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the Beneficent and the Most Merciful
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Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verses
219-220
They ask you about intoxicants and games of
chance, Say: In both of them there is a great sin and (some) profit
for men, and their sin is greater than their profit. And they ask you as
to what they should spend. Say: Whatever can be spared Thus does Allah
make clear to you the signs that you may ponder. (219) About this world
and the hereafter. And they ask you concerning the orphans. Say: To set
right for them (their affairs) is good; and if you mingle with
them, they are your brethren; and Allah knows the mischief-maker from the
well‑doer; and if Allah had willed, He would
certainly have made it hard for you; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.
(220)
COMMENTARY
Qur'an: They ask you about intoxicants and games of
chance.:
According to the language, intoxicant (khamr) is every liquid
which is made to intoxicate. The root word, khamr means to "to hide".
The liquor is called khamr because it hides reason and does not
allow it to discriminate between right and wrong, between good and
bad.
From the same root is derived khimar i.e., the veil which covers the head of a women.
Khammartu ‘l-ina means "I covered the opening of the pot". When
yeast is added to dough, they say ikhamarrati ‘l-ajin. And
the yeast itself is called khamirah because when it is mixed with
flour, it covers the flour when it rises and ferments.
The Arabs did not know any alcoholic beverages except those made
from grapes, dates and barley. Gradually, new kinds were invented and now
its types and kinds are innumerable, with varying grades of intoxication.
But all are intoxicant (khamr ). Maysir according to the language
is gambling. The gambler is called yasir.
The root word, yusr means ease. Gambling was
called maysir because by it one might get wealth with ease without
going to the trouble of earning and working.
The word maysir was mostly used for a
particular method of gambling with arrows. It was also called azlam
and aqlam It was played by ten persons in the following
manner:
A camel was purchased, slaughtered and divided into
twenty four parts. There were ten arrows: each had a separate name and its
specified share. Their names (with their shares in brackets) are given
hereunder:
Fadhdh (1); taw’am (2); raqib (3); hils (4);
nafis (5); musbil (6); mu’alla The remaining three
arrows drawn with the names of the participants; anyone on whose name one
of the first seven arrows was drawn took the number of the shares allotted
to it; those on whose names the last named three arrows were drawn got
nothing and had to pay the price of the camel.
Qur'an: Say: In
both of them ... sin is greater than profit:
Sin (ithm) is near to evil (dhanb) in meaning. It means a condition in the thing or in
reason which prevents the man from getting the good. In other words,
ithm is that evil which brings unhappiness and failure even in
other affairs, and disturbs the felicity of life even in other
matters.
Clearly, alcoholic drinks and games of chance fit this
description.
The health hazards of alcohol have been described in
untold numbers of books Written by ancient and modern physicians, in which
they have listed the havoc created by it in the stomach, the intestines,
the liver, the lungs, the nervous system, the veins and arteries, the
heart and the organs of perception, i.e. the eyes, the tongue, etc. The
data collected by them show the vast magnitude of the damage to the
millions and millions of people who are attacked by a variety of diseases
caused by this killing poison.
The social and moral disasters appearing in the wake
of addiction to drink are too well‑known to need any description.
Depravity of character, debauchery, shamelessness, the leakage of secrets,
scandals, slanders, destruction and damage to others, crimes, murder ‑
name any immorality, alcohol will lead to it. In short, it nullifies all
ethical laws and moral values upon which are based the felicity and bliss
of this life and, more particularly, the values of chastity and probity.
Who can protect society from a drunkard who does not understand what he
says and does not know what he does. Look at the crimes which have wrecked
havoc throughout the world and have made human life a misery; search for
their causes, and behind almost all of them you will see the hand of
alcohol, directly or indirectly manipulating the minds of the
criminals.
Nobody can deny the damage inflicted by alcohol upon
the mind. Is there any need to describe how it negates the reason, puts
the thinking process out of equilibrium and distorts the feelings and
perceptions, not only during intoxication, but even afterwards. This
damage to the whole system of perception and reason is the biggest sin and
disaster of alcohol, from which sprout all other sins and
disasters.
