Surat Al Baqarah (267-277)

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا أَنْفِقُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا كَسَبْتُمْ وَمِمَّا أَخْرَجْنَا لَكُمْ مِنَ الأَرْضِ وَلَا تَيَمَّمُوا الخَبِيثَ مِنْهُ تُنْفِقُونَ وَلَسْتُمْ بِآَخِذِيهِ إِلَّا أَنْ تُغْمِضُوا فِيهِ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ}[البقرة: 267]

267- O believers, if you give some of your money in charity, let that be out of the good things that you have earned: a trade or something else. Likewise, give the best products that the earth produces: fresh dates or something else. Do not give the bad types in charity for Allah is good and only accepts the good things. If you were to take that money, you would not have taken it except out of humiliation and poverty, so do not give in charity the things that you hate for yourselves.

Let it be known that Allah is Free of any need, but He only commands you to do so for your own benefits. Verily, He is entitled to be thanked for His Favors that He bestowed upon you.

Some people used to give in charity or for Zakah the things that are bad, so the Ayah was revealed to prohibit that.

 

{الشَّيْطَانُ يَعِدُكُمُ الفَقْرَ وَيَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالفَحْشَاءِ وَاللهُ يَعِدُكُمْ مَغْفِرَةً مِنْهُ وَفَضْلًا وَاللهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ} [البقرة: 268]

268- The devil tempts you to give away the bad things of your money for fear of poverty. That will make you hold that in your hands and do not spend something for the sake of Allah. However, the devil commands you to commit sins and unlawful acts and encourages you to be misers and forbid charities. In return of spending for Allah's Sake, Allah promises you forgiveness of your sins, giving you good things, and blessings. Allah is All-Powerful, All-Benevolent and knows what you spend for His Sake; He shall not waste your reward.

 

{يُؤْتِي الحِكْمَةَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الأَلْبَابِ} [البقرة: 269]

269- Allah shall give whom He wants of His Servants the following: The straight mentality, beneficial knowledge, understanding of religion, proper saying and action, moderation, and clear insight. Thereby, they will realize the reality of things and understand things properly as should, then they will be guided and do the right actions.

Those who are given all these favors shall have abundant good and honorable grace because they were taken out from the darkness of ignorance to light of guidance and from straying to Istiqamah [integrity], sobriety, and balanced mind.

None knows the amount of this honorable grace and great favor, but the people of intellect who know the beneficial things to act accordingly and know the harmful things to avoid.

 

{وَمَا أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ نَفَقَةٍ أَوْ نَذَرْتُمْ مِنْ نَذْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللهَ يَعْلَمُهُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنْصَارٍ} [البقرة: 270]

270- Know that whatever you gave away from your money: whether truly or falsely, little or more, in secret or public, and whatever vows you made: whether in obedience or in sin, Allah knows them. Nothing of your intentions and movements is hidden from Him and He shall reward the good people of you with the best reward and shall retribute the bad of you. Those who oppress themselves by withholding charities, did not keep their promises, spend of the bad things, show off, or harm themselves shall not find helpers or aids against Allah's Wrath and Punishment to save them from Allah's Torment and Revenge.

 

{إِنْ تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقَاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَ وَإِنْ تُخْفُوهَا وَتُؤْتُوهَا الفُقَرَاءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَيُكَفِّرُ عَنْكُمْ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَاللهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ} [البقرة: 271]

271- If you show charities to people, it is desirable act and no harm will be against you, particularly if there is a preponderant benefit such as: showing charity for the sake of spreading obedience. However, in case you conceal your charities, it is better for you because it is far away from showing off and closer to sincerity and for seeking the pleasure of Allah. Giving in charities will make Allah erase your sins.

Nothing of what you do or give is hidden from Allah whether you do it secretly or publicly.

  

{لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَمَا تُنْفِقُونَ إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ اللهِ وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ} [البقرة: 272]

272- The Companions [may Allah be please with them] hated to allocate something of charities for their in-law idolaters for fear of sin although they were keen to make their relatives embrace Islam. The Ayah showed that the matter is much flexible, so the matter was made permissible for them. The polytheists may not be guided by this method or that because the matter concerns the hearts which are in the hands of Allah, Who guides whomever He wills and He is All-Knowing of those who deserve guidance and faith. So, give them charities and help them.

Whatever money you spend, its benefit will be given back to you. Thereby, you would be as if you spent money on yourselves. The disbelief of those people upon whom you spend money will not harm you, so do not prevent people of your money because Allah will save its reward as long as you seek His Pleasure by your expenditure and not for the sake of hypocrisy or whims.

You shall not be oppressed because Allah gives double reward in return for the charities you give.

Al Baghawy said in his Tafsir: This ruling is for the voluntary charity because Allah has permitted it to be given for Muslims as well as Ahl Al Dhimmah [non-Muslims who live under the sovereignty of the Muslim State]. As for the obligatory charity [Zakah], it is not permissible to be given to anyone but Muslims.

 

{لِلْفُقَرَاءِ الَّذِينَ أُحْصِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ضَرْبًا فِي الأَرْضِ يَحْسَبُهُمُ الجَاهِلُ أَغْنِيَاءَ مِنَ التَّعَفُّفِ تَعْرِفُهُمْ بِسِيمَاهُمْ لَا يَسْأَلُونَ النَّاسَ إِلْحَافًا وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ} [البقرة: 273]

273- The immigrants who left their properties and their families, and lived in Madinah devoted themselves to Allah and His Messenger, seeking the victory of Islam and observing Jihad for the sake of Allah. They could not find anything to support them and they could not travel for commerce or earning money because they were ready for Jihad.

