Al-Ihsan Verse: Difference between revisions

Al-Ihsan Verse or Āyat al-Iḥsān is the verse 90 of Sura al-Nahl, in which God orders justice, good conduct (ihsan), and donation to one’s relatives, and forbids immortality, bad conduct, and oppression. The verse has been described as the most comprehensive social plan in Islam. Imam al-Baqir (a) recited this verse at the end of his sermons in Friday Prayers.

There have been many exegetical debates over the meaning of each principle in this verse. For example, justice ('adl) is said to mean monotheism, fairness, or avoiding both extremes of excess and deficiency. “Good conduct” (ihsan) is interpreted as doing one’s religious obligations and helping others, and Amir al-Mu'minin (a) is introduced as an exemplary of good conduct. “Dhu l-qurba” is interpreted as helping one’s relatives as well as having relationships with them. It has also been interpreted as Fatima al-Zahra (a) and her progeny.

Immorality (fahsha') is interpreted as committing sins such as meanness and adultery. And prime examples of bad conduct (munkar) are said to be lies, polytheism, and disbelief (kufr). Oppression (baghy) is interpreted by some exegetes as the desire for unjust dominance over others. A variety of social and cultural messages were inferred from the verse.

The verse 90 of Sura al-Nahl is known as Ayat al-Ihsan (or al-Ihsan Verse). The verse points to 6 principles, three of which command justice, good conduct and donation to relatives, while the remaining three principles forbid immorality, bad conduct, and oppression.

According to some Shiite exegetes of the Qur'an, al-Ihsan Verse is an example of the most comprehensive plan offered by Islam for social and moral issues. Imam al-Baqir (a) frequently recited the verse at the end of his sermons for Friday Prayers. During his caliphate, 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz (reign: 99/717-101/720) ordered preachers of Friday Prayers to stop cursing Amir al-Mu'minin in their sermons and recite the Verse of Ihsan instead.  

'Abd Allah b. Mas'ud, one of the Prophet’s Sahaba and a memorizer and an exegete of the Qur'an, described the Verse of Ihsan as the most comprehensive Quranic verse, which covers all the good and all the bad. It is believed by others that this verse could adequately express all there is to know about religious norms even if there were no other verses in the Qur'an. Thus, some exegetes of the Qur'an take al-Ihsan Verse to be the most comprehensive plan for happiness in the Afterlife.

According to a hadith from 'Uthman b. Maz'un (d. 2/624), he became fond of Islam after the revelation of this verse. He shared the verse with Abu Talib, the Prophet’s uncle, as well as Walid b. Mughira (d. 2/624), and the verse attracted their great admiration.

Justice ('adl) has been variously interpreted as fairness, avoiding extremes of excess and deficiency, or putting everything in its proper position, and in particular monotheism or testifying the oneness of God. In some Shiite exegetical hadiths, “'adl” is interpreted as referring to the Prophet (s) himself, or the assertion of one’s belief in monotheism and the prophethood of the Prophet.

Good conduct (ihsan) has also been variously interpreted as doing one’s religious obligations, sincerity in testifying for the oneness of God, and helping people in the best way. Some people extend the scope of ihsan to any good action or to doing any action in a good way. In some hadiths from Ahl al-Bayt (a), “ihsan” has been interpreted as testifying for the prophethood of the Prophet (s) or the wilaya of Amir al-Mu'minin (a). It is even interpreted as Amir al-Mu'minin himself.

“Dhi l-qurba” (relatives) in the verse is interpreted as both paternal and maternal relatives, and the verse is said to command financial help to one’s relatives, having relationships with them, and doing what is required for kinship. However, some people extend the scope of “relatives” to one’s friends and neighbors as well. Some other exegetes have interpreted the verse as helping other people in general.

In some Shiite sources of Quranic exegesis, the phrase (“ita' dhi l-qurba”, literally: giving to relatives) is interpreted as giving khums to the Imams. In some hadiths, the verse is interpreted as constant belief in Imamate and the Imams. Thus, “dhi l-qurba” is interpreted as referring to Fatima al-Zahra (a) and her children and Ahl al-Bayt (a).

Immorality (“fahsha'”) is interpreted as sins in general, or excessive sins. Thus, it has been interpreted as meanness and adultery as well. However, bad conduct (“munkar”) refers to sins that are not known in the society and are denied by the Sharia and the Sunna or the reason. Thus, things contrary to the human innate nature, or sins about which God has warned of the Hell, such as lies, polytheism, and disbelief, are considered as instances of “munkar.” It has also been interpreted as sins that do not have jurisprudential punishments (hadd) in the world, but will be punished in the Afterlife.

“Baghy” (oppression) implies the desire for dominance over others. Thus, it has been interpreted as oppressive dominance over others or the oppression itself. It has also been interpreted as injustice, selfishness or viciousness.

Qara'ati, a contemporary exegete of the Qur'an in his Tafsir Nur, points to certain messages implied by the verse, such as God’s justice, the attractiveness of justice and good conduct when they come together, God as the forerunner in enjoining the right (al-amr bi l-ma'ruf) and forbidding the wrong (al-nahy 'an al-munkar), the priority of one’s relatives in having relationships, the priority of enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong as well as justice over good conduct, being kind and merciful in enjoining the right, not expecting one hundred percent of acceptance, the human innate inclination to justice and good conduct and the human instinctive aversion of immorality and bad conduct, the necessity of preventing Major Sins in the first place, and God’s eternal tradition of commanding justice and forbidding immorality.