In this part the surah speaks of human nature when it sticks to the right track and when it deviates, and at what end it arrives in either case. It begins by urging man to remain dutiful to his parents. This instruction often comes in the Qur’an after it speaks about faith or in conjunction with such discourses. The reason for this is that the bond between children and parents is the strongest and most important after the bond of faith. It is the one that deserves to be honoured.

Furthermore, grouping the two bonds together in this way in the Qur’an makes it clear that the bond of faith takes precedence in human life. It is followed though by the family bond in its closest form.

This part of the surah gives us a scene portraying two types of human nature. In the first, the two bonds of faith and the one between parent and offspring work together in the same direction, seeking God’s acceptance. In the second, the two bonds separate and have no meeting point. In the first case, the children concerned are given the good news of being admitted into heaven, while in the second, they are destined to suffer in hell. An image of the punishment meted out in hell is given, describing the end suffered by the arrogant who are guilty of transgression.

“ We have enjoined upon man to show kindness to his parents.” (Verse 15) This is an order given to all mankind, based on the very fact of their being human with no need for any further qualification. They are all enjoined to show kindness in its absolute, unrestricted sense.

Mere parenthood requires such absolute kindness. This order comes from the Creator of man, and it appears to apply to the human race in particular. It is unknown among birds, animals or insects for the young to take care of the old. What is clearly observed among these creatures is that by nature the old take care of the young. Nevertheless, this applies only to some species. Hence, the Divine order seems to apply only to man.

This instruction to be kind to one’s parents is repeated several times in the Qur’an and in the Prophet’s pronouncements. By contrast, kindness by parents to children occurs only rarely, addressing particular situations. Human nature itself ensures that parents take good care of their children, without the need for any other motivation. Parents often show a remarkable readiness to sacrifice whatever they have for their children, to the point of being willing to die for them. They show no hesitation in all this, seek no recompense, press no favour and expect no thanks. The new generation, however, rarely turns back to take care of the older one who had made such great sacrifices.

Indeed, the younger generation moves forward to bring up another new generation and take care of it, making similar sacrifices in the process.

Islam considers the family the basic unit in its social structure. It is the nest where the young are reared, receiving their share of love, and learning the value of mutual cooperation and care. A child who does not have a family to look after it often suffers deprivation in some aspects of its life, even though all sorts of comfort remain available in its environment. The first thing such a child lacks as it grows up in an environment other than that of a family is love. It has been proven that by nature a child loves to have its mothers complete attention during its first two years of life. This cannot be provided in a non-family environment where one carer has to look after several children. In this situation, jealousy is bound to surface, and a grudging seed replaces that of love. Similarly, a child needs to be under one supervisory authority during a certain period of its life; this so that its character remains stable. Again, this cannot be provided anywhere other than the family environment. In a childrens home, such an authority is lacking because supervisors work in shifts.

Therefore, their charges can only but lack stability. Hence, we can see the wisdom behind making the family the basic unit of the Islamic social structure that meets all the needs of sound human nature.

The Qur’an describes the mothers willing sacrifice, which cannot be compensated for by her children no matter how well they fulfil Gods order to be kind to parents: “in pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. His bearing and weaning takes thirty months.” (Verse 15) Here the very words and their rhythm gives us a clear sense of the difficulty and hard times the mother has to go through: “in pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth." In Arabic this sounds akin to a great sigh, made by someone bearing a heavy burden and breathing with difficulty. It, thus reflects the latter stages of pregnancy, as also of labour and birth.

The converse of all this is error and transgression:

But there is one who says to his parents: Tie on you both! Do you promise me that I shall be resurrected, when generations have passed away before me? And while they both implore God for help, [and say to him]: Alas for you! Believe! God's promise always comes true,' he answers: All this is nothing but fables of ancient times. 'Such are the ones upon whom the verdict is passed, together with other communities of jinn and humans that have passed away before their time. They will be utterly lost. (Verses 17-18)

The parents are believers, but the child is disobedient. His first characteristic is that of being undutiful to them, addressing them with arrogance and insolence, hurting their feelings: “Fie on you both." He then denies the resurrection, citing the hollow argument that no one from past generations has ever come back to life: “Do you promise me that I shall be resurrected, when generations have passed away before (Verse 17) The time of resurrection is determined by God, when all will be resurrected at the same time after this present world has completed its term. No one has ever said that resurrection will take place in instalments, with one generation resurrected during the lifetime of a later one. It is not a game; rather, it is a submitting of final accounts once the journey has come to its final destination.