Islam, as described earlier, has based its laws on
true reason, and has most emphatically forbidden all such actions which
hinder the proper functioning of reason. Intoxicants, games of chance,
adultery, falsehood and other such sins come in this category. The
activities which are most damaging to the faculty of reason are drinking
alcohol (among the deeds) and speaking lies (among the words).
These activities which nullify the rule of reason, and
especially the politics which is based on alcohol and lies, endanger
humanity, and destroy the foundation of happiness. Whenever such a policy
bears a fruit, it proves fat more bitter than the previous one. When a
burden proves unbearable, they add on some more weight
And hope that the practice will make the bearer
perfect, and would give him more strength! Such endeavours, result in
failure; such activities end in loss. This one characteristic of Islam ‑
that it has based its shari’ah on reason and has prohibited all
such things which damage it ‑ is enough to place it at the top of all the
systems invented by human beings throughout the world.
Human beings, because of their animal tendencies,
eagerly run towards the satisfaction of their lust. Lustful activities
easily contaminate the environment, in contrast to chastity and piety. It
is easy to acquire a bad habit and very difficult to leave it. That is why
Allah legislated such laws gradually, and led people to the ultimate goal
step by step and sympathetically. One of those widely‑spread evils was the
drinking of alcohol. And a cursory glance at the four verses revealed
about the subject will show how, by easy stages, they were weaned from
this bad habit.
First, Allah revealed, Say: My Lord has only prohibited indecencies, those of them
that are apparent as well as those that are concealed, and sin and
rebellion without justice, and that you associate with Allah that for
which He has not sent down any authority, and that you say against Allah
what you do not know. (7:33)
This verse was revealed in Mecca, and it has clearly
forbidden the sin harrama. Now we know that there is sin ‑ great sin even ‑ in
alcohol, although at that time Allah did not clarify what sin was. This
ambiguity was, perhaps, a sort of compassion; it was as though the
shari’ah wanted to overlook that sin of theirs for the time being.
The same is the reason for the indirect hint in another verse of the same
Meccan period: And of the fruits of the palms and the grapes you obtain
from them intoxication and goodly provision (16:67) It separated
intoxication from "goodly provision" but stopped short of declaring it as
a "bad provision".
Apparently people were not aware that
intoxication was a great sin, until the verse was revealed: 0 you who
believe! Do not go near prayer when you are intoxicated until you know
(well) what you say ...
(4:43)
This verse was revealed at Medina, and it promulgated
the partial prohibition of liquor in the best of the times and the best of
the places ‑ at the time of prayer in the mosque.
Reason and the context of the verse shows that this
verse could not have been revealed after the verses of the chapters of
al‑Baqarah and al‑Ma’idah (which will be described shortly),
because those verses promulgate total prohibition. There was no reason why
a partial ban should be imposed after a total prohibition. Also, we know
that this prohibition was promulgated gradually, and such a. case demands
proceeding from an easier step to a, more difficult one, and not vice
versa.
Then came the verse under discussion. It says that
there is in intoxicants and games of chance a great sin and (some)
profit for men, and their sin is greater than their
profit.
This verse, revealed after the above‑mentioned verse
4:43, promulgates total prohibition of intoxicants and games of chance. It
clearly says that "there is great sin" in these two evils. And verse 7:33,
mentioned in the beginning, revealed at Mecca, had clearly prohibited
sin.
This explanation exposes the absurdity of a
commentator who says that this verse was not clear about the prohibition
of liquor. First, let us give you a gist of what he says: ‑
"This verse of the chapter of al‑Baqarah was
not clear about the prohibition of alcohol and gambling; the words of
Allah that there is great sin in them only show that these are sinful
acts, and sin means harm. Even if we say that every harmful thing is
prohibited, it does not include those things which are partially harmful
and partially beneficial. That is why there was a difference of
opinion about alcohol among the companions of the Prophet. Some of them
left drinking after the revelation of this verse, while others continued
to drink. Perhaps, the drinkers thought that they could easily enjoy its
profit safeguarding themselves from its harms. When the ground was
thus prepared, Allah revealed the verse of the chapter of al‑Ma’idah
which totally and clearly prohibits these things: 0 you believe!
