بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله ، وبـعـد
SURAH AL-ISRAA’ (17): 26-32
﴿وَءَاتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ
وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلاَ تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا - إِنَّ
الْمُبَذرِينَ كَانُواْ إِخْوَنَ الشَّيَـطِينِ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَـنُ لِرَبِّهِ
كَفُورًا - وَإِمَّا تُعْرِضَنَّ عَنْهُمُ ابْتِغَآءَ رَحْمَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ
تَرْجُوهَا فَقُل لَّهُمْ قَوْلاً مَّيْسُورًا - وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ
مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ وَلاَ تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ
مَلُومًا مَّحْسُوراً - إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ
وَيَقْدِرُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا - وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلادَكُمْ
خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَـقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم إنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ
خِطْئًا كَبِيرًا - وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَىٰ ۖ
إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً
وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا﴾
{And give to the kinsman his due, and to the Miskeen (poor), and
to the wayfarer. But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a
spendthrift. * Verily, the spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayaateen
(devils), and the Shaytaan is ever ungrateful to his Lord. * And if you turn
away from them and you are awaiting a mercy from your Lord for which you hope,
then, speak unto them a soft, kind word. * And let not your hand be tied (like
a miser) to your neck, nor overextend it (like a spendthrift), so that you
become blameworthy and in severe poverty. * Truly, your Lord expands the
provision for whom He wills and straitens (for whom He wills). Verily, He is
Ever All-Knower, All-Seer of His servants. * And kill not your children for
fear of poverty. We shall provide for them as well as for you. Surely, the
killing of them is a great sin. * And come not near to the unlawful sexual
intercourse. Verily, it is a Faahishah [i.e. anything that transgresses its
limits (a great sin)], and an evil way (that leads one to Hell unless Allaah
forgives him). }
Introduction
and Summary:
The following is the translation of the Tafseer on the above
quoted verses from Surah al-Israa’ from the following Tafaaseer:
1. Tafseer al-Muyassar - King Fahad Qur'aan Printing Press.
2. Tafseer Ibn Katheer.
3. Tafseer al-Sa`dee.
4. Tafseer Adwaa
al-Bayaan.
5. and Tafseer al-Baghawee.
The points explained here are:
a. To give the poor their
rights.
b. It is not a favor one
is doing to the poor; rather it is their right which they are receiving through
him.
c. To be moderate in
spending.
d. Spendthrifts are the
brothers of the Shayaateen.
e. Definition of
extravagance.
f. When you have no means,
speak to the poor with kind words with the promise that you’ll provide them
once you have the means (in shaa-Allaah).
g. Being stingy or a
spendthrift are both extremes and blameworthy acts.
h. Prohibition of killing children
due to fear of poverty.
i. Love of Dunyaa and stinginess,
leads people towards sinful acts like killing their own children, immoral
actions (adultery and fornication) etc.
From Tafseer al-Muyassar:
﴿وَءَاتِ
ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلاَ تُبَذِّرْ
تَبْذِيرًا﴾
{And give to the kinsman his due, and to the Miskeen (poor), and
to the wayfarer. But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a
spendthrift.}
Do good to everyone who is your relative and next of kin,
and give them their rights with benevolence and righteousness. And give the
poor - who does not own enough to meet his requirements – and provide for his
needs; as well as the wayfarer who has been cut off from his family and wealth.
And do not spend your wealth in disobedience to Allaah or extravagance and
wastefully.
﴿إِنَّ
الْمُبَذرِينَ كَانُواْ إِخْوَنَ الشَّيَـطِينِ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَـنُ لِرَبِّهِ
كَفُورًا﴾
{Verily, the spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayaateen
(devils), and the Shaytaan is ever ungrateful to his Lord.}
The spendthrift and those who spend their wealth in
disobedience to Allaah تعالى, they are similar to the Shayaateen in
their evil, corruption and disobedience. For Shaitaan is full of Kufr and
extremely ungrateful for the blessings of his Lord.
