of Nokounam, (Session 1632)
The Holy Quran, a book of guidance and illumination, directs humanity towards truth and justice through its insightful verses. Among these, the verses of Surah An-Nis, with their emphasis on the sanctity of life, the importance of justice in testimony, and the avoidance of conscious oppression, provide a solid framework for ethical and social living. This treatise, reflecting upon verses 93, 135, 40, and 160 of Surah An-Nis, delves into the profound meanings of these passages. Its objective is to elucidate the Quranic messages concerning the killing of the soul, just testimony, and the consequences of oppression, presented in a coherent and clear manner to serve as a guide for the thought and practice of the believers.
And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment.
The killing of a soul, especially the intentional killing of a believer, is introduced in the Holy Quran as a grievous sin accompanied by multiple severe punishments. This verse underscores the severity of this sin by enumerating five divine penalties Hellfire, eternal abode therein, Gods wrath, divine curse, and a great punishment prepared for the offender. It is as if killing the soul not only wounds the victims body but also injures the murderers faith, expelling him from the sphere of belief. The phrase wherein he will abide eternally indicates the perpetuity of the punishment and demonstrates that this sin jeopardises the human connection to Gods boundless mercy.
This verse regards all forms of killing whether by direct perpetration, participation, approval, or intention as a grave sin. The life of every believer is likened to a precious jewel guarded by God Himself; any violation thereof constitutes a breach of covenant with the Creator.
It is not for a believer to kill a believer except by mistake. And whoever kills a believer by mistake then freeing a believing slave and paying blood-money to the victims family unless they remit it... And Allah is Knowing and Wise.
In contrast to intentional killing, accidental killing is addressed in verse 92 of Surah An-Nis with compensatory rulings such as the freeing of a slave and payment of blood-money. Notably, the phrase And Allah is Knowing and Wise replaces Forgiving and Merciful here, signalling that even accidental killing, due to its violation of the sanctity of life, leaves social and psychological consequences on the killer, family, and community. These effects may manifest as familial hardship, social difficulties, or psychological burden, prompting the individual towards reflection on his conduct.
Thus, the Holy Quran invites humanity to exercise care with any action that harms the life of others, even if such harm is unintentional. This perspective serves as a mirror calling for reconsideration of ones deeds.
Verses 92 and 93 of Surah An-Nis emphasise the unparalleled value of human life by delineating the sanctity of killing the soul, whether intentional or accidental. Intentional killing, with its severe divine penalties, endangers the murderers faith, while accidental killing, through its consequential effects, calls for recompense and reparation. These verses, like a shining beacon, illuminate the path of salvation and the avoidance of sin.
O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives.
This verse, like a star in the firmament of justice, stresses the necessity of just testimony even against ones closest relations. Justice, as a pure stream, must flow in society devoid of any attachment or partiality. The verse explicitly permits testimony against parents, provided it serves the cause of truth. This teaching stands in contrast to some traditions that prohibit testifying against ones parents.
Some narrations, such as The testimony of a child against his parent is not accepted,
often reported without full chains, do not conform with the explicit Quranic text. The verses emphasis on standing firm in justice places all emotional bonds subordinate to divine justice. The apparent contradiction with the verse Do not say to them [your parents] uff
(Al-Isr: 23) arises from misunderstanding; the term uff refers to personal disrespect, not to just testimony for the establishment of truth.
Testimony serves as a bridge conveying the rights of servants of God to the shores of justice. Its aim is not to remind parents of their faults but to uphold the rights of others. Therefore, testimony against parents, if intended for justice and devoid of disrespect, is not only permissible but obligatory.
Verse 135 of Surah An-Nis invites believers to steadfastness in justice, repudiating any emotional partiality before divine equity. This verse regards just testimony against parents as a necessary act for the establishment of rights. This teaching serves as a luminous beacon clarifying the path of justice in society.
Indeed, Allah does not do injustice, [even] as much as an atoms weight; while if there is a good deed, He multiplies it and gives from Himself a great reward.
This verse reflects divine absolute justice like a clear mirror. God does not commit the slightest injustice; rather, He multiplies good deeds manifold and grants a great reward from Himself. This principle illustrates the just order of creation, wherein no action, even as small as an atoms weight, escapes the divine gaze. Every good deed is like a seed in the soil of Gods mercy, yielding a mighty harvest.
Because of the injustice of those who were Jews, We made unlawful for them good foods which had been lawful to them, and because they hindered many from Allahs way, and took usury while they were forbidden from it, and consumed people's wealth unjustly; and We have prepared for the disbelievers among them a painful punishment.
This verse introduces conscious oppression as a thorn in the path of human felicity. Examples of oppression, including usury, unlawful consumption of others wealth, and obstructing people from Gods path, not only drag the individual into the abyss of practical disbelief but also infect society with corruption. The phrase among them indicates that conscious oppression, even if committed by someone outwardly a believer, can lead to practical apostasy. This oppression acts like a poison, bittering lifes taste and disrupting social order.
The verses mention of deprivation from lawful goods illustrates that oppression darkens the light of felicity in a persons life, trapping them in the darkness of punishment.
Oppression, even if unintentional, has social repercussions affecting individuals and society alike. Contemporary examples of conscious oppression include the exploitation of religious beliefs to deceive people for instance, claiming to exorcise inverse jinns in exchange for money a clear example of consuming peoples wealth unjustly.
Such acts, like wounds on societys body, undermine public trust and propel social systems toward corruption.
Religious scholarship bears a grave responsibility to confront these deviations and prevent the spread of such injustices through reform and education. In this respect, religious knowledge functions as a guardian tasked with protecting the sanctity of truth and justice.
Certain erroneous perspectives within religious sciences, such as degrading women with titles like long-haired beasts,
originate from non-Quranic interpretations. The Holy Quran, in verses such as 34 of Surah An-Nis, extols women with noble attributes of devotion and concealment. These distortions obscure the mirror of truth and necessitate critical re-examination and reform. Extracting and critiquing these historical viewpoints constitutes an essential step towards reconstructing a just perspective on women.
Verses 40 and 160 of Surah An-Nis underscore divine justice and the severe consequences of conscious oppression. Such oppression not only leads the individual to practical disbelief but also corrupts society. Religious knowledge must stand firm against distortions and exploitations to pave the way for justice and truth.
The discussed verses of Surah An-Nis, like pure springs, guide humanity toward truth, justice, and avoidance of oppression. Killing the soul, especially intentionally, is a grave sin endangering faith. Just testimony, even against parents, is obligatory in the cause of truth and does not conflict with respect. Conscious oppression carries heavy consequences in both this world and the hereafter, potentially leading to practical disbelief and apostasy. These verses, like blazing torches, illuminate the path of felicity and justice and call upon humans to vigilantly monitor their deeds.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