Intoxicants and games of chance and (sacrificing to) stones set up
and (dividing by) arrows are an abomination of Satan's handy works;
shun it therefore that you may be successful . . . Will you then desist?
(5:93‑94)"
Now let us look critically at the above
argument:
First: A major part
of this argument rests on the assumption that sin means harm. But it is
wrong. Just because in this verse it is followed by the words, and
(some) profit for men, it does not imply that its meaning is
"harm" or "loss", i.e. the opposite of "benefit". How can the word "sin"
(ithm) be taken to mean "harm" in the verses listed below?:
‑
And whoever associates anything with Allah,
he devises indeed a great sin. (4:48)
And whoever conceals it (i.e. testimony), his heart is surely sinful.
(2:283)
Surely I wish that you should bear my sin as
well as your own sin. (5:29)
Every man of them shall have what he has
earned of sin. (24:11)
And, whoever earns a sin, he earns I it only against his own self.
(4: 111)
There are many such verses.
Second: The verse did not say that the order
was given "because” of the harm inherent in alcohol. It just promulgated
the law. There was no justification for the companions to follow their own
opinion in this case.
Even if we admit, for the sake of argument, that the
verse gives the reason for that order, that reason is not the harm, but
the greatness of the harm as compared with the profit. The verse says in
clear words, and their sin is greater than their profit. Such a
clear declaration leaves no room at all for the exercise of one's own
opinion. Opinion has no place in the presence of a clear order of Allah
and the Apostle.
Third: Let us
suppose, for the time being, that the verse did not clearly say that
liquor and gambling were forbidden. But did it not say in clear words that
they were great sins? Was not this verse revealed at Medina? Had not verse
7:33, revealed years ago at Mecca, dearly prohibited the sin? What excuse
can be offered by those companions who followed their own opinion in
opposition to these verses of Mecca and Medina, which taken
jointly clearly prohibit alcohol
and games of chance?
Verse 7:33 prohibits all sins. And this verse under
discussion uses the adjective 'great' (kabir) and 'greater'
(akbar) for the sins of alcohol and gambling. In view of this
nobody can remain in any doubt that these two evils are the greatest of
all sins; nor can there remain any doubt about their absolute
prohibition. The Qur’an has termed murder, the hiding of testimony,
lying and slander etc. as "sin", but it has not used the adjective "great"
for any sin except polytheism (.. and whoever associates anything with
Allah, he devises indeed a great sin. ‑ 4:48) and alcohol and games of
chance.
In short, there is no doubt that this verse clearly
prohibits these two sins.
Lastly the two verses of the chapter
al‑Ma’idah were revealed: 0 you who believe! Intoxicants and
games of chance and (sacrificing to) stones set up and
(dividing by) arrows are only an abomination of
Satan's handiwork; shun it therefore that you may be successful. Satan
only desires to cause enmity and haired to spring in your midst by means
of intoxicants and games of chance, and to keep you off from the remembrance of Allah and from
prayer. Will you then desist? (5:93‑94)
The last sentence (Will you then desist?) shows
that the Muslims had not desisted from drinking alcohol even after the
revelation of the verse of the chapter al‑Baqarah under discussion;
and that there was a need for such a strong admonition.
This much about liquor. So far as gambling is
concerned its social evils and the ruin caused by it in the structure of
life are well‑known, and need no description. But we shall further explain
it in the fifth chapter.
Now we come back to the meaning of the words used in
the verse. Sin (ithm) has just now been explained. Greatness
(kibr) in volume is as numerousness (kathrah) in number. Their
opposite are smallness (sighar) and paucity (qillah) respectively.
