Don’t imitate your ancestors in evil deeds

Lesson # 838 from the Noble Quran

Don’t imitate your ancestors in evil deeds

Surah ‘A’-‘RAAF (The Heights) – Chapter – 7)

Stage – 2, Verse – 28 of 206, Section – 3 of 24 (Part - 8)   

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim    

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

                                                                                                            

And when they do some lewdness they say: We found our fathers doing it, and Allah hath enjoined it on us. Say: Allah, verily, enjoineth not lewdness. Tell ye concerning Allah that which ye know not?

Wa  ‘izaa  fa-‘aluu  faahisha-tan-  qaaluu  wajadnaa  ‘alay-haaa  ‘aabaa-‘anaa  wAllaahu  ‘amaranaa  bihaa.  Qul  ‘in-nAllaaha  laa  ya’-muru  bil-fahshaaa’.  ‘Ataquu-luuna  ‘alAllaahi  maa  laa  ta’-lamuun.

                                                                                  

              

Lesson

faahisha-tan and fahshaaa’ both words have been derived from fahash. The meanings of all these three words are: evil deeds, lewdness and sins.

We have come to know from the previous verses that hiding male and female parts from one another is natural habit of the human being. Accordingly, by seducing the Devil, when Adam and Eve (peace be upon Them) tasted the fruit of that tree, which was forbidden for Them and their robe of the Garden was torn off from their bodies and they became naked in front of each other, then they began to hide their bodies with the leaves of the trees by connecting them.

Thus Allah Almighty taught the mankind preparing raiment for veiling the body and made it source of their ornamentation. During the period, when this verse was revealed, it had become tradition that the people of Makkah and in their imitation, other all people too, men and women used to go round the Ka’bah with nude bodies.

When they were asked about its reason, they told two reasons:

·       We found our fathers doing it, so we imitate for their footprints.

·       Allah (Almighty) has enjoined on us to perform as our ancestors used to do.

Allah Almighty commands in this verse that this kind of deed is lewdness and He has rejected such kinds of acts and the reasons explained by them.

It is commanded that when these people do some lewdness they say: We have seen our forefathers doing the same, we only imitate them. This question has been solved in the story of Adam (peace be upon Him) that He was Father of all of you, but He came into temptation of Satan, so, imitation of ancestors cannot be suitable in every work, because it is possible that they would have done some works due to deception of Satan, from which, it is compulsory for the children to be saved.

Another matter about which they say: Allah has enjoined on us: Make the circuit of Ka’-bah with naked bodies. Allah Almighty commanded His Messenger (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him) in this regard to tell them: Allah Almighty enjoins never lewdness and immodesty. Which evidence have you about it that Allah Almighty enjoined to go round the Ka’-bah in nude condition? He has arranged for you the sources to prepare the raiment in the world. Then, why do you live nude and shameless? If you desire to imitate your forefathers, you should imitate your first Father Adam (peace be upon Him), that, when He was stripped all at once, He (peace be upon Him) began to cover His body with the leaves of the trees immediately. You should not use such type of words for Allah Almighty, which has He neither told you nor taught.

Entire indecent, obscene and evil talks and deeds were stopped forever as it is manifest from the Words of this verse.  

Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)