by Ibn Kathir
| Ayah 1-5 | Ayah 6-10 | Ayah 11-15 | Ayah 16-20 | Ayah 21-24 | Tafsir by Ibn Kathir |
The Fai' and how it is spent
Allah the Exalted explains the regulations for Fai', the booty that the Muslims acquire from the disbelievers, without fighting them or using cavalry and camelry in war against them.
For instance, the booty collected from Bani An-Nadir was not acquired because of fighting them using horses and camels. The Muslims did not fight Bani An-Nadir in battle, but Allah forced them out of their forts on account of the fear that He placed in their hearts for Allah's Messenger Therefore, it was Fai' that Allah awarded His Messenger, with his discretion to spend it however he sees fit.
Indeed, the Prophet spent the Fai' on righteous causes and for the benefit of Muslims in the areas that Allah mentioned in this Ayat,
وَمَا أَفَاء اللَّهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ مِنْهُمْ
And what Allah gave as booty (Fai') to His Messenger from them. Meaning, from Bani An-Nadir,
فَمَا أَوْجَفْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ خَيْلٍ وَلَا رِكَابٍ
For this you made no expedition with either cavalry or camelry. Refering to using camels,
وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُسَلِّطُ رُسُلَهُ عَلَى مَن يَشَاء
وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
But Allah gives power to His Messengers over whomsoever He wills. And Allah is Able to do all things. Mean, Allah is powerful and cannot be resisted or opposed; He is the Compeller over all things.
Allah the Exalted said
مَّا أَفَاء اللَّهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَى
What Allah gave as booty (Fai') to His Messenger from the people of the townships, meaning, from all the villages and areas that are conquered in this manner; the booty collected from them falls under the same ruling as the booty acquired from Bani An-Nadir.
This is why Allah the Exalted said,
فَلِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ
وَلِذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ
It is for Allah, His Messenger, the kindred, the orphans, the poor, and the wayfarer, until its end and the following Ayah. mentioning the ways the Fai' should be spent.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Umar said, "The wealth of Bani An-Nadir was of the Fai' type that Allah awarded His Messenger and for which the Muslims did not have to use cavalry or camelry. Therefore, it was for the Messenger of Allah, and he used it for the needs of his family for a year at a time, and the rest was used to buy armors and weapons used in the cause of Allah the Exalted and Most Honored."
Ahmad collected the short form of this story.
The Group, with the exception of Ibn Majah, collected this Hadith.
Abu Dawud recorded that Malik bin `Aws said, "While I was at home, the sun rose high and it got hot. Suddenly the messenger of Umar bin Al-Khattab came to me and I went along with him and entered the place where Umar was sitting on a bedstead made of date-palm leaves and without a mattress. He said when I went in,
`O Malik! Some of your people's families came to me due to their famine, and I have ordered that relief aid should be given to them, so take it and distribute it among them.'
I said, `I wish that you ordered someone else to do it.'
He said, `Take it.'
Then Yarfa (the servant of Umar) came saying, `O Commander of the faithful! May I admit `Uthman bin `Affan, `Abdur-Rahman bin `Awf, Az-Zubayr bin Al-`Awwam and Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas?'
Umar said, `Yes,' and they came in.
After a while Yarfa came again and said, `O Commander of the faithful! May I admit Al-Abbas and Ali'?
Umar said, `Yes.'
So, they were admitted and Al-Abbas said, `O Chief of the believers! Judge between me and this one (i.e., Ali).'
The group (being `Uthman and his companions) said, `O Chief of the believers! Judge between them and relieve both of them from each other.'
I (Malik bin Aws) thought that they asked the four men to come in before them for this purpose.
Umar said, `Be patient!'
He then asked the group (Uthman and his companions), `I ask you by Allah by Whose permission the heaven and the earth exist, do you know that Allah's Messenger said,
لَاا نُورَثُ مَا تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَة
Our (the Prophet's) property will not be inherited. Whatever we leave, is charity.
The group said, `He said so.'
Umar then turned to Ali and Al-Abbas and said,
`I beseech you by Allah by Whose permission the heaven and the earth exist, do you know both that Allah's Messenger said,
لَاا نُورَثُ مَا تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَة
Our (the Prophets) property will not be inherited. Whatever we leave, is charity.
They replied, `He said so.'
Umar then said,
`Allah bestowed on His Messenger a special favor unlike what he gave all other people. Allah the Exalted said,
وَمَا أَفَاء اللَّهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ مِنْهُمْ فَمَا أَوْجَفْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ خَيْلٍ وَلَا رِكَابٍ
وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُسَلِّطُ رُسُلَهُ عَلَى مَن يَشَاء
وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
(And what Allah gave as booty (Fai') to His Messenger from them -- for this you made no expedition with either cavalry or camelry. But Allah gives power to His Messengers over whomsoever He wills. And Allah is Able to do all things.
