We talk first about the reason of revelation, then about the general meaning. We always say that the Holy Qur’an is the words of Allah (swt). There is a specific reason and general meaning that applies to all people and all situations. As for the specific reason of this verse revelation, the questioner of this verse is Amr ibn al-Jamouh. He is a man with amazing story; before the battle of Uhud he went to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and asked him to share in the battle. However, he was lame, so he had an excuse for not to share, as Allah (swt) says:
{لَّيْسَ عَلَى الْأَعْمَىٰ حَرَجٌ وَلَا عَلَى الْأَعْرَجِ حَرَجٌ وَلَا عَلَى الْمَرِيضِ حَرَجٌ }
(There is not upon the blind any guilt or upon the lame any guilt or upon the ill any guilt [for remaining behind].) (Al-Fath: 17)
It was narrated that the heads of the tribe of Bani Salamah said: Amr Ibn al-Jumooh was lame. He had four young sons used to go for invasions with the Prophet (saws). When he (saws) was about to leave for the battle of Uhod, Amer wanted to go with him, but his sons said to him : “Allah (swt) excuses you, so if you sit, we can fight instead of you, Allah (swt) does not impose Jihad on you”. Amr went to the Messenger (saws) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, my children do not allow me to go with you, by Allah, I hope that I will be martyred and step onto the ground of Paradise with this lame leg”. The Prophet (saws) said to him: “Allah (swt) has excused you” and said to his sons: “There is no burden on you if you let him go, Allah may grant him martyrdom.” So, he fought and was killed in this battle of Uhod.[1]
This was the person who asked the Prophet (saws) about what Muslims should spend and he was a wealthy man. The answer comes to explain about to whom to spend and what to spend. There are many verses in addition to this verse in the Book of Allah (swt) relate to spending, which means to give money to the needy, to kin and to those defined by the Holy Qur’an. In general, the divine curricula came in order to regulate the movement of people in life and in order to make people help each other, and to make the strong protects the weak, and to establish these communal links defined by the Holy Qur’an:
{وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ }
(And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.) (Al-Maaida: 7)
These specifications that Allah (swt) wants in that society, in which the strong feels the need of the weak, and the rich feels the poverty of the weak, a community in which people feel the needs of each other, feel the need of orphans, the poor and the widowed and the sick. All these cases are repeated in societies from time to time. However, Allah (swt) makes spending a pillar of Islam through paying Zakat. As long as Zakat (alms) is one of the pillars of Islam, no one would think that just the poor is in need of the rich. On the contrary, the rich is in much more need for the poor, why? Because spending on the poor is part of the pillars of Islam; Islam is established on five: the two testimonies, prayers, giving zakat, fasting Ramadan, and pilgrimage to those who have been able to reach it. Zakat is one of the pillars of Islam, without performing it your Islam is imperfect. Allah (swt) wants the community of faith to be a solid and cohesive society, as the Prophet (saws) said:
“The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever”.[2]
As not a person sits on his couch or in his palace comfortable and delighted and his needs are availabe, and leaves those with needs in society exposed to all kinds of affliction and sufferings in the world. The Prophet (saws) mentions in a Qudsi Hadith that Allah (swt) says:
O Moses, I did not will the poor to resort to the rich because my treasury is closed in on them, and that my mercy did not encompass them, rather I imposed for the poor in the money of the rich what is enough to the poor because I wanted to test the rich how they hasten to apply what I imposed for the poor in their wealth.[3]
Hence, it is a test for the rich by what Allah (swt) has given them. If the obligatory Zakat (alms) and the charities are properly applied as Islam has ordered, we will not find any poor and needy among people in society. Some of the people say that this idea is theoretical. We say, no it is not at all, because this theory was really fully implemented and it proved its righteousness, that was when Islam was applied correctly as it was revealed, and not through the understandings of human beings and human concepts, such as the extreme Takfir, which had nothing to do with the truth of religion. Therefore, we find that Islam has set a basic concept of the pillars that is spending for the sake of Allah (swt), Allah (swt) says:
وَمَا آتَيْتُم مِّن رِّبًا لِّيَرْبُوَ فِي أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ فَلَا يَرْبُو عِندَ اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَا آتَيْتُم مِّن زَكَاةٍ تُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُضْعِفُونَ
(And whatever you give for interest to increase within the wealth of people will not increase with Allah. But what you give in zakah, desiring the countenance of Allah – those are the multipliers.) (Al-Room: 36)
Zakat increases the man’s wealth, if he gives this money out of faith, and in the way of Allah (swt), as Allah (swt) says:
{مَّن ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ وَلَهُ أَجْرٌ كَرِيمٌ }
(Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He will multiply it for him and he will have a noble reward.) (Al-Hadid: 11)
So, it is as if you loan Allah (swt) when you give the poor, because Allah (swt) is Who brings the poor to life and the rich as well and He (swt) Who imposed in the wealth of the rich what meets the need of the poor through Zakat. On the other hand, the hidden charity is better than the charity in public. Allah (swt) says:
إِن تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقَاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَ ۖ وَإِن تُخْفُوهَا وَتُؤْتُوهَا الْفُقَرَاءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۚ وَيُكَفِّرُ عَنكُم مِّن سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
(If you disclose your charitable expenditures, they are good; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, it is better for you, and He will remove from you some of your misdeeds [thereby]. And Allah, with what you do, is [fully] Acquainted.) (Al-Baqara: 271)
