Friday (5/7/2024) Notes From The Quran - The "haram" in Surah 6:151

Non-Muslims can skip this. But if you prevail, it may be useful information.

My apologies I did not post anything for this "column" the past two Fridays. 

Here is Surah 6:151 from the Quran. 

  ۞ قُلْ تَعَالَوْا۟ أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ أَلَّا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًۭٔا ۖ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـٰنًۭا ۖ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَوْلَـٰدَكُم مِّنْ إِمْلَـٰقٍۢ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ ۖ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلنَّفْسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّىٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ١٥١  

Here are a few English translations of this verse :

• by Abdullah Yusuf Ali    
• Say: "Come, I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited (haram) you from": 
• Join not anything as equal with Him; 
• be good to your parents; 
• kill not your children on a plea of want;- 
• We provide sustenance for you and for them;- 
• come not nigh to shameful deeds. Whether open or secret; 
• take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, 
• except by way of justice and law: 
• thus doth He command you, 
• that ye may learn wisdom.

My comments : This verse lists a series of haram ('maa harrama' مَا حَرَّمَ) or "forbidden".
Note that Yusuf Ali translates  "be good to your parents"  in this list of "forbidden". That sounds odd.

• Here is AJ Arberry's translation:   
  
• Say: 'Come, I will recite what your Lord has forbidden you: 
• that you associate not anything with Him, 
• and to be good to your parents,
• and not to slay your children because of poverty; 
• We will provide you and them 
• and that you approach not any indecency outward or inward, 
• and that you slay not the soul God has forbidden, except by right. 
• That then He has charged you with;
• haply you will understand.

My comments: You can see that both Abdullah Yusuf Ali and AJ Arberry translate 'haram' as 'forbidden'.  And like Yusuf Ali, Arberry also translates "and to be good to your parents" in the list of forbiddens.   

It is 'haram' to be good to your parents??  Again this sounds odd.

Now here are two other translators with different translations of the word 'haram'.

• By Sarwar   
• Say, "Let me tell you about what your Lord has commanded: 
• Do not consider anything equal to God; 
• Be kind to your parents; 
• Do not murder your children out of fear of poverty, 
• for We give sustenance to you and to them. 
• Do not even approach indecency either in public or in private. 
• Take not a life which God has made sacred except by way of justice and law. 
• Thus does He command you
• that you may learn wisdom.

My Comments : Note that Sarwar translates the word 'haram' as 'commanded'.  Not "forbidden'. So according to Sarwar, Allah has commanded that you "Be kind to your parents"   along with "do not associate partners with Him, do not kill your children" etc. This is logical and makes sense.

• Finally the translation by Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
• Say: Come, I will recite unto you that which your Lord hath made a sacred duty for you: 
• That ye ascribe no thing as partner unto Him 
• and that ye do good to parents, 
• and that ye slay not your children because of penury - 
• We provide for you and for them - 
• and that ye draw not nigh to lewd things whether open or concealed. 
• And that ye slay not the life which Allah hath made sacred, 
• save in the course of justice. 
• This He hath commanded you, 
• in order that ye may discern.

 

My Comments : Pickthall prefers to translate haram here as 'sacred duty'.  Not 'forbidden'.

So Pickthall lists "do good to parents"  as part of 'sacred duty' (haram), along with dont kill your children, dont do lewd things, dont associate partners with Allah etc. Again this is logical and makes sense.

 

In my view the English word SANCTION would fit very well in both the Sarwar and Pickthall translations of the word haram. A sanction can be either positive or negative, depending on the context of the sentence. 

 

A positive sanction is something that must be done or allowed to be done. "The Sultan of Brunei sanctioned collecting turtle eggs on Sipadan Island". This means the Sultan allowed or approved collecting turtle eggs on Sipadan Island.

 

Likewise a negative sanction is something that should not be done or not allowed to be done. For example 'The United States imposed economic sanctions against China'. This means the United States did not allow or forbade trade with China.  

• Say, “Come! Let me recite what your Lord SANCTIONED ( حَرَّمَ  harrama) upon you: 
• do not associate anything with Him,
• that you do good to both parents,
• do not kill your children for fear of poverty
• We provide for you and for them
• do not come near indecencies, 
• that which is obvious and that which is hidden
• do not take a ˹human˺ life—made sacred by Allah
• except with ˹legal˺ right
• This is what He has commanded you, 
• so that you will understand.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.