Therefore, this property, the booty collected from Bani An-Nadir, was especially given to Allah's Messenger. However, by Allah, neither did he take possession of it and leave you, nor did he favor himself with it to your exclusion. Allah's Messenger took the yearly expenses from it for himself and his family and left the rest in the Muslim Treasury.'
He then asked the group, `I ask you by Allah with Whose permission the heavens and earth exist, do you know this'
They replied, `Yes.'
Umar then said to Ali and Al-Abbas, `I ask you by Allah, with Whose permission that heavens and earth exist, do you know this'
They said, `Yes.'
Umar added, 'When Allah took His Prophet unto Him, Abu Bakr said:I am the successor of Allah's Messenger! Then you both came to Abu Bakr asking for your (Al-Abbas') share of inheritance from your nephew, and he (Ali) asked for his wife's share from her father's inheritance. Abu Bakr said:Allah's Messenger said,
لَاا نُورَثُ مَا تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَة
Our (the Prophets') property will not be inherited. Whatever we leave, is charity."
Allah knows that Abu Bakr was true, pious, rightly guided and a follower of what was right. So, Abu Bakr assumed the responsibility of that property. When Abu Bakr died, I said:I am the successor of Allah's Messenger and the successor of Abu Bakr. So I managed it as long as Allah allowed me to manage it. Then you both (`Ali and Al-`Abbas) came to talk to me, bearing the same claim and presenting the same case, asking for that property. I said to you:I am ready to hand over this property to you if you wish. I will do so on the condition that you will take a pledge before Allah's that you will manage it in the same way as Allah's Messenger used to. So, both of you agreed and on that condition I handed it over to you. Now you come to me to render a different judgement over the property than the one I made before. By Allah, I will never give any decision other than what I have already given, until the Last Hour begins. If you are unable to manage it, then return it to me, and I will do the job on your behalf,"
They recorded this from the Hadith of Az-Zuhri.
Allah said,
كَيْ لَا يَكُونَ دُولَةً بَيْنَ الاَْغْنِيَاء مِنكُمْ
In order that it may not become a fortune used by the rich among you. Means, `We made the expenditures for the Fai' like this, so that the wealth does not remain among the wealthy, who would spend it as they wish and desire and give none of it to the poor.'
Ordering Obedience of the Messenger in All Commands and Prohibitions
Allah the Exalted said,
وَمَا اتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا
And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it). Meaning, `whatever the Messenger commands you, then do it and whatever he forbids you, then avoid it. Surely, He only commands righteousness and forbids evil.'
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "Allah curses women who practice tattooing and those who get themselves tattooed, and the women who remove the hair from their eyebrows and faces and those who make artificial spaces between their teeth in order to look more beautiful, whereby changing Allah's creation."
His statement reached a woman from Bani Asad called, Umm Ya`qub, who came to Abdullah and said, "I have come to know that you have cursed such and such"
He replied, "Why should I not curse those whom Allah's Messenger has cursed and who are cursed in Allah's Book!"
Umm Ya`qub said, "I have read the whole Qur'an, but did not find in it what you say."
He said, "Verily, if you have read the Qur'an, you have found it. Didn't you read,
وَمَا اتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا - (And whatsoever the Messenger gives you take it and whatsoever he forbids you, you abstain (from it))."
She replied, "Yes, I did."
He said, "Verily, Allah's Messenger forbade such things."
She said, "But I think that your wife does these things"
He said, "Go and look at her."
She went and watched her, but could not see anything in support of her claim. She went back to Abdullah bin Mas`ud and said that she did not notice anything on his wife. On that he said,
"If my wife was as you thought, I would not keep her with me."
The Two Sahihs recorded this from the Hadith of Sufyan Ath-Thawri. As well as a Hadith of Abu Hurayrah, who said that the Messenger of Allah said,
إِذَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ فَايْتُوا مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَمَا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْهُ فَاجْتَنِبُوه
When I order you to do something, then do as much as you can of it. If I forbid something for you, then shun it.