Why is it better to hide the charity? Of course, the advantage of giving the charity in public is to encourage people to do it. As for concealing charity has a purpose, which is to make it just in the way of Allah (swt), so you do not consider it a favour, in fact, the poor is the one who does you a favour by accepting your charity. One day, a man knocked on door of one of the companions of the Prophet (saws), he (may Allah be pleased with him) opened the door, the man asked him for money as charity, so he gave it to him and began to cry, then his wife asked him saying, “A man came to you and asked you for charity and you gave him but why do you cry?” He said, “I cried, because I let this man to ask”. This means that we have to search for the needy people. Islam has set standards for considering the needs and for the challenges in economy, that is, sometimes there may be crises which require people to co-operate to help each other, not to get advantage of each other. Rather, they have to help each other to pass the crisis and its consequences which they are exposed to all the time. We, in our country today are subjected to this unjust and unfair war, which has lasted years and destroys our country, consequently, it is natural for economic crises to occur, in this case people have to put their hands together to give support to each other, and to bring into life the belief in paying charity and zakat. Allah (swt) says:
مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنبُلَةٍ مِّائَةُ حَبَّةٍ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
(The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.) (Al-Baqara: 261)
So, one seed produces seven hundred seeds, and Allah (swt) doubles for whom He wills. This is the case in the earth which is created by Allah (swt), then how would it be the gift of Allah (swt)! Allah (swt) says:
خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ إِنَّ صَلَاتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَّهُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
(Take, [O, Muhammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [Allah ‘s blessings] upon them. Indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.) (At-Tawba: 103)
The Prophet (saws) said:
“I swear by Allah for three (qualities) the wealth of a man will not diminish by Sadaqah (charity). So give Sadaqah.”[4]
One may ask: How it comes that this money do not decrease, although 2.5 % of the money is being extracted and given to the poor ? Of course, this money does not decrease because by giving it you are dealing with the One Who provided you and the poor, with Who created you and the poor. Abu Tharr (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (swt) recited this verse:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا % وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ ۚ
إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا
(And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out. (3) And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.) (At-Talaaq: 2-3)
When the Prophet (saws) finished the recitation, he (saws) said:
if all the people followed it, it would suffice them[5]
That is because fearing Allah (swt) brings livelihood and goodness to people. With this piety, people support each other.
Al-Bayhaqi narrated that Abdul Malik -a son of the relative of Al-Asma’i- said: ‘One day, when I was on my way back from the mosque in Basra, a hard cruel bedouin, sitting on a young camel, holding his sword and bow, he came near me and said: Where are you from, man?” I said: “From the people of Asma'”. He said to me: “Are you Al-Asmaie! I said: “Yes”. He said: ‘Where are you coming from?” I said: “From a place where the words of The Gracious are recited.”. He said: “Does The Gracious has words that can be recited by the humans?” I said: ” Yes, O, bedouin”. He said: ‘Recite for me something of it’. I said: “Come down from your camel. Then he came down and I started reciting Surat (Al-Thariyat) until I reach the verse:
{وَفِي السَّمَاءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ }
(And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised.) (Ath-Thaariyat: 22)
The bedouin said: “O, Assmai, are these The Gracious’ words?” I said: Yes, I swear by the One Who sent Muhammad with the truth, they are His words that were revealed to him”. Then he said to me: “Enough”. Then, he went to his camel, sacrificed it with his sword, and cut it then said to me: “Help me to distribute it.”. So, he distributed it to whoever passed in front of him. Then he broke his sword and bow and buried them in the sand and he went towards the desert while saying:
{وَفِي السَّمَاءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ }
(And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised.) (Ath-Thaariyat: 22)
while repeating it. When he disappeared in the gardens of Basra, I returned to myself, blaming it and saying: “O Assam’i! You have been reading the Qur’an since thirty years ago, and you passed through this verse and similar verses, yet you have not been fully aware to what this bedouin has although he did not know that the Gracious has words. After a time I went for the Hajj pilgrimage with the Caliph Haron Al-Rasheed and while I was doing Tawaff I heard a caller saying with gentle voice, Come, O’ Assma’i, Come, O Assma’i, hence, I turned and found the same bedouin with yellow exhausted face, he came to me, took my hand, and sat me behind the Maqam of Ibrahim and said: “recite from the words of the Gracious that you recite, then I started again with Surah Al-Thaaryiat and when I ended up saying: (And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised) the bedouin shouted and said: “We have already found what our Lord promised us to be true, we have already found what our Lord promised us to be true.”. Then he said: “Are there any other words of the Gracious?” I said: “Yes, O bedouin, Allah (swt) says:
{فَوَرَبِّ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ مِّثْلَ مَا أَنَّكُمْ تَنطِقُونَ }
(Then by the Lord of the heaven and earth, indeed, it is truth – just as [sure as] it is that you are speaking.) (Al-Thaariyat: 23)
The bedouin then shouted and said: “Glory be to Allah! Who has angered The Great and caused Him to swear? Did they not believe his saying until He swore! He said it three times and then died.