﴿وَإِمَّا
تُعْرِضَنَّ عَنْهُمُ ابْتِغَآءَ رَحْمَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ تَرْجُوهَا فَقُل لَّهُمْ
قَوْلاً مَّيْسُورًا﴾
{And if you turn away from them and you are awaiting a mercy
from your Lord for which you hope, then, speak unto them a soft, kind word.}
And
if you turn away from them – those to whom it was commanded for you to give –
because you do not have anything to give them, as you are waiting for the
sustenance from your Lord. So speak to them in soft, kind words, like making
Du`aa for them that Allaah makes them rich and increases their sustenance with
the promise that if Allaah with His bounty makes it easy for you and provides
you, then you will give them from it.
﴿وَلاَ
تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ وَلاَ تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ
فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا مَّحْسُوراً﴾
{And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor
overextend it (like a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in
severe poverty.}
And do not hold your hands from spending in good ways,
being stingy with yourself, your family and those who depend on you for their
needs. And do not spend too much, by giving away more than you can afford, so that you
become blameworthy, while regretting for wasting your wealth.
﴿إِنَّ
رَبَّكَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ
خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا﴾
{Truly, your Lord expands the provision for whom He wills and
straitens (for whom He wills). Verily, He is Ever All-Knower, All-Seer of His
servants.}
Your Lord increases the sustenance for some of the people
and He تعالى restricts it on some others –based on His سبحانه وتعالى divine Knowledge and Wisdom. He is well aware of what His
slaves are going through and nothing is hidden from His knowledge about their
situation.
﴿وَلاَ
تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَـقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم
إنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْئًا كَبِيرًا﴾
{And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We shall
provide for them as well as for you. Surely, the killing of them is a great
sin.}
So
when you know that the sustenance is in the Hands of Allaah تعالى,
then do not – O people – kill your children out of the fear of poverty. For He تعالى
is the Sustainer of His slaves, providing for the children the way He تعالى
provides for the parents. Verily, killing the children is a major sin.
﴿وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَىٰ ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا﴾
{And come not near to the unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily,
it is a Faahishah [i.e. anything that transgresses its limits (a great sin)],
and an evil way (that leads one to Hell unless Allaah forgives him)}
[Translator’s Note:
In the Qur’aan, Allaah تعالى has twice mentioned immorality after
mentioning poverty and killing children because of it. He تعالى
first mentioned them together in Surah al-An`aam (6): 151:
﴿وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا
أَوْلَادَكُم مِّنْ إِمْلَاقٍ ۖ
نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ ۖ
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ﴾
{kill not your children
because of poverty - We provide sustenance for you and for them; come not near
to Al-Fawaahish (shameful sins, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) whether
committed openly or secretly}
He تعالى then mentioned them together in this
Surah when He تعالى said:
﴿وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلادَكُمْ
خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَـقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم إنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ
خِطْئًا كَبِيرًا - وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَىٰ ۖ
إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً
وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا﴾
{And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We shall
provide for them as well as for you. Surely, the killing of them is a great
sin. * And come not near to the unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a Faahishah
[i.e. anything that transgresses its limits (a great sin)], and an evil way
(that leads one to Hell unless Allaah forgives him)}
Allaah knows best how fear of poverty and immorality is
related but this is confirmed from the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم when he said:
“Beware of stinginess for it destroyed the people who came
before you. It commanded them to be miserly, so they were miserly; and it
commanded them to cut the ties of kinship, so they cut them; and it commanded
them to commit immoral actions, so they did so.” [Sunan Abu
Dawood (1698) and graded as “Saheeh” by
Shaikh al-Albaanee. It was also graded as “Saheeh” by al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak
and al-Dhahabee agreed with him]]
--end of quote from Tafseer
al-Muyassar.
