Topic: For Poor

2:226.

Commentary:

The verb عقد (‘aqqada) is the intensive form of عقد (‘aqada) for which see 5:2. It conveys the idea of greater deliberation and solemnity. Hence the expression بما عقدتم الایمان (oaths which you take in earnest) would really mean, oaths which you swear solemnly and deliberately.

The use of the word اوسط (average) means both 'middle', (i.e. average) and 'best' (see 2:144) and is thus meant to imply that an oath may be regarded as expiated if ten poor men are fed with food the expiator ordinarily provides for his family, but that it is better to feed them with the best food with which he feeds his own family.

The pronoun ھم (their) in کسوتھم (their clothing) may refer either to families or to poor persons. In the former case, the sentence would read, "the clothing (of ten poor men) with the average (or the best) kind of clothing which you provide for your families". In the latter case, it would simply mean, "the clothing of ten poor men".

The verse should not be taken as describing three different ways by which a person can expiate a broken oath. The different ways are intended to represent three progressive stages of expiation, the third alternative being better than the second, and the second better than the first.

The injunction to expiate oaths does not mean that they may be broken with impunity and then expiated. The prescription of penalties is merely meant to meet a possible eventuality. But oaths contrary to Islamic Law are no oaths. They must be broken. Then there are oaths that pertain to the rights of individuals. These cannot be expiated even by adopting any of the above-mentioned three courses. If, for instance, a man promises on oath to give to a person certain sum of money, and then breaks his oath, and makes the prescribed expiation, the expiation will not absolve him from his obligation to make the promised payment. He must pay the man the promised sum, notwithstanding the expiation. The expiation will only atone for the sin he committed against God by breaking his oath.

5:2, 97.

Important Words:

انتقام (retribution) is derived from نقم. They say نقم الیه i.e. he exacted vengeance upon him; he punished him. انتقمت منهmeans, I took vengeance on him; I inflicted penal retribution on him or I punished him. انتقام thus means, vengeance, punishment or penal retribution (Lane & Aqrab). See also 3:5 and 5:60.

Commentary:

If a man kills game, when he is in the state of احرام (pilgrimage), he should give as compensation a like animal to be taken to Mecca for sacrifice. For instance, if the game killed by him is a deer, he should offer a goat. If the like of the game killed cannot be found, then an animal costing approximately as much as the game killed should be offered, or failing that, the pilgrim should spend the estimated price of the game in feeding the poor, which is two مد per head according to some theologians and one صاع according to others, a مد being roughly two handfuls of corn while a صاع is four times as much as a مد. If, however, the pilgrim is unable to do even that, he should fast for as many days as the number of the poor he could feed with the estimated price of the game killed. The fasting and the feeding of the poor, as the case may be, should preferably be done at Mecca.

74:45; 89:19; 107:4.

Commentary:

The disbelievers did not befriend the poor and did not discharge their obligations to them. So they will have no friend at a time when they will stand in need of one on the Day of Reckoning, and will be given the washing of wounds to satisfy their hunger, because they did not feed the needy and the hungry in this life; their acts of omission in this life will take the form of the punishment described in these verses in the next life.

69:35; 89:19; 107:4.

Commentary:

Offering of Prayers and feeding the poor constitute the two pillars on which the whole edifice of Islam stands. They represent man’s duties to God and to his fellow beings.

2:178; 90:15-17.

Important Words:

طعام (food) is inf. noun from طعم i.e. he tasted or ate. طعام means, food; wholesome and agreeable food which satisfies the eater. They say ما یطعم آکل ھذا الطعام i.e. the eater of this food does not become satisfied (Lane).

Commentary:

The verse may mean: (1) Because they love God, so, in order to win His pleasure, they feed the poor and the captives. (2) They feed the poor for the sake of feeding them, i.e. they do the good act of feeding for the sake of doing good, seeking no reward, appreciation or approbation for what they do. (3) They feed the poor while they themselves need the money which they spend on others. The verse also signifies that the righteous believers give the poor wholesome and agreeable food, طعام meaning agreeable and wholesome food (Lane). This implies that the believers are expected to give in charity the things they love most. Elsewhere the Quran says: "You cannot attain to righteousness unless you spend in the way of Allah out of that which you love best (3:93).

69:35; 90:17; 107:4.

76:9; 89:19.

Important Words:

مسغبة (hunger) is derived from سغب which means, he was or became hungry or suffered hunger, together with fatigue. أسغب القوم means, the people entered upon a state of hunger. They say به مسغبة i.e. in him is hunger or hunger together with fatigue (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

These verses (vv. 14-17) speak of the two methods to raise the moral stature of a people: (a) Freeing of the slaves, i.e. raising the suppressed, oppressed and depressed sections of the community to an equal partnership in life. (b) Helping the orphans and the poor to stand on their own legs and to become useful members of the community.

69:35; 74:45; 89:19.