566. The connection with the previous verses should be obvious. First Allah (swt) exhorted to give in charity. Then He divided charity into two kinds: those which are followed by reminders and injury, and those that are not. Then He gave examples of both. Now He indicates what kind and quality of a thing it is that one should expend in His cause (Razi).

567. It is said that people hung bunches of dates in the Prophet's mosque meant for the people of Suffa who sometime totaled around four hundred and had no means of income. Once someone hanged a bunch of rotten dates. The Prophet disapproved of it and this verse was revealed (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Razi).

Basing their judgment on the word "kasabtum" ([what] you have earned), the jurists say that a man has the right to take what he wishes from the earnings of his sons. The Prophet has said in a hadith: أولادكم من طيب أكسابكم فكلوا من أموال أولادكم هنيئا "Your offspring are the best of what you earn (aksaab"). Therefore, you may take from their earnings as you please" (Qurtubi, Ma`arif).

568. This includes everything that the earth produces, such as vegetables, fruits, minerals and precious metals such as diamonds, gold and silver (Qurtubi).

569. According to a hadith of `A'isha (ra) preserved in Musnad Ahmad, when the Prophet (saws) was sent dab-meat (a large lizard like desert animal) he did not eat of it, but he did not forbid others either. `A'isha says I suggested, "Why should we not give it away to the poor?" He replied: "Do not give them what you would not like to eat yourself" (Ibn Kathir). In fact, the Prophet has forbidden that rotten things be accepted in charity (Qurtubi).

The injunction, therefore, is to give the best in charity. The orders, nevertheless to the state officials is not to eye the best when they go around collecting zakah (Au.).

570. A hadith of the Prophet clarifies this issue. Preserved by Imam Ahmad and narrated by Ibn Mas`ud, it says: عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَسَمَ بَيْنَكُمْ أَخْلاَقَكُمْ كَمَا قَسَمَ بَيْنَكُمْ أَرْزَاقَكُمْ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُعْطِى الدُّنْيَا مَنْ يُحِبُّ وَمَنْ لاَ يُحِبُّ وَلاَ يُعْطِى الدِّينَ إِلاَّ لِمَنْ أَحَبَّ فَمَنْ أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ الدِّينَ فَقَدْ أَحَبَّهُ وَالَّذِى نَفْسِى بِيَدِهِ لاَ يُسْلِمُ عَبْدٌ حَتَّى يُسْلِمَ قَلْبُهُ وَلِسَانُهُ وَلاَ يُؤْمِنُ حَتَّى يَأْمَنَ جَارُهُ بَوَائِقَهُ ». قَالُوا وَمَا بَوَائِقُهُ يَا نَبِىَّ اللَّهِ قَالَ « غَشْمُهُ وَظُلْمُهُ وَلاَ يَكْسِبُ عَبْدٌ مَالاَ مِنْ حَرَامٍ فَيُنْفِقَ مِنْهُ فَيُبَارَكَ لَهُ فِيهِ وَلاَ يَتَصَدَّقَ بِهِ فَيُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَلاَ يَتْرُكَهُ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِهِ إِلاَّ كَانَ زَادَهُ إِلَى النَّارِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لاَ يَمْحُو السَّيِّئَ بِالسَّيِّئِ وَلَكِنْ يَمْحُو السَّيِّئَ بِالْحَسَنِ إِنَّ الْخَبِيثَ لاَ يَمْحُو الْخَبِيثَ ». "Allah has distributed moral and spiritual qualities among you as He has distributed providence. Verily, Allah gives the world to him He loves as well as him whom He does not. But He does not guide to His religion any but whom He loves. Therefore, whomsoever He made religious, surely He loved him. By Him in Whose Hands is my soul, a man does not become a believer until his heart and hands also become muslim, and one does not become a muslim until his neighbors are in peace from the evil in him." He was asked, "What evil do you mean O Messenger of Allah?" He said, "His deceit and oppression." Then he continued: "And a man does not earn something by unlawful means and spend out of it but the benedictions do not reach him, nor is his charity accepted. Such a man does not leave his wealth behind him but it will be a burden of Fire on him. Allah does not wipe out (an) evil (deed) with another (evil deed), rather, He wipes out an evil (deed) with a good (deed that follows. A corrupt (deed) does not wipe out another corrupt (deed)" Ibn Kathir.

571. Fahsha' in Arabic primarily refers to parsimony (Zamakhshari, Razi, Alusi). However, it is also applied to evil deeds as if a man of evil deeds is, in the figurative sense, parsimonious with good deeds (Shawkani).