If we really believed Allah’s saying, we would not find among us any poor, or needy, because we would give money and pay the charity. The true faith is proved by giving alms. So, the Prophet (saws) said:
“(Prayer) is a light, and charity is a proof…” [6]
It is a proof of faith. Consequently, we must help the poor and give money to the needy, however preserving the wealth will not benefit you, as the Prophet (saws) said:
“May he be miserable the worshipper of the dinar, may he be miserable the worshipper of the dirham, and may he be miserable the worshipper of the striped silk cloak.”[7]
Therefore, the duty of the trade men is to lower the prices, our duty is to find out our needy neighbors and the poor people in the nearby, whoever has an extra amount should offer it to him who is without it.
( مَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ ) (Whatever you spend of good..): Meaning, spending must be from the lawfully granted (halal) money, the Prophet (saws) said:
“Allah the Almighty is Good and accepts only that which is good.”[8]
Allah (swt) says:
{إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ }
(Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous [who fear Him.) (Al-Maaida: 27)
The question is to whom you have to spend? First of all, in any society and in any reform movement, to find out the good cycle, look at the relationship between the children and their parents. If this relationship is good, then the entire society will be reformed in the country. That is because the relationship between the past and the next generation is only controlled by values, cannot be governed by interests. The interest governs when you need your parents, but if your parents need you, then where is the interest? Here the values play the role and here it is necessary to remind of the Sharia rules and the children must always be reminded to be good with parents, so that when Luqman preached his son, he said:
{وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُ يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ}
(And [mention, O Muhammad], when Luqman said to his son while he was instructing him, “O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah. Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice.) (Luqman: 13)
Allah (swt) interrupts Luqman’s will and says:
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ * وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰ أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖ وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا ۖ وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ * يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّهَا إِن تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ فَتَكُن فِي صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ أَوْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا اللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌ * يَا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا أَصَابَكَ ۖ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ * وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ * وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ ۚ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ
(And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination. % But if they endeavor to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do. % [And Luqman said], “O my son, indeed if wrong should be the weight of a mustard seed and should be within a rock or [anywhere] in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Indeed, Allah is Subtle and Acquainted. % O my son, establish prayer, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, [all] that is of the matters [requiring] determination. % And do not turn your cheek [in contempt] toward people and do not walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful. % And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; indeed, the most disagreeable of sounds is the voice of donkeys.”.) (Luqman: 14-19)
Allah (swt) interrupts the will of Lugman for these recommendations because the father does not enjoin his son of himself and the parents do not need to be enjoined of their children, rather the one who needs to be enjoined are the sons and the daughters. The children are in need of the pleasure of the parents, the Prophet (saws) said:
“The pleasure of the Lord lies in the pleasure of the parent. The anger of the Lord lies in the anger of the parent.”[9]
Gaining the pleasure of the parents will bring the righteousness and this is absolutely beyond doubt. Allah (swt) says:
{ وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا }
(And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment.) (Al-Israa: 23)
Mentions the state of the parents’ weakness:
{إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا }
(Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], “uff,” and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.) (Al-Israa: 23)
Then Allah (swt) instructs more:
{وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا }
(And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, “My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.”.) (Al-Israa: 24)
You cannot reward your father and mother whatever you do, so ask your and their Lord to have mercy on them as they raised you young. Hence, Allah (swt) says afterwards:
{رَّبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِي نُفُوسِكُمْ ۚ إِن تَكُونُوا صَالِحِينَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ لِلْأَوَّابِينَ غَفُورًا }
(Your Lord is most knowing of what is within yourselves. If you should be righteous [in intention] – then indeed He is ever, to the often returning [to Him], Forgiving.) (Al-Israa: 25)
The issue is not a matter of compliments, and a gift on Mother’s Day. Rather, He (swt) knows better, what is in the breasts and what is in the souls. It must come out of conviction, and as a result of the values that are implanted in our souls, which include the obedience and doing good to parents. There is no doubt that the one who is not good with his father and mother will not in return be good for society or for his country. If you see a person disobeying to his father or to his mother, how can you at any level trust him in anything? Therefore, we find that the Holy Qur’an on every occasion mention the parents directly.
