Tafseer of The Women · An-Nisaa · 4:36
Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The discourse on the interpretation of His statement, exalted is His mention: وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ ("And worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and be good to parents, and to near kindred, and the orphans, and the needy") (4:36).
Abū Jaʿfar said: By this He means, exalted is His praise: be humble before Allah through obedience, submit to Him thereby, ascribe to Him alone the right of lordship (rubūbiyya), and devote to Him purely your submission and humility, by holding fast to His command and refraining from His prohibition, and do not associate with Him in lordship and worship any partner whom you glorify as you glorify Him.
And His statement: "and to parents good conduct (iḥsān)" means: and He has commanded you to good conduct toward parents — that is, kindness to them both. For this reason "al-iḥsān" stands in the accusative, because it is a command from Him, exalted is His praise, to hold fast to good conduct toward parents, by way of exhortation.
Some have said: its meaning is: "and hold fast to the recommendation of good conduct toward parents," and that is close in meaning to what we have said.
As for His statement: "and to the near kinsman (dhū al-qurbā)," by this He means: and He has also commanded regarding the near kinsman — and these are the blood relatives of one of us on the father's side or the mother's side, namely those whose kinship is closely bound to him by blood ties from either side — good conduct through the maintenance of the blood tie.
As for His statement: "and the orphans (al-yatāmā)," this is the plural of "yatīm," and that is the child whose father has died and passed away.
And "and the needy (al-masākīn)," this is the plural of "miskīn," and that is the one who is overcome by the humiliation of poverty and need, so that he has thereby fallen into destitution.
He, exalted is His mention, says: hold fast to the recommendation of good conduct toward these, be compassionate with them, and adhere to My recommendation concerning good conduct toward them.
The discourse on the interpretation of His statement: وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى ("and the neighbor who is a kinsman") (4:36).
Abū Jaʿfar said: The scholars of interpretation differed over the interpretation of this. Some said: its meaning is: and the neighbor who is related and of the blood tie with you.
Mention of who said that:
9437 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His statement: "and the neighbor who is a kinsman," that is: the one between whom and you there is kinship.
9438 — Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: "and the neighbor who is a kinsman," that is: the one with a blood tie.
9439 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda and Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His statement: "and the neighbor who is a kinsman," he said: your neighbor who is your kinsman.
9440 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Jābir, on the authority of ʿIkrima and Mujāhid, concerning His statement: "and the neighbor who is a kinsman," they both said: the kinship.
9441 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn related to us, saying: Hushaym related to us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, concerning His statement: "and the neighbor who is a kinsman," he said: your neighbor between whom and you there is kinship.
9442 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: "and the neighbor who is a kinsman," your neighbor who is the kinsman.
9443 — Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: "and the neighbor who is a kinsman," when a person has a neighbor who is a blood relative of his, then that one has two rights: the right of kinship and the right of neighborliness.
9444 — Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His statement: "and the neighbor who is a kinsman," he said: the near kinsman-neighbor is your kinsman.
Others said: no, it is the neighbor of your kinsman.
Mention of who said that:
9445 — ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Layth, on the authority of Maymūn ibn Mihrān, concerning His statement: "and the neighbor who is a kinsman," he said: the man who draws near to you by means of the neighborliness of your kinsman.
Abū Jaʿfar said: And this statement is a statement that contradicts what is well known in the speech of the Arabs. For the one who, in His statement "and the neighbor who is a kinsman," is described with "the kinsman," is "the neighbor" and no one else. But the one who makes this statement renders it "the neighbor of the kinsman." If the meaning of the word were as Maymūn ibn Mihrān said, then it would have been said: "and a neighbor of a kinsman" (wa-jāra dhī al-qurbā), and not "and the neighbor, the kinsman" (wa-l-jāra dhī al-qurbā). For then — when "the neighbor" would be annexed to "the kinsman" — the recommendation would pertain to good conduct toward the neighbor of the kinsman, and not toward the near kinsman-neighbor. But as for "the neighbor" with the definite article (al-), it is not permissible that "the kinsman" be anything other than an attribute of "the neighbor." And if that is so, then the recommendation of Allah in His statement "and the neighbor who is a kinsman" is a recommendation of good conduct toward the near kinsman-neighbor, and not toward the neighbor of the kinsman. And the falseness of what Maymūn ibn Mihrān said about it is clear.
Others said: its meaning is: and the neighbor who is your kinsman through Islam.
Mention of who said that:
9446 — Muḥammad ibn ʿUmāra al-Asadī related to me, saying: ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Mūsā related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of Nawf al-Shāmī: "and the neighbor who is a kinsman," the Muslim.