The Prophet has been reported by `Abdullah (ibn Mas`ud) as having said: إِنَّ لِلشَّيْطَانِ لَمَّةً بِابْنِ آدَمَ وَلِلْمَلَكِ لَمَّةً فَأَمَّا لَمَّةُ الشَّيْطَانِ فَإِيعَادٌ بِالشَّرِّ وَتَكْذِيبٌ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَمَّا لَمَّةُ الْمَلَكِ فَإِيعَادٌ بِالْخَيْرِ وَتَصْدِيقٌ بِالْحَقِّ فَمَنْ وَجَدَ ذَلِكَ فَلْيَعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ مِنْ اللَّهِ فَلْيَحْمَدْ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ وَجَدَ الْأُخْرَى فَلْيَتَعَوَّذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ الشَّيْطَانُ يَعِدُكُمْ الْفَقْرَ وَيَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالْفَحْشَاءِ "Satan whispers to the children of Adam as the angels do. Satan's whispering is the incitation to corruption and denial of the truth. The angel's whispering is the persuasion to good deeds and acceptance of the truth. So whoever finds this with himself may know that it is from Allah (swt), and let him thank Him. But if he finds something different, let him seek Allah's refuge from Satan." Then the Prophet recited this verse: "Satan promises you poverty and bids you to indecency...." According to some versions this is a saying of Ibn Mas`ud (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Razi), although Tirmidhi has called it a hadith of the Hasan Gharib type (Ibn Kathir).

Razi says: Satan first tries to incite one to spend the worst part of a thing. When one listens to him and acts according to his bidding, he increases his demand and questions him as to why he should spend at all. This is what is meant by: "Satan promises you poverty and bids you parsimony."

572. Accordingly, there is a hadith which says that: عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ - رضى الله عنه - أَنَّ النَّبِىَّ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - قَالَ « مَا مِنْ يَوْمٍ يُصْبِحُ الْعِبَادُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ مَلَكَانِ يَنْزِلاَنِ فَيَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمَا اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقًا خَلَفًا ، وَيَقُولُ الآخَرُ اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُمْسِكًا تَلَفًا » (صحيح البخارى) No day passes but two angels come down, one of them saying: "O Lord, give him who gives," and the other saying: "O Lord, hold back from him who holds back" (Razi, Alusi).

573. The word "hikmah" of the original can carry different connotations depending upon the context in which it occurs. Hikmah is, as stated in Al Bahar al Muhit, the quality of placing things (and acts) in their right and proper places. It is something that can be mastered only by the Prophets. Accordingly, Allah used the word for Da`ud (saws) in the sense of Prophethood in verse 251 of this chapter when He said: وَآَتَاهُ اللَّهُ الْمُلْكَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ "Allah gave him kingship and prophethood" (Ma`arif).

In the present context it stands for knowledge and understanding of the Qur'an Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, Mujahid, Abu al `Aliyyah. Other meanings close to this are also reported (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Alusi adds: As for the report coming from Ibn `Abbas, which says that by the hikmah it is Prophethood that is meant, it might be that he was referring to the hadith that Bayhaqi has preserved through Abu Umamah al-Bahili in which the Prophet is reported to have said: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم " من قرأ ثلث القرآن أعطي ثلث النبوة ومن قرأ نصف القرآن أعطي نصف النبوة ومن قرأ ثلثيه أعطي ثلثي النبوة ومن قرأ القرآن كله أعطي النبوة ويقال له يوم القيامة : اقرأ وارق بكل آية درجة حتى ينجز ما معه من القرآن. فيقال له : اقبضز. فيقبض فيقال له : هل تدري ما في يديك ؟ فإذا في يده اليمنى الخلد وفي الأخرى النعيم " (أخرج البيهقي في شعب الإيمان) "Whoever read a third of the Qur'an, is given a third of Prophethood. Whoever read one half of the Qur'an, is given one half of Prophethood. Whoever read two thirds of the Qur'an, is given two thirds of Prophethood. And whoever read the whole of the Qur'an, is given the whole of the Prophethood. He will be told on the Day of Judgment, 'Recite the Qur'an and go up to higher and higher levels of Paradise.' When he is finished with the Qur'an, he will be told, 'Hold.' He will catch hold of it. He will be asked, 'Do you know what is it that you are holding?' He will find that in his right hand is 'Eternal (stay in Paradise) and in his left hand blessings (of various kinds)."

However, when we are asked to recite, it is not the verbal recitation alone that is meant, rather, its comprehension also and a life that agrees with its principles.