*******
From Tafseer Ibn Katheer رحمه الله:
﴿وَءَاتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ
وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلاَ تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا - إِنَّ
الْمُبَذرِينَ كَانُواْ إِخْوَنَ الشَّيَـطِينِ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَـنُ لِرَبِّهِ
كَفُورًا - وَإِمَّا تُعْرِضَنَّ عَنْهُمُ ابْتِغَآءَ رَحْمَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ
تَرْجُوهَا فَقُل لَّهُمْ قَوْلاً مَّيْسُورًا ﴾
{And give to the kinsman his due, and to the Miskeen (poor), and
to the wayfarer. But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a
spendthrift. * Verily, the spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayaateen
(devils), and the Shaytaan is ever ungrateful to his Lord. * And if you turn
away from them and you are awaiting a mercy from your Lord for which you hope,
then, speak unto them a soft, kind word.}
When
Allaah تعالى
mentioned
honoring one’s parents, He تعالى follows this with the command to treat one’s
relatives well and to maintain the ties of kinship. According to the Hadeeth:
أُمَّكَ
وَأَبَاكَ، ثُمَّ أَدْنَاكَ أَدْنَاك
وفي رواية
ثُمَّ
الْأَقْرَبَ فَالْأَقْرَب
“Your mother and your father, then your closest relatives and
the next closest.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhee (1897); Sunan Abu Dawood (5139) and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]
According
to another Hadeeth:
مَنْ
أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُبْسَطَ لَهُ فِي رِزْقِهِ وَيُنْسَأَ لَهُ فِي أَجَلِهِ،
فَلْيَصِلْ رَحِمَه
“Whoever would like to see his provision expanded and his life
extended, let him maintain his ties of kinship.” [Saheeh
al-Bukhaaree (5986) and Saheeh Muslim (6203)]
About
spending on the poor and the wayfarer was already discussed earlier under Surah
al-Tawbah.
﴿وَلاَ
تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا﴾
{But
spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift.}
When
Allaah تعالى
commanded about
spending, He تعالى
forbade
extravagance. Spending should be moderate, as stated in another Aayah:
﴿وَالَّذِينَ
إِذَآ أَنفَقُواْ لَمْ يُسْرِفُواْ وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُواْ﴾
{And
those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor stingy} [Surah
al-Furqaan (25): 67]
Then
He says, to discourage extravagance:
﴿إِنَّ
الْمُبَذرِينَ كَانُواْ إِخْوَنَ الشَّيَـطِينِ﴾
{Verily,
the spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayateen,} i.e. they have
this trait in common.
Ibn
Mas`ood رضي الله عنه
said: “This
refers to spending extravagantly when it is not appropriate (i.e. spending
unnecessarily).”
Ibn
`Abbaas رضي الله عنهما
said likewise.
Mujaahid
said: “If a man spends all his wealth on appropriate things, then he is not
a spendthrift, but if he spends a little inappropriately, then he is a
spendthrift.”
Qataadah
said: “Extravagance means spending money on sin, in disobeying Allaah, and
on wrongful and corrupt things.”
Imaam
Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Maalik said: A man came from Banoo Tameem to the
Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم and said: `O Messenger of Allaah, I have a
lot of wealth, I have a family, children, and the refinements of city life, so
tell me how I should spend and what I should do.’ The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم
said:
تُخْرِجُ
الزَّكَاةَ مِنْ مَالِكَ إِنْ كَانَ، فَإِنَّهَا طُهْرَةٌ تُطَهِّرُكَ، وَتَصِلُ
أَقْرِبَاءَكَ، وَتَعْرِفُ حَقَّ السَّائِلِ وَالْجَارِ وَالْمِسْكِين
“Pay the Zakaah on your wealth if any is due, for it is
purification that will make you pure, maintain your ties of kinship, pay
attention to the rights of beggars, neighbors and the poor.”
