Topic: Collection & Distribution Of

48:30.

Important Words:

ضرباً (move) is from ضرب. They say ضرب الشیء i.e. the thing moved. ضربه means, he struck or beat him with a sword or a stick, etc. ضرب فی الارض means, he set out on a journey through the country or he journeyed through it (Aqrab).

تعفف (abstaining) is derived from عف i.e. he abstained from doing what is unlawful or improper. تعفف in verb form also gives the same meaning with greater effort. عفة means, abstaining from the gratification of low desires. So تعفف means, abstaining from what is improper or unlawful (Aqrab).

سیما (appearance) is derived from سوم which is again derived from سام. They say سوم الفرس i.e. he branded the horse with some distinguishing mark or sign. سیما or سیمة or سومة means, a distinguishing sign or mark, or general appearance serving as such (Aqrab).

إلحافاً (with importunity) is derived from لحف. They say لحفه i.e. he covered him with a sheet or a blanket, etc. الحفه also gives the same meaning. الحف السائل means, the beggar begged with importunity, as if sticking to one like a covering (Aqrab & Mufradat).

Commentary:

Circumstances sometimes compel people to remain confined in a place where they are unable to earn their living. Such men deserve help from the better-off members of the community. Two kinds of people come particularly under this verse: (1) Those who voluntarily stick to a place owing to the love of a holy man and never quit his company so that they may listen to whatever he says and observe whatever he does and then impart the knowledge thus acquired to others. A remarkable example of persons of this class was Abu Hurairah, who embraced Islam only three years before the death of the Holy Prophet, but thereafter clove to the Mosque at Medina so that he might remain in constant contact with his beloved Master. The result was that he reported to the world a much larger number of the sayings and acts of the Holy Prophet than those reported by even such Companions as had embraced Islam long before him. (2) Sometimes a Muslim becomes confined to a place owing to the hostility of disbelievers and, being surrounded by persecutors, he has often to suffer extreme hardships and remain without the necessities of life. Such men are also among the fittest objects of help.

People generally help those who beg for help, ignoring those who need help but, through modesty or shyness, do not ask for it. The Quran exhorts Muslims not to confine their charity to those who beg, but also to look for those who are really needy and whom a sense of honour or modesty prevents from begging.

The words, thou shalt know them by their appearance, contain a tribute to the Holy Prophet, who is here spoken of as being able to know such persons as are in want but refrain from disclosing their needs to others; and believers are exhorted to follow the example of the Holy Prophet in this respect. Abu Hurairah relates a personal incident which beautifully brings out this characteristic of the Prophet. He says that one day he was suffering from extreme hunger but, as Islam did not approve of begging, he could not ask anybody for food, and at the same time he would not leave the Prophet’s mosque for fear of losing his company. At that time Abu Bakr happened to pass by and, in order to draw his attention to his own famished condition, Abu Hurairah asked him to explain a verse of the Quran which dealt with charity. Abu Bakr, failing to understand his real object, explained to him the verse and passed on. Then came ‘Umar, and the hunger-stricken Abu Hurairah approached him also with the request to explain the verse. ‘Umar too failed to catch his purpose and, explaining to him the verse, went on his way. The Holy Prophet, who at that time happened to be within hearing inside his house, opened his window and with a bowl of milk in his hand, called Abu Hurairah and smilingly asked him whether he was hungry. And, receiving a reply in the affirmative, he further asked him to invite all the seven men who happened to be present in the mosque at that time. Before handing the cup of milk to Abu Hurairah, the Holy Prophet offered it to those seven men who were also hungry like Abu Hurairah. All the seven drank milk out of the bowl but, says Abu Hurairah, it remained as full as ever. Then the Prophet gave it to Abu Hurairah who drank his fill. When Abu Hurairah could drink no more, the Holy Prophet took the bowl and drank the remaining milk (Tirmidhi ch. on Zuhd).

The verse incidentally praises those who abstain from begging and hints at the impropriety of begging as the words تعفف (abstaining from an improper or unlawful thing) and الحافا (with importunity) clearly indicate. The Holy Prophet greatly disapproved of begging and there are diverse sayings of his to that effect.

Important Words:

صدقات (alms) is the plural of and here signifies Zakah. See also 4:5.

الفقراء (the poor) is the plural of فقیر which is derived from) فقر (faqara) which means, he dug the ground or he dug a well to draw forth water; or he bored or perforated beads, etc. فقر البعیر means, he made an incision in the nose of the camel to render it tractable. فقرہ also means, he broke the فقار or vertebrae of his back. فقر (faqura) or فقر (faqira) or افتقرmeans, he was or became poor or needy. فقر (faqrun) means, poverty, want or need; the state of a man when he has only what suffices for his household. فقیر means, poor or needy; one having only what suffices for his household; one who has only a bare sufficiency of food; one who is crippled by disease; one who has no trade or has only a mean trade. The word (one who possesses only what is barely sufficient) differs from مسکین (for which see below) which means, one who possesses nothing, altogether destitute. Some authorities however differ from this view (Lane). See also 2:269.