Alusi also presents several ahadith on the virtues of religious knowledge. One of them is in Bukhari. It says: عن عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِىُّ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - لاَ حَسَدَ إِلاَّ فِى اثْنَتَيْنِ رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالاً فَسُلِّطَ عَلَى هَلَكَتِهِ فِى الْحَقِّ ، وَرَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ الْحِكْمَةَ ، فَهْوَ يَقْضِى بِهَا وَيُعَلِّمُهَا. "Envy is not allowed but of two: One, a man whom Allah gave wealth and he is bent upon destroying it through charity; and another, he whom Allah gave knowledge wherewith he judges and which he teaches." In another hadith preserved by Tabarani the Prophet is reported to have said: Luqman advised his son: إن لقمان قال لابنه : يا بني عليك بمجالس العلماء واستمع كلام الحكماء فإن الله يحيي القلب الميت بنور الحكمة كما يحيي الأرض الميتة بوابل المطر (المعجم الكبير) 'My son. Keep yourself in the company of the `ulama and listen to what the hukama' have to say; for Allah quickens dead hearts with the Nur of hikmah as He gives life to the dead land with rain.'

574. Islamically, vow (nadhr of the original) is to promise oneself that he will spend something in charity or carry out a good act (such as fast for so many days) if such and such of his wishes are fulfilled. So long as the wish itself is not unlawful, and the acts vowed are not unlawful, one is bound to fulfill such vows (Au.).

575. The sequence is as follows: First Allah divided charities into two kinds: those that are followed by reminders and injury, and those that are not. Then He gave an example of both. Subsequently, He specified what kind and quality of a thing it is that one may expend in His cause. Finally, He adds that charity can be sometimes concealed and sometimes given in open (Razi).

576. Although the ruling will differ from case to case and situation to situation, generally speaking there is no difference in opinion among the scholars that it is preferable to disclose one's obligatory charity (fara'id) and conceal the non obligatory ones (tatawwu`). However, on the whole, it is better to conceal them all. A hadith of the Sahihayn confirms this. It says: عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِىِّ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - قَالَ: سَبْعَةٌ يُظِلُّهُمُ اللَّهُ فِى ظِلِّهِ يَوْمَ لاَ ظِلَّ إِلاَّ ظِلُّهُ الإِمَامُ الْعَادِلُ ، وَشَابٌّ نَشَأَ فِى عِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ ، وَرَجُلٌ قَلْبُهُ مُعَلَّقٌ فِى الْمَسَاجِدِ ، وَرَجُلاَنِ تَحَابَّا فِى اللَّهِ اجْتَمَعَا عَلَيْهِ وَتَفَرَّقَا عَلَيْهِ ، وَرَجُلٌ طَلَبَتْهُ امْرَأَةٌ ذَاتُ مَنْصِبٍ وَجَمَالٍ فَقَالَ إِنِّى أَخَافُ اللَّهَ . وَرَجُلٌ تَصَدَّقَ أَخْفَى حَتَّى لاَ تَعْلَمَ شِمَالُهُ مَا تُنْفِقُ يَمِينُهُ ، وَرَجُلٌ ذَكَرَ اللَّهَ خَالِيًا فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ. "There are seven whom Allah will provide shade on a day when there will be no shade save His: A just ruler; a young man who spent his youth in devotions to Allah; two people who loved each other for the sake of Allah so that they did not come together nor departed but in His love; a man whose heart was in the mosque after he left it until he entered it again; a man who remembered Allah when alone and his eyes were filled with tears, a man whom a woman of repute and beauty invited (to herself) but he said, 'I fear Allah;' and, a man who spent in charity but concealed it so well that his left hand did not know what his right hand spent" (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

577. The words "some of your sins" has been added because all the sins cannot be forgiven because of a few charitable acts (Razi, Alusi).

578. (That is) you are "responsible only for conveying God's message to them, and not for their reaction to it" (Asad).

It is reported that the Prophet (saws), and following him his Companions, were averse to spending on the polytheists until Allah revealed this verse Sho`bah, Sa`id b. Jubayr, Ibn `Abbas (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

However, the permission is valid only for general charities. As for zakah funds, the scholars agree that non Muslims cannot be given from it (save in the hope of their acceptance of Islam, i.e. under the provision of ta'lif al qulub: Au.). As for the sinning Muslim, there is no difference in opinion that he may be given from the general charity funds so long as he is not one of those who disregards major obligations such as five time Prayers or Ramadan fasts (Qurtubi).