These two adjectives are relative ones. When there are
two things, one of‑ them may be greater than the other, which then will be
called smaller than the first. But the first one which was called
"greater" may be smaller than a third one. If there was no comparison,
there would be neither the greatness nor the smallness; nor would
there by an numerousness or paucity.
Probably people first became aware of greatness
when they looked at the size of material things around themselves. Later
on they extended this concept to mental visions and ideas. Allah says:
Surely it (i.e. hell) is one of the greatest (misfortunes). (74:35); a great (i.e. grievous) word
it is that comes out of their mouths. (18:5); great (i.e. hard) to the unbelievers is that which you call
them to.
(42:13)
‘Izam has the same meaning as
kibar both denote greatness. Apparently izam
is
derived from ‘azm (bone);
as the greatness of the body of an animal or man is related to the size of
the skeleton ‑ the bones inside – the word 'azm (bone ) was metaphorically used for greatness, and gradually
"greatness" became its first meaning.
Naf (profit) is
opposite of darar (harm, loss) These words are used for the things
which are desired or disliked because of other things; while good and bad
are used for the things which are liked or disliked by
themselves.
Profits for men: It
refers to the monetary gains as well as the amusement and merry‑making for
which people indulge in these two sins.
Allah used here the plural form (profits); but while
comparing it with sin He used the singular form (their sin is greater than
their profit). As the comparison was in size, and not in number, there was
no reason to use the plural which describes the number, not the
size.
Qu’ran: And they
ask you as to what they should spend. Say: Whatever can be
spared.
'Afw originally meant 'to go to a thing to get it.' Then, keeping in
view various connections and relations, it came to be used for
forgiveness, obliteration of footprints and moderation in spending.
It is this last meaning which is intended in this verse, and that is why
it has been translated as "whatever can be spared".
In this verse, the reply fits the question in the same
way as was explained in the verse 2:215, They ask you to what they
should spend. Say: Whatever of good you spend, it is for the parents. .
.
Qur’an: Thus
does Allah make clear to you the signs that you may 'ponder about this
world and the hereafter.
Fi ‘d-dunya wa ‘l-akhirah literally means "in
this and the hereafter". But it does not mean 'you may ponder while you
are in this world and in the hereafter'. It refers to the subject upon
which men are expected to ponder. That is why we have translated it "may
ponder about this world . . ."
The verse exhorts the believers to ponder on the
realities and affairs of both the worlds. This world is a place which
Allah has created, for you to live in and for you to earn in it what might
be beneficial to you in your permanent home, i.e. the hereafter. That is
the place where you will return to your Lord and He will give you the
recompense for what you did in this world.
This verse urges people to enquire about, and
investigate, the realities of existence, the percepts of the beginning and
the end and the mysteries of nature; and to think and ponder upon the
social concepts, moral and ethical values, and the laws of life governing
individuals and groups. In short, man is expected to think about all the
knowledge right from his beginning up to his returning to his Lord, as
well as all the affairs coming between these points which have any hearing
on the happiness and misery of mankind.
This verse also shows that although the Qur’an demands
complete obedience from man towards the command of Allah and His Apostle,
without any if and but, yet it likes people to ponder on those commands
and their philosophy so that they may grasp their realities and, instead
of blindly following the laws, may see the light of those brilliant
teachings and follow that light to ultimate destination.
Thus Allah does make clear probably means the explanation of the philosophy behind the given
laws and commands, and the clarification of the fundamentals of the faith
and belief.
Qur’an: And they
ask you concerning the orphans. Say: "To set right for them
(their affairs) is good."
There is a hint, a clear indication even, in this
verse that it was revealed to lighten some burden ‑ it allows mingling
with the orphans, and then goes on to say: and if Allah had willed, He
would certainly have made it hard for you. It shows that prior to this
verse the rules concerning the guardianship of the orphans were hard and
difficult, which had caused anxiety and Allah among the Muslims, and which
led them to ask the question referred to in the verse.