المساکین (the needy) is the plural of مسکین which is derived from سکن which means, he or it was or became still, motionless or stationary or quiet or clam. مسکین means, lowly, humble or submissive; low, abject or in a state of humiliation; weak, subdued or suppressed; poor; destitute, i.e. possessing nothing; or possessing somewhat; rendered by poverty to have little power of motion. Authorities differ as to who is in a worse condition—فقیر or مسکین (Lane).

Commentary:

In the previous verse reference was made to the displeasure of the hypocrites if they were not given a share in the Zakah. The present verse defines the objects for which Zakah is to be spent and these, as the verse explains, are eight in number.

The first-mentioned class, i.e. فقراء (the poor), signifies those broken or perforated with poverty or disease, whereas, the second-mentioned class, i.e. مساکین (the needy) signifies those rendered motionless through want of means, e.g. the unemployed, or those possessing the ability to work but lacking the means thereof.

The words, those employed in connection therewith, signify those who are employed in collecting Zakah, or in keeping an account thereof or in the performance of any other duty connected therewith.

The words, whose hearts are to be reconciled, mean those whose hearts are sincerely inclined towards Islam but who, owing to their having become disconnected with their former society, stand in need of monetary help. The term extends to new converts also.

The word, slaves, signifies, besides actual slaves, captives and such persons as are called upon to pay blood money to secure their freedom.

The expression, for those in debt, means those who are unable to pay their debts or those who have suffered an extraordinary loss in trade, etc.

The words, for the cause of Allah, imply every good or pious work commanded by God.

The term ابن السبیل (the wayfarer) includes those stranded on a journey for lack of money; or those who travel in search of knowledge or for promoting social relations. See also 2:178.

Commentary:

The persons referred to in the preceding verse brought a part of their property and begged the Holy Prophet to take the same as alms, but he told them that he had no instructions to accept anything from them, whereupon this verse was revealed, allowing him to accept their alms and to pray for them.

8:2, 42.

47:34; 49:8.

Important Words:

دولة (to circulate) is derived from دال. They say دالت الایام i.e. the days came round in their turns. دالت له الدولة means, good fortune came to him i.e. the turn of fortune was his. داول اللّٰه الایام بین الناس means, God made days to compound among men in turns. دولة (daulatun) as also دولة (dulatun) means, a turn of good fortune; a turn to share in wealth and to prevail in war; a turn of taking a thing. Or دولة (dulatun) is in wealth and دولة (daulatun) is in war; according to some the former signifies a thing that is taken by turns and the latter the act of taking by turns and a transition from one state to another. Or the former relates to the next world and the latter to the present world and it is said that the former signifies the transition of wealth from one people to another and the latter, prevalence, predominance or victory (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The verse deals with the subject as to how فییء should be spent. As فییء consists of such booty as is attained without difficulty or labour and accrues to Muslims without war, the soldiers have no share in it and the whole of it forms part of the public treasury to be spent as mentioned in the verse.

Where soldiers are paid by the State, all spoils of war go to the public treasury i.e. Baitu1-Mal. Islam being a great advocate and protagonist of the cause of the poor and supporter and protector of their interests, the verse incidentally lays down the principle that the circulation of wealth should not remain continued to the privileged and propertied class. As an individual’s health requires that his physical needs be reasonably met, a society’s health requires that material goods be widely distributed and wealth be in easy circulation. This is the basic principle of Muslim economics and nowhere did the Holy Prophet’s democratic thunder speak with greater force or clarity than in this field. Finding humanity ground down under the tyranny of vested interests, he propounded measures that broke the barriers of economic caste and enormously reduced the injustices of special privilege. The main principle of Muslim economics is that the wealth of the people be widely shared. Islam does not oppose the profit motive or economic competition. It does not discourage a man from working harder than his neighbour, nor does it object to his earning a large income. It simply insists that acquisitiveness and competition be balanced by fair play and compassion. Since human nature automatically takes care of the former, it falls to social laws to safeguard the latter. The Zakah is Islam’s basic device for institutionalizing regard for others, but it is supplemented by a number of other measures (The Religions of Man by Huston Smith).

The words, "whatever the Messenger gives you, take it," shows conclusively that the Sunnah forms an integral part of the Islamic Law.