He
said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah, make it less for me.’ He صلى الله عليه وسلم
recited:
﴿وَءَاتِ
ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلاَ تُبَذِّرْ
تَبْذِيرًا﴾
{And give to the kinsman his due, and to the Miskeen (poor) and
to the wayfarer. But spend not wastefully in the manner of a spendthrift.} The man said: `That
is enough for me, O Messenger of Allaah. If I pay Zakaah to your messenger,
will I be absolved of that duty before Allaah and His Messenger’ The Messenger
of Allaah said:
نَعَمْ،
إِذَا أَدَّيْتَهَا إِلَى رَسُولِي فَقَدْ بَرِئْتَ مِنْهَا وَلَكَ أَجْرُهَا، وَإِثْمُهَا
عَلَى مَنْ بَدَّلَهَا
“Yes, if you give it to my messenger, you will have fulfilled
it, and you will have the reward for it, and the sin is on the one who changes
it.” [Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (12394) and it is “Mursal” narration (weak due to break in the chain).]
In the saying of Allaah تعالى:
﴿إِنَّ
الْمُبَذرِينَ كَانُواْ إِخْوَنَ الشَّيَـطِينِ﴾
{Verily, the spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayateen}, meaning, they
are their brothers in extravagance, foolishness, failing to obey Allaah and
committing sin.
Allaah
تعالى
said:
﴿وَكَانَ
الشَّيْطَـنُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا﴾
{and the Shaytaan is ever ungrateful to his Lord.}, meaning, he
is an ingrate, because he denied the blessings of Allaah تعالى
and did not
obey Him, turning instead to disobedience and rebellion.
And
the saying of Allaah تعالى:
﴿وَإِمَّا تُعْرِضَنَّ عَنْهُمُ
ابْتِغَآءَ رَحْمَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ﴾
{And if you turn away from them and you are awaiting a mercy
from your Lord} `If your relatives and those to whom We have commanded you to
give, ask you for something, and you do not have anything, and you turn away
from them because you have nothing to give,
﴿فَقُل لَّهُمْ قَوْلاً
مَّيْسُورًا﴾
{then, speak unto them a soft, kind word.}, meaning,
making a promise that you will help them and informing them that when you get
your sustenance from Allaah, you will provide them from it, “in-shaa Allaah”.
This
is how the Aayah was interpreted:
﴿فَقُل
لَّهُمْ قَوْلاً مَّيْسُورًا﴾
{then, speak unto them a soft, kind word.}, meaning, with
a promise. This was the opinion of Mujaahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`eed bin Jubayr, al-Hasan,
Qataadah and others.
﴿وَلاَ
تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ وَلاَ تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ
فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا مَّحْسُوراً - إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن
يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا ﴾
{And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor
overextend it (like a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in
severe poverty. * Truly, your Lord expands the provision for whom He wills and
straitens (for whom He wills). Verily, He is Ever All-Knower, All-Seer of His
servants.}
Allaah
تعالى
enjoins
moderation in living. He condemns miserliness and forbids extravagance.
﴿وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ
مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ﴾
{And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck}, this means,
do not be miserly and stingy, never giving anything to anyone, as the Jews -
the curses of Allaah be upon them – said:
﴿يَدُ اللَّهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ﴾
{Allaah’s Hand is tied up (i.e., He does not give and spend of
His bounty)}. [Surah
al-Maa’idah (5): 64] They attributed miserliness to Him تعالى وتقدس الكريم الوهاب (Exalted and Sanctified, the Most Generous, the Bestower)!
﴿وَلاَ
تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ﴾
{nor overextend it (like a spendthrift)} means, nor be
extravagant in spending and giving more than you can afford, or paying more
than you earn, lest you become blameworthy and find yourself in severe poverty.
