Mushaf View — Surah 2 2:272

Giving Charity to Polytheists
Abu `Abdur-Rahman An-Nasa'i recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that they, "Disliked giving charity to their polytheist relatives, but were later on allowed to give it to them when they inquired about this matter, and this Ayah was revealed,
لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلاًّنفُسِكُمْ وَمَا تُنفِقُونَ إِلاَّ ابْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ اللَّهِ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تُظْلَمُونَ
(Not upon you (Muhammad ) is their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills. And whatever you spend in good, it is for yourselves, when you spend not except seeking Allah's Face. And whatever you spend in good, it will be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.)
Allah's statement,
وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلاًّنفُسِكُمْ
(And whatever you spend in good, it is for yourselves) is similar to His other statement,
مَّنْ عَمِلَ صَـلِحاً فَلِنَفْسِهِ
(Whosoever does righteous good deed, it is for (the benefit of) his ownself.)
There are many other similar Ayat in the Qur'an.
Allah said next,
وَمَا تُنفِقُونَ إِلاَّ ابْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ اللَّهِ
(When you spend not except seeking Allah's Face. )
Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented, "Whenever the believer spends, including what he spends on himself, he seeks Allah's Face with it." `Ata' Al-Khurasani said that the Ayah means, "You give away charity for the sake of Allah. Therefore, you will not be asked about the deeds or wickedness of those who receive it." This is a sound meaning indicating that when one spends in charity for Allah's sake, then his reward will be with Allah. He will not be asked if the charity unintentionally reached righteous, evil, deserving or undeserving persons, for he will be rewarded for his good intention. The proof to this statement is the Ayah,
وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تُظْلَمُونَ
(And whatever you spend in good, it will be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.)
The Two Sahihs recorded a Hadith by Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«قَالَ رَجُلٌ: لَأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ بِصَدَقَةٍ، فَخَرجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدِ زَانِيَةٍ، فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ: تُصُدِّقَ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ، فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ، لَأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ بِصَدَقَةٍ، فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدِ غَنِيَ، فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ: تُصُدِّقَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى غَنِيَ، قَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى غَنِيَ، لَأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ بِصَدَقَةٍ، فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدِ سَارِقٍ، فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ: تُصُدِّقَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى سَارِقٍ، فَقَالَ:اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ، وَعَلَى غَنِيَ، وَعَلَى سَارِقٍ. فَأُتِيَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: أَمَّا صَدَقَتُكَ فَقَدْ قُبِلَتْ، وَأَمَّا الزَّانِيَةُ فَلَعَلَّهَا أَنْ تَسْتَعِفَّ بِهَا عَنْ زِنَاهَا، وَلَعَلَّ الْغَنِيَّ يَعْتَبِرُ فَيُنْفِقُ مِمَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللهُ، وَلَعَلَّ السَّارِقَ أَنْ يَسْتَعِفَّ بِهَا عَنْ سَرِقَتِه»
(A man said, "Tonight, I shall give charity." He went out with his charity and (unknowingly) gave it to an adulteress. The next morning the people said that alms were given to an adulteress. The man said, "O Allah! All the praises are for You. (I gave my alms) to an adulteress. Tonight, I shall give alms again." He went out with his charity and (unknowingly) gave it to a rich person. The next morning (the people) said, "Last night, a wealthy person was given alms." He said, "O Allah! All the praises are for You. (I gave alms) to a wealthy man. Tonight, I shall again give charity." So he went out with his charity and (unknowingly) gave it to a thief. The next morning (the people) said, "Last night, a thief was given alms." He said, "O Allah! All the praises are for You. (I have given alms) to an adulteress, a wealthy man and a thief." Then, someone came to him and said, "The alms that you gave away were accepted. As for the adulteress, the alms might make her abstain from adultery. As for the wealthy man, it might make him take a lesson and spend his wealth that Allah has given him. As for the thief, it might make him abstain from stealing.")
Who Deserves Charity
Allah said,
لِلْفُقَرَآءِ الَّذِينَ أُحصِرُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
((Charity is) for the poor, who in Allah's cause are restricted (from travel)) meaning, the migrants who migrated to Allah and His Messenger, resided in Al-Madinah and did not have resources that sufficiently provided them with their needs,
لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ضَرْبًا فِى الاٌّرْضِ
(And cannot Darban (move about) in the land) meaning, "They cannot travel in the land to seek means of livelihood." Allah said in other instances using a variation of the word Darban
وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُواْ مِنَ الصَّلوةِ
(And when you (Muslims) travel in the land, there is no sin on you if you shorten the Salah (the prayer)) 4:101, and,
أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُمْ مَّرْضَى وَءَاخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَءَاخَرُونَ يُقَـتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَاقْرَءُواْ
(He knows that there will be some among you sick, others traveling through the land, seeking of Allah's bounty, yet others fighting in Allah's cause) 73:20.
Allah then said,
يَحْسَبُهُمُ الْجَاهِلُ أَغْنِيَآءَ مِنَ التَّعَفُّفِ
(The one who knows them not, thinks that they are rich because of their modesty) meaning, those who do not know their situation think that they are well-off, because they are modest in their clothes and speech. There is a Hadith with this meaning that the Two Sahihs recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«لَيْسَ الْمِسْكِينُ بِهذَا الطَّوَّافِ الَّذِي تَرُدُّهُ التَّمْرَةُ وَالتَّمْرَتَانِ، وَاللُّقْمَةُ وَاللُّقْمَتَانِ، وَالْأُكْلَةُ وَالْأُكْلَتَانِ، وَلكِنِ الْمِسْكِينُ الَّذِي لَا يَجِدُ غِنىً يُغْنِيهِ، وَلَا يُفْطَنُ لَهُ فَيُتَصَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَا يَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ شَيْئًا»
(The Miskin (needy) is not he who wanders about and whose need is sufficed by a date or two, a bite or two or a meal or two. Rather, the Miskin is he who neither has enough resources to sustain him, all the while people are unaware of his need so they do not give to him, nor does he ask people for anything.)
Imam Ahmad also recorded this Hadith from Ibn Mas`ud.
Allah's statement,
تَعْرِفُهُم بِسِيمَـهُمْ
(You may know them by their mark) means, "Those who have good minds discover their situation," just as Allah said in other instances,
سِيمَـهُمْ فِى وُجُوهِهِمْ
(The mark of them (i.e. of their faith) is on their faces) 48:29, and,
وَلَتَعْرِفَنَّهُمْ فِى لَحْنِ الْقَوْلِ
(But surely, you will know them by the tone of their speech!) 47:30. Allah's statement,
لاَ يَسْـَلُونَ النَّاسَ إِلْحَافًا
(they do not beg of people at all) means, they do not beg and, thus, do not require people to provide them with more than what they actually need. Indeed, those who ask people for help, while having what suffices for their needs, have begged.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id said, "My mother sent me to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to ask him for help, but when I came by him I sat down. The Prophet faced me and said to me,
«مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى أَغْنَاهُ اللهُ، وَمَنِ اسْتَعَفَّ أَعَفَّهُ اللهُ، وَمَنِ اسْتَكَفَّ كَفَاهُ اللهُ، وَمَنْ سَأَلَ وَلَهُ قِيمَةُ أُوقِيَّةٍ فَقَدْ أَلْحَف»
(Whoever felt satisfied, then Allah will enrich him. Whoever is modest, Allah will make him decent. Whoever is content, then Allah will suffice for him. Whoever asks people, while having a small amout, he will have begged the people.)
Abu Sa`id said, "I said to myself, `I have a camel, Al-Yaqutah, and indeed, it is worth more than a small amount.' And I went back without asking the Prophet for anything." This is the same wording for this Hadith collected by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i.
Allah's statement,
وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ
(And whatever you spend in good, surely Allah knows it well) indicates that no charity escapes Him, and He will reward it fully and perfectly on the Day of Resurrection, when it is most desperately needed.
Praise for those who Spend in Charity
Allah said,
الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَلَهُمْ بِالَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ سِرًّا وَعَلاَنِيَةً فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُم عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
(Those who spend their wealth (in Allah's cause) by night and day, in secret and in public, they shall have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.)
This Ayah praises those who spend in charity for Allah's sake, seeking His pleasure, day and night, publicly and in secret, including what one spends on his family. The Two Sahihs recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas:
«وَإِنَّكَ لَنْ تُنْفِقَ نَفَقَةً تَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجْهَ اللهِ إِلَّا ازْدَدْتَ بِهَا دَرَجَةً وَرِفْعَةً، حَتَّى مَا تَجْعَلُ فِي فِي امْرَأَتِك»
(You will not spend charity with which you seek Allah's Face, but you will ascend a higher degree and status because of it, including what you put in your wife's mouth.)
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Mas`ud said that the Prophet said,
«إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمَ إِذَا أَنْفَقَ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ نَفَقَةً يَحْتَسِبُهَا، كَانَتْ لَهُ صَدَقَة»
(When the Muslim spends on his family while awaiting the reward for it from Allah, it will be written as charity for him.)
Al-Bukhari and Muslim also recorded this Hadith.
Allah said,
فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ
(shall have their reward with their Lord), on the Day of Resurrection, as reward for what they spent in acts of obedience. We previously explained the Ayah,
فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
(there shall be no fear on them nor shall they grieve.)

