Commentary
This is the thirty-sixth section of Surah Al-Baqarah which begins from verse 262. Left now are five sections of Surah Al-Baqarah out of which the last section carries some basic principles. The earlier four sections, from 262 to 283, have a total of 21 verses which present special instructions and points of guidance concerning financial transactions. If these were to be followed in toto, the problem of an ideal economic order which the whole world is worrying about will be automatically solved. Right now we see capitalism, socialism and communism (despite its fall in U.S.S.R) polarizing or readjusting against each other. The confrontation between these systems has reduced the world to a hotbed of internecine aggression. Stated in these verses is an important aspect of the economic order of Islam. It has two parts:
1. It teaches how to spend that which is extra to your needs to help the poor and the needy. This is known as Sadaqah صدقہ and Khayrat خیرات (roughly translated as charity and alms).
2. It declares that taking and giving of riba ربا (interest, usury) is حرام haram (unlawful) and gives directions on how to stay on guard against it.
Out of these sections, the first two consist of the merits of sadaqah صدقہ and khayrat خیرات ، inducement towards these, and related injunctions and points of guidance. The last two sections deal with the unlawfulness and forbiddance of ربا riba-based dealings, and with permissible ways of giving and taking loans.
The verses given above make a three-unit statement as follows:
1. The merit of spending in the way of Allah.
2. Conditions which make sadaqah صدقہ and khayrat خیرات acceptable and merit-worthy with Allah.
3. Attitudes that destroy sadaqah صدقہ and khayrat خیرات when good goes and sin stays.
After that there are two similitudes:
1. The first relates to the charities (nafaqat and sadaqat) which are acceptable with Allah.
2. The second relates to the charities (nafaqat and sadaqat) which are unacceptable and invalid.
Thus, these are five subjects that appear in this section. Before we discuss these subjects, it is necessary to know that the Holy Qur'an has pointed out to spending in the way of Allah at several places with the word, DWI (infaq: انفاق spending) "and at several others, with the words, اطعام (it` am: feeding) or صدقہ (sadaqah: charity) or ; إِيتَاءَ الزَّكَاةِ (ad' az-zakat: paying the obligatory zakah الزَّكَاة properly). A careful look at these Qur'anic words and the way they have been used shows that the words – infaq انفاق ، it` am اطعام and sadaqah صدقہ -- are general and as such incorporate all sorts of charitable spendings that aim to seek the good pleasure of Allah. These spendings may be fard فرض and wajib (obligatory) or nafl نفل and mustahabb مستحبّ (commendable, or desirable, or preferred). It may be noted that the Qur'an has used a distinct word إِيتَاءَ الزَّكَاةِ for the obligatory زکاۃ Zakah which indicates that there are special requirements in receiving and giving of this particular صدقہ sadaqah.
In this section, the word used more often is infaq انفاق while the word, sadaqah صدقہ has been used less often, which indicates that the statement here covers general charities and deeds of generosity, and the injunctions given here include and incorporate all sorts of charities and spendings in the way of Allah.
A similitude of spending in the way of Allah
In the first verse it is said that people who spend in the way of Allah, that is, in Hajj حج or in Jihad جھاد ، or on the poor, on widows and orphans, or on relatives and friends to help them out, can be likened to one who sows a good grain of wheat in the field from which grows a plant on which sprout seven ears and each ear yields hundred grains. As a result, one grain was worth a total yield of seven hundred grains.
The outcome is that one who spends in the way of Allah receives in return (reward in the Hereafter) on the scale of one to seven hundred, that is, spending one cent could bring the merit of seven hundred cents.
It appears in authentic and reliable ahadith that the thawab ثواب or merit or reward for one good deed is returned ten-fold, and could reach seven hundred-fold. Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ has said: The reward of spending one dirham in Jihad and Hajj is equal to seven hundred dirhams. Ibn Kathir (رح) has reported this with reference to the Musnad of Ahmad.
To sum up, this verse tells us that spending one unit of money brings forth the reward of seven hundred units.
Conditions that make charity a “ worship”
But, the Qur'an has not, in its wisdom, put this subject in a few clear words. It has rather used the form of a similitude featuring a grain of wheat which has a subtle hint towards the labour of a farmer who can hope to get an yield of seven hundred grains out of one grain sown only when the grain is good, and the farmer sowing it should be fully conversant with the art of farming, and the soil where the grain goes should be good too, because, should even one of these factors remain missing, either this grain will be wasted leaving no grain to come out, or it would just not yield enough to reach the production ratio of one grain to seven hundred grains.
Similar to this, there are the same three conditions for the acceptance and increased return of good deeds generally, and of spending in the way of Allah particularly. These conditions are:
1. That which is spent in the way of Allah should be clean, pure and halal حلال (lawful) for it appears in Hadith that Allah Almighty accepts nothing except what is clean, pure and halal حلال .
2. One who spends should be good in intentions and righteous in deeds. An ill-intentioned and showy spender is like that ignorant farmer who throws away the grain on a spot where it is wasted.
3. The one to whom sadaqah صدقہ (charity) is given should also be deserving of it. It should not be wasted by spending on the non-deserving.
Thus, the similitude unfolds for us the great merit spending in the way of Allah has, along with the three conditions as well, which stipulate that one should spend from halal حلال earnings, and the method of spending should also conform to Sunnah, and that one should literally search for the deserving in order to spend on them. Just getting rid of what your coffers hold does not entitle you to receive this merit.
The correct and masnun مسنون (according to Sunnah) method of giving sadaqah صدقہ has been pointed out in the second verse. It is said that people who spend in the way of Allah and do do not publicise their favour after having spent, nor cause any pain to those on whom they have spent, their reward is secure with their Lord. For them there is no danger in the future, and no sorrow of the past.