( قُلْ مَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ ۗ ) (Say, “Whatever you spend of good is [to be] for parents and relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveler..): First you have to think of your parents then think about the close kinship: The Prophet (saws) said:
“The bond of relationship is suspending from the Throne, and says: ‘He who keeps good relations with me, Allah will keep connection with him, but whosoever severs relations with me, Allah will sever connection with him”.[10]
Who cut our relations and our societies except the West? Means of social communication, such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp, instead of being for the sake of science and for the needs of people, has become means of corruption of people and means of cutting off the relationships in society; that is, you find the same family members who live with each other, yet they do not speak with each other; each one holding the mobile in his hand and busy with it. As a result, the kinship relations were cut off, the ties were broken, and relations were broken. The entire scourge that came to the Arab region came from such means that the west invented because we do not use it properly and correctly. If we use it in a useful way that benefits us, we would not reach a situation that we are in. However, it has been used in a way that causes problems; in searching for people’s secrets, for people’s scandals, and slander on People, so caused cutting ties between community through what was called the Arab Spring that turned the region into hell and fire. Therefore, they managed to enter the minds of people, and thus they were tucked into people’s rooms and between families. Therefore, they cut off the relationships through these networks that are found in our rooms. So, first you have to think of your parents then your relatives then (the Orphans). An orphan, even if he is not a needy, but being an orphan, he is weak; that is because he lost the support, that is his father, so he must feel that he has a helper. That is why the orphans are always mentioned. Allah (swt) says:
{ أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يُكَذِّبُ بِالدِّينِ * فَذَٰلِكَ الَّذِي يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ * وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ }
(Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense? (2) For that is the one who drives away the orphan (3) And does not encourage the feeding of the poor.) (Al-Maa’un: 1-3) and says:
فَأَمَّا الْإِنسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ * وَأَمَّا إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ * كَلَّا ۖ بَل لَّا تُكْرِمُونَ الْيَتِيمَ * وَلَا تَحَاضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ * وَتَأْكُلُونَ التُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَّمًّا * وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا
(Indeed, your Lord is in observation. % And as for man, when his Lord tries him and [thus] is generous to him and favors him, he says, “My Lord has honored me.” % But when He tries him and restricts his provision, he says, “My Lord has humiliated me.” % No! But you do not honor the orphan % And you do not encourage one another to feed the poor. % And you consume inheritance, devouring [it] altogether, % And you love wealth with immense love.) (Al-Fajr: 14-20)
This verse indicates the inverted concepts; love of money, consume inheritance, preventing doing goodness, not feeling the need of orphans and poor people, contrary to the reality of our religion. That is why this verse defines the ways of spending the alms; to parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, and the traveler who has no money and no family.
( وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ ) (And whatever you do of good – indeed, Allah is Knowing of it.): So, seek the countenance of Allah (swt) when doing the goodness. Ibn Abbass (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“Charity falls in Allah’s hand before it falls in the needy’s hand.”[11]
[1] Sunan Al-Bayhaqi Al-Kubrah: chapter of biographies, chapter of who excuse themselves with weakness, illness and time in leaving Jihad, Hadith no. (17599).
[2] Sahih Muslim: Book of Virtue, Enjoining Good Manners, and Joining of the Ties of Kinship, Hadith No. 2586.
[3] Kanz Al-Ummal, Part 6, Hadith No.16664.
[4] Musnad Al-Bazar, V.1, chapter: Abdel-Rahman Ibn ‘Uof, Hadith no. 1032.
[5] Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal: Musnad Al-Ansar, Hadith no. 21591.
[6] Sahih Muslim, Book of Purification, virtue of Ablution, Hadith No. 223.
[7] Al-Mu’jam Al-Awsat by AL-Tabarani: V.3, chapter: whose name is Ibrahim, Hadith no. 2595.
[8] Sunan Al-Baihaqi Al-Kubra, chapter: prayer alIstisqa’, avoiding grievances and move closer to Allah through charity and good deeds, hopping to be answered, Hadith no. 6187.
[9] Shu‘abu Al-Iman: the fifty five of Shu’ab Al-Iman, chapter of obeying parents, Hadith no.7830.
[10] Sahih Muslim and Al-Bukhari, Chapter: Kind Treatment towards Parents and establishment of the ties of Blood Relationship.
[11] Majma’ Az-zawaed, Vol,3, Hadith No. 4618.