There were some verses about the orphans, very
severe in tone: And give to the orphans their property, and do not
substitute worthless (things) for (their) good (ones),
and do not devour their property (as an addition) to your own property; this is surely a great crime. (4:2); As for
those who swallow the property of the orphans unjustly, surely they only
swallow fire into their bellies and soon they shall enter into burning
fire. (4:10) Apparently the verse under discussion
was revealed after these verses; and the traditions, which will be quoted
later, support this view.
The ishah
(to set right) is used here as a common noun. It
denotes, according to the usage of the Arabic language, really good
management, not just a show; and the sentence, and Allah knows the
mischief‑maker from the well‑doer, points to this.
Qu’ran: and if you
mingle with them, they are your brethren:
This sentence refers to the Islamic concept of
the equality of all the believers. This concept nullifies all distinctions
which are the basic cause of every mischief which appears in society. It
abolishes various types of injustice and rebellion; putting oneself on a
high pedestal, treating others as one's slaves, thinking of them as an
inferior, and weak species. This abolition of differences creates
equilibrium in various social weights; there appears a fine balance
between a weak orphan and his powerful guardian, between a rich tycoon and
a wretched beggar, and so on. Allah says: The
believers are but brethren. (49:10)
Now, the verse under discussion allows the guardian to
mingle with the orphan only when it is done like the mingling of two
brothers who have equal obligation towards each other. If something
is taken from an orphan's property, then something of equal value must be
given to him and added to his property.
In this context, this verse runs parallel to the verse
mentioned earlier, And give to the orphans their property, and do not
substitute worthless (things) for (their) good
(ones), and do not devour their property (as an addition) to
your own property; this is surely a great crime. (4:2) A comparison
between the two verses shows that the verse under discussion has somewhat
lessoned the burden of the guardians; and the sentence, and Allah knows
the mischief‑maker from the well‑doer, also hints at this relaxation
of rigor. The meaning is: Now you may mingle with your wards, the orphans
(and this is the relaxation of the previous rule); but the mingling should
be as of two brother who have equal obligations towards each other. If
this condition is fulfilled, then there should be no anxiety and fear on
your part. If that mingling is with good intentions, and in order to set
their affairs right for them, then it is good; and the reality cannot be
hidden from Allah, and He will not reproach you just because you
mingled and mixed with the orphans provided you did it for their
good, like brethren, and Allah knows the difference between a
mischief‑maker and a well‑doer.
Qur’an: and Allah
knows the mischief‑maker from the well doer: Here the preposition, from (min) has been used after "knows"
(ya'lamu); probably it is a hint that "knows" in this verse has the
significance of "distinguishes"; and the sentence means, "Allah
distinguishes the mischief‑maker from the well‑doer."
Anat means
difficulty and hardship.
TRADITIONS
'Ali ibn Yaqtin said: "al‑Mahdi asked Abu 'l‑Hasan
al‑Kazim (a.s.) about whether intoxicants were prohibited in the Book of
Allah because the people know that it is not allowed but do not know that
it is prohibited.
"The Imam said: 'But it is prohibited.' He asked:
Where in the Book of Allah is it forbidden? 0 Abu l‑Hasan!' He replied:
'The word of Allah: Say: My Lord has only prohibited indecencies, those
of them that are apparent as well as those, that are concealed, and sin and rebellion without
justice .'(7:33) Then the Imam explained: 'And as
for sin, it is intoxicants themselves, because Allah said somewhere else,
they ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: "In both of
them there is a great sin and (some) profits, for men, and their
sin is greater than their profits. " So the sin according to
the Book of Allah is intoxicants and games of chance, and their sin is
greater than their profit, as Allah has said.'
"al‑Mahdi said: '0 Ali ibn Yaqtin! This is the legal
decree of the house of Hashim.' I said: 'You spoke the truth, 0 leader of
the faithful! Praise be to Allah who did not take this knowledge out
from you, 0 people of the house!'."
