The addressee is the Prophet (saws)
(… بِالْحَقِّ …) (…in truth …): The truth is the fixed thing that does not change, and as long as it is from the Truth (swt), it is true, and the Prophet (saws) is true and the Holy Qur’an that revealed to him is true as well.
(… مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ …) (…confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture …): So it is confirming what preceded it of the previous heavenly Scriptures and is in control of them. The Holy Qur’an is the last of the heavenly Books, and as it is the last of the Books, it must be dominant over all that preceded it in order to treat all the Social pathologies that have been through the ages.
(… لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا …) (…To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. …): With this verse we will respond to those who say: We are not in need of religion, nor of men of religion or the scholars, taking the actions of some of those who departed from the path of Allah (swt) or committed crimes as an argument, even though the Quranic verses are clear. So that we will talk about the issue of the values that are regulated by religion in society, and the question we pose is: What is the most important relationship in society at all? What is the most important thing in your life? The answer will be: The family and the children. A father gets tired and work hard in order to fulfill the needs of his children, and the mother also gets tired, bears, gives birth, and stays awake for her children. Hence, the most important relationship in society is the relationship of children with parents, but without religion, what would society look like in relation to these values? Justice, love and kindness to parents and neighbors are Islamic values and building generations and civilization always comes through the relationship of the parents with the children, so what kind of relationship the Holy Qur’an states in regard of the parents? Let’s start with the father. The Holy Qur’an gives examples of the relationship between fathers and sons. In the story of the flood of Noah (PBUH) which overthrew the whole world, he (PBUH) addressed his son saying:
يَا بُنَيَّ ارْكَب مَّعَنَا وَلَا تَكُن مَّعَ الْكَافِرِينَ
(“O my son, come aboard with us and be not with the disbelievers.”) (Hud: 42)
But his son disbelieved and has not listened to his father (PBUH):
قَالَ سَآوِي إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُنِي مِنَ الْمَاءِ ۚ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَقِينَ
([But] he said, “I will take refuge on a mountain to protect me from the water.” [Noah] said, “There is no protector today from the decree of Allah, except for whom He gives mercy.” And the waves came between them, and he was among the drowned.) (Hud: 44)
Then the first invocation of Noah (PBUH) was:
وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ رَّبَّهُ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ ابْنِي مِنْ أَهْلِي وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ الْحَاكِمِينَ
(And Noah called to his Lord and said, “My Lord, indeed my son is of my family; and indeed, Your promise is true; and You are the most just of judges!”) (Hud: 45)
Also the story of the Prophet Ya’qub (Jacob) (PBUH with his son, the Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) (PBUH), he was not just sad about is son rather:
وَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا أَسَفَىٰ عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَابْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْحُزْنِ فَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ
(And he turned away from them and said, “Oh, my sorrow over Joseph,” and his eyes became white from grief, for he was [of that] a suppressor.) (Yusuf: 84)
Even though the Prophet Yusuf (PBUH) was many miles from his father, Ya’qub (PBUH) said:
وَلَمَّا فَصَلَتِ الْعِيرُ قَالَ أَبُوهُمْ إِنِّي لَأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ ۖ لَوْلَا أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ
(And when the caravan departed [from Egypt], their father said, “Indeed, I find the smell of Joseph [and would say that he was alive] if you did not think me weakened in mind.”) (Yusuf: 94)
Luqman’s story, as well, with his son:
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ (14) وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰ أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖ وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا ۖ وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (15) يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّهَا إِن تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ فَتَكُن فِي صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ أَوْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا اللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌ (16) يَا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا أَصَابَكَ ۖ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ (17) وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ (18) وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ ۚ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ
(And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.
(15) But if they endeavor to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do.
(16) [And Luqman said], “O my son, indeed if wrong should be the weight of a mustard seed and should be within a rock or [anywhere] in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Indeed, Allah is Subtle and Acquainted. (17) O my son, establish prayer, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, [all] that is of the matters [requiring] determination. (18) And do not turn your cheek [in contempt] toward people and do not walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful. (19) And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; indeed, the most disagreeable of sounds is the voice of donkeys.”) (Luqman: 14-19)
Additionally, the story of Ibrahim (Abraham) (PBUH) with his son Ismail (Ishmael) (PBUH):
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۚ قَالَ يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَفَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ (103) وَنَادَيْنَاهُ أَن يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ (104) قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَا ۚ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
(And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, “O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.” He said, “O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.” And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead, (104) We called to him, “O Abraham, (105) You have fulfilled the vision.” Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.) (As-Saffat: 103-105)
And it was narrated that a man came to the Prophet (saws) and said:
“O Messenger of Allah, I have wealth and a son, and my father wants to take all my wealth.” He said: “You and your wealth belong to your father.”[1]
Where else can we find such values? Do we look for them in the West or in America where people abandon their fathers and mothers and put them in nursing homes?! Or do we find them in the verses mentioned in our Sharia about the mother and the father! Let us see what our religion says about the mother:
It was narrated that a man came to the Prophet (saws) and said:
O’ Messenger of Allah, I want to fight with you and I came to ask your permission, the Prophet (saws) said: “Is your mother alive?”, he said: “Yes” then the Prophet (saws) said: “Then go and stay with her, indeed, the Paradise is at her feet”.[2]
Verify, a lot of verses commands us to treat the parents in a good manner and obey them:
وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا
(And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], “uff,” and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.) (Al-Israa: 23)
Allah (swt) combined righteousness with the parents with His worship, and it is not enough just to not to say to them: “af” (A owrd of expressing dissatisfaction), rather Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah honor his face) said: “If Allah knows a word in disobedience less than (af), He would have forbidden it, so let the disobedient do what he wants to do, he will not enter heaven, and let the righteous do what he wants to do, he will not enter Hell”. That is because he pleased his father and mother and because the Prophet (saws) said:
“Allah’s pleasure results from the parent’s pleasure, and Allah’s displeasure results from the parent’s displeasure.”[3]
Without the religion, where else can we get these values from? As for the one who misrepresents, alters and exploits religion incorrectly, let him return to the true religion as revealed by Allah (swt) and as stated in the verses of the Holy Qur’an. This is the true religion, this is the Islamic religion, and these are the values that it publishes in society which lead to its advance and civilization.
[1] Sunan Ibn Majah: Book of on Business Transactions, Chapter: What A Man Is Entitled To Of His Son’s Property, Hadith No. 155.
[2] Musnad al-Jami’: Hadith No. 11588.
[3] Shu’ab al-Iman: Chapter 55, Hadith No. 7830.