Thanwi adds: There is no contradiction between the hadith which says, in effect, ‘Let not your food be eaten but by the pious,' and this verse which says that non Muslims (who are obviously not pious) can be given in charity because the hadith is speaking of the kind of friends one might keep, and this verse of the needy.

Legal Points

1. It is prohibited to give any kind of charity to a non Muslim whose people are at war with Muslims (Kafir al Harbi) Ma`arif.

2. A non warring unbeliever may not be given from zakah or `ushur funds (Ma`arif).

3. They may be given from ordinary charitable funds (sadaqat) Ma`arif.

579. Thanwi makes a point: This verse, which combines the quest for reward and pursuit of Allah's Pleasure, shows that the two are not incompatible, as some ignorant people believe.

580. Hence the hadith in Bukhari and Muslim which reports the Prophet as having said: عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِىِّ - صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ « قَالَ رَجُلٌ لأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِى يَدِ زَانِيَةٍ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ. قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ لأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ. فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِى يَدِ غَنِىٍّ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ عَلَى غَنِىٍّ. قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى غَنِىٍّ لأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ. فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِى يَدِ سَارِقٍ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ عَلَى سَارِقٍ. فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ وَعَلَى غَنِىٍّ وَعَلَى سَارِقٍ. فَأُتِىَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَمَّا صَدَقَتُكَ فَقَدْ قُبِلَتْ أَمَّا الزَّانِيَةُ فَلَعَلَّهَا تَسْتَعِفُّ بِهَا عَنْ زِنَاهَا وَلَعَلَّ الْغَنِىَّ يَعْتَبِرُ فَيُنْفِقُ مِمَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ وَلَعَلَّ السَّارِقَ يَسْتَعِفُّ بِهَا عَنْ سَرِقَتِه. (صحيح مسلم) "A man said, 'Tonight I shall give something in charity.' He went out with his charity and placed it in the hand of an adulteress. By morning people began to say, 'Last night charity was spent on an adulteress.' He said, 'Praise be to Thee O Allah for (what I spent on) an adulteress. Tonight I shall (again) spend in charity.' He placed it in a rich man's hand. By morning people began to say, 'Last night charity was spent on a rich man.' He said, 'Praise be to Thee O Allah for (what reached) the rich man. Tonight I shall again spend in charity.' He went out with his charity and placed it in the hand of a thief. People said, 'Last night charity was spent on a thief.' He said, 'Praise be to Thee O Allah for the adulteress, for the rich man and for the thief.' Someone came to him from on high and said, 'As for your charity, it has been accepted. As for the adulteress, maybe she will give it up on the strength of what she received; and maybe the rich man will learn a lesson and begin to spend from what Allah has given him, and maybe the thief will give up theft because of what he received" (Ibn Kathir).

The theme is obvious. The good effects of charity are never lost (Au.).

581. The verse shows that preference should be given to the affairs of the "next world" over efforts to earn livelihood, although there isn't any contradiction between the two (Thanwi).

It may also be noted here that those "engaged in Allah's cause" have been accorded such honor that Allah did not specifically say: "charity is due to them," rather, left out the words as understood (Au.).

582. The Prophet has said in a hadith of Bukhari: لَيْسَ الْمِسْكِينُ الَّذِى يَطُوفُ عَلَى النَّاسِ تَرُدُّهُ اللُّقْمَةُ وَاللُّقْمَتَانِ وَالتَّمْرَةُ وَالتَّمْرَتَانِ ، وَلَكِنِ الْمِسْكِينُ الَّذِى لاَ يَجِدُ غِنًى يُغْنِيهِ ، وَلاَ يُفْطَنُ بِهِ فَيُتَصَدَّقُ عَلَيْهِ ، وَلاَ يَقُومُ فَيَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ. A destitute is not someone who goes around to the people, who can be returned with a morsel or two or a date or two, but rather, a destitute is someone who does not find enough to support himself, cannot be recognized by his appearance that he may be helped, nor does he undertake to beg the people" (Ibn Kathir).

Thanwi says: "In our own country those that are engaged in dissemination of knowledge are the most deserving of charity. As for the accusation that they are ill qualified for facing the economic realities of this life, the Qur'an itself has answered that it is their pre occupation with other things that has placed them in that situation."

Asad remarks: "I.e. those who have devoted themselves entirely to working in the cause of the Faith be it by spreading, elucidating or defending it physically or intellectually or to any of the selfless pursuits extolled in God's message, such as search for knowledge, work for the betterment of man's lot, and so forth; and, finally, those who, having suffered personal or material hurt in such pursuits, are henceforth unable to fend for themselves."