Despite of their poverty and need, those who did not know their conditions thought that they were rich and possessed what may suffice them. That is because they showed nobility in their dresses, conditions, and their sayings, so they would show good appearance in order to conceal their conditions. However, those people of intellect realized those conditions and knew that good appearance concealed poverty and need.

When some of them were in dire need to the extent that they could not conceal it, they would ask the people for it without persistence and they would not ask the people for things they did not need. Although they are poor, they are noble, righteous, modest, patient, religious, and of high moral standards, so do not forget them, O believers. If you give them anything, let that be secretly and gently in order not to hurt their feelings and dignity.

Whatever money you spend on them, nothing of it shall be hidden form Allah. He does not waste your good deeds and He shall reward you the best for it.

 

{الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ} [البقرة: 274]

274- Those who do good things and give away their money in the way of Allah in all times and conditions, night and day, secretly and openly, even those who spend on their parents, children, servants, and relatives shall have a great reward from Allah. They shall not fear on the Day of Reckoning when the niggards and misers fear, nor shall they be grieved when the extravagant regret.

 

{الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ المَسِّ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا البَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَا وَأَحَلَّ اللهُ البَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا فَمَنْ جَاءَهُ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ فَانْتَهَى فَلَهُ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ} [البقرة: 275]

275- Those who eat up usury and deal with it, their conditions when they rise from their graves for the Gathering and the Reckoning, shall be as the epileptic who tries to stand, but when he does, the devil harms and knock him down. Therefore, his movements will be hysterically and randomly as if he is crazy and shall be shocked as a result of madness and panic.

The author of Al Zhilal [Shadows] believes that this image is applicable in today's world where people are like a mad person who leads a miserable life within the usurious system. Today's world is full of anxiety, disturbance, fear, and neurological and psychiatric diseases, as recognized by the wise people, the intellectuals, the scientists, and the people who study it. Today's world is full of wars, constant threat of genocidal wars, and the ceaseless war of nerves and disorders; it is indeed the life of misery, poverty and moodiness! Usury is one of the diseases from which mankind suffer. It is the disease of economy, which makes money grows in the hands of some usurious investors, who do not aim to meet people's needs and benefits but to their own interests even if they will ruin the lives of millions. As a result, they planted doubt, anxiety, and fear in the lives of all humanity.

The reason of the infliction that hits those people who deal in usury when they rise from their graves is that they consider usury as lawful and because of their saying that trading is like usury. They said: Why Allah permitted and prohibited that? It is an objection to the rulings and laws of Allah. Their flimsy allegation is that both will bring about profit. The profits of the Riba-based operations are fixed in each case, and it belongs to a group of usurious investors, whereas trade and commerce are subject to profit and loss according to personal skills, current circumstances, exchange, work, and distribution of diversified funds and profits. So, usury corrupts human life, whereas trade and commerce activate the economic life and labor market. For this and other considerations that are known to the economists and the dealers, Allah made the sale lawful and forbade usury categorically.

So, who received a prohibition or reproach about taking usury while they were doing it they shall only have the capital of their money and shall forsake the monies that came to them through usury before forbiddance. That money shall not be taken away from them and their affairs shall be with Allah to seek His Forgiveness and Mercy because taking that usury before knowing about the prohibition shall make the whole matter forgiven by the will of Allah.

Whoever repeated dealing with usury after he had heard the forbiddance of Allah, he deserved the punishment and shall be admitted to a permanent blazing Fire. So, a person should not be tricked by the long period he lived because death comes suddenly. He should not be neglectful about the threat of Allah because it is the truth and shall happen; this is the final end of those who disobeyed His Orders.

The forbiddance was given to the usurer because it is the most dominant but the ruling includes all those who do the same. It was reported in Sahih Muslim from Jabir [may Allah be pleased with him] that he said: "The Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him] cursed the accepter of interest and its payer, and one who records it, and the two witnesses, and he said: They are all equal."

 

{يَمْحَقُ اللهُ الرِّبَا وَيُرْبِي الصَّدَقَاتِ وَاللهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ أَثِيمٍ} [البقرة: 276]

276- Allah takes away the blessing from usurious monies, leaving them unbenefitable. Moreover, it will become a reason for sorrow and a punishment for its doer on the Last Day. The wicked and the good are not equal even if the wicked is white and shiny because Allah shall pile it up and put it into Hell. The wicked thing will not benefit the usurious community but with hardship and moodiness. Despite the superficial richness that hides the wicked things but they are full of psychological worries, fear, and confusion. It does not contain security, peace of mind, and real happiness, where there is neither blessing nor solidarity that is based on the truth and piety.

As for the good money and charity, Allah nourishes them, increases good, blessing, and abundance therein, and implants affection, assurance, and peace of mind in the community that does not deal in usury, where solidarity and cooperation for good do exist.

Allah hates that stonehearted usurer who commits sins in his sayings and actions, so he is not satisfied with the lawful things or the lawful earning that Allah has provided him, but he seeks to eat people's wealth unjustly through usury and other means.

 

{إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآَتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ} [البقرة: 277]

277- Those who believed and followed their faith by good deeds, obeyed their Lord, thanked Him for His blessings, satisfied with the lawful things that Allah provided them, treated Allah's Servants properly, kept to their Salah, and gave Zakah for the poor and the needy, they all have the great reward from their Lord. They shall not fear on the Day of the Recompense. On the other hand, those who deal in usury shall suffer confusion and panic. However, those believers shall not be grieved for what they missed in the world because they are in a higher place, in greater bliss, and in an everlasting, indescribable happiness that is incomparable to the happiness of the world.