The parents are shocked by their sons words that mark him out to be a clear disbeliever. They fear the outcome of what he says to God and to them. Therefore, they appeal to him and pray to God for help:

“they both implore God for help, [and say to him]: Alas for you! Believe! God's promise always comes true.'” (Verse 17) These words give us a clear impression of their dread at the outcome of all this. The child, for his part, however, persists with disbelief and denial, saying: “All this is nothing but fables of ancient times." (Verse 17) His inevitable end overwhelms him: “Such are the ones upon whom the verdict is passed, together with other communities 0/jinn and humans that have passed away before their time. They will be utterly lost." (Verse 18) The verdict passed on this person and others like him is the punishment incurred by unbelievers. There are large numbers of these across many generations of humans and jinn. God’s promise which always comes true states that these 'will be utterly lost'. What greater loss is there than the loss of faith in this life and the loss of God’s pleasure in the life to come! Such a loss means inevitable suffering for such unbelievers.

Having given a general idea of the outcome that awaits the two groups, the surah gives us an image of the accurate accountability of every individual: “ They all shall have their grades in accordance with their deeds; and so, He will repay them in full for their doings, and none shall be wronged." (Verse 19) Every single one has their own grade, according to their deeds.

These two types of people are very common. Indeed, the description almost identifies two particular people to heighten the effect and make each mirror a life situation. There are reports suggesting that each example does refer to a particular case, but none of these carries any degree of authenticity. It is better, therefore, to consider that they refer to two types rather than two individuals. This is endorsed by the way the surah comments on their situations. After describing the first type, the surah says: “Zt is from such people that We shall accept the best that they ever did, and whose bad deeds We shall overlook. [They shall be] among the people destined for paradise. True is the promise that has been given them” (verse 16) It refers to the second type with a similarly telling comment: “Such are the ones upon whom the verdict is passed, together with other communities tf/jinn and humans that have passed away before their time. They will be utterly lost” (Verse 18) It finally comments on both types together: “ They all shall have their grades in accordance with their deeds; and so, He will repay them in full for their doings, and none shall be wronged.” (Verse 19)

The surah then puts before the unbelievers their own fate as they face the reckoning on the Day of Resurrection which they were wont to deny:

On the Day when the unbelievers will be brought before the fire, they will be told: 'You have exhausted your share of good things in your worldly life and took your fill of pleasure. So, today you shall be requited with the suffering of humiliation for having been arrogant on earth without any right, and for all your transgression] (Verse 20)

This is a fast moving scene, yet it has a profound, telling effect. The scene brings them before the fire, but just before they are driven into it, they are told the reasons which determined their fate in this way:

“ You have exhausted your share of good things in your worldly life and took your fill of pleasure.” They had their fair share of good things, but they used them all up in the life of this world, keeping nothing back for their future life. In fact, they did not reckon that there would even be a future life. Therefore, they enjoyed these good things to the full, showing no gratitude for them and expressing no thanks to God for granting them. They did not refrain from committing what is forbidden in order to enjoy such pleasures. Therefore, they had their full share of good things in this world, leaving themselves nothing in the life to come. They exchanged the endless life of the hereafter for the short span of life on earth. Therefore, shall be requited with the suffering of humiliation for having been arrogant on earth without any right, and for all your transgression” (Verse 20) Everyone who behaves with arrogance on earth does so without any right. All pride belongs to God; none belongs to any creature, no matter what position he holds. To suffer humiliation is, therefore, a just reward for arrogance and deviation from the path God has charted.