Abū Jaʿfar said: And this too is something that has no meaning. For the interpretation of the Book of Allah, blessed and exalted is He, may only be referred back to that which is most current in the speech of the Arabs in whose language the Qurʾān was sent down, namely what is well known among them, and not to the unusual which they do not recognize as current — unless against that which is well known there stands a proof to which one must defer. And if that is so — and it is known that what is current in the speech of the Arabs, when it is said "so-and-so is a kinsman (dhū qarāba)," means only: that he is closely bound to him by blood tie, not by closeness in religion — then referring it back to kinship by blood tie is more fitting than referring it back to closeness in religion.
The discourse on the interpretation of His statement: وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ ("and the distant neighbor") (4:36).
Abū Jaʿfar said: The scholars of interpretation differed over the interpretation of this. Some said: its meaning is: and the distant neighbor between whom and you there is no kinship.
Mention of who said that:
9447 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: "and the distant neighbor," the one between whom and you there is no kinship.
9448 — Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: "and the distant neighbor," that is: the neighbor from a far-off people.
9449 — Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: "and the distant neighbor," the one between the two of whom there is no kinship, while he is nonetheless a neighbor, and so he has the right of neighborliness.
9450 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: "and the distant neighbor," the stranger neighbor who comes from the people.
9451 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda and Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: "and the distant neighbor," your neighbor from another people.
9452 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: "and the distant neighbor," your neighbor between whom and you there is no kinship, the one distant in lineage, while he is nonetheless a neighbor.
9453 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Jābir, on the authority of ʿIkrima and Mujāhid, concerning His statement: "and the distant neighbor," he said: the one who is at a distance.
9454 — Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His statement: "and the distant neighbor," the one between whom and you there is neither blood tie nor kinship.
9455 — Yaḥyā ibn Abī Ṭālib related to me, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Juwaybir informed us, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk: "and the distant neighbor," he said: from another people.
Others said: it is the polytheist neighbor (al-mushrik).
Mention of who said that:
9456 — Muḥammad ibn ʿUmāra al-Asadī related to me, saying: ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Mūsā related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of Nawf al-Shāmī: "and the distant neighbor," he said: the Jew and the Christian.
Abū Jaʿfar said: And the more correct of the two statements about this is the statement of the one who said: "the meaning of al-junub in this place is: the stranger, the distant one, whether he be Muslim or polytheist (mushrik), Jew or Christian," on the basis of what we have explained earlier, namely that "the near kinsman-neighbor" is the neighbor who is related and of the blood tie. It is then necessary that "the neighbor who is at a distance" be the distant neighbor, so that this be a recommendation concerning all kinds of neighbors, the near and the distant among them.
And moreover, "al-junub" in the speech of the Arabs means: the distant one, as Aʿshā Banī Qays said:
"I visited Ḥurayth as a visitor from afar (ʿan janāba), yet Ḥurayth remained unmoved with regard to my gift."
By his words "ʿan janāba" he means: from distance and strangerhood. From this is derived the saying: "so-and-so distanced himself from (ijtanaba) so-and-so," when he became far from him; and "tajannaba-hu" (he avoided him), and "jannaba-hu khayra-hu" (he withheld from him his good), when he refused it to him. And from this the ritually impure person (junub) is given the name "junub," because of his separation from prayer until he has washed.
Its meaning is therefore: and the neighbor who stands at a distance from kinship.
The discourse on the interpretation of His statement, exalted is He: وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالْجَنْبِ ("and the companion at one's side") (4:36).
Abū Jaʿfar said: The scholars of interpretation differed over who is meant by this.
Some said: it is the travel companion of the man on his journey.
Mention of who said that:
9457 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: "and the companion at one's side," the travel companion.
9458 — Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Yaḥyā and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, they both said: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Abū Bukayr, he said: I heard Saʿīd ibn Jubayr say: "and the companion at one's side," the travel companion on the journey.
9459 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda and Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His statement: "and the companion at one's side," your companion on the journey.
9460 — Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: "and the companion at one's side," and that is the travel companion on the journey.
9461 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: "and the companion at one's side," the travel companion on the journey: his lodging is your lodging, his food is your food, and his travel route is your travel route.
9462 — Sufyān related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Jābir, on the authority of ʿIkrima and Mujāhid: "and the companion at one's side," they both said: the travel companion on the journey.
9463 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: al-Ḥimmānī related to us, saying: Sharīk related to us, on the authority of Jābir, on the authority of ʿĀmir, on the authority of ʿAlī and ʿAbd Allāh, they both said: "the companion at one's side" is the righteous travel companion.
9464 — Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, he said: Sulaym informed me, on the authority of Mujāhid, he said: "the companion at one's side," your travel companion on the journey, who comes to you with his hand in your hand.
