Charity – Not wasteful nor niggardly
2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ ...
2: 267. O ye who believe!
... أَنفِقُواْ مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا كَسَبْتُمْ وَمِمَّا أَخْرَجْنَا لَكُم مِّنَ الأَرْضِ...
give of the good things which ye have (honorably) earned, and of the fruits of the earth which We have produced for you,
C314. According to the English proverb "Charity covers a multitude of sins". Such a sentiment is strongly disapproved in Islam.
Charity has value only if;
- something good and valuable is given,
- which has been honorably earned or acquired by the giver, or
- which is produced in nature and can be referred to as a bounty of Allah.
1. may include such things as are of use and value to others though they may be of less use to us or superfluous to us on account of our having acquired something more suitable for our station in life; for example, discarded clothes, or an old horse or a used motor car;
but if the horse is vicious, or the car engine so far gone that it is dangerous to use, then the gift is worse than useless; it is positively harmful and the giver is a wrong-doer.
2. applies to fraudulent company-promoters, who earn great credit by giving away charity in some of their ill-gotten gains, or to robbers (even if they call themselves by high-sounding names) who "rob peter to pay Pauo".
Islam will have nothing to do with tainted property. Its economic code requires that every gain should be honest and honorable. Even "charity" would not cover or destroy the taint.
3. lays down a test in cases of a doubtful gain.
Can we refer to it as a gift of God?
Obviously the produce of honest labour or agriculture can be so referred to.
In modern commerce and speculation there is much of quite the contrary character, and charity will not cover the taint. Some kind of art, skill, or talent are God-given: it is the highest kind of charity to teach them or share their product.
Others are the contrary: they are bad or tainted. In the same way some professions or services may be tainted, if these tend to do moral harm.
وَلاَ تَيَمَّمُواْ الْخَبِيثَ مِنْهُ تُنفِقُونَ ...
and do not even aim at getting anything which is bad, in order that out of it ye may give away something,
C315. The preceding note tries to indicate some of the things which are bad or tainted. We should not even think of acquiring them for ourselves, soothing our conscience by the salve that we shall practice charity out of them.
... وَلَسْتُم بِآخِذِيهِ إِلاَّ أَن تُغْمِضُواْ فِيهِ ...
when ye yourselves would not receive it except with closed eyes.
C316. Closed eyes imply disgust or connivance because of some feature which we would not openly acknowledge.
... وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ ﴿٢٦٧﴾
And know that Allah is free of all wants, and worthy of all praise.
C317. To dedicate tainted things to Allah is a dishonor to Allah, Who is independent of all wants, and Who is worthy of all honor and praise.
الشَّيْطَانُ
يَعِدُكُمُ
الْفَقْرَ
وَيَأْمُرُكُم
بِالْفَحْشَاء...
2: 268. The Evil One threatens you with poverty and bids you to conduct unseemly.
... وَاللّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغْفِرَةً مِّنْهُ وَفَضْلاً...
Allah promiseth you His forgiveness and bounties
C318. Good and evil draw us opposite ways and by opposite motives, and the contrast is well marked out in charity.
When we think of doing some real act of kindness or charity, we are assailed with doubts and fear of impoverishment; but Evil supports any tendency to selfishness, greed, or even to extravagant expenditure for show, or self-indulgence, or unseemly appetites.
On the other hand, Allah draws us on to all that is kind and good, for that way lies the forgiveness of our sins, and greater real prosperity and satisfaction.
No kind or generous act ever ruined anyone. It is false generosity that is sometimes shown as leading to ruin. As Allah knows all our motives and cares for all, and has everything in His power, it is obvious which course a wise man will choose.
But wisdom is rare, and it is only wisdom that can appreciate true well-being and distinguish it from the false appearance of well-being.
... وَاللّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٦٨﴾
and Allah careth for all and He knoweth all things.
2: 267
Asad O you who have attained to faith! Spend on others out of the good things which you may acquired, and out of which We bring forth for you from the earth, and choose for your spending the bad things which you yourselves would not accept without averting your eyes in disdain. And know that God is self sufficient, ever to be praised.
Pickthall O ye who believe! Spend of the good things which ye have earned, and of that which we bring forth from the earth for you, and seek not the bad (with intent) to spend thereof (in charity) when ye would not take it for yourselves save with disdain; and know that Allah is Absolute, Owner of Praise.
Transliteration a_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ anfiqu_ min tayyiba_ti ma_ kasabtum wa mimma_ akhrajna_ lakum minal ard(i), wa la_ tayammamul khabisa minhu tunfiqu_na wa lastum bi a_khizihi illa_ an tugmidu_ fih(i), wa'lamu_ annalla_ha ganiyyun hamid(un).