If
you are a miser, people will blame you and condemn you, and no longer rely on
you. When you spend more than you can afford, you will find yourself without
anything to spend, so you will be worn out, like an animal that cannot walk, so
it becomes weak and incapable. It is described as worn out, which is similar in
meaning to exhausted. As Allaah تعالى
says:
﴿الَّذِى
خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ طِبَاقًا مَّا تَرَى فِى خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَـنِ مِن
تَفَـوُتٍ فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَى مِن فُطُورٍ - ثُمَّ اْرجِعِ البَصَرَ
كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ البَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ ﴾
{Then look again: “Can you see any rifts” Then look again and
yet again, your sight will return to you in a state of humiliation and worn
out.} [Surah
al-Mulk (67):3-4] meaning, unable to see any faults. Similarly, Ibn `Abbaas, al-Hasan,
Qataadah, Ibn Jurayj, Ibn Zayd and others understood this Aayah as miserliness
and extravagance.
It
was reported in the Two Saheehs from the Hadeeth of Abu al-Zinaad from al-A`raj
that Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه
heard the
Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم saying:
مَثَلُ
الْبَخِيلِ وَالْمُنْفِقِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا جُبَّتَانِ مِنْ
حَدِيدٍ مِنْ ثُدِيِّهِمَا إِلَى تَرَاقِيهِمَا، فَأَمَّا الْمُنْفِقُ فَلَا
يُنْفِقُ إِلَّا سَبَغَتْ أَوْ وَفَرَتْ عَلَى جِلْدِهِ حَتَّى تُخْفِيَ بَنَانَهُ
وَتَعْفُوَ أَثَرَهُ، وَأَمَّا الْبَخِيلُ فَلَا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُنْفِقَ شَيْئًا
إِلَّا لَزِقَتْ كُلُّ حَلْقَةٍ مِنْهَا مَكَانَهَا، فَهُوَ يُوَسِّعُهَا فَلَا
تَتَّسِع
“The parable of the miser and the almsgiver is that of two
persons wearing iron cloaks from their chests to their collar-bones. When the
almsgiver gives in charity, the cloak becomes spacious until it covers his
whole body to such an extent that it hides his fingertips and covers his tracks
(obliterates his tracks - or, his sins will be forgiven). And when the miser wants
to spend, it (the iron cloak) sticks and (its) every ring gets stuck to its
place, and he tries to widen it, but it does not become wide.” [Saheeh
al-Bukhaaree (5299) and Saheeh Muslim (2227). This version was recorded by al-Bukhari
in the Book of Zakaah.]
In
the Two Saheehs it is recorded that Mu`awiyah bin Abi Muzarrid narrated from Sa`eed
bin Yaasar that Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه said: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم
said:
مَا
مِنْ يَوْمٍ يُصْبِحُ الْعِبَادُ فِيهِ إِلَّا وَمَلَكَانِ يَنْزِلَانِ مِنَ
السَّمَاءِ يَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمَا:اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقًا خَلَفًا، وَيَقُولُ
الْآخَرُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُمْسِكًا تَلَفًا
“There is no day when a person wakes up but two angels come down
from heaven. One of them says, `O Allaah, compensate the one who gives (in
charity),’ and the other one says, `O Allaah, destroy the one who withholds.’” [Saheeh
al-Bukhaaree (1442) and Saheeh Muslim (2205)]
Narrated
Asmaa’ bint Abu Bakr رضي الله عنهما:
Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Give (in charity) and do
not give reluctantly lest Allaah should give you in a limited amount; and do
not withhold your money lest Allaah should withhold it from you.”
