Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Latter-day Saint
Revision 4.11 “More on the Ethical Values of the Qur’an”

Revision 4.11 “More on the Ethical Values of the Qur’an”

Last updated on: August 31, 2020 at 6:44 pm by Dan Peterson

Revision 4.11 “More on the Ethical Values of the Qur’an” 2020-08-31T18:44:05-06:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A sunset near Beirut, Lebanon. (Wikimedia Commons public domain photograph)

The sins that are likely to characterize the wealthy in a commercial society come in for particular attention in the Qur’an. For instance, believers are told to give just weight and full measure in their market and trade exchanges.[1] The Qur’an shows special solicitude for the treatment of orphans. Its admonitions resemble the principle in the epistle of James, that “pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”[2]

As for the orphan, do not oppress him, and as for the beggar, scold him not.[3]

Have you thought of him that denies the Last Judgement? It is he who turns away the orphan and does not urge others to feed the poor. [4]

The damned in hell, says the Qur’an, will be asked why they are there, and they will reply: “We never prayed or fed the hungry.”[5] But kindness to the poor is not enough by itself, either. Wastefulness and extravagant living are condemned.[6]

Knowing its audience, the Qur’an once again slips into the merchant language of Mecca in order to make its point: If you make a good loan to God, it says, he will multiply it for you. Righteous living, in other words, is a good bargain; it shows sound business sense.[7] Those who “prefer the present life over the world to come” are simply foolish.[8] They are shortsighted. After all, it is the life to come that is the real life—not this one.[9] God says in the Qur’an that human existence here upon this earth is “as water that We send down out of heaven, and the plants of the earth mingle with it; and in the morning it is straw the winds scatter.”[10] It passes away and cannot give lasting satisfaction.

And as for the unbelievers,
their works are as a mirage in a spacious plain
which the man athirst supposes to be water,
till, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing.[11]

[1] 17:35; 55:9; 83:1-3.

[2] James 1:27.

[3] 93:9-10; compare 2:177; 4:2-3, 9-10; 6:152; 17:34; 90:15. On the notion of not “scolding” beggars, compare the words of King Benjamin at Mosiah 4:16-22.

[4] 107:1-3.

[5] 74:43-44.

[6] At, for instance, 7:31; 17:26-27; 25:67.

[7] 64:17; 57:11, 18.

[8] 14:3.

[9] 29:64.

[10] 18:45 (Arberry).

[11] 24:39 (Arberry)

***

“Latter-day Saint Charities has donated nearly $2 million to help after Port of Beirut blast: The Aug. 4 blast at the Port of Beirut killed 200 people and displaced 300,000 more. At least 80,000 children were displaced”

Previous Post

August 28, 2020

"Some Notes on Jacob 4:14, Revelation, Canon, Covenant, and Law"

Next Post

August 29, 2020 3 Nephi and Regional Earthquake Fault Zones

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does 2 Peter say scoffers will say in the last days?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Where is this 'coming' he promised? Jesus will never return The world will never end There is no God