due to odor, just as they did not show disgust toward you when you were urinating or defecating." Another narration from Mujāhid suggests not saying uff if you perceive an offensive smell from them.

Issue 1.4: Scope of the Prohibition

Saying "Do not say uff to someone" is a common idiom prohibiting any minor annoyance or harm. Scholars of Usūl debated whether this prohibition extends to all forms of harm based on the literal meaning or by analogy (qiyās).

• View 1 (Literal/Customary): It is a literal meaning based on custom. When people say this, they mean not to subject the person to any form of annoyance or harshness, similar to how "He does not own a speck or a date-seed" idiomatically means he owns nothing.
• View 2 (Analogy): The prohibition extends to all harm via clear analogy (qiyās jaliyy). The reasoning is that if the Lawgiver specifies a ruling for one situation and remains silent on another, we compare the silent case to the specified one.
  • If the ruling in the silent case is more appropriate for the prohibition than the specified case (as here: striking is more deserving of prohibition than saying uff), then the prohibition applies.
  • If the ruling is equal, this is qiyās fī ma‘nā al-aṣl (analogy based on the original meaning).
  • If the ruling in the silent case is less severe than the specified case, this is the greatest form of analogy.

Since saying uff is less severe than striking, prohibiting uff implies prohibiting striking via the analogy of the lesser to the greater. If the prohibition of uff did not logically imply the prohibition of striking (as one might permit striking while forbidding offensive speech), we would not conclude this. However, given the context emphasizes extreme reverence ({ \text{and speak to them a noble word} } and { \text{and lower for them the wing of humility} } ), we understand the prohibition of uff implies the prohibition of striking through the analogy of the lesser to the greater.

This means not confronting them with speech intended to scold or drive them away, as in { \text{And as for the beggar, do not repel him} }.

Objection: Does not the prohibition of uff already imply the prohibition of harsh repulsion (nahar) by way of awlā (stronger implication)? Why mention harsh repulsion afterward? If harsh repulsion were mentioned first, followed by uff, it would be logical, as prohibiting harsh repulsion implies prohibiting uff.

Answer: The meaning of { \text{do not say to them 'uff'} } is prohibiting the expression of annoyance, whether minor or major. The meaning of { \text{and do not repel them harshly} } is prohibiting the expression of contradiction or rebuttal in speech.

Since the previous verses prohibited offensive and harsh speech, and prohibiting bad speech does not automatically command good speech, Allah followed it by commanding good speech: { \text{And speak to them a noble word} }. This means addressing them with speech accompanied by signs of reverence and respect.

‘Umar ibn Al-Khaṭṭāb said this means saying: "O my father! O my mother!" Sa‘īd ibn Al-Musayyab defined it as the speech of a sinful servant to a harsh master. ‘Aṭā’ said it means speaking to them without raising your voice or staring harshly at them, as these actions contradict noble speech.

Objection: Was not Prophet Ibrāhīm (Abraham) the most patient, noble, and well-mannered person? Yet, he addressed his father as "O Āzar" (in the reading where āzar is in the nominative case) and said: { \text{Indeed, I see you and your people in clear error} }. Calling him by name is offensive, and attributing error to him and his people is the greatest offense.

Answer: { \text{And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and to parents do good} } indicates that the right of Allah takes precedence over the right of the parents. Ibrāhīm's action was prioritizing Allah's right over his parents' right.

This means exaggerating humility towards them. Al-Qaffāl provided two justifications for this metaphor:

1. A bird lowers its wing to gather its chick for nurturing. Thus, lowering the wing is a metaphor for good upbringing. It is as if Allah commands the child: "Care for your parents by gathering them to yourself, just as they did for you in your infancy."
2. A bird spreads its wing when it intends to fly high, and lowers it when it intends to cease flying and descending. Thus, lowering the wing is a metaphor for the act of humility.

Objection: How is the wing attributed to humility (dhull), when humility has no wing?

