2. Surah al-Baqara, Medina 87
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَسْأَلُونَكَ
مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ
...
2: 215. They ask thee what they should spend (in charity).
... قُلْ مَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالأَقْرَبِينَ وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ...
Say:
Whatever ye spend that is good,
- is for parents and
- kindred and
- orphans and
- those in want and for wayfarers.
C235. Three questions arise in charity:
- What shall we give?
- to whom shall we give? and
- how shall we give?
The answer is here.
Give anything that is good, useful, helpful, valuable. It may be property or money; it may be a helping hand; it may be advice; it may be a kind word; "whatever ye do that is good" is charity.
On the other hand, if you throw away what is useless, there is no charity in it.
Or if you give something with a harmful intent, e.g., a sword to a madman, or a drug or sweets or even money to someone whom you want to entrap or corrupt, it is no charity but a gift of damnation.
To whom should you give?
It may be tempting to earn the world's praise by a gift that will be talked about, but are you meeting the needs of those who have the first claim on you?
If you are not, you are like a person who defrauds creditors: it is no charity.
Every gift is judged by its unselfish character: the degree of need or claim is a factor which you should consider; if you disregard it, there is something selfish behind it.
How should it be given?
As in the sight of Allah; thus shuts out all pretence, show, and insincerity.
... وَمَا تَفْعَلُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢١٥﴾
And whatever ye do that is good, Allah knoweth it well.
2: 215
Asad They will ask thee as to what they should spend on others. Say: “Whatever of your wealth you spend shall [first] be for your parents, and for the near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer; and whatever good you do, verily, God has full knowledge thereof.”
Pickthall They ask thee, (O Muhammad), what they shall spend. Say: That which ye spend for good (must go) to parents and near kindred and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer. And whatsoever good ye do, lo! Allah is Aware of it.
Yas'alu_naka ma_za_ yunfiqu_n(a), qul ma_ anfaqtum min khairin fa lil wa_lidaini wal aqrabina wal yata_ma_ wal masa_kini wabnis sabil(i), wa ma_ taf'alu_ min khairin fa innalla_ha bihi 'alim(un).
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3. Sura al-Imran
Medina 89 [200 verses]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا
يَفْعَلُواْ
مِنْ خَيْرٍ
فَلَن يُكْفَرُوْهُ
وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ
بِالْمُتَّقِينَ
﴿١١٥﴾
3: 115. Of the good that they do, nothing will be rejected of them;
for Allah knoweth well those that do right.
هَاأَنتُمْ
أُوْلاء تُحِبُّونَهُمْ
وَلاَ يُحِبُّونَكُمْ
وَتُؤْمِنُونَ
بِالْكِتَابِ
كُلِّهِ...
3: 119. Ah! ye are those who love them, but they love you not, though ye believe in the whole of the Book.
C440. Islam gives you the complete revelation, "the whole of the Book," though partial revelations have come in all ages.
...وَإِذَا لَقُوكُمْ قَالُواْ آمَنَّا ...
When they meet you, they say, "We believe;"
C441. Cf. 2:14.
... وَإِذَا خَلَوْاْ عَضُّواْ عَلَيْكُمُ الأَنَامِلَ مِنَ الْغَيْظِ ...
but when they are alone, they bite off the very tips of their fingers at you in their rage.
...قُلْ مُوتُواْ بِغَيْظِكُمْ ...
Say:
"Perish in your rage;
...إِنَّ اللّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُور ﴿١١٩﴾
Allah knoweth well all the secrets of the heart."
Other Versions:
3: 115
Asad And whatever good they do, they shall never be denied the reward thereof: for, God has full knowledge of those who are conscieous of Him.
Pickthall And whatever good they do, they will not be denied the meed thereof. Allah is Aware of those who ward off (evil).
Transliteration Wa ma_ yaf'alu_ min khairin falay yukfaru_h(u), walla_hu'alimum bil muttaqin(a).
3: 119
Asad Lo! it is you who [ are prepared to] love them, but they will not love you, although you believe in all of the revelation [note 89].
Pickthall O ye are those who love them though they love you not, and ye believe in all the Scripture. When they fall in with you they say: We believe; but when they go apart they bite their finger tips at you, for rage. Say: Perish in your rage! Lo! Allah is Aware of what is hidden in (your) breasts.
Transliteration Ha_ antum ula_'i tuhibbu_nahum wa la_ yuhibbu_nakum wa tu'minu_na bil kita_bi kullih(i), wa iza_ laqu_kum qa_lu_ a_manna_, wa iza_ khalau'addu_ 'alaikumul ana_mila minal gaiz(i), qul mu_tu_ bi gaizikum, innalla_ha 'alimim biza_tis sudu_r(i).
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4. Sura an-Nisa
Medina 92 [Hijra 4]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَاذَا
عَلَيْهِمْ
لَوْ آمَنُواْ
بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ
الآخِرِ ...
