31/03/2023
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
The Ten Commandments are the well-known instructions, the essence of the Torah, which Allah revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai, peace and blessings be upon him. The commandments prohibit the major sins of idolatry, impiety, disrespect for parents, murder, theft, adultery, false witness, and envy.
These commandments are among the core teachings of Judaism and Christianity that are taught to children at an early age, and all of them are included within the teachings of Islam. Some believe these commands go back as far as the seven laws of Noah, peace and blessings be upon him.
As such, these commandments can be the basis of interfaith dialogue and mutually-beneficial cooperation between Muslims, Jews, and Christians. They are the “common word” for which we can all come together in agreement.
Allah said:
قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ
Say: O people of the Book, let us come to a common word between us, that we will not worship anything but Allah, we will not associate anything with Him, and we will not take one another as lords instead of Allah. But if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we submit to Allah.
Surat Ali Imran 3:64
These common teachings can be distilled into two main principles: love for Allah and love for our neighbors. In other words, we should respect the rights of Allah by holding sound beliefs and performing acts of worship in the best manner, and we should respect the rights of people by treating them in the way we would love to be treated. All of the divine revelations throughout history are founded upon these two principles.
Abdullah Al-Hashimi reported: I came to Tawus, may Allah have mercy on him, and he said to me, “Would you like me to summarize in this sitting all of the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, and the Quran?” I said yes. Tawus said:
خَفِ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى مَخَافَةً لا يَكُونُ عِنْدَكَ شَيْءٌ أَخْوَفَ مِنْهُ وَارْجُهْ رَجَاءً هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْ خَوْفِكَ إِيَّاهُ وَأَحِبَّ لِلنَّاسِ مَا تُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِكَ
Fear Allah the Exalted more than anything else, hope in Allah more intensely than you fear him, and love for people what you love for yourself.
Source: Hilyat al-Awliyā 4693
The closest single passage in similarity to the Ten Commandments occurs in the chapter of the cattle (surat al-an’am). In this passage, many of these biblical commandments are restated, with a heavy emphasis on fulfilling the rights of Allah and the rights of people.
Allah said:
قُلْ تَعَالَوْا أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ أَلَّا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا ۖ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۖ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُم مِّنْ إِمْلَاقٍ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ ۖ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ ۖ وَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ وَالْمِيزَانَ بِالْقِسْطِ ۖ لَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۖ وَإِذَا قُلْتُمْ فَاعْدِلُوا وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَىٰ ۖ وَبِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ أَوْفُوا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
Say: Come and I will recite what your Lord has forbidden for you, that you not associate anything with Him, and be good to parents. Do not kill your children out of poverty, for We will provide for you and them. Do not approach lewdness, whether it is public or private. Do not kill the soul which Allah has made sacred except by right of justice. This He has instructed you that you may reason. Do not approach the property of the orphans, except in a way that is best, until he reaches maturity. Give full measure and weight in justice. We do not charge any soul except within its capability. When you testify, be just even if it concerns a relative, and fulfill the covenant of Allah. This He has instructed you that you may remember. And this is My straight path, so follow it and do not follow other ways, lest you be separated from His way. This He has instructed you that you will be righteous.
Surat al-An’am 6:151-153
This passage explicitly and implicitly expresses the moral foundations of the Muslim community. In fact, some of the Prophet’s companions considered this passage to be the will and testament of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إِلَى الصَّحِيفَةِ الَّتِي عَلَيْهَا خَاتَمُ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلْيَقْرَأْ هَذِهِ الْآيَاتِ قُلْ تَعَالَوْا أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ الْآيَةَ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
Whoever is pleased to look at the will which has upon it the seal of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, then let him recite these verses, “Say: Come and I will recite to you what your Lord has forbidden…” (6:151) until he reaches the verse, “…that you will be righteous.” (6:153)
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3070, Grade: Hasan
With this in mind, we find that the parallel sayings to the Ten Commandments are conveyed all throughout the Quran and Sunnah. The following are some prominent instances in which Muslims are instructed to uphold these teachings:
First commandment: You shall have no other gods before Me.
Allah said:
وَإِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۖ لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ الرَّحِيمُ
Your God is one God. There is no God but him, the Gracious, the Merciful
Surat al-Baqarah 2:163
And Allah said:
قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَاسْتَقِيمُوا إِلَيْهِ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ ۗ وَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Say: I am only a man like you to whom it has been revealed that your God is one God, so take a straight path to him and seek his forgiveness.
Surat Fussilat 41:6
