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Ayah
Word by Word
فِي
Concerning
ٱلدُّنۡيَا
the world
وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۗ
and the Hereafter
وَيَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ
They ask you
عَنِ
about
ٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰۖ
the orphans
قُلۡ
Say
إِصۡلَاحٞ
Setting right (their affairs)
لَّهُمۡ
for them
خَيۡرٞۖ
(is) best
وَإِن
And if
تُخَالِطُوهُمۡ
you associate with them
فَإِخۡوَٰنُكُمۡۚ
then they (are) your brothers
وَٱللَّهُ
And Allah
يَعۡلَمُ
knows
ٱلۡمُفۡسِدَ
the corrupter
مِنَ
from
ٱلۡمُصۡلِحِۚ
the amender
وَلَوۡ
And if
شَآءَ
(had) willed
ٱللَّهُ
Allah
لَأَعۡنَتَكُمۡۚ
surely He (could have) put you in difficulties
إِنَّ
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
عَزِيزٌ
(is) All-Mighty
حَكِيمٞ
All-Wise
فِي
Concerning
ٱلدُّنۡيَا
the world
وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۗ
and the Hereafter
وَيَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ
They ask you
عَنِ
about
ٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰۖ
the orphans
قُلۡ
Say
إِصۡلَاحٞ
Setting right (their affairs)
لَّهُمۡ
for them
خَيۡرٞۖ
(is) best
وَإِن
And if
تُخَالِطُوهُمۡ
you associate with them
فَإِخۡوَٰنُكُمۡۚ
then they (are) your brothers
وَٱللَّهُ
And Allah
يَعۡلَمُ
knows
ٱلۡمُفۡسِدَ
the corrupter
مِنَ
from
ٱلۡمُصۡلِحِۚ
the amender
وَلَوۡ
And if
شَآءَ
(had) willed
ٱللَّهُ
Allah
لَأَعۡنَتَكُمۡۚ
surely He (could have) put you in difficulties
إِنَّ
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
عَزِيزٌ
(is) All-Mighty
حَكِيمٞ
All-Wise
Translation
(Their bearings) on this life and the Hereafter. They ask thee concerning orphans. Say: "The best thing to do is what is for their good; if ye mix their affairs with yours, they are your brethren; but Allah knows the man who means mischief from the man who means good. And if Allah had wished, He could have put you into difficulties: He is indeed Exalted in Power, Wise."
Tafsir
on, the matters of, this world and the Hereafter, and follow what is best for you in both. They will ask you about orphans, and the distress their affair caused them, for, if they became intimate with them, they may slip into error, but if they put aside the money due to them and prepare their meals for them separately, this would distress them. Say: 'To set their affairs aright, in terms of their funds, by looking after it, and your mingling with them, is better', than you not doing this; and if you intermix with them, your funds and theirs, they are your brothers, in religion and it is only natural for one to intermix his affair with his brother, so you do too; God knows well him who works corruption, in their property when he intermixes with them, from him who sets, it, aright, and God will requite both; and had He willed He would have harassed you, and made it difficult for you by prohibiting you from intermixing with them. Surely God is Mighty, victorious in His affair, Wise, in His actions.
"The Gradual Prohibition of Khamr (Alcoholic Drink)
Allah says;
يَسۡأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الۡخَمۡرِ وَالۡمَيۡسِرِ قُلۡ فِيهِمَا إِثۡمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثۡمُهُمَأ أَكۡبَرُ مِن نَّفۡعِهِمَا
They ask you (O Muhammad) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling.
Say:""In them is a great sin, and (some) benefits for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit.""
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Maysarah said that;
Umar once said, ""O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr!"" Allah sent down the Ayah of Surah Al-Baqarah:
يَسۡأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الۡخَمۡرِ وَالۡمَيۡسِرِ قُلۡ فِيهِمَا إِثۡمٌ كَبِيرٌ
(They ask you (O Muhammad) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say:""In them is a great sin...). Umar was then summoned and the Ayah was recited to him.
Yet, he still said, ""O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr.""
Then, this Ayah that is in Surah An-Nisa' was revealed:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ لَا تَقۡرَبُواۡ الصَّلَةَ وَأَنتُمۡ سُكَارَى
(O you who believe! Approach not As-Salah (the prayer) when you are in a drunken state), (4:43).
Then, when the prayer was called for, a person used to herald on behalf of Allah's Messenger, ""No drunk person should attend the prayer.""
Umar was summoned again and the Ayah was recited to him. Yet, he still said, ""O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr.""
Then, the Ayah (5:91) that is in Surah Al-Ma'idah was revealed, Umar was again summoned and the Ayah was recited to him. When he reached:
فَهَلۡ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ
(So, will you not then abstain) (5:91) he said, ""We did abstain, we did abstain.""
This is also the narration that Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i collected in their books.