Then Allah gave dispensation to give alms to the poor among the idolaters and the people of the Book. Asma' the daughter of Abu Bakr, or Asma' the daughter of Abu'l-Nadir asked the Prophet: O Messenger of Allah! Is it permissible to give alms to our relatives who do not follow our Religion? Allah answered His Prophet by saying: (The guiding of them is not thy duty (O Muhammad)) it is not your duty to guide to Religion the poor from among the people of the Book, (but Allah guideth whomever He will) to His religion. (And whatsoever good thing) wealth (ye spend) on the poor, (it is for yourselves) its reward is for yourselves, (when ye spend) on the poor do (not) do so (save in search of Allah's Countenance) except in seeking Allah's pleasure; (and whatsoever good thing) wealth (ye spend) on the poor among the folk of the Platform, (it will be repaid to you in full) the reward of it will be saved for you in the Hereafter, (and ye will not be wronged) your reward shall not be diminished and your sins will not be increased.

When the Prophet s was prohibited from giving voluntary alms to idolaters as an incentive for them to embrace Islam the following was revealed You are not responsible for guiding them that is to say for people that they should embrace Islam you are responsible only for conveying the Message to them; but God guides with His guidance whomever He will to embrace Islam. And whatever good property you expend is for yourselves since the reward is for you; for then you are expending desiring only God’s Face this clause is the predicate denoting a prohibition that is to say His reward and not any other transient object of this world and whatever good you expend its requital shall be repaid to you in full and you will not be wronged you will not suffer any diminishment of it both of the last two sentences emphasise the first one.

(6) Verse 272: لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ (الی قولہ) وَأَنتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ : "It is not for you to put them on the right path ... and you shall not be wronged."
It has been clarified in this verse that a صدقہ sadaqah given to a non-Muslim also carries a reward in the life to come. As the basic purpose of a Muslim in making a sadaqah صدقہ is to get that reward, he should not confine himself to giving it to the Muslims only and to avoid giving it to the poor non-Muslims in the hope that this attitude will persuade them towards Islam, because a Muslim is not charged with bringing non-Muslims to the right path. He should seek his own benefit (the reward in the Hereafter) which can also be achieved through giving sadaqah صدقہ to a non-Muslim.
Let us be clear at this point that sadaqah صدقہ referred to here is nafl نفل supererogatory or voluntary charity) which can be given to a dhimmi (a non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state) as well. The obligatory زکاۃ Zakah is not meant here since it is not permissible to give that to anyone except a Muslim (Mazhari). It is not permissible to give any kind of sadaqah صدقہ to a harbi (a non-Muslim citizen of a non-Muslim state) and, however, it is permissible to give the dhimmis ذمیوں all other types of sadaqat, obligatory or supererogatory. زکاۃ Zakah is not included in the verse.

One who spends his money for the sake of God in the way that He has commanded him to do, proves that he has been blessed with wisdom. Wisdom here means knowledge and understanding of the Quran. The biggest folly is to be so enamoured of one’s wealth that one fails to spend for the cause of God, and the greatest wisdom lies in recognizing that monetary interests do not present any obstacle to one’s engaging oneself in God’s work. One should consider God’s cause as one’s own. One who lives within the cocoon of personal interests and considerations cannot possess the insight which would enable him to see higher realities and experience higher states of consciousness. On the contrary, one who goes ahead towards God by ignoring all personal considerations raises himself above all limitations. His consciousness reaches the divine level of God, who is independent (free from all wants), praiseworthy, all-sufficient, and wise. Man is thus enabled to see things as they are. For he goes beyond the limitations which serve as obstacles to seeing things in their true form. However true any argument may be, its truth dawns upon one only when one can see it with an open mind.