[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (2590, 2591) and Saheeh Muslim (2244). In another
narration it is reported from Asmaa’ bint Abu Bakr رضي الله عنهما
that she had
gone to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and he said: “Do not shut your
money bag; otherwise Allaah too will withhold His blessings from you. Spend (in
Allaah's Cause) as much as you can afford.” [Saheeh Muslim (1434,
2246)]]
Muslim
recorded from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم
said:
مَا
نَقَصَتْ صَدَقَةٌ مِنْ مَالٍ وَمَا زَادَ اللَّهُ عَبْدًا بِعَفْوٍ إِلاَّ عِزًّا
وَمَا تَوَاضَعَ أَحَدٌ لِلَّهِ إِلاَّ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ
“Charity does not in any way decrease the wealth and the servant
who forgives Allaah adds to his respect, and the one who shows humility Allaah
elevates him in the estimation (of the people).” [Saheeh Muslim
(6264)]
According
to a Hadeeth narrated by Abu Katheer from `Abdullaah bin `Amr رضي الله عنهما,
who attributed it to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم:
إِيَّاكُمْ
وَالشُّحَّ فَإِنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ، أَمَرَهُمْ بِالْبُخْلِ
فَبَخِلُوا، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْقَطِيعَةِ فَقَطَعُوا، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْفُجُورِ
فَفَجَرُوا
“Beware of stinginess for it destroyed the people who came
before you. It commanded them to be miserly, so they were miserly; and it
commanded them to cut the ties of kinship, so they cut them; and it commanded
them to commit immoral actions, so they did so.” [Sunan Abu
Dawood (1698) and graded as “Saheeh” by
Shaikh al-Albaanee. It was also graded as “Saheeh” by al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak
and al-Dhahabee agreed with him]
Allaah
تعالى
says:
﴿إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبْسُطُ
الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ﴾
{Truly, your Lord expands the provision for whom He wills and
straitens (for whom He wills).} This Aayah is telling us that Allaah تعالى
is the One Who
provides or withholds, the Bestower Who is running the affairs of His creation
as He wills. He makes rich whomever He wills, and He makes poor whomever He
wills, by the wisdom that is His.
He تعالى
said:
﴿إِنَّهُ
كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا﴾
{Verily, He is Ever All-Knower, All-Seer of His servants.}, meaning, He
knows and sees who deserves to be rich and who deserves to be poor. In some
cases, richness may be decreed so that a person gets carried away, leading to
his own doom. In other cases, poverty may be a punishment. We seek refuge with
Allaah from both.
﴿وَلاَ
تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَـقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم
إنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْئًا كَبِيرًا﴾
{And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We shall
provide for them as well as for you. Surely, the killing of them is a great
sin.}
This
Ayah indicates that Allaah تعالى is more compassionate towards His servants
than a father to his child, because He forbids killing children just as He
enjoins parents to take care of their children in matters of inheritance. The
people of Jahiliyyah would not allow their daughters to inherit from them, and
some would even kill their daughters lest they make them more poor. Allaah تعالى
forbade that
and said:
﴿وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلادَكُمْ
خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَـقٍ﴾
{And kill not your children for fear of poverty.}, meaning, lest
they may make you poor in the future. This is why Allaah تعالى
mentions the
children’s provision first:
﴿نَّحْنُ
نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ﴾
{We shall provide for them as well as for you.} In Surah al-An`aam,
Allaah تعالى
says:
﴿وَلاَ
تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلَـدَكُمْ مِّنْ إمْلَـقٍ﴾
{kill
not your children because of poverty.} [Surah (6):151]
﴿نَّحْنُ
نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم﴾
{We
provide sustenance for you and for them} [Surah (6):151]
﴿إنَّ
قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْئًا كَبِيرًا﴾
{Surely,
the killing of them is a great sin.}, means, a major sin.
In the
Saheeh it is recorded that `Abdullaah bin Mas`ood said: I said: `O Messenger of
Allaah, which sin is the worst? He صلى الله عليه وسلم
said:
أَنْ
تَجْعَلَ لِلّهِ نِدًّا وَهُوَ خَلَقَكَ
“To appoint rivals of Allaah when He has created you.” I asked: Then
what? He صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
أَنْ
تَقْتُلَ وَلَدَكَ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَطْعَمَ مَعَكَ
“To kill your child lest he should eat with you.” I asked: Then
what? He صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
أَنْ
تُزَانِيَ بِحَلِيلَةِ جَارِك
“To
commit adultery with your neighbor’s wife.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (4761, 6861, 7520)]
--end of quote from Tafseer Ibn
Katheer.