Ali bin Al-Madini and At-Tirmidhi said that the chain of narrators for this Hadith is sound and authentic. We will mention this Hadith again along with what Imam Ahmad collected by Abu Hurayrah Allah's saying in Surah Al-Ma'idah:
إِنَّمَا الۡخَمۡرُ وَالۡمَيۡسِرُ وَالَانصَابُ وَالَازۡلَامُ رِجۡسٌ مِّنۡ عَمَلِ الشَّيۡطَانِ فَاجۡتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ
Intoxicants and gambling, and Al-Ansab, and Al-Azlam are an abomination of Satan's handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful. (5:90)
Allah said:
يَسۡأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الۡخَمۡرِ وَالۡمَيۡسِرِ
They ask you (O Muhammad) concerning alcoholic drinks and gambling.
As for Al-Khamr, Umar bin Khattab, the Leader of the faithful, used to say, ""It includes all what intoxicates the mind.""
We will also mention this statement in the explanation of Surah Al-Ma'idah, along with the topic of gambling.
Allah said:
قُلۡ فِيهِمَا إِثۡمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ
Say:In them is a great sin, and (some) benefits for men.
As for the harm that the Khamr and gambling cause, it effects the religion.
As for their benefit, it is material, including benefit for the body, digesting the food, getting rid of the excrements, sharpening the mind, bringing about a joyous sensation and financially benefiting from their sale.
Also, (their benefit includes) earnings through gambling that one uses to spend on his family and on himself. Yet, these benefits are outweighed by the clear harm that they cause which affects the mind and the religion.
This is why Allah said:
وَإِثۡمُهُمَأ أَكۡبَرُ مِن نَّفۡعِهِمَا
but the sin of them is greater than their benefit.
This Ayah was the beginning of the process of prohibiting Khamr, not explicitly, but it only implied this meaning. So when this Ayah was recited to Umar, he still said, ""O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr.""
Soon after, Allah sent down a clear prohibition of Khamr in Surah Al-Ma'idah:
يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ إِنَّمَا الۡخَمۡرُ وَالۡمَيۡسِرُ وَالاٌّنصَابُ وَالاٌّزۡلَامُ رِجۡسٌ مِّنۡ عَمَلِ الشَّيۡطَـنِ فَاجۡتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيۡطَـنُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيۡنَكُمُ الۡعَدَاوَةَ وَالۡبَغۡضَأءَ فِى الۡخَمۡرِ وَالۡمَيۡسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمۡ عَن ذِكۡرِ اللَّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلَوةِ فَهَلۡ أَنۡتُمۡ مُّنتَهُونَ
O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansab, and Al-Azlam are an abomination of Shaytan's handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.
Shaytan wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from As-Salah (the prayer). So, will you not then abstain! (5:90-91)
We will mention this subject, by the will of Allah, when we explain Surah Al-Ma'idah.
Ibn Umar, Ash-Sha`bi, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi bin Anas and Abdur-Rahman bin Aslam stated that the first Ayah revealed about Khamr was:
يَسۡأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الۡخَمۡرِ وَالۡمَيۡسِرِ قُلۡ فِيهِمَا إِثۡمٌ كَبِيرٌ
They ask you about Khamr and gambling. Say:""In them there is great sin.""
Then, the Ayah in Surah An-Nisa was revealed (on this subject) and then the Ayah in Surah Al-Ma'idah which prohibited Khamr.
Spending whatever One could spare of his Money on Charity
Allah said:
وَيَسۡأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلِ الۡعَفۡوَ
And they ask you what they ought to spend.
Say:""That which is (spare) beyond your needs.""
Al-Hakam said that Miqsam said that Ibn Abbas said that this Ayah means,
whatever you can spare above the needs of your family.
This is also the opinion of Ibn Umar, Mujahid, Ata, Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Al-Qasim, Salim, Ata Al-Khurasani and Ar-Rabi bin Anas.
Ibn Jarir related that Abu Hurayrah said that a man said,
""O Messenger of Allah! I have a Dinar (a currency).""
The Prophet said:
أَنۡفِقۡهُ عَلى نَفۡسِك
Spend it you on yourself.
He said, ""I have another Dinar.""
He said:
أَنۡفِقۡهُ عَلى أَهۡلِك
Spend it on your wife.
He said, ""I have another Dinar.""
He said:
أَنۡفِقۡهُ عَلى وَلَدِك
Spend it on your offspring.
He said, ""I have another Dinar.""
He said:
فَأَنۡتَ أَبۡصَر
You have better knowledge (meaning how and where to spend it in charity).
Muslim also recorded this Hadith in his Sahih.
Muslim recorded that Jabir said that Allah's Messenger said to a man:
ابۡدَأۡ بِنَفۡسِكَ فَتَصَدَّقۡ عَلَيۡهَا فَإِنۡ فَضَلَ شَيۡءٌ فَلَِهۡلِكَ فَإِنۡ فَضَلَ شَيۡءٌ عَنۡ أَهۡلِكَ فَلِذِي قَرَابَتِكَ فَإِنۡ فَضَلَ عَنۡ ذِي قَرَابَتِكَ شَيۡءٌ فَهكَذَا وَهكَذَا
Start with yourself and grant it some charity. If anything remains, then spend it on your family. If anything remains, then spend it on your relatives. If anything remains, then spend it like this and like that (i.e., on various charitable purposes).
