Surah Ash-Shu'araa (26): Read Online and Download - English Translation

Commentary

Unnatural act is unlawful even with one's own wife

وَتَذَرُ‌ونَ مَا خَلَقَ لَكُمْ رَ‌بُّكُم مِّنْ أَزْوَاجِكُم

And leave what your Lord has created for you, that is, your wives? - 26:166

In the phrase مِّنْ أَزْوَاجِكُم the word مِّنْ (min) Min could be descriptive (which is translated above as 'that is1) if taken in the technical sense, which would mean that in order to satisfy your lust you go after the homosexual men instead of your wives, whom Allah has given you to meet your natural urge. This is indeed a proof of malignity. The other possibility is that the letter 'Min' is used to mean 'from' or 'out of; then the meaning of the verse would be that it is a special part in the body of your wives which is created for the satisfaction of your natural urge. But you indulge in unnatural act with them, which is totally unlawful. Thus according to this second interpretation, it has also been made clear that it is not permitted to have unnatural intercourse with one's wife. In a hadith Holy Prophet ﷺ has cast curse on such a person. نَعُذ باللہ منۃ (Ruh al-Ma’ ani).

إِلَّا عَجُوزًا فِي الْغَابِرِ‌ينَ

Except an old woman among those who remained behind. - 26:171

The word 'old woman' is used for the wife of Sayyidna Lut علیہ السلام who was an infidel and was agreeable to the unnatural act of the people of Lut (علیہ السلام) If the wife of Lut (علیہ السلام) was an old woman then the use of this word for her is quite clear, but if she was not old, then perhaps she was called 'old woman' for the reason that the prophet's wife is regarded like the mother of the Ummah, and to call a woman having many children as old is not unlikely.

وَأَمْطَرْ‌نَا عَلَيْهِم مَّطَرً‌ا ۖ فَسَاءَ مَطَرُ‌ الْمُنذَرِ‌ينَ

and subjected them to a terrible rain. So evil was the rain of those who were warned. - 26:173

This verse has confirmed that if a man commits sodomy, he may be punished with throwing a wall on him or by throwing him down from a high place, as suggested by Hanafi scholars, because the people of Lut (علیہ السلام) were destroyed in a similar manner. Their township was lifted and thrown on the ground. (Shami Kitab Al-Hudud)

Commentary

وَزِنُوا بِالْقِسْطَاسِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ

And weigh with an even balance. - 26:182

Some scholars have held the word Quistas as a Roman word, which means justice, while others have taken it as an Arabic word, derived from Qist, which is also used for justice. It means to make use of the scale and other measuring tools in a straight and correct manner, where there is no possibility of weighing less.

وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءَهُمْ

And do not make people short of their things - 26:183

What it means is that it is unlawful to reduce any quantity or amount from that which has been contracted with anyone, whether it is a measurable thing or otherwise. Therefore, if a servant or a laborer does not work his full time at his workplace, he too is included in this warning. Imam Malik (رح) has reported a narration in his Muwatta' that Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ noticed that someone did not join in the ` Asr prayer. So, he enquired about the reason for that, to which he offered some excuse. Then Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ said, طَفَّفتَ ` You have reduced in measuring'. As prayer is not something to be measured, hence after quoting this hadith Imam Malik (رح) has said that this command is not restricted to measurable things. Rather, performing any obligation less than due is included in prohibition highlighted in this verse and in Surah "At-tatfif 84".