Women — Verse 39

The Censure of Stingy Behavior Allah chastises the stingy behavior of those who refuse to spend their money for what Allah ordered them, such as being kind to parents and compassionate to relatives, orphans, the poor, the relative who is also a neighbor, the companion during travel, the needy wayfarer, the slaves and servants. Such people do not give Allah's right from their wealth, and they assist in the spread of stingy behavior. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «وَأَيُّ دَاءٍ أَدْوَأُ مِنَ الْبُخْل» (What disease is more serious than being stingy) He also said, «إِيَّاكُمْ وَالشُّحَّ، فَإِنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ، أَمَرَهُمْ بِالْقَطِيْعَةِ فَقَطَعُوا، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْفُجُورِ فَفَجَرُوا» (Beware of being stingy, for it destroyed those who were before you, as it encouraged them to cut their relations and they did, and it encouraged them to commit sin and they did.) Allah said, وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَـهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ (and hide what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounties,) Therefore, the miser is ungrateful for Allah's favor, for its effect does not appear on him, whether in his food, clothes or what he gives. Similarly, Allah said, إِنَّ الإِنسَـنَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ - وَإِنَّهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ (Verily, man is ungrateful to his Lord. And to that he bears witness.) by his manners and conduct, وَإِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيدٌ (And verily, he is violent in the love of wealth.) Allah said, وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَـهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ (and hide what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounties) and this is why He threatened them, وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَـفِرِينَ عَذَاباً مُّهِيناً (And We have prepared for the disbelievers a disgraceful torment.) Kufr means to cover something. Therefore, the Bakhil (miser) covers the favors that Allah has blessed him with, meaning he does not spread those favors. So he is described by the term Kafir (ungrateful) regarding the favors that Allah granted him. A Hadith states that, «إِنَّ اللهَ إِذَا أَنْعَمَ نِعْمَةً عَلى عَبْدٍ،أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَظْهَرَ أَثَرُهَا عَلَيْه» (When Allah grants a servant a favor, He likes that its effect appears on him.) Some of the Salaf stated that this Ayah 4:37 is describing the Jews who hid the knowledge they had about the description of Muhammad ﷺ, and there is no doubt that the general meaning of the Ayah includes this. The apparent wording for this Ayah indicates that it is talking about being stingy with money, even though miserly conduct with knowledge is also included. The Ayah talks about spending on relatives and the weak, just as the Ayah after it, وَالَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَلَهُمْ رِئَـآءَ النَّاسِ (And (also) those who spend of their wealth to be seen of men, ) Allah first mentions the punished misers who do not spend, then He mentions those who spend to show off to gain the reputation that they are generous, not for the Face of Allah. A Hadith states that the first three persons on whom the fire will feed are a scholar, a fighter and a spender who shows off with their actions. For instance, «يَقُولُ صَاحِبُ الْمَالِ: مَا تَرَكْتُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ تُحِبُّ أَنْ يُنْفَقَ فِيهِ، إِلَّا أَنْفَقْتُ فِي سَبِيلِكَ، فَيَقُولُ اللهُ: كَذَبْتَ، إِنَّمَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ يُقَالَ: جَوَادٌ، فَقَدْدِقيل» (The wealthy will say, "I did not leave any area that You like to be spent on, but I spent on it in Your cause." Allah will say, "You lie, you only did that so that it is said, `He is generous.' And it was said...") meaning you acquired your reward in the life, and this is indeed what you sought with your action. This is why Allah said, وَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلاَ بِالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ (and believe not in Allah and the Last Day,) meaning, it is Shaytan who lured them to commit this evil action, instead of performing the good deed as it should be performed. Shaytan encouraged, excited and lured them by making the evil appear good, وَمَن يَكُنِ الشَّيْطَـنُ لَهُ قَرِيناً فَسَآءَ قِرِيناً (And whoever takes Shaytan as an intimate; then what a dreadful intimate he has!) Allah then said, وَمَاذَا عَلَيْهِمْ لَوْ ءَامَنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ وَأَنفَقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقَهُمُ اللَّهُ (And what loss have they if they had believed in Allah and in the Last Day, and they spend out of what Allah has given them for sustenance) This Ayah means, what harm would it cause them if they believe in Allah, go on the righteous path, replace showing off with sincerity, have faith in Allah, and await His promise in the Hereafter, for those who do good and spend what He has given them on what He likes and is pleased with. Allah's statement: وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِهِم عَلِيماً (And Allah is Ever All-Knower of them.) means, He has perfect knowledge of their intentions, whether good or evil. Indeed, Allah knows those who deserve success, and He grants them success and guidance, directing them to perform righteous actions that will earn them His pleasure. He also knows those who deserve failure and expulsion from His great mercy, which amounts to utter failure in this life and the Hereafter for them, we seek refuge in Allah from this evil end.

