Verse:261 Commentary Commentary

This is the thirty-sixth section of Surah Al-Baqarah which begins from verse 262. Left now are five sections of Surah Al-Baqarah out of which the last section carries some basic principles. The earlier four sections, from 262 to 283, have a total of 21 verses which present special instructions and points of guidance concerning financial transactions. If these were to be followed in toto, the problem of an ideal economic order which the whole world is worrying about will be automatically solved. Right now we see capitalism, socialism and communism (despite its fall in U.S.S.R) polarizing or readjusting against each other. The confrontation between these systems has reduced the world to a hotbed of internecine aggression. Stated in these verses is an important aspect of the economic order of Islam. It has two parts:

1. It teaches how to spend that which is extra to your needs to help the poor and the needy. This is known as Sadaqah صدقہ and Khayrat خیرات (roughly translated as charity and alms).

2. It declares that taking and giving of riba ربا (interest, usury) is حرام haram (unlawful) and gives directions on how to stay on guard against it.

Out of these sections, the first two consist of the merits of sadaqah صدقہ and khayrat خیرات ، inducement towards these, and related injunctions and points of guidance. The last two sections deal with the unlawfulness and forbiddance of ربا riba-based dealings, and with permissible ways of giving and taking loans.

The verses given above make a three-unit statement as follows:

1. The merit of spending in the way of Allah.

2. Conditions which make sadaqah صدقہ and khayrat خیرات acceptable and merit-worthy with Allah.

3. Attitudes that destroy sadaqah صدقہ and khayrat خیرات when good goes and sin stays.

After that there are two similitudes:

1. The first relates to the charities (nafaqat and sadaqat) which are acceptable with Allah.

2. The second relates to the charities (nafaqat and sadaqat) which are unacceptable and invalid.

Thus, these are five subjects that appear in this section. Before we discuss these subjects, it is necessary to know that the Holy Qur'an has pointed out to spending in the way of Allah at several places with the word, DWI (infaq: انفاق spending) "and at several others, with the words, اطعام (it` am: feeding) or صدقہ (sadaqah: charity) or ; إِيتَاءَ الزَّكَاةِ (ad' az-zakat: paying the obligatory zakah الزَّكَاة properly). A careful look at these Qur'anic words and the way they have been used shows that the words - infaq انفاق ، it` am اطعام and sadaqah صدقہ -- are general and as such incorporate all sorts of charitable spendings that aim to seek the good pleasure of Allah. These spendings may be fard فرض and wajib (obligatory) or nafl نفل and mustahabb مستحبّ (commendable, or desirable, or preferred). It may be noted that the Qur'an has used a distinct word إِيتَاءَ الزَّكَاةِ for the obligatory زکاۃ Zakah which indicates that there are special requirements in receiving and giving of this particular صدقہ sadaqah.

In this section, the word used more often is infaq انفاق while the word, sadaqah صدقہ has been used less often, which indicates that the statement here covers general charities and deeds of generosity, and the injunctions given here include and incorporate all sorts of charities and spendings in the way of Allah.

A similitude of spending in the way of Allah

In the first verse it is said that people who spend in the way of Allah, that is, in Hajj حج or in Jihad جھاد ، or on the poor, on widows and orphans, or on relatives and friends to help them out, can be likened to one who sows a good grain of wheat in the field from which grows a plant on which sprout seven ears and each ear yields hundred grains. As a result, one grain was worth a total yield of seven hundred grains.

The outcome is that one who spends in the way of Allah receives in return (reward in the Hereafter) on the scale of one to seven hundred, that is, spending one cent could bring the merit of seven hundred cents.

It appears in authentic and reliable ahadith that the thawab ثواب or merit or reward for one good deed is returned ten-fold, and could reach seven hundred-fold. Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ has said: The reward of spending one dirham in Jihad and Hajj is equal to seven hundred dirhams. Ibn Kathir (رح) has reported this with reference to the Musnad of Ahmad.

To sum up, this verse tells us that spending one unit of money brings forth the reward of seven hundred units.

Conditions that make charity a " worship"

But, the Qur'an has not, in its wisdom, put this subject in a few clear words. It has rather used the form of a similitude featuring a grain of wheat which has a subtle hint towards the labour of a farmer who can hope to get an yield of seven hundred grains out of one grain sown only when the grain is good, and the farmer sowing it should be fully conversant with the art of farming, and the soil where the grain goes should be good too, because, should even one of these factors remain missing, either this grain will be wasted leaving no grain to come out, or it would just not yield enough to reach the production ratio of one grain to seven hundred grains.