Allah's statement,
وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ - Have Taqwa of Allah; verily, Allah is Severe in punishment. Means, fear Allah by obeying His orders and refraining from His prohibitions. Surely, Allah is severe in punishment for those who defy Him and reject and disobey His commands as well as, those who commit what He forbids and prohibits
Those Who deserve the Fai'; and the Virtues of the Muhajirin and Al-Ansar
Allah states;
لِلْفُقَرَاء الْمُهَاجِرِينَ - (And there is also a share in this booty) for the poor emigrants, Allah states the categories of needy people who also deserve a part of the Fai',
الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا مِن دِيارِهِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ
يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلً مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا
Who were expelled from their homes and their property, seeking bounties from Allah and (His) good pleasure, meaning, departed their homes and defied their people, seeking the acceptance of Allah and His favor,
وَيَنصُرُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ
أُوْلَيِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ
And helping Allah and His Messenger. Such are indeed the truthful. Meaning, `they are those who were truthful in statement and deed, and they are the chiefs of the Muhajirin.'
Allah the Exalted praised the Ansar next and emphasized their virtue, status and honor, preferring to give to others over themselves, even though they were in need, and not feeling enviousness.
Allah the Exalted said
وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّوُوا الدَّارَ وَالاْاِيمَانَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
And (it is also for) those who, before them, had homes and had adopted the faith, referring to those who resided in the city to which the migration occurred, before the emigrants arrived at it, and who embraced the faith before many of the emigrants.
Umar said, "I recommend the Khalifah, who will come after me, to know the rights and virtues of the foremost Muhajirin and to preserve their honor. I also recommend him to be kind to the Ansar, those who resided in the city of Hijrah and embraced the faith beforehand, that he accepts the good that comes from those who do good among them and forgives those among them who commit errors."
Al-Bukhari collected this Hadith.
Allah said,
يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ - love those who emigrate to them, indicates that they, on account of their generosity and honorable conduct, loved those who emigrated to them and comforted them with their wealth.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said,
"The Muhajirin said, `O Allah's Messenger! We have never met people like those whom we emigrated to; comforting us in times of scarcity and giving us with a good heart in times of abundance. They have sufficed for us and shared their wealth with us so much so, that we feared that they might earn the whole reward instead of us.'
He said,
لَاا مَا أَثْنَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَدَعَوْتُمُ اللهَ لَهُم
No they won't, as long you thanked them for what they did and invoked Allah for them."
I have not seen this version in the other books.
Al-Bukhari recorded that Yahya bin Sa`id heard Anas bin Malik, when he went with him to Al-Walid, saying, "The Prophet called Ansar to divide Al-Bahrayn among them. The Ansar said, `Not until you give a similar portion to our emigrant brothers.'
He said,
إِمَّا لَا فَاصْبِرُوا حَتْى تَلْقَوْنِي فَإِنَّهُ سَيُصِيبُكُمْ بَعْدِي أَثَرَة
Perhaps, no; but you will soon see people giving preference to others, so remain patient until you meet me (on the Day of Resurrection)."
Al-Bukhari was alone with this version.
He also recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "The Ansar said (to the Prophet), `Distribute our date-palms between us and our emigrant brothers.'
He replied, `No.'
The Ansar said (to the emigrants), `Look tend to the trees and share the fruits with us.'
The emigrants said, `We hear and obey."'
Al-Bukhari, but not Muslim, recorded it.
The Ansar never envied the Muhajirin
Allah said,
وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّا أُوتُوا
And have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given, meaning, the Ansar did not have any envy for the Muhajirin because of the better status, rank, or more exalted grade that Allah gave the Muhajirin above them.
Allah's statement,
مِّمَّا أُوتُوا - (that which they have been given), refers to what the Muhajirin were favored with, according to Qatadah and Ibn Zayd.
Selflessness of the Ansar
Allah said,
وَيُوْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ - and give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that. Meaning, they preferred giving to the needy rather than attending to their own needs, and began by giving the people before their own selves, even though they too were in need.
An authentic Hadith stated that the Messenger of Allah said,
أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ جُهْدُ الْمُقِل
The best charity is that given when one is in need and struggling.
This exalted rank is better than the rank of those whom Allah described in His statements,
وَيُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعَامَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ
And they give food, inspite of their love for it. (76:8),
and,
وَءَاتَى الْمَالَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ
And gives his wealth, in spite of love for it. (2:177)
The latter give charity even though they love the wealth they give, not that they really need it, nor that it is necessary for them to keep it. The former prefer others to themselves even though they are in need and have a necessity for what they spend in charity. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq gave away all his wealth in charity and Allah's Messenger asked him,
What did you keep for your family, and he said,
"I kept for them Allah and His Messenger."
