Al-Isra: (39-40) That is from what was revealed...

It is known that the Almighty has gathered twenty-five types of injunctions in this verse.

The first is His saying: {And do not set up with Allah another god} (Al-Isra: 22), and His saying: {And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him} (Al-Isra: 23). This includes two injunctions: commanding the worship of Allah the Exalted, and forbidding the worship of other than Allah. Thus, the total is three.

The fourth is His saying: {And to parents, good treatment} (Al-Isra: 23). Then, He mentioned five more in explaining this good treatment: His saying: {So do not say to them [even] "uff" and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word * And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them"} (Al-Isra: 23-24). This brings the total to nine.

Then He said: {And give the relative his due, and to the needy and the wayfarer} (Al-Isra: 26). This is three [injunctions], bringing the total to twelve.

Then He said: {And do not spend wastefully} (Al-Isra: 26), making it thirteen.

Then He said: {And if you turn away from them, seeking mercy from your Lord which you hope for, then speak to them a gentle word} (Al-Isra: 28). This is the fourteenth.

Then He said: {And do not make your hand chained to your neck} (Al-Isra: 29) until the end of the verse. This is the fifteenth.

Then He said: {And do not kill your children} (Al-Isra: 31). This is the sixteenth.

Then He said: {And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed] except by right} (Al-Isra: 33). This is the seventeenth.

Then He said: {And whoever is killed unjustly - We have certainly given his heir authority} (Al-Isra: 33). This is the eighteenth.

Then He said: {So let him not exceed the limits in killing} (Al-Isra: 33). This is the nineteenth.

Then He said: {And fulfill every covenant} (Al-Isra: 34). This is the twentieth.

Then He said: {And give full measure when you measure} (Al-Isra: 35). This is the twenty-first.

Then He said: {And weigh with a just balance} (Al-Isra: 35). This is the twenty-second.

Then He said: {And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge} (Al-Isra: 36). This is the twenty-third.

Then He said: {And do not walk upon the earth exultantly} (Al-Isra: 37). This is the twenty-fourth.

Then He said: {And do not set up with Allah another god} (Al-Isra: 39). This is the twenty-fifth.

These are twenty-five types of injunctions, some being commands and some prohibitions, which Allah the Exalted gathered in these verses. He made the beginning His saying: {And do not set up with Allah another god, lest you sit condemned and forsaken} (Al-Isra: 22), and the conclusion His saying: {And do not set up with Allah another god, lest you be cast into Hell, blameworthy and repelled}.

If you know this, then we say: Here are some benefits:

His saying: {That} (Dhalika) refers to all the injunctions mentioned previously, and He named it Hikmah (Wisdom). He named it this for several reasons:

1. Its essence relates to Tawhid (Monotheism) and all types of obedience and good deeds, turning away from the world and turning toward the Hereafter. Intellects testify to its correctness. Whoever brings such a Law is not inviting to the religion of Satan; rather, the original innate disposition testifies that he is inviting to the religion of the Most Merciful. The full establishment of this is what we mention in Surah Ash-Shu'ara regarding His saying: {Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend? They descend upon every inventor of falsehood, sinful one} (Ash-Shu'ara: 221-222).
2. The rulings mentioned in these verses are essential laws that must be observed in all religions and creeds, and they are not subject to abrogation or nullification. Thus, they are firm and constitute Hikmah from this perspective.
3. Hikmah is defined as knowing the Truth for its own sake and knowing the Good for the sake of acting upon it. Commanding Tawhid is the first part, and the rest of the injunctions are teaching the good deeds so that a person adheres to them and does not deviate. Thus, it is established that these things mentioned in these verses are the very essence of Hikmah. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that these verses were in the Tablets of Moses, peace be upon him, beginning with: {And do not set up with Allah another god}, as Allah says: {And We wrote for him on the tablets of every matter an admonition and a detailed explanation of all things} (Al-A'raf: 145).

One of the benefits of this verse is that the Almighty began these injunctions by commanding Tawhid and forbidding Shirk (polytheism), and He concluded them with the very same meaning. The purpose of this is to indicate that the beginning of every action, word, thought, and remembrance must be the remembrance of Tawhid, and the end must also be the remembrance of Tawhid. This is to signal that the goal of all injunctions is the knowledge of Tawhid and immersion in it. This repetition is well-placed for this great benefit.

Furthermore, the Almighty mentioned in the first verse that Shirk results in its perpetrator being madhmum (blamed/despised) and makhdhul (forsaken). In the last verse, He mentioned that Shirk results in its perpetrator being cast into Hell, malum (reproached) and madhur (repelled/driven away). The ladh (blame/despising) and khidhalan (forsaking) occur in this world, while being cast into Hell occurs on the Day of Resurrection. We must clarify the difference between the madhmum makhdhul and the malum madhur.

• Difference between Madhmum and Malum: Being madhmum means that the action he committed is mentioned to him as ugly and reprehensible. This is the meaning of being madhmum. After this is mentioned, he is asked: Why did you do such an act? What compelled you to it? What benefit did you gain from this action except harming yourself? This is Loom (reproach). Thus, the first stage is becoming madhmum, and the final stage is becoming malum.
• Difference between Makhdhul and Madhur: Makhdhul refers to weakness; it is said: His limbs became takhathalat (weakened). As for Madhur, it means being driven away (expelled). Expulsion implies contempt and humiliation, as Allah says: {And he will abide therein in humiliation} (Al-Furqan: 34). Being makhdhul means the withdrawal of help and being left to oneself. Being madhur means being humiliated and scorned. Thus, the first stage is becoming makhdhul, and the final stage is becoming madhur. And Allah knows best His intent.

As for His saying: {Has then your Lord preferred for you sons and taken from among the angels daughters?}

Know that after the Almighty drew attention to the corruption of the path of those who attribute a partner or an equal to Allah, He then drew attention to the path of those who attribute offspring to Him, and the extreme ignorance of this group. They believed that offspring are of two categories: the noblest category is sons, and the basest category is daughters. Yet, they attributed the sons to themselves while knowing their utmost inability and deficiency, and they attributed the daughters to Allah while knowing that Allah is the One described with infinite perfection and boundless majesty. This indicates the utmost ignorance of the one who holds this view. Similar to this are His sayings: {Or has your Lord preferred for you sons and taken for Himself from among the angels daughters?} (At-Tur: 39), and {Is it for you the males and for Him the females?} (An-Najm: 21).

The phrase {Has then your Lord preferred for you} (Afa-safakum) means: Has He favored you with something? It is also said that Sawaafi are the lands that the ruler reserves exclusively for himself. Abu Ubaidah said regarding {Afa-safakum}: Has He singled you out? Al-Mufaddal said: Has He purified you? The grammarians say this initial hamza (A) is a hamzat al-inkar (the interrogative particle of denial), questioning a position whose falsehood is apparent, for which the only answer is one that brings greater disgrace.

Then the Almighty said: {Indeed, you utter a grave saying}. The explanation of this gravity is twofold:

1. Attributing offspring implies that He is composed of parts and pieces, which compromises His being eternally existent (Qadim) and necessarily existent (Wajib al-Wujud in Himself). This is a grave saying and a reprehensible statement.
2. Even if offspring were established, they assigned the noblest category to themselves and the basest category to Allah. This is also immense ignorance.

{And We have certainly diversified in this Qur'an for them to be reminded, but it does not increase them except in aversion. Say, "If there were with Him other gods as they say, then they would have sought to the Owner of the Throne a way." Exalted is He and high above what they say, with great exaltation. The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise, but you do not perceive their exaltation. Indeed, He is ever Forbearing and Forgiving.}