Similar to this, there are the same three conditions for the acceptance and increased return of good deeds generally, and of spending in the way of Allah particularly. These conditions are:

1. That which is spent in the way of Allah should be clean, pure and halal حلال (lawful) for it appears in Hadith that Allah Almighty accepts nothing except what is clean, pure and halal حلال .

2. One who spends should be good in intentions and righteous in deeds. An ill-intentioned and showy spender is like that ignorant farmer who throws away the grain on a spot where it is wasted.

3. The one to whom sadaqah صدقہ (charity) is given should also be deserving of it. It should not be wasted by spending on the non-deserving.

Thus, the similitude unfolds for us the great merit spending in the way of Allah has, along with the three conditions as well, which stipulate that one should spend from halal حلال earnings, and the method of spending should also conform to Sunnah, and that one should literally search for the deserving in order to spend on them. Just getting rid of what your coffers hold does not entitle you to receive this merit.

The correct and masnun مسنون (according to Sunnah) method of giving sadaqah صدقہ has been pointed out in the second verse. It is said that people who spend in the way of Allah and do do not publicise their favour after having spent, nor cause any pain to those on whom they have spent, their reward is secure with their Lord. For them there is no danger in the future, and no sorrow of the past. Verse:262 Commentary Conditions that make charity go in vain

Two negative conditions governing the acceptance of sadaqah صدقہ have been stated in this verse:

1. Do not publicise your favour after spending.

2. Do not consider the receiver practically disgraced, and do nothing to cause him insult or pain. Verse:263 Commentary In the third verse: قَوْلٌ مَّعْرُ‌وفٌ (saying something proper), these two conditions for acceptance of charitable gifts in the sight of Allah have been further explained. Incidentally, these were introduced in the earlier verse. To repeat, when you spend in the way of Allah, do not show off the favour, and when you give something to somebody do nothing to make him feel insulted, or to cause him pain.

This was explained by saying that it is a thousand times better to offer some reasonable and appropriate excuse before the person who asks, if the giver feels he is unable to give under conditions of duress; and should the person asking anger the giver by impolite behaviour, it is also a thousand times better to forgive than to give him a charity which is followed by giving him pain. Allah Almighty is Himself Ghani غنی and Halim حلیم ، need-free and forbearing. He needs nothing from anyone. One who spends does so for his own good. That being so, an intelligent human being should keep this in mind while spending in the way of Allah, that he is not favouring anybody, and that he is spending for his own good. And should one sense ingratitude on the part of people treated well, he should subject himself to the divine attribute of 'forbearing', show obedience and forgive and forget. Verse:264 Commentary In the fourth verse, the same subject has been taken up differently with a little more emphasis. It was said: Do not waste your charities: verbally -- by causing your favour to be known; or practically by causing pain.

This makes it clear that any form of favour-flashing or needy-bashing, after an act of charity renders such charity null and void. There is no reward for it.

In this verse, one more condition governing the acceptance of sadaqah صدقہ has been added by saying that one who spends for public exposure, for name and fame, and does not believe in Allah Almighty and the Day of Resurrection, can be likened to be acting in a situation where he sows a grain on a clean rock which has collected a layer of soil, then comes the rain and washes the whole thing clean. Such people will never reap what they have sown and Allah Almighty will not let the disbelievers see the way. From this we know the condition that governs the acceptance of sadaqah صدقہ and khayrat خیرات۔- spend only to seek the good pleasure of Allah Almighty and with the intention of getting thawab ثواب (reward) in the akhirah آخرۃ (Hereafter). Never do it with the intention of having public exposure, name and fame. Spending with the intention of earning name and fame is wasting what you spend. And should a true Muslim, who does believe in the Hereafter, expend something simply for name, fame, and under hypocritical motivation, he too, would not get any thawab ثواب (reward) for it. Moreover, there is a hint here in the use of the additional sentence ولا یؤمن باللہ ، (And does not believe in Allah); perhaps, it aims to suggest that hypocrisy and name-seeking is not just the sort of thing a person who believes in Allah Almighty and the Day of Resurrection would ever do since hypocrisy is a sign of something being wrong with his faith.

The meaning of وَاللَّـهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِي 'Allah Almighty will not show disbelievers the way' towards the end of verse 264 is that the Qur'anic guidance is universal. It is common to all human beings. But, disbelievers do not take notice of this guidance, rather go a step farther and make fun of it. As a result, Allah Almighty lets them be deprived of the very taufiq توفیق ، the ability to accept guidance. The effect is that they do not accept any guidance. Verse:265 Commentary In verse 265, the fifth under discussion, the acts of charity which are acceptable in the sight of Allah Almighty as valid spendings, have been illustrated with an example. It is said that those who spend in the way of Allah, solely and sincerely, to seek nothing but His pleasure, and thus fortify their selves with steadfastness, are in a situation where there is a fruit farm located on some mound, then it is hit by heavy rains, then it brings forth double of its usual yield. And should it be that the rain is not that heavy, a light drizzle would become sufficient for it and Allah Almighty sees and knows what you do.