2: 268
Asad Satan threatens you with the prospect of poverty and bids you to be niggardly, whereas God promises you His forgiveness and bounty; and God is infinite, all-knowing
Pickthall The devil promiseth you destitution and enjoineth on you lewdness. But Allah promiseth you forgiveness from Himself with bounty. Allah is All Embracing, All Knowing.
Transliteration Asy syaita_nu ya'idukumul faqra wa ya'murukum bil fahsya_'(i), walla_hu ya'idukum magfiratam minhu wa fadla_(n), walla_hu wa_si'un 'alim(un).
[ Ali’s note --316 Closed eyes imply disgust or connivance because of some feature which we would not openly acknowledge. (2.267)
317 To dedicate tainted things to God is a dishonor to God, Who is independent of all wants, and Who is worthy of all honor and praise. (2.267)
318 Good and evil draw us opposite ways and by opposite motives, and the contrast is well marked out in charity. When we think of doing some real act of kindness or charity, we are assailed with doubts and fear of impoverishment; but Evil supports any tendency to selfishness, greed, or even to extravagant expenditure for show, or self-indulgence, or unseemly appetites. On the other hand, God draws us on to all that is kind and good, for that way lies the forgiveness of our sins, and greater real prosperity and satisfaction. No kind or generous act ever ruined anyone. It is false generosity that is sometimes shown as leading to ruin. As God knows all our motives and cares for all, and has everything in His power, it is obvious which course a wise man will choose. But wisdom is rare, and it is only wisdom that can appreciate true well-being and distinguish it from the false appearance of well-being. (2.268) ]
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25. [al-Furqan, Mecca 42]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَعِبَادُ
الرَّحْمَنِ
الَّذِينَ
يَمْشُونَ عَلَى
الْأَرْضِ
هَوْنًا...
25: 63. And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility,
... وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا ﴿٦٣﴾
and when the ignorant address them, they say, "Peace!"
C3123. Ignorant: in a moral sense.
Address: in the aggressive sense.
Their humility is shown in two ways:
- to those in real search of knowledge, they give such knowledge as they have and as the recipients can assimilate;
- to those who merely dispute, they do not speak harshly, but say "Peace!", as much as to say,
"May it be well with you, may you repent and be better"; or
"May Allah give me peace from such wrangling"; or
"Peace, and Good-bye; let me leave you!"
وَالَّذِينَ
يَبِيتُونَ
لِرَبِّهِمْ
سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًا
﴿٦٤﴾
25: 64. Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrate and standing;
C3124. Humble prayer brings them nearer to Allah.
وَالَّذِينَ
يَقُولُونَ
رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ
عَنَّا عَذَابَ
جَهَنَّمَ...
25: 65. Those who say,
"Our Lord! avert from us the Wrath of Hell,
... إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا ﴿٦٥﴾
for its Wrath is indeed an affliction grievous --
C3125. This is a prayer of humility:
such a person relies, not on any good works which he may have done, but on the Grace and Mercy of Allah; and he shows a lively sense of the Day of Judgment, when every action will weigh for or against a soul.
إِنَّهَا
سَاءتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا
وَمُقَامًا
﴿٦٦﴾
25: 66. "Evil indeed is it as an abode, and as a place to rest in;"
C3126. The misery which results from sin is not only grievous to live in ("an abode") but also grievous "to rest in" or "to stand in", if it be only for a short time.
وَالَّذِينَ
إِذَا أَنفَقُوا
لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا
وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا...
25: 67. Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly,
... وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ قَوَامًا ﴿٦٧﴾
but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes);
C3127. In ordinary spending this is a wise rule. But even in charity, in which we give of our best, it is not expected that we should be extravagant, i.e., that we should either do it for show, to impress other people, or do it thoughtlessly, which would be the case if we "rob Peter to pay Paul".
We should certainly not be niggardly, but we should remember everyone's rights, including our own, and strike a perfectly just balance between them.
Asad’s Version:
25:63 And the servants of (God) most gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, “Peace !”
(25:64) and who remember their Sustainer far into the night, prostrating themselves and standing;
(25:65) and who pray: "O our Sustainer, avert from us the suffering of hell - for, verily, the suffering caused by it is bound to be a torment dire:
(25:66) verily, how evil an abode and a station!" -;
25:67
and who, whenever they spend on others, 51 are neither wasteful nor niggardly but [remember that] there is always a just mean between those [two extremes];
[[ Asad’s notes - 51 In the Qur'an, the verb anfaqa (and the corresponding noun nafaqah) has usually this connotation. ]]
(25:68) and who never invoke any [imaginary] deity side by side with God, and do not take any human being's life - [the life] which God has willed to be sacred - otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice, 52 and do not commit adultery. And [know that] he who commits aught thereof 3 shall [not only] meet with a full requital