9465 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Suwayd ibn Naṣr related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, it having been read aloud to Ibn Jurayj, he said: Sulaym informed us: that he heard Mujāhid say: "and the companion at one's side," and he mentioned something similar.
9466 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: "and the companion at one's side," the companion on the journey.
9467 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Dukayn related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Abū Bukayr, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr: "and the companion at one's side," the righteous travel companion.
9468 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: al-Thawrī informed us, on the authority of Abū Bukayr, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, something similar.
9469 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn related to us, saying: Hushaym informed us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, concerning His statement: "and the companion at one's side," he said: the travel companion on the journey.
9470 — Yaḥyā ibn Abī Ṭālib related to me, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Juwaybir informed us, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, something similar.
Others said: no, it is the wife of the man who is beside him, at his side.
Mention of who said that:
9471 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Jābir, on the authority of ʿĀmir — or al-Qāsim — on the authority of ʿAlī and ʿAbd Allāh, may Allah be pleased with them both: "and the companion at one's side," they both said: it is the wife.
9472 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn related to us, saying: Hushaym related to us, on the authority of some of his companions, on the authority of Jābir, on the authority of ʿAlī and ʿAbd Allāh, something similar.
9473 — Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: "and the companion at one's side," that is: the one who is with you in your dwelling.
9474 — Muḥammad ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar related to us, saying: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of Hilāl, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Laylā: that he said concerning this verse: "and the companion at one's side," he said: it is the wife.
9475 — Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Abū al-Haytham, on the authority of Ibrāhīm: "and the companion at one's side," he said: the wife.
9476 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: al-Thawrī said: Abū al-Haytham said, on the authority of Ibrāhīm: it is the wife.
9477 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Nuʿaym related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Abū al-Haytham, on the authority of Ibrāhīm, something similar.
9478 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: Abū Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Sūqa, on the authority of Abū al-Haytham, on the authority of Ibrāhīm, something similar.
9479 — ʿAmr ibn Bayḏaq related to me, saying: Marwān ibn Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Sūqa, on the authority of Abū al-Haytham, on the authority of Ibrāhīm, something similar.
Others said: it is the one who attaches himself to you and accompanies you in hope of benefiting from you.
Mention of who said that:
9480 — Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, he said: Ibn ʿAbbās said: "the companion at one's side," the one who clings devotedly — and he also said: your travel companion who accompanies you.
9481 — Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said: "and the companion at one's side," the one who attaches himself to you, and he is at your side, and who is with you at your side in hope of your goodness and benefit.
Abū Jaʿfar said: And the correct view in the discourse on the interpretation of this is, in my opinion: that the meaning of "the companion at one's side" is: the companion beside one's flank, as one says: "so-and-so is by the side of so-and-so, and beside him," and it comes from their saying: "so-and-so was at the side of so-and-so (janaba), he is at his side (yajnubu-hu janban)," when he is at his side. From this also is: "the leading of horses (janab al-khayl)," when one leads some of them at the side of others. And under this may fall: the travel companion on the journey, the wife, and the one who attaches himself to the man and accompanies him in hope of his benefit, because they are all at the side of the one with whom he is and near him. And Allah, exalted is He, has recommended concerning them all, on account of the obligation of the right of the companion toward the one who is accompanied. And indeed:
9482 — Sahl ibn Mūsā al-Rāzī related to us, saying: Ibn Abī Fudayk related to us, on the authority of a certain son of ʿAbd Allāh, on the authority of a trustworthy transmitter according to him: that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in the company of a man among his companions, while they were both upon two mounts. The Prophet ﷺ entered a thicket of tamarisk and cut two fodder stalks, one of them crooked and the other straight, and came out with both. He gave his companion the straight one and took for himself the crooked one. The man said: O Messenger of Allah, by my father and my mother, you have more right to the straight one than I! He said: "Not at all, O so-and-so! Verily, every companion who accompanies a companion will be questioned about his companionship, even if it were but an hour of the day."
9483 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Suwayd ibn Naṣr related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, on the authority of Ḥaywa, he said: Sharaḥbīl ibn Sharīk related to me, on the authority of Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Ḥubulī, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr, on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ, he said: Verily, the best of companions in the sight of Allah, blessed and exalted is He, is the best of them toward his companion. And the best of neighbors in the sight of Allah is the best of them toward his neighbor.
Abū Jaʿfar said: Since "the companion at one's side," according to its meaning, can therefore encompass that which we have mentioned — namely that it includes everyone who attaches a man to himself by companionship on a journey, or by marriage, or by clinging to him and being in connection with him — and since Allah, exalted is His praise, has not excepted any of them from what the outward wording of the revelation encompasses — thus it is correct to say: they are all meant by this, and toward them all Allah has recommended the practice of good conduct.