4: 39. And what burden were it on them if they had faith in Allah and in the Last Day,
... وَأَنفَقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقَهُمُ اللّهُ...
and they spent out of what Allah hath given them for sustenance?
C558. Sustenance: physical, intellectual, spiritual-everything pertaining to life and growth.
Our being is from Allah, and we must therefore spend ourselves freely for Allah.
How can it be a burden?
It is merely a response to the demand of our own healthy nature.
... وَكَانَ اللّهُ بِهِم عَلِيمًا ﴿٣٩﴾
for Allah hath full knowledge of them.
وَمَن
يُطِعِ اللّهَ
وَالرَّسُولَ
فَأُوْلَـئِكَ
مَعَ الَّذِينَ
أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ
عَلَيْهِم ...
4: 69. All who obey Allah and the Messenger are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah,
... مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاء وَالصَّالِحِينَ ...
of the Prophets (who teach), the sincere (lovers of truth), the witnesses (who testify), and the righteous (who do good):
... وَحَسُنَ أُولَـئِكَ رَفِيقًا ﴿٦٩﴾
ah! what a beautiful fellowship!
C586. A passage of the deepest devotional meaning. Even the humblest man who accepts Faith and does good becomes an accepted member of a great and beautiful company in the Hereafter. It is a company which lives perpetually in the sunshine of Allah's Grace. (This passage partly illustrates 1:5).
It is a glorious hierarchy, of which four grades are specified:
1. The highest is that of the Prophets or Apostles, who get plenary inspiration from Allah, and who teach mankind by example and precept. That rank in Islam is held by Muhammad Al-Mustafa.
2. The next are those whose badge is sincerity and truth: they love and support the truth with their person, their means, their influence, and all that is theirs.
That rank was held by the special Companions of Muhammad, among whom the type was that of Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddiq.
3. The next are the noble army of Witnesses, who testify to the truth.
The testimony may be by martyrdom, Or
it may be by the tongue of the true Preacher or
the pen of the devoted scholar, or
the life of the man devoted to service,
4. Lastly, there is the large company of Righteous people, the ordinary folk who do their ordinary business, but always in a righteous Way. They are the rank and file of the beautiful Fellowship, in which each has his place and yet all feel that they derive glory from the common association. (R).
Other Versions:
4: 39
Asad And what would they have to fear if they would but believe in God and the Last Day, and spend [in His way] out of what God has granted them as sustenance – since God has indeed full knowledge of them?
Pickthall What have they (to fear) if they believe in Allah and the Last Day and spend (aright) of that which Allah hath bestowed upon them, when Allah is ever Aware of them ( and all they do)?
Transliteration Wa ma_za_ 'alaihim lau a_manu_ billa_hi wal yaumil a_khiri wa anfaqu_ mimma_ razaqahumulla_h(u), wa ka_nalla_hu bihim 'alima_(n).
4: 69
Asad For, all who pay heed unto God and the Apostle shall be among those upon whom God has bestowed His blessings: the prophets, and those who never deviated from the truth, and whose who [with their lives] bore witness to the truth, and the righteous ones: and how goodly a company are these!
Pickthall Whoso obey Allah and the messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah hath shown favor, of the Prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are they!
Yuksel Whoever obeys God and the messenger will be among those whom God has blessed from the prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the reformed. What an excellent companionship!*
Transliteration Wa may yuti'illa_ha war rasu_la fa ula_'ika ma'al lazina an'amalla_hu 'alaihim minan nabiyyina was siddiqina wasy syuhada_'i was sa_lihin(a), wa hasuna ula_'ika rafiqa_(n)
4: 70
Asad Such is the bounty of God – and none has the knowledge which God has.
Pickthall Such is the bounty of Allah, and Allah sufficeth as knower.
yuksel That is the bounty from God; and God suffices as a Knower.
Transliteration Za_likal fadlu minalla_h(i), wa kafa_ billa_hi 'alima_(n).
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5. Surah al-Maida, Medina 112
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذَا
جَآؤُوكُمْ
قَالُوَاْ
آمَنَّا ...
5: 61. When they come to thee, they say: "We believe":
... وَقَد دَّخَلُواْ بِالْكُفْرِ وَهُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُواْ بِهِ ...
but in fact they enter with a mind against Faith, and they go out with the same:
... وَاللّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْتُمُونَ ﴿٦١﴾
but Allah knoweth fully all that they hide.
Other Versions:
5: 61
Asad For when they come unto you, they say, “We do believe”: whereas, in fact, they come with the resolve to deny the truth, and depart in the same sate. But God is fully aware of all that they would conceal.
Pickthall When they come unto you (Muslims), they say: We believe; but they came in unbelief and they went out in the same; and Allah knoweth best what they were hiding.
Wa iza_ ja_'u_kum qa_lu_ a_manna_ wa qad dakhalu_ bil kufri wa hum qad kharaju_ bih(i), walla_hu a'lamu bima_ ka_nu_ yaktumu_n(a).