A Hadith states:
ابۡنَ ادَمَ إِنَّكَ أَنۡ تَبۡذُلَ الۡفَضۡلَ خَيۡرٌ لَكَ وَأَنۡ تُمۡسِكَهُ شَرٌّ لَكَ وَلَا تُلَمُ عَلى كَفَاف
O son of Adam! If you spend whatever you can spare, it would be better for you; but if you keep it, it would be worse for you. You shall not be blamed for whatever is barely sufficient.
Allah said:
كَذَلِكَ يُبيِّنُ اللّهُ لَكُمُ الايَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ
فِي الدُّنۡيَا وَالاخِرَةِ
Thus Allah makes clear to you His Ayat in order that you may give thought. In (to) this worldly life and in the Hereafter.
meaning, just as He stated and explained these commandments for you, He also explains the rest of His Ayat regarding the commandments and His promises and warnings, so that you might give thought in this life and the Hereafter.
Ali bin Abu Talhah said that Ibn Abbas commented,
""Meaning about the imminent demise and the brevity of this life, and the imminent commencement of the Hereafter and its continuity.""
Maintaining the Orphan's Property
Allah said:
وَيَسۡأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الۡيَتَامَى قُلۡ إِصۡلَحٌ لَّهُمۡ خَيۡرٌ وَإِنۡ تُخَالِطُوهُمۡ فَإِخۡوَانُكُمۡ وَاللّهُ يَعۡلَمُ الۡمُفۡسِدَ مِنَ الۡمُصۡلِحِ وَلَوۡ شَاء اللّهُ لاعۡنَتَكُمۡ
And they ask you concerning orphans.
Say:""The best thing is to work honestly in their property, and if you mix your affairs with theirs, then they are your brothers. And Allah knows him who means mischief (e.g., to swallow their property) from him who means good (e.g., to save their property). And if Allah had wished, He could have put you into difficulties.
Ibn Jarir reported that Ibn Abbas said,
""When the Ayat:
وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواۡ مَالَ الۡيَتِيمِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُ
(And come not near to the orphan's property, except to improve it), (6:152) and
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَأۡكُلُونَ أَمۡوَالَ الۡيَتَامَى ظُلۡمًا إِنَّمَا يَأۡكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمۡ نَارًا وَسَيَصۡلَوۡنَ سَعِيرًا
(Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire!) (4:10) were revealed, those who took care of some orphans, separated their food and drink from the orphans' food and drink. When some of the orphans' food and drink remained, they would keep it for them until they eat it or otherwise get spoiled.
This situation was difficult for them and they mentioned this subject to Allah's Messenger.
وَيَسۡأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الۡيَتَامَى قُلۡ إِصۡلَحٌ لَّهُمۡ خَيۡرٌ وَإِنۡ تُخَالِطُوهُمۡ فَإِخۡوَانُكُمۡ
And they ask you concerning orphans. Say:""The best thing is to work honestly in their property, and if you mix your affairs with theirs, then they are your brothers.
Hence, they joined their food and drink with the food and drink of the orphans.""
This Hadith was also collected by Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak.
Several others said similarly about the circumstances surrounding the revelation of the Ayah (2:220), including Mujahid, Ata, Ash-Sha`bi, Ibn Abu Layla, Qatadah and others among the Salaf and those after them.
Ibn Jarir reported that Aishah said,
""I dislike that an orphan's money be under my care, unless I mix my food with his food and my drink with his drink.""
Allah said:
قُلۡ إِصۡلَحٌ لَّهُمۡ خَيۡرٌ
Say:The best thing is to work honestly in their property.
meaning, on the one hand (i.e., this is required in any case).
Allah then said:
وَإِنۡ تُخَالِطُوهُمۡ فَإِخۡوَانُكُمۡ
and if you mix your affairs with theirs, then they are your brothers.
meaning, there is no harm if you mix your food and drink with their food and drink, since they are your brothers in the religion.
This is why Allah said afterwards:
وَاللّهُ يَعۡلَمُ الۡمُفۡسِدَ مِنَ الۡمُصۡلِحِ
And Allah knows (the one) who means mischief (e.g., to swallow their property) from (the one) who means good (e.g., to save their property).
meaning, He knows those whose intent is to cause mischief or righteousness.
He also said:
وَلَوۡ شَاء اللّهُ لاعۡنَتَكُمۡ إِنَّ اللّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
And if Allah had wished, He could have put you into difficulties. Truly, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
meaning, if Allah wills, He will make this matter difficult for you. But, He made it easy for you, and allowed you to mix your affairs with the orphans' affairs in a way that is better.
Similarly, Allah said:
وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواۡ مَالَ الۡيَتِيمِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحۡسَنُ
And come not near to the orphan's property, except to improve it. (6:152)
Allah has thus allowed spending from the orphan's estate by its executor, in reasonable proportions, on the condition that he has the intention to compensate the orphan later on, when he can afford it. We will mention about it in detail in Surah An-Nisa by Allah's will."
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