*******
From Tafseer al-Sa`dee رحمه الله:
﴿وَءَاتِ
ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلاَ تُبَذِّرْ
تَبْذِيرًا - إِنَّ الْمُبَذرِينَ كَانُواْ إِخْوَنَ الشَّيَـطِينِ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَـنُ
لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا﴾
Allaah تعالى says:
{And give to the kinsman his due} meaning, give them
their dues with kindness and honor from that which has been legislated and prescribed;
and those rights vary as per the varying
situations, relatives, requirements, and times.
{and the Miskeen (poor)}, give them their rights from
the Zakaah money and other than it so that his poverty can be warded off.
{and to the wayfarer}, and he is a stranger and has
been cut off from his land. So he can be paid from every type of wealth (i.e.
Zakah money or sadaqah) as long as it does not harm the giver and it is well
within his capacity. Otherwise it is extravagance which Allaah تعالى has warned us against:
{Verily, the spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayaateen},
because Shaitaan doesn’t call except towards every vice and evil deed. So he
calls the person towards stinginess and hoarding of wealth. So when a person
disobeys him in this, he calls them words over spending and extravagance.
Whereas Allaah تعالى commands a middle path between the matters,
which is more just and praised by Him. As Allaah تعالى
mentioned about the righteous slaves of the Most Merciful:
﴿وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنْفَقُوا
لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ قَوَامًا﴾
{And those, who, when they
spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a medium (way) between
those (extremes).} [Surah al-Furqaan (25): 67]
And here Allaah تعالى
said:
{And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck},
tantamount to hoarding and stinginess.
{nor overextend it (like a spendthrift)}, meaning,
spending on unnecessary things or spending more than what is required.
{so}, if you do that, {you become blameworthy},
meaning, blaming your own actions, {and in severe poverty}, meaning, you
end up having nothing in your hand, becoming penniless.
And this issue of providing for the relatives and next of
kin is for the one who has the ability and money. But as for the who has
nothing or has some difficulties in providing to the poor at that particular
time, then Allaah تعالى commanded them to reply back to them in a
good way, by saying:
﴿وَإِمَّا تُعْرِضَنَّ عَنْهُمُ
ابْتِغَآءَ رَحْمَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ تَرْجُوهَا فَقُل لَّهُمْ قَوْلاً مَّيْسُورًا
- وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ
مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ وَلاَ تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا
مَّحْسُوراً - إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ إِنَّهُ
كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا﴾
{And if you turn away from them and you are awaiting a mercy
from your Lord for which you hope, then, speak unto them a soft, kind word. * And
let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor overextend it (like
a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty. * Truly,
your Lord expands the provision for whom He wills and straitens (for whom He
wills). Verily, He is Ever All-Knower, All-Seer of His servants}
{And if
you turn away from them and you are awaiting a mercy from your Lord for which
you hope}, meaning, turning them away till some other time (once you
have the means) and while you are waiting for ease in the matter from Allaah تعالى.
{then, speak unto them a soft, kind word}, meaning,
speaking with them nicely and gently and with a promise of providing to them
once you have the (means and) opportunity and apologizing for not being able to
provide at that time; so that they go back with a reassurance from you as
Allaah تعالى said:
﴿قَوْلٌ مَعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ
خَيْرٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَا أَذًى﴾
{Kind words and forgiving
of faults are better than Sadaqah (charity) followed by injury}
[Surah al-Baqarah (2): 263]
This is also from the Kindness of Allaah تعالى for His slaves, commanding them to wait for His Mercy and
sustenance from Him, because waiting for them is Worship. Similarly, (commanding
them) to make a promise, that upon ease – to give Sadaqah - to the poor slaves
who are present as a reassurance – doing good for good (as Allaah تعالى did good to you). Therefore it is necessary for a person to do good
- that which is within his capacity, and if he is unable, then he should make
an intention to do it (later when he has the means) so that he gets rewarded
for that (intention) and that Allaah تعالى makes it easy for him (because of his
determination to help the needy).
