The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 503
PT. 8 doing) احسان AL-AN'ĀM word for "Lord" is which means "Creator, Sustainer, and Nourisher" (see 1:2), and it is the very idea of "sustaining and nourishing" that governs the order of the injunctions here given. The first injunction, i. e. associate not anything as partner with Him, pertains to the Great Nourisher, Allah. The second injunction pertains to the lesser nourishers, viz. parents. The word good) expresses the idea that the service of the parents enjoined in the words, do good to parents, is to be performed in the best way possible, for literally signifies "doing a thing very well. " Next come those who are nourished and sustained by the "lesser nourishers", viz. children. Parents are bidden to nourish and bring up their children well, as implied in the words, kill not your children for fear of poverty. Indeed, he who neglects to bring up his children properly for fear of poverty virtually "kills" them. If it is the duty of the children to serve their parents well, it is equally the duty of the parents to bring up their children well. The pronoun "you" in the clause, it is We Who provide for you and for them, refers to parents and the pronoun "them" refers to children, the former being put before the latter in order to draw our attention to the fact that God's providing for the parents is a proof of the fact that He will also provide for the children. The next injunction is contained in the words, approach not foul deeds. The word (foul deeds) is the plural of a one meaning of which is "fornication or adultery" (see 4:16), 943 CH. 6 which is another form of killing one's children; for the man who forms immoral connection with a woman other than his wife, not only destroys his seed but also neglects his own wife, which cannot but affect his begetting children in lawful wedlock. Similarly, illegitimate children born of a woman other than one's wife are not one's own children, nor are they properly looked after. The words, whether open or secret, used in connection with (foul deeds) refer respectively to openly going in to prostitutes and to forming secret connections with women other than one's wife. Next to the relations between parents and children come brotherly and friendly relations which are referred to in the words, kill not the life which Allah has made sacred. This injunction requires us to treat our brethren and friends as well as members of our society with fairness and justice. The word "killing," it will be noted, pertains not only to actually killing but to an attempt at killing as well as causing serious injury and boycotting etc. (see meaning of i. e. killing under 2:62; 3:155 & 4:158). The expression, save by right, used with regard to "killing" means "except when a man has made himself deserving of the treatment to be meted out to him. " For instance, in case of murder a person will be put to death only by order of proper authority. Similarly, in case of "boycotting" a person will be boycotted only under the orders of the person or the body that possesses that power. It will not be right for any