'Ali ibn Yaqtin says: "By God, al‑Mahdi could not
restrain, himself from saying to me, 'You spoke the truth, 0 Rafidi
[al‑Kafi]
The author says: The
meaning of this tradition can be understood from the
commentary.
There is a tradition narrated from Abu Basir that one
of the two Imams (i.e. fifth or sixth ‑ a.s.) said: "Verily Allah made a
house for sin, then He made a door for the house, then He made a lock for
the door, then He made a key for the lock; and (that) key of sin is
intoxicants. [al-Kafi]
There is another tradition from Abu 'Abdillah (a.s.):
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Verily intoxicants are the head of every
sin!' " [ibid]
There is a tradition narrated by Isma’il, in which he
said: Abu Ja’far (a.s.) went into the Sacred Mosque; some Qurayshites saw
him and said: 'He is the god of the people of Iraq.' Someone said:
'If you send one of you to him.' So a young man from among them came to
him and asked: '0 Uncle! What is the greatest of the great (sins)?' He
said: 'Drinking alcohol.' " [ibid]
There is a tradition narrated by Abu 'I‑Bilad, that
one of the two Imams (al‑Baqir or as-Saqid a.s.) said: "Allah has
not been disobeyed with anything more powerful than drinking alcohol.
Verily one of' them leaves the obligatory prayers, and jumps upon his
mother and daughter and sister, and he does not know."
[ibid]
"An atheist asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.): 'Why did Allah
prohibit alcohol when there is nothing more delicious than it (The Imam
said: 'He prohibited it because it is the mother of all wicked things and
the head of every evil. There come a time to the drinker of it when he
loses his reason, then he does not know his Lord, and leaves no sin but
that he commits it . . . [al-Ihtijaj]
The author says: The
traditions explain one another and experience and observation support
them.
A tradition from Jabir is reported that Abu Ja’far
(a.s.) said: "The Messenger of Allah cursed ten persons concerning an
alcoholic beverage ‑ the one who plants it, the one who guards it, the one
who squeezes its juice out, the one who drinks it, the one who serves it,
the one who transports it, the one to whom it is transported, the one who
sells it, the one who purchases it, and the one who eats its price."
[al-Kafi]
Another tradition says that as‑Sadiq (a.s.) said: "The
Messenger of Allah said: 'Cursed is he, cursed is he who sits at a table
where alcohol is drunk.' " [ibid., al-Mahasin]
The author says:
The above two traditions are confirmed by the words of Allah,
and do not help one another in sin and
transgression. (5:3)
as‑Saduq reports through his chains, from Abu Amamah
that he said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'There are four persons at
whom Allah will not look (with mercy) on the day of resurrection ‑ the one
who is disobedient (to his parents), the one who helps a man and then
reminds him of it, the one who denies the destiny (decreed by Allah), and
the one who habitually drinks alcohol'." [as-Khisal]
Ibnu 'sh‑Shaykh has reported in al‑Amali,
through his chains, from as-Sadiq (a.s.) that the Prophet said: "My
Lord, Great is His Glory! has sworn thus: No servant of mine will drink
alcohol in this world but that I shall make him drink on the day of
resurrection from the boiling water (of hell) as much as he had drunk
alcohol; (it would make no difference) whether after that he is punished
or forgiven." The Prophet said: "Verily the one who drinks alcohol shall
come on the day of resurrection, with blackened face, blue eyes, a
slanting jaw‑bone and running saliva, licking his tongue from his back
side."
