Fair Affairs – Real Righteousness

LESSON # 178 FROM HOLY QUR’AN

BAQARAH – 2 (The Cow)

Fair Affairs – Real Righteousness

Verse –177b  of 286, Section – 22 (Part One-Fourth of 2)

And give away wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free;

Wa  ‘aatal-maala  ‘alaa  hubbihii  zawil-qurbaa  wal-yataamaa  wal-ma-saakiina  wabnas-sabiili,was-saaa-‘iliina  wa fir-riqaab.

Lesson

‘Alaa  hubbihii -  (for love of Him) means for the love of Allah Almighty. It is known from this that only spending the money is not required but the purpose should be to spend in the path of God Almighty for the sake of Him. It has also been gotten from it that, “while the person has love for the wealth and he needs it also, and even then he spends the money”. From this we have also learnt the excellence of a strong believer that he has love for money in his heart, his wishes are alive, he wants to spend for his person and his pleasant charming things but he stoops his neck in front of the orders of Allah Almighty and stopping his wishes he spends for His sake, and sacrifices his personal affection upon the order of Allah Almighty.

zawil-qurbaa (relatives) there is a great wisdom hidden in supporting the relatives to provide them financial help. The Economic System of the entire Nation has been established on it. Every well-to-do person should look after at first his poor relatives, family members, brothers, sisters, brother’s sons, sister’s sons (nephews) and other relatives.

 fir-riqaab (to set slaves free) this is plural of Raqabah. Its literal meaning is neck. In usage it signifies towards the people who aren’t free and are ‘slaves’. From this order it means that by compensating to free them is righteousness.

It was commanded in the first part of this verse that the righteousness is not the name only to turn the face for worship towards any special direction but for becoming the Good first condition is to correct the beliefs and completion of the faith. Now other part of the righteousness is being discussed as financial sacrifice. It is commanded that “it is true that the human being has love for the wealth and property but the good person is he, who having love for money, spends it upon others for the sake and love of
God Almighty. Out of the needy and helpless deserving people first come near relatives, then the orphans, the poor, the wayfarer, the beggar, and the compelled and slaves who are deprived of freedom.

Transliteration in Roman Script & English Translation of Holy Qur’an written by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore and Paraphrase collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated by Muhammad Sharif)