The discourse on the interpretation of His statement: وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ ("and the wayfarer") (4:36).
Abū Jaʿfar said: The scholars of interpretation differed over the interpretation of this. Some said: "ibn al-sabīl" is the traveler who passes through.
Mention of who said that:
9484 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda — and Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: "and the wayfarer," that is the one who passes by you while he is on a journey.
9484m — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Suwayd ibn Naṣr related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid and Qatāda, something similar.
9485 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: Ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ, concerning His statement: "and the wayfarer," he said: it is the one who passes by you, even if he was originally rich.
Others said: it is the guest.
Mention of who said that:
9486 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His statement: "and the wayfarer," he said: the guest, he has a right on the journey and in the place of residence.
9487 — Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: "and the wayfarer," and that is the guest.
9488 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn related to us, saying: Hushaym informed us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk: "and the wayfarer," he said: the guest.
9489 — Yaḥyā ibn Abī Ṭālib related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Juwaybir informed us, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, something similar.
Abū Jaʿfar said: And the correct view in the discourse on this is: that "ibn al-sabīl" is the man of the road — and "al-sabīl" is the road, and its "son" is its man who travels along it — and he has the right, upon the one by whom he passes while he is needy and has become destitute, provided that his journey is not in disobedience to Allah: that this person aid him if he needs aid, show him hospitality if he needs hospitality, and offer him transport if he needs transport.
The discourse on the interpretation of His statement: وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ("and what your right hands possess") (4:36).
Abū Jaʿfar said: By this He means, exalted is His praise: and those whom you possess of your slaves (raqīq). He annexed "the possession" to "the right hand," as one says: "your mouth spoke," "your foot walked," and "your hand struck," in the meaning of: you spoke, you walked, and you struck. However, that with which each of those limbs is described, to it is ascribed only that with which it is described, because in common usage among people it is accomplished by it, and not by the remaining limbs of the body. Thus — by describing that limb with that with which it is described — the intended meaning of the word became known. So too is His statement: "and what your right hands possess," for the slaves of one of us who are under his hand eat only that which our right hands extend to them, and clothe themselves with that with which it clothes them, and it disposes of them in that in which it wished to dispose of them. For this reason their possession was ascribed to "the right hands."
And in accordance with what we have said about this, the scholars of interpretation have spoken.
Mention of who said that:
9490 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: "and what your right hands possess," of that which Allah has allotted to you. All of this Allah has recommended.
Abū Jaʿfar said: And by his words "all of this Allah has recommended" Mujāhid means: the parents, the near kinsman, the orphans, the needy, the near kinsman-neighbor, the distant neighbor, the companion at one's side, and the wayfarer. Our Lord, exalted is His majesty, has recommended to His servants the practice of good conduct toward all of these, and He has commanded His creatures to adhere to His recommendation concerning them. It is therefore the duty of His servants to observe the recommendation of Allah concerning them, and then to observe the recommendation of His Messenger ﷺ.
The discourse on the interpretation of His statement: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ مَنْ كَانَ مُخْتَالا فَخُورًا ("Verily, Allah does not love whoever is conceited and boastful") (4:36).
Abū Jaʿfar said: By His statement, exalted is His praise, "Verily, Allah does not love whoever is conceited (mukhtāl)," He means: verily, Allah does not love whoever is full of arrogance (khuyalāʾ).
And "al-mukhtāl" is of the form muftaʿil, derived from your saying: "the man became conceited (khāla al-rajul), he is conceited (yakhūlu khawlan wa-khālan)," and from this is the saying of the poet:
"If you are our lord, then rule over us; but if you are of the conceited (al-khāl), go away and be conceited."
And from this is the saying of al-ʿAjjāj:
"And al-khāl (arrogance) is a garment from the clothes of fools."
As for "al-fakhūr" (the boastful), that is the one who boasts before the servants of Allah on account of what Allah has bestowed upon him of His favors and what He has spread out for him of His abundance, while he does not praise Him for the goodness He has given him, but is conceited and arrogant thereby, and boasts and brags thereby before others. As:
9491 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: "Verily, Allah does not love whoever is conceited," he said: arrogant; "boastful," he said: he enumerates what has been given to him, while he does not thank Allah.
9492 — Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Kathīr related to us, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Wāqid Abū Rajāʾ al-Harawī, he said: you will not find anyone who is bad toward those over whom he rules, but that you find him conceited and boastful. And he recited: "and what your right hands possess — verily, Allah does not love whoever is conceited and boastful." And you will not find anyone who is disobedient to his parents, but that you find him a tyrant, wretched. And he recited: وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَتِي وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِي جَبَّارًا شَقِيًّا ("And good conduct toward my mother, and He has not made me a tyrant, a wretched one") (Sūrat Maryam: 32).