And what burden is on them if they were to believe in God and the Last Day and expend of what God has provided them? that is to say what harm would this cause them? In other words there is no harm therein. Rather harm lies in what they follow the interrogative is meant as a disavowal; the law of law āmanū ‘if they were to believe’ conveys the sense of the verbal noun sc. mādhā ‘alayhim īmānuhum ‘what burden would their belief be upon them?’. God is ever Aware of them and will requite them for what they have done.

And what burden is on them if they were to believe in God, that is, if they were to be true to God through affirmation of [His] Oneness and annihilation in Him and the effacement of the perfections which God has provided them by attributing them to God. God is ever Aware of them, recompensing them with subsistence after annihilation and [aware] of their possessing those attributes and perfections through God and not through their own souls.

And what burden is on them if they were to believe in God, that is, if they were to be true to God through affirmation of [His] Oneness and annihilation in Him and the effacement of the perfections which God has provided them by attributing them to God. God is ever Aware of them, recompensing them with subsistence after annihilation and [aware] of their possessing those attributes and perfections through God and not through their own souls.

And what burden is on them if they were to believe in God and the Last Day and expend of what God has provided themḍ God is ever Aware of them. There is no difficulty for them in putting their faith and trust in God. Indeed if they were to have faith they would attain glorious honor in this world and the hereafter. Nothing prompts them to turn away from [God] but their lack of commitment and respect.

And what burden is on them if they were to believe in God and the Last Day and expend of what God has provided themḍ God is ever Aware of them. There is no difficulty for them in putting their faith and trust in God. Indeed if they were to have faith they would attain glorious honor in this world and the hereafter. Nothing prompts them to turn away from [God] but their lack of commitment and respect.

وأيُّ ضرر يلحقهم لو صدَّقوا بالله واليوم الآخر اعتقادًا وعملا وأنفقوا مما أعطاهم الله باحتساب وإخلاص، والله تعالى عليم بهم وبما يعملون، وسيحاسبهم على ذلك.

ثم قال تعالى "وماذا عليهم لو آمنوا بالله واليوم الآخر وأنفقوا مما رزقهم الله" الآية. أي وأي شيء يضرهم لو آمنوا بالله وسلكوا الطريق الحميدة وعدلوا عن الرياء إلى الإخلاص والإيمان بالله رجاء موعوده في الدار الآخرة لمن يحسن عمله وأنفقوا مما رزقهم الله" في الوجوه التي يحبها الله ويرضاها وقوله "وكان الله بهم عليما" أي وهو عليم بنياتهم الصالحة والفاسدة وعليم بمن يستحق التوفيق منهم فيوفقه ويلهمه رشده ويقيضه لعلم صالح يرضى به عنه وبمن يستحق الخذلان والطرد عن جنابه الأعظم الإلهي الذي من طرد عن بابه فقد خاب وخسر في الدنيا والآخرة عياذ ا بالله من ذلك.