583. The word in the original is ta`affuf which has been interpreted as total abstention from asking, as Abu Sa`id al Khudri has reported. عن أبي سعيد الخدري، قال: أعوزنا مرة فقيل لي: لو أتيتَ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فسألته! فانطلقت إليه مُعْنِقًا، فكان أوّل ما واجهني به:"من استعفّ أعفَّه الله، ومَن استغنى أغناهُ الله، ومن سألنا لم ندّخر عنه شيئًا نجده". قال: فرجعت إلى نفسي، فقلت: ألا أستعفّ فيُعِفَّني الله! فرجعت، فما سألتُ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم شيئًا بعد ذلك من أمر حاجة، حتى مالت علينا الدنيا فغرَّقَتنا، إلا من عَصَم الله. He said, "Once we were badly off. Somebody suggested that I should seek the Prophet's help. Accordingly, I went to him. But the first thing I heard from him was, 'Whoever refrains from asking, Allah will save him from asking. Whoever seeks Allah's provision, Allah will provide him. (However), if someone asks us, we will not refuse so long as we have something to offer.' So I told myself, 'Why should I not refrain from asking, so that Allah saves me from asking?' and returned. Then onward I never asked the Prophet anything until the world fell upon us and drowned us, except for him whom Allah saved." In this report also the word ta`affuf has been used in the sense of refraining from asking (Ibn Jarir).

584. (Nevertheless, the believer can recognize them because: Au.) the Prophet has said: عَنْ أَبِى سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِىِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- اتَّقُوا فِرَاسَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِ فَإِنَّهُ يَنْظُرُ بِنُورِ اللَّهِ "Beware of the believer's sight. He sees with the Light of Allah" (Ibn Kathir). The hadith is also in Tuhfah al Ahwadhi (Husayn). It is also in Tabarani which Haythami declaed Hasan (Au.).

Imam Razi comments: However, it is not by the physical signs by which they can be recognized. Rather by spiritual signs. Just as it is not by physical signs that the jungle animals feel scared at the appearance of a lion, since many of them would not have had personal experience of its ferocity. So also, it is by the very spiritual quality that the personality of these people acquires its specific nature and by which they are recognized. This is what the word sima' is referring to."

Thanwi adds: "The verse shows that a man should not put up an appearance that will make him stand apart from the common people."

585. According to the majority of scholars, what is meant is that they do not beg at all, neither importunately nor otherwise (Shawkani).

Razi presents a subtle point. He asks: "When it has already been said of them that abstention from asking is their mark, what does it mean to say that they do not beg of men importunately?" Then he answers, "It is not their quality that is being described, rather of one who begs. He is being disciplined that he should not beg importunately. It is like two men entering in upon you, one of them virtuous and the other evil. You praise one saying, 'you possess such and such good qualities,’ and add, 'also, you are not evil,' by which you imply that the other man is evil."

The Prophet (saws) is reported to have said: "لا يحب الله إضاعة المال ولا كثرة السؤال ولا قيل وقال". (رواه أبو يعلى ورجاله رجال الصحيح - مجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد) "Allah does not approve of three things: (i) Pointless chatter, (ii) squandering of wealth, and (iii) importunate begging" (Ibn Jarir).

With regard to importunate begging, Abu Sa`id al Khudri says the Prophet said: قال أبو سعيد الخدري: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "من سأل وله قيمة وقية فهو ملحف" والوقية: أربعون درهما "Whoever asked while in the possession of the equivalent of 40 Dirhams is an importunate beggar" (Ibn Kathir from Ahmad and Nasa`i).

But there is no harm in seeking help if one is in distress, although undesirable. Nasa'i and Abu Da'ud have reported that a man from Banu Firas enquired the Prophet (saws): أسأل يارسول الله ؟ قال: " لا وإن كنت سائلا لابد فاسأل الصالحين ". "Can I ask, O Messenger of Allah?" He told him: "No. However, if you have to ask, ask the virtuous." Also, if something comes to a man that he did not ask for, he might accept it. It is reported of `Umar ibn al Khattab that when the Prophet sent him something he refused to accept it on the ground that the Prophet had forbade asking. The Prophet told him: " إنما ذاك عن المسألة فأما ما كان من غير مسألة فإنما هو رزق رزقكه الله ". "That was about one who asks. But when a thing comes to you without asking, (according to another report 'without you desiring and hoping that someone will send it to you,' i.e., out of Ishraf: Au.) then accept it, for it is a gift from Allah" (Qurtubi).