2. Surah al-Baqara, Medina 87

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قَوْلٌ مَّعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَآ أَذًى...

2: 263. Kind words and the covering of faults are better than charity followed by injury. Allah is free of all wants,

C309. A very high standard is set for charity.

1. It must be in the way of Allah.

2. It must expect no reward in this world.

3. It must not be followed by references or reminders to the act of charity.

4. Still less should any annoyance or injury be caused to the recipient; e.g. by boasting that the giver relieved the person in the hour of need.

Indeed, the kindness and the spirit which turns a blind eye to other people's faults or short-comings is the essence of charity: these things are better than charity if charity is spoilt by tricks that do harm.

At the same time, while no reward is to be expected, there is abundant reward from Allah -material, moral, and spiritual- according to His own good pleasure and plan.

If we spend in the way of Allah, it is not as if Allah was in need of our charity. On the contrary our short-comings are so great that we require His utmost forbearance before any good that we can do can merit His praise or reward. Our motives are so mixed that our best may really be very poor if judged by a very strict standard.

... وَاللّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٦٣﴾

and He is Most Forbearing.

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.

Asad’s Version:

2: 263 God is free of all wants and He is most Forbearing.

2:267 And know that God is free of all wants, and worthy of all praise.

===================================

29. Al-'Ankabut (The Spider)

Period Uncertain

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

مَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاء اللَّهِ ...

29: 5. For those whose hopes are in the meeting with Allah (in the Hereafter, let them strive);

C3426. The men of Faith look forward to Allah. Their quest is Allah, and the object of their hopes is the meeting with Allah. They should strive with might and main to serve Him in this life, for this life is short, and the Term appointed for their probation will soon be over.

... فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ لَآتٍ...

for the Term (appointed) by Allah is surely coming:

C3427. The Term (ajal) may signify:

- the time appointed for death, which ends the probation of this life;

- the time appointed for this life, so that we can prepare for the Hereafter; the limit will soon expire.

In either case the ultimate meaning is the same.

We must strive now and not postpone anything for the future. And we must realize and remember that every prayer we make to Allah is heard by Him, and that every unspoken wish or motive of our heart, good or bad, is known to Him, and goes to swell our spiritual account.

...وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ ﴿٥﴾

and He hears and knows (all things).

وَمَن جَاهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَاهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِ...

29: 6. And if any strive (with might and main), they do so for their own souls:

C3428. All our striving ensures to our own spiritual benefit. When we speak of serving Allah, it is not that we confer any benefit on Him. For He has no needs, and is independent of all His Creation.

In conforming to His Will, we are seeking our own good, as in yielding to evil we are doing harm to ourselves.

...إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٦﴾

for Allah is free of all needs from all creation.

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَنُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ...

29: 7. Those who believe and work righteous deeds, from them shall We blot out all evil (that may be) in them,

C3429. In striving to purify our Faith and our Life, we are enabled to avoid the consequences of our misdeeds for Allah will forgive any evil in our past, and help to the attainment of a Future based on the best of what we have done rather than on the poor average of our own merits.

The atonement or expiation is by Allah's Mercy, not by our merits or the merits or sacrifice of anyone else. (R).

...وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَحْسَنَ الَّذِي كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٧﴾

and We shall reward them according to the best of their deeds.

Asad’s Version:

(29:5) Whoever looks forward [with hope and awe] to meeting God [on Resurrection Day, let him be ready for it] : for, behold, the end set by God [for everyone's life] is bound to come - and He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing!

29:6 Hence, whoever strives hard [in God's cause] does so only for his own good: for, verily, God does not stand in need of anything in all the worlds!

(29:7) And as for those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds, We shall most certainly efface their [previous] bad deeds, and shall most certainly reward them in accordance with the best that they ever did.