Here the merits of spending in the way of Allah, surely with sincerity of intention, and obedience to conditions set, has been made clear through this similitude. The message is: Spending with good intention and sincerity, even if it be just a little, becomes enough and helps one receive the gains of the Hereafter. Verse:266 Commentary In verse 266, the sixth under discussion, the statement, that صدقہ sadaqah can be rendered void and rejected if one acts against conditions set forth for the acceptance of charitable spendings, has been illustrated with yet another example. It was asked: Does anyone among you like that he owns a fruit farm, growing dates and grapes with streams flowing underneath, and trees laden with all sorts of fruits -- then comes old age for the owner and he has children and a family that can-not stand on their own. Under these conditions comes a whirlwind through the farm with fire in it and which burns the farm out. This is how Allah Almighty brings forth illustrative parallels so that you may think.

It means that spending in charity against given conditions is like hoping to be investing profusely in the Hereafter, but with Allah Almighty this investment comes to naught.

It may be noted that there are a series of qualifications added to this similitude-for instance, 'came his old age, he has children too and the children are young and weak.' These have a purpose. Isn't it that a person, if young, can look forward to having a new farm when his old farm burns out? Then, a person who has no children, and no hope to reactivate his burnt farm, he will not be so worried about his livelihood since a single man can get by even in adversity, one way or the other. Then there is the situation of one who has children, who are good and young with the hope that they would help the father out. In such a situation, a person is not that shocked even if his farm is burnt or plundered since he is free of the needs of his adult children who can themselves carry him through. In short, these three riding restrictions were introduced to describe the intensity of need when it was said that a person who spent his capital and labour and set up a fruit farm; the farm became ready and started yielding fruit as well. In this condition, came his old age and the days of weakness. Now this person has children and family. The children are very young and weak. Under these circumstances, should the farm he groomed burn out, his shock would be severe and the pain caused would be limitless.

Similarly one who has given his charity with hypocrisy is as if he set up a farm. Then came death after which his condition became equal to that of the old man who cannot earn his living and cannot set up the farm all over again. This is because human deeds cease to be after death. Similarly, an old man with children and family needs that his previous earnings be safe so that they can be used during old age. If, in this condition, his farm and his belongings burn out, there will be no limit to his pain and distress. Very much like this, the صدقہ sadaqah and khayrat خیرات ، the spendings in charity, which were made hypocritically or for self-promotion, will not come to help him exactly when he would need them most.

Summarising this whole verse, it could be said that ikhlas اخلاص or sincerity is one big condition governing the acceptance of صدقہ sadaqah and khayrat خیرات with Allah. This sincerity means that one should spend exclusively for the good pleasure of Allah Almighty without any admixture of self-promoting ends.

Now let us look at all the verses in this whole section once again. We shall discover that there are six conditions governing the acceptance, in the sight of Allah, of spendings in His way (صدقہ sadaqah صدقہ and khayrat خیرات ). These are:

1. Spend from halal حلال belongings.

2. Spend according to the prescribed practice (Sunnah).

3. Spend in proper place.

4. Do not remind of favour after having done it.

5. Do nothing to insult the receiver.

6. Spend with sincerity of intention, exclusively for the good pleasure of Allah Almighty, never doing it for the sake of name and fame.

The second condition, that is, spending according to Sunnah, means that one should be careful while spending in the way of Allah that rights due to someone may not be usurped. This is no act of thawab ثواب (reward) that one indulges in sadaqah صدقہ and khayrat خیرات (charity) by stopping or limiting the necessary expenses on his family without their assent. Depriving the needy inheritors and bequeathing the whole inheritance or giving out everything in sadaqah صدقہ and khayrat خیرات is against the teachings of Sunnah.

Then there are a thousand forms of spending in the way of Allah. The sunnah method requires that the place to spend must be selected carefully giving thought to involved factors of importance, need, urgency etc. Usually people who spend do not bring these into consideration.

The essence of the third condition is that spending at a place or in a cause with even good intention is not good enough. This will not suffice to make it an act of thawab ثواب . It is also necessary that the place or cause of spending should be permissible and commendable in the sight of the Shari'ah. If a person was to bequeath his property for impermissible games and amusements he would be deserving of ` adhab عذاب (punishment) rather than thawab ثواب (reward). This holds good for all other possible avenues of investment which are not desirable in the view of the Shari'ah.