ثم وبخ - سبحانه - هؤلاء الذين يؤثرون رضا الناس على رضا الله ، والذين كفروا بالحق بعد إذ جاءهم فقال - : ( وَمَاذَا عَلَيْهِمْ لَوْ آمَنُواْ بالله واليوم الآخر وَأَنْفَقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقَهُمُ الله ) .والمعنى : وأى ضرر على هؤلاء الكافرين البخلاء المرائين لو أنهم آمنا بالله - تعالى - حق الإِيمان ، وآمنوا باليوم الآخر وما فيه من ثواب وعقاب ، وأنفقوا مما رزقهم الله من فضله ابتغاء وجهه؟ .إنه لا ضرر مطلقا من إيمانهم وإنفاقهم واستجابتهم للحق ، بل إن الخير كل الخير فى اتباع ذلك ، والشر كل الشر فيما هم عليه من كفر وبخل ورياء .فالجملة الكريمة توبيخ لهم على سلوكهم الطريق المعوج وتركهم للطريق المستقيم .وإلى هذا المعنى أشار صاحب الكشاف بقوله : قوله ( وَمَاذَا عَلَيْهِمْ ) . وأى تبعة عليهم فى الإِيمان والإِنفاق فى سبيل الله . والمراد الذم والتوبيخ . وإلا فكل منفعة ومفلحة فى ذلك : وهذا كما يقال للمنتقم : ما ضرك لو عفوت وللعاق : ما كان يرزؤك لو كنت بارا . وقد علم أنه لا مضرة ولا مرزأة فى العفو والبر . ولكنه ذم وتجهيل وتوبيخ بمكان المنفعة .وقوله ( وَكَانَ الله بِهِم عَلِيماً ) تذييل قصد به تهديهم على إيثارهم طريق الغى على طريق الرشد .أى : وكان الله بهم عليما علماً بشمل بواطنهم وظواهرهم ، وسيجازيهم على ما أسروه وما أعلنوه بالعقاب الذى يستحقونه .

القول في تأويل قوله : وَمَاذَا عَلَيْهِمْ لَوْ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَأَنْفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِهِمْ عَلِيمًا (39)قال أبو جعفر: يعني بذلك جل ثناؤه: وأيّ شيء على هؤلاء الذين ينفقون أموالهم رئاء الناس ولا يؤمنون بالله ولا باليوم الآخر =" لو آمنوا بالله واليوم الآخر "، لو صدّقوا بأن الله واحدٌ لا شريك له، وأخلصوا له التوحيد، وأيقنوا بالبعث بعد الممات، وصدّقوا بأن الله مُجازيهم بأعمالهم يوم القيامة =" وأنفقوا مما رزقهم الله "، يقول: وأدّوا زكاة أموالهم التي رَزَقهم الله وأعطاهموها، طيبةً بها أنفسهم، ولم ينفقوها رئاء الناس، التماس الذكر والفخر عند أهل الكفر بالله، والمحمدة بالباطل عند الناس =" وكان الله "، بهؤلاء الذين وصَف صفتهم أنهم ينفقون أموالهم رئاء الناس نفاقًا، وهم بالله واليوم الآخر مكذّبون =" عليمًا "، يقول: ذا علم بهم وبأعمالهم، (13) وما يقصدون ويريدون بإنفاقهم ما ينفقون من أموالهم، وأنهم يريدون بذلك الرَياء والسُّمعة والمحمدة في الناس، وهو حافظ عليهم أعمالهم، لا يخفَى عليه شيء منها، حتى يجازيهم بها جزاءهم عند مَعادهم إليه.----------------الهوامش :(13) في المخطوطة: "ذو علم" بالرفع ، ولا بأس به.

( وماذا عليهم ) أي : ما الذي عليهم وأي شيء عليهم؟ ( لو آمنوا بالله واليوم الآخر وأنفقوا مما رزقهم الله وكان الله بهم عليما )