Answer:

1. It is an iḍāfah (construct state) like saying Ḥātim al-jūd (Ḥātim of generosity), meaning the generous Ḥātim. Here, it means: lower your humble wing to them.
2. The metaphor relies on imagination. Here, humility is imagined to have a wing, and weakness is attributed to that wing to complete the metaphor, similar to how Labīd attributed a hand to the left side to hold the reins.

The phrase { \text{out of mercy} } means that the lowering of the wing should stem from excessive compassion and tenderness towards them due to their old age and weakness.

Research 1: Scope of Duty

Al-Qaffāl noted that the command to honor parents is not limited to speech but includes actions, specifically supplicating for mercy for them: { \text{My Lord, have mercy upon them} }. The word mercy encompasses all good in religion and worldly affairs. Then, { \text{as they raised me when I was small} } specifies the type of kindness: "My Lord, treat them with this kind of goodness, just as they treated me kindly in raising me." Tarbiyah (raising/nurturing) means growth and development.

Research 2: Rulings on Supplication for Parents

There are three views regarding this verse:

1. Abrogation: It is abrogated by { \text{It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to seek forgiveness for the polytheists} } (9:113). Therefore, a Muslim should not seek forgiveness for parents if they died as polytheists, nor say { \text{My Lord, have mercy upon them} }.
2. Specification (Preferred): The verse is not abrogated but is specific to the case of polytheistic parents. Specification is preferred over abrogation.
3. No Abrogation or Specification: If the parents are disbelievers, the child may supplicate for their guidance and direction. Supplication for mercy is sought only after they attain faith.

Research 3: Obligation and Frequency

The command form suggests obligation. The apparent meaning of the command does not necessitate repetition; saying the prayer once suffices. Sufyān was asked how often one should pray for parents (daily, monthly, yearly?). He replied that praying for them in the final tashahhud (in prayer) is hoped to suffice, just as the companions believed the tashahhud sufficed for the command to send blessings upon the Prophet ({ \text{O you who have believed, send blessings upon him} }). Similarly, they repeated the remembrance of Allah in the aftermath of prayers, following the command { \text{And remember Allah during the specified days} }.

Then Allah states: { \text{Your Lord is most knowing of what is in your souls. If you are righteous} }.

This means Allah has commanded monotheism and kindness to parents. He is aware of the sincerity or lack thereof in your hearts. He knows what is in your souls better than you do, as human knowledge is prone to error and forgetfulness, whereas Allah's knowledge is pure. The purpose is to warn against abandoning sincerity.

Then Allah states: { \text{If you are righteous} }, meaning if your hearts are free from corruption, { \text{He is to the oft-returning (to Him)} }. The awwāb is one whose habit and custom is to return to Allah's command and seek His grace, not relying on intercessors like the polytheists who worship idols claiming they intercede. The form awwāb (on the pattern fa‘‘āl) implies continuity and frequency, like qattāl (frequent killer).

The purpose of this verse is that since the previous verse established the obligation of honoring parents in all aspects, and a child might occasionally exhibit a slip-up violating that reverence, Allah says: { \text{Your Lord is most knowing of what is in your souls} }. If that lapse was not due to true disobedience but arose from human nature, it is worthy of forgiveness.

Verses 28-30

{ \text{And give the relative his due, and the needy, and the wayfarer. And do not spend wastefully. Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and Satan is to his Lord ungrateful. And if you turn away from them, seeking mercy from your Lord which you hope for, then speak to them a gentle word.} }

This section commands giving rights to relatives, the needy, and the wayfarer.

{ \text{And do not spend wastefully} }. Wastefulness (tabdhīr) is strongly condemned, as { \text{Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils} }, and Satan is ungrateful to his Lord.

{ \text{And if you turn away from them, seeking mercy from your Lord which you hope for} }. If you must withhold these gifts because you are seeking a mercy (sustenance) from Allah that you hope for (i.e., you are currently poor), then you must still address them with { \text{a gentle word} }$. This means speaking kindly to them, even if you cannot give them anything at that moment.