Thereafter, Allaah تعالى
informed that He who expands the sustenance on whomsoever He تعالى
will and straitens and restricts to whomsoever He تعالى
wills – all based on His Wisdom. {Verily, He is Ever All-Knower, All-Seer of His
servants}, He bestows on them what He knows will be beneficial for
them.
﴿وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلادَكُمْ
خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَـقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم إنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ
خِطْئًا كَبِيرًا﴾
{And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We shall
provide for them as well as for you. Surely, the killing of them is a great
sin.}
This is from His تعالى
Mercy for His slaves, for He is merciful to them than their parents. He تعالى prohibited the parents from killing their children out of fear
of poverty and destitution, for He تعالى has ensured sustenance for everyone.
He تعالى also informed us that {the
killing of them is a great sin}, meaning, one of the major sins
because of which the Mercy is taken away from the heart and which entails a
huge punishment for daring to kill the children who had committed no sin nor
guilty of committing any crime.
--end of quote from Tafseer
al-Sa`dee.
*******
From Tafseer Adhwaa al-Bayaan
of al-Shinqeetee رحمه الله:
﴿وَإِمَّا تُعْرِضَنَّ عَنْهُمُ
ابْتِغَآءَ رَحْمَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ تَرْجُوهَا فَقُل لَّهُمْ قَوْلاً﴾
{And
if you turn away from them and you are awaiting a mercy from your Lord for
which you hope, then, speak unto them a soft, kind word.}
The word {them} in His تعالى
saying refers back to the people mentioned in the previous verse:
﴿وَءَاتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ
وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ﴾
{And give to the kinsman his due, and to the Miskeen (poor), and
to the wayfarer} and the meaning of the verse is: when you turn away
from those who are mentioned (in the verse) and you do not give them anything
because you don’t have it. And your excuse for them is:
﴿ابْتِغَآءَ رَحْمَةٍ مِّن
رَّبِّكَ تَرْجُوهَا﴾
{while and you are awaiting a mercy from your Lord for which you
hope} meaning: Halaal sustenance, like war booty* which Allaah تعالى
would provide you, and you would give them from it.
*[Translator’s Note:
in present day, we can also take the example of monthly wages and salaries]
﴿فَقُل لَّهُمْ قَوْلاً
مَّيْسُورًا﴾
{then, speak unto them a soft, kind word}, meaning: soft,
nice, kind words, like making Du`aa for them that Allaah تعالى
makes them rich and increases their sustenance for them; and making a promise
to them that if Allaah تعالى, out of his bounty, makes it easy for
them, that they will provide them from it (in shaa-Allaah).
And this is a great lesson taught by Allaah to His
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about good manners, that if he is unable
to provide in a good way (to the poor), then he should beatify (his speech) due
to his inability to provide. This is because speaking in a good, soft way is
better providing in a bad way.
And this is what is evident from this verse, and Allaah تعالى has stated this in a clear way in Surah al-Baqarah:
﴿قَوْلٌ مَعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ
خَيْرٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَا أَذًى﴾
{Kind words and forgiving
of faults are better than Sadaqah (charity) followed by injury}
[Surah al-Baqarah (2): 263]
And this verse (of Surah al-Israa’) also indicates that
the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would not turn away from giving to anyone
unless he himself had nothing to provide; and the awaited provision – when
Allaah تعالى makes it easy for him – he صلى الله عليه وسلم would provide it to them (the poor). This is (an example of)
highest level of ethics and good manners.
Al-Qurtobee said the word:
﴿مَّيْسُورًا﴾
{soft, kind word}, is derived from the word اليسر (ease)
with the meaning of الميمون (auspicious/promising words).
--end of quote from Tafseer
Adhwaa al-Bayaan.
*******
From Tafseer al-Baghawee رحمه الله:
﴿وَلاَ تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا﴾
{But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a
spendthrift.}, meaning: do not spend your wealth in disobedience to
Allaah تعالى.
Ibn
Mas`ood رضي الله عنه
said: “This
refers to spending wealth inappropriately.”
--end of quote from Tafseer
al-Baghawee.
No comments:
Post a Comment