2. Al-Baqara

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 …

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 …

(2) Verses 268-269: وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ‌ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ الشَّيْطَانُ يَعِدُكُمُ الْفَقْرَ‌ (الٰی قولہ): "Satan frightens you of poverty ... and only the men of understanding do observe the advice."

When a person is obsessed with the idea that spending in charity will cause him poverty, when he does not pick up the courage to go ahead and spend - even after hearing the warning of Allah Almighty - and continues feeling that he should not spend out of what he has, and when, turning away from the Divine promise, his mind takes him to rely on the promise of Satan, he should better be sure that this apprehension of his is being generated by Satan. He should never say that he has never seen Satan, so how could he take orders from him? Conversely, should he come to think that not only his sins will be forgiven by spending in charities, but also his wealth will be blessed with increase - he should then be sure that this thought has come from Allah for which he should be grateful to Him. Allah's treasure never runs short. He knows fully well - the open, the hidden, the intentions, the deeds - everything about everyone.

Al-Hikmah: Meaning and Explanation

(3). Verse 269 يُؤْتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَن يَشَاءُ : "He gives wisdom to whom He wills." The word, الْحِكْمَةَ (al-hikmah: wisdom) appears repeatedly in the Holy Qur'an, and at every place, its meaning has been explained differently. In Tafsir al-Bahr al-Muhit البحر المحیط ، all positions taken by commentators have been assembled at this point. These come to nearly thirty, however, towards the end it was said that all these positions are close together and there is no contradiction among them. The only difference is that of interpretations. The word, hikmah حِكْمَةَ is the verbal noun of 'ihkam الاحکام (the first letter, hamzah ھمزہ with kasrah کسرہ ) which means 'to complete what is said or done with all its properties and requisites.'

This is why the verse وَآتَاهُ اللَّـهُ الْمُلْكَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ : 'And Allah gave him the kingdom and the hikmah حکمہ ' (2:251) which concerns Sayyidna Dawud (علیہ السلام) ، was explained in al-Bahr al-Muhit in the following manner:

The real meaning of hikmah حکمہ is to place everything whereto it be-longs and this can only be accomplished ideally through prophethood. Therefore, hikmah حکمہ has been interpreted as prophethood here.

Imam Raghib al-Isfahani has said in Mufradat al-Qur'an: مفردات القرآن "When the word, hikmah حکمہ is used for Allah Almighty, it denotes the comprehensive knowledge and solid creative excellence of all things; and when attributed to the non-Divine, it means the rightly-guided knowledge of what exists, and the action which corresponds to it.

This sense has been interpreted in different words. Somewhere it means, the Qur'an; elsewhere, the Hadith. Then at different places, it carries different meanings, such as "the authentic knowledge", "the righteous deed", "the True Word", "the wisdom", "the understanding of religion", "correctness of opinion" and "the fear of Allah". Incidentally, the last meaning appears in Hadith as well: راس الحکمہ خشیۃ اللہ that is, "the real wisdom is the fear of Allah". The word, hikmah in the verse يُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ (teaches them the Book and the wisdom - 3:164) has been explained as "Hadith and Sunnah" by the Sahabah ؓ and the Tabi` in (the Companions and the Successors). Some commentators hold the opinion that hikmah in the verse یوتَ الحکمہ (whoever is given wisdom) under discussion covers all these things.

This is the more evident view; more so, since the words of the Qur'an وَمَن يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرً‌ا كَثِيرً‌ا "And whoever is given wisdom is certainly given a lot of good" do hint in that direction as they mean that the hikmah حِكْمَةَ covers a lot of good. Allah knows best.

(4) Verse 270: وَمَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّن نَّفَقَةٍ (الی قولہ) وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ‌: "And whatever spending you do ... and for the unjust, there are no supporters."

Here, "and whatever spending you do" covers all spendings - those in which all related conditions are observed and those too, in which all or some conditions are not observed. For instance, it may not be in the way of Allah but be in the ways of sin; or the act of giving may be mixed up with hypocrisy; or may be followed by making a show of the favour before the receiver; or it may not be حلال halal (lawful) and good.

Similarly, all votive offerings (نذور : nudhur) come under the general purview of (nadhr نذر : singular: votive offering), for instance, it includes the nadhr نذر of monetary ` ibadah in accordance with which nadhr نذر has been introduced alongwith infaq (spending) and may also include nadhr نذر of physical ` ibadah. It may be absolute, or dependent on something else; or it may or may not have been fulfilled. The purpose of saying all this is that Allah Almighty knows all these things and He shall recompense for them duly. This was made known so that people are persuaded to observe limits and conditions and be warned of their non-observance. The word (al-zalimin الظَّالِمِينَ ) in the text refers to the unjust, the transgressors, who do not observe the necessary conditions. To them was given clear warning.