{ وماذا } استفهام ، وهو هنا إنكاري توبيخي . و ( ذا ) إشارة إلى ( مَا ) ، والأصل لا يجيء بعد ( ذا ) اسم موصول نحو { من ذا الذي يشفع عنده } [ البقرة : 255 ] . وكثر في كلام العرب حذفه وإبقاء صلته لكثرة الاستعمال ، فقال النحاة : نابت { ذا } منابَ الموصول ، فعدّوها في الموصولات وما هي منها في قبيل ولا دبير ، ولكنّها مؤذنة بها في بعض المواضع . { وعلى } ظرف مستقِرّ هو صلة الموصول ، فهو مؤوّل بكون . و { على } للاستعلاء المجازي بمعنى الكلفة والمشقّة ، كقولهم : عَليك أن تفعل كذا . و { لو آمنوا } شرط حذف جوابه لدلالة ما قبله عليه ، وقد قدّم دليل الجواب اهتماماً بالاستفهام ، كقول قَتيلة بنت الحارث :مَا كانَ ضَرَّك لو مَننت وربما ... منَّ الفتى وهو المَغيظ المُحْنَقُومن هذا الاستعمال تَوَلَّدَ معنى المصدرية في لو الشرطية ، فأثبته بعض النحاة في معاني لو ، وليس بمعنى لو في التحقيق ، ولكنه ينشأ من الاستعمال . وتقدير الكلام : لو آمنوا ماذا الذي كان يتعبهم ويثقلهم ، أي لكان خفيفاً عليهم ونافعاً لهم ، وهذا من الجدل بإراءة الحالة المتروكة أنفعَ ومحمودةً .ثم إذا ظهر أنّ التفريط في أخفّ الحالين وأسدّهما أمر نكر ، ظهر أنّ المفرّط في ذلك مَلوم ، إذ لم يأخذ لنفسه بأرشد الخَلَّتين ، فالكلام مستعمل في التوبيخ استعمالا كنائيا بواسطتين . والملام متوجّه للفريقين : الذين يبخلون؛ والذين ينفقون رئاء ، لقوله : { لو آمنوا بالله واليوم الآخر وأنفقوا مما رزقهم الله } على عكس ترتيب الكلام السابق .وجملة : { وكان الله بهم عليماً } معترضة في آخر الكلام ، وهي تعريض بالتهديد والجزاء على سوء أعمالهم .

أي: أي شيء عليهم وأي حرج ومشقة تلحقهم لو حصل منهم الإيمان بالله الذي هو الإخلاص، وأنفقوا من أموالهم التي رزقهم الله وأنعم بها عليهم فجمعوا بين الإخلاص والإنفاق، ولما كان الإخلاص سرًّا بين العبد وبين ربه، لا يطلع عليه إلا الله أخبر تعالى بعلمه بجميع الأحوال فقال: { وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِهِمْ عَلِيمًا }

قوله تعالى : وماذا عليهم لو آمنوا بالله واليوم الآخر وأنفقوا مما رزقهم الله وكان الله بهم عليما[ ص: 170 ] " ما " في موضع رفع بالابتداء و " ذا " خبره ، وذا بمعنى الذي . ويجوز أن يكون ما وذا اسما واحدا . فعلى الأول تقديره وما الذي عليهم ، وعلى الثاني تقديره وأي شيء عليهم لو آمنوا بالله واليوم الآخر ، أي صدقوا بواجب الوجود ، وبما جاء به الرسول من تفاصيل الآخرة ، وأنفقوا مما رزقهم الله . وكان الله بهم عليما تقدم معناه في غير موضع

Those who become proud instead of humble after receiving the bounties of God and those who spend their God-given wealth on making selfish investments instead of on good causes as approved by God, are fellow travellers of Satan. Having been lured by the fleeting gains of this life, they lose interest in the eternal gain promised by God. For such persons, there shall be nothing but severe punishment in the Hereafter. Man declares unimportant that which he does not practice. This is self-centred theorizing and an effort at self-justification. All such endeavours are futile and worthless in the eyes of God.

Previous verses carried the condemnation of those who refused to believe in Allah and in the Akhirah and were miserly. The present verses persuade people to believe in Allah and the Akhirah and engage in the gainful activity of spending in the way of Allah. Then, towards the end (41-42), a description of the trying situations prevailing on the plains of Resurrection appears to warn people, who refuse to believe and refuse to do what is good, of their evil end. Commentary In the first verse (39): وَمَاذَا عَلَيْهِمْ لَوْ آمَنُوا بِاللَّـهِ it is said: What conceivable harm could have affected them if they had believed in Allah and the Last Day and spent out of what Allah had given them? at is so tough, difficult or frightening about it? All these are as easy as they come. Going by them, taking to them and believing in them does not hurt or harm or cause any inconvenience. Why then, would someone elect to be disobedient, the certain outcome of which is nothing but disaster in the Akhirah?

(What have they (to fear)) i.e. the Jews (if they believe in Allah) Muhammad and the Qur'an (and the Last Day) in resurrection after death and the bliss of Paradise (and spend (aright) of that which Allah hath bestowed upon them?) and spend in the way of Allah from that which Allah has given to them, (when Allah is ever Aware of them) i.e. of the Jews: those among them who believe and those among them who do not.