Ikrimah (bin Abi Jahl) and two other wounded fighters were offered water when they were injured during the battle of Al-Yarmuk, and each one of them said that the sip of water should be given to another of the three wounded men. They did so even though they were badly injured and craving water. When the water reached the third man, he and the other two died and none of them drank any of the water! May Allah be pleased with them and make them pleased with Him.
Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "A man came to the Prophet and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Poverty has stuck me.'
The Prophet sent a messenger to his wives (to bring something for that man to eat) but they said that they had nothing. Then Allah's Messenger said,
أَلَا رَجُلٌ يُضَيِّفُ هَذَا اللَّيْلَةَ رَحِمَهُ الله
Who will invite this person or entertain him as a guest tonight; may Allah grant His mercy to him who does so.
An Ansari man said, `I, O Allah's Messenger!'
So he took him to his wife and said to her, `Entertain the guest of Allah's Messenger generously.'
She said, `By Allah! We have nothing except the meal for my children.'
He said, `Let your children sleep if they ask for supper. Then turn off the lamp and we go to bed tonight while hungry.'
She did what he asked her to do.
In the morning the Ansari went to Allah's Messenger who said,
لَقَدْ عَجِبَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَوْ ضَحِكَ مِنْ فُلَنٍ وَفُلَنَة
Allah wondered (favorably) or laughed at the action of so-and-so and his wife.
Then Allah revealed,
وَيُوْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ
and they give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that. "
Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith in another part of his Sahih.
Muslim, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i collected this Hadith.
In another narration for this Hadith, the Companion's name was mentioned, it was Abu Talhah Al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him.
Allah said,
وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلَيِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
And whosoever is saved from his own greed, such are they who will be the successful. Indicating that those who are saved from being stingy, then they have earned success and a good achievement.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Jabir bin Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظُّلْمَ فَإِنَّ الظُّلْمَ ظُلُمَاتٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
وَاتَّقُوا الشُّحَّ فَإِنَّ الشُّحَّ أَهْلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ حَمَلَهُمْ عَلى أَنْ سَفَكُوا دِمَاءَهُمْ وَاسْتَحَلُّوا مَحَارِمَهُم
- Be on your guard against committing oppression, for oppression is darkness on the Day of Resurrection.
- Be on your guard against being stingy, for being stingy is what destroyed those who were before you. It made them shed blood and make lawful what was unlawful for them.
Muslim collected this Hadith.
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Al-Aswad bin Hilal said that a man said to `Abdullah (bin Mas`ud),
"O Abu Abdur-Rahman! I fear that I have earned destruction for myself."
Abdullah asked him what the matter was and he said, "I hear Allah's saying,
وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلَيِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ - And whosoever is saved from his own greed, such are they who will be the successful.
And I am somewhat a miser who barely gives away anything."
Abdullah said, "That is not the greed Allah mentioned in the Qur'an, which pertains to illegally consuming your brother's wealth. What you have is miserliness, and it is an evil thing indeed to be a miser."
Allah said,
وَالَّذِينَ جَاوُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلاِِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالاِْيمَان
وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّ لِّلَّذِينَ امَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَوُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
And those who came after them say:
"Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed.
Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.
This is the third type of believers whose poor most deserve to receive a part of the Fai'. These three types are
- the Muhajirin,
- the Ansar and
- those who followed their righteous lead with excellence.
Allah said in another Ayah,
وَالسَّـبِقُونَ الاٌّوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَـجِرِينَ وَالَانْصَـرِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِىَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ
And of the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhajirin and the Ansar and also those who followed them exactly, Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. (9:100)
The third type are those who followed the Muhajirin and Ansar in their good works, beautiful attributes and who invoke Allah for them in public and secret.
This is why Allah the Exalted said in this honorable Ayah,
وَالَّذِينَ جَاوُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ - And those who came after them say, meaning, the statement that they utter is,
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلاِِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالاِْيمَان
وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّ
Our Lord!
Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred, meaning, rage or envy,
لِّلَّذِينَ امَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَوُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.
Indeed, it is a beautiful way that Imam Malik used this honorable Ayah to declare that the Rafidah who curse the Companions do not have a share in the Fai' money, because they do not have the good quality of those whom Allah has described here that they say,
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلاِِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالاِْيمَان
وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّ لِّلَّذِينَ امَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَوُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that A'ishah said, "They were commanded to invoke Allah to forgive them, but instead, they cursed them!"
She then recited this Ayah,
وَالَّذِينَ جَاوُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلاِِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالاِْيمَان
And those who came after them say:"Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed."
| Ayah 1-5 | Ayah 6-10 | Ayah 11-15 | Tafsir by Ibn Kathir |
