Charity from Harvest

6. Sura al-Anam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنشَأَ جَنَّاتٍ مَّعْرُوشَاتٍ وَغَيْرَ مَعْرُوشَاتٍ...

6: 141. It is He who produceth gardens, with trellises and without,

C964. Ansha'a: see 6:98, n. 923.

...وَالنَّخْلَ وَالزَّرْعَ مُخْتَلِفًا أُكُلُهُ وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالرُّمَّانَ مُتَشَابِهًا وَغَيْرَ مُتَشَابِهٍ...

and dates, and tilth with produce of all kinds,

and olives and pomegranates, similar (in kind) and different (in variety):

C965. A beautiful passage, with music to match the meaning.

Cf. 6:99 and notes.

... كُلُواْ مِن ثَمَرِهِ إِذَا أَثْمَرَ وَآتُواْ حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ ...

eat of their fruit in their season, but render the dues that are proper on the day that the harvest is gathered.

... وَلاَ تُسْرِفُواْ...

But waste not by excess:

C966. "Waste not, want not," says the English proverb.

Here the same wisdom is preached from a higher motive. See what magnificent means Allah provides in nature for the sustenance of all His creatures, because He loves them all. Enjoy them in moderation and be grateful.

But commit no excess, and commit no waste: the two things are the same from different angles of vision. If you do, you take away something from other creatures and Allah would not like your selfishness.

...إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ ﴿١٤١﴾

for Allah loveth not the wasters.

Asad’s Version:

6: 141 For it is He who has brought into being gardens – [both] the cultivated ones and those growing wild – and the date-palm, and fields bearing multiform produce, and the olive tree, and the pomegranate: [all] resembling one another and yet so different! Eat of their fruit when it comes to fruition, and give [the poor] their due on harvest day. And do not waste [God’s bounties]: verily, He does not love the wasteful!