Abu Ja'far (a.s.) said: "It is an obligation upon
Allah (i.e. Allah has made it incumbent upon Himself) that He will make
the drinker of alcohol drink what comes out from the vulva of fornicating
women. From that vulva will come out pus and thick blood, its heat and
stink will offend (even) the inmates of the fire." [at‑Tafsir,
al‑Qummi]
The author says: These traditions may be supported by the word of Allah, Surely
the tree of Zaqqum is the food of the sinful, like molten brass; it shall
boil in (their) bellies, like the boiling
of hot water. Seize him,
then drag him down into the midst of Hell; then pour over his head of the
torment of the boiling
water: Taste (it); you forsooth are the mighty, the honorable! (44:43
‑49)
There are numerous traditions with the same meaning as
described above.
There is a tradition narrated by al‑Washsha that he
heard Abu 'I‑Hasan (a.s.) saying: "Maysir” is gambling."
[al-Kafi]
The author says:
Traditions giving this explanation are numerous; and there is no
doubt whatsoever about the meaning.
It is reported, under the verse, And they ask you
as to what they should spend . . . , that Ibn 'Abbas said: "Verily,
some people from the companions, when they were told to spend in the way
of Allah, came to the Prophet and said: 'We do not know what this
"spending" is which we have been ordered in our properties. So, what
should we spend from it?' Then Allah revealed: and they ask you as to
what they should spend. Say: 'Whatever can be spared' And before that,
one used to spend his wealth until he no longer had anything left to give
in alms, and until there remained no property to eat from." [ad‑Durru
‘l‑manthur]
It is narrated from Yahya that he was told that Ma’adh
ibn Jabal and Tha’labah came to the Messenger of Allah and said: "O
Messenger of Allah! Verily we have our servants and families; what,
therefore, should we spend from our properties?" Then Allah revealed:
And they ask you as to what they should spend. Say: 'Whatever can be
spared' , " [ibid.]
It is reported that as‑Sadiq (a.s.) said about the
word 'afw; which we have translated as "whatever can be spared"
that is the middle (course). [ibid., al-Ayyashi]
And it is written that al‑Baqir (a.s.) and as‑Sadiq
(a.s.) said that it is modicum, a sufficiency. And the tradition of Abu
Basr interprets it as frugality, thrift. [al-‘Ayyashi]
It is reported from as‑Sadiq (a.s.) about the verse:
And they who when they spend, are neither extravagant nor parsimonious,
and (keep) between these the just mean ~25:67) that he said:
"This (stage) is after this stage; it is the middle."
[ibid]
al‑Baqir (a.s.) said: "’awf is what is in excess of the maintenance of the year."
[Majma’u ‘l-bayan]
The author says: The
tradition express the same meanings in different words; and the last one
gives an example of awf.
There are innumerable traditions showing the
excellence of alms, its ways, place and quantity; some of which shall be
quoted in the relevant places, God willing.
There is a tradition from as-Saqid (a.s.) about the
verse: And they ask you concerning the orphans ... that he said:
"When the verse: (As for) those who swallow the property of the orphans
unjustly, surely they only swallow fire into their bellies and soon they
shall enter burning fire, everyone who had any orphan with him turned
him out; and they asked the Messenger of Allah about turning them out.
Then Allah revealed: And they ask you concerning the orphans. Say: 'To
set right for them (their affairs) is good; and if you mingle with
them, they are your brethren; and Allah knows the mischief‑maker from the
well‑doer [at‑Tafsir,
al‑Qummi]
There is a tradition from Ibn 'Abbas that he said:
When Allah revealed: And do not approach the property of the orphan
except in the best manner . . . (6:153) and those who swallow the
property of the orphans unjustly . . . , every one who had an orphan
with him went (to his home) and separated his (orphan's) food from his own
food and his drink from his own drink; and he put some extra portion in
the orphan's food, and kept it reserved for him till he ate it or it
deteriorated and he threw it away. This system proved very hard for them,
so they mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah. Then Allah revealed:
And they ask you concerning the orphans ... and if you mingle with
them, they are your brethren ... Then they mixed their food with their
own food and their drink with their own drink. [ad‑Durru ‘l
manthur]
The author says: The same thing has been
narrated from Sa’id ibn Jubayr, ‘Ata and Qatadah.
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