211 Ask the Children of Israel how many Clear (Signs) We
have sent them. But if anyone after Allah's favor has come to him substitutes (something
else) Allah is strict in punishment. 232 233
212 The life of this world is alluring to those who reject faith and they scoff at those
who believe. But the righteous will be above them on the Day of Resurrection; for Allah
bestows His abundance without measures on whom He will. 234
213 Mankind was one single nation and Allah sent Messengers with glad tidings and
warnings; and with them He sent the Book in truth to judge between people in matters
wherein they differed; but the People of the Book after the clear Signs came to them did
not differ among themselves except through selfish contumacy. Allah by His Grace guided
the believers to the truth concerning that wherein they differed. For Allah guides whom He
will to a path that is straight.
214 Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of Bliss) without such (trials) as came
to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity and were so
shaken in spirit that even the Apostle and those of faith who were with him cried:
"When (will come) the help of Allah?" Ah! verily the help of Allah is (always)
near!
215 They ask thee what they should spend (in charity). Say: Whatever ye spend that is good
is for parents and kindred and orphans and those in want and for wayfarers. And whatever
ye do that is good Allah knoweth it well. 235
216 Fighting is prescribed for you and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a
thing which is good for you and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah
knoweth and ye know not. 236
217 They ask thee concerning fighting in the Prohibited
Month. Say: "Fighting therein is a grave (offence); but graver is it in the sight of
Allah to prevent access to the path of Allah to deny Him to prevent access to the Sacred
Mosque and drive out its members. Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter. Nor will
they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can. And if any
of you turn back from their faith and die in unbelief their works will bear no fruit in
this life and in the Hereafter; they will be Companions of the Fire and will abide
therein. 237 238 239
218 Those who believed and those who suffered exile and fought (and strove and struggled)
in the path of Allah they have the hope of the Mercy of Allah; and Allah is Oft-Forgiving
Most Merciful.
219 They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: "In them is great sin and some
profit for men; but the sin is greater than the profit." They ask thee how much they
are to spend; say: "What is beyond your needs." Thus doth Allah make clear to
you His Signs: in order that ye may consider. 240 241
242
220 (Their bearings) on this life and the Hereafter. They ask thee concerning orphans.
Say: "The best thing to do is what is for their good; if ye mix their affairs with
yours they are your brethren; but Allah knows the man who means mischief from the man who
means good. And if Allah had wished He could have put you into difficulties: He is indeed
Exalted in Power Wise." 243
Commentry:
232 The Israelites under Moses were shown God's glory and many
clear Signs and yet they went after their own ways, and preferred their own whims and
fancies. So do people in all ages. But let them not deceive themselves. God's justice is
sure, and when it comes, it will be strict and unmistakable to those who reject His grace.
(2.211)
233 Cf. ii. 196 (end) where the question was of those who do not fear
God. Here the question is of those who reject God's Signs. (2.211)
234 God's gifts in this world seem unequal, and sometimes those get them
who seem to deserve them least. God's bounty is unlimited to the just as well as the
unjust. In His wisdom He may give to whomsoever He pleases. The account is not taken now,
but will be taken in the end, when the balance will be redressed. (2.212)
235 Three questions arise in charity: (1) What shall we give? (2) to
whom shall we give? and (3) how shall we give? The answer is here. Give anything that is
good, useful, helpful, valuable. It may be property or money; it may be a helping hand; it
may be advice; it may be a kind word; "whatever ye do that is good" is charity.
On the other hand, if you throw away what is useless, there is no charity in it. Or if you
give something with a harmful intent, e.g., a sword to a madman, or a drug or sweets or
even money to someone whom you want to entrap or corrupt, it is no charity but a gift of
damnation. To whom should you give? It may be tempting to earn the world's praise by a
gift that will be talked about, but are you meeting the needs of those who have the first
claim on you? If you are not, you are like a person who defrauds creditors: it is no
charity. Every gift is judged by its unselfish character: the degree of need or claim is a
factor which you should consider; if you disregard it, there is something selfish behind
it. How should it be given? As in the sight of God; thus shuts out all pretence, show, and
insincerity. (2.215)
236 To fight in the cause of Truth is one of the highest forms of
charity. What can you offer that is more precious than your own life? But here again the
limitations come in. If you are a mere brawler, or a selfish aggressive person, or a
vainglorious bully, you deserve the highest censure. If you offer your life to the
righteous Iman, who is only guided by God, you are an unselfish here. God knows the value
of things better than you do. (2.216)
237 Prohibited Month: See ii. 194, n. 209. (2.217)
238 The intolerance and persecution of the Pagan clique at Mecca caused
untold hardships to the holy Messenger of Islam and his early disciples. They bore all
with meekness and long-suffering patience until the holy one permitted them to take up
arms in self-defence. Then they were twitted with breach of the custom about Prohibited
Months, though they were driven to fight during that period against their own feeling in
self defence. But their enemies not only forced them to engage in actual warfare, but
interfered with their conscience, persecuted them and their families, openly insulted and
denied God, kept out the Muslim Arabs from the Sacred Mosque, and exiled them. Such
violence and intolerance are deservedly called worse than slaughter. (2.217)
239 Cf. ii. 191, 193, where a similar phrase occurs. Fitna - trial,
temptation, as in ii. 102; or tumult, sedition, oppression, as here; M.M.A., H.G.S., and
M.P. translate "persecution" in this passage, which is also legitimate, seeing
that persecution is the suppression of some opinion by violence, force, or threats.
(2.217)
240 Wine: Khamr: literally understood to mean the fermented juice of the
grape; applied by analogy to all fermented liquor, and by further analogy to any
intoxicating liquor or drug. There may possible be some benefit in it, but the harm is
greater than the benefit, especially if we look at it from a social as well as an
individual point of view. (2.219)
241 Gambling: maisir: literally, a means of getting something too
easily, getting a profit without working for it; hence gambling. That is the principle on
which gambling is prohibited. The form must familiar to the Arabs was gambling by casting
lots by means of arrows, on the principle of a lottery: the arrows were marked, and served
the same purpose as a modern lottery ticket. Something e.g., the carcase of a slaughtered
animal, was divided into unequal parts. The marked arrows were drawn from a bag. Some were
blank and those who drew them got nothing. Others indicated prizes, which were big or
small. Whether you got a big share or a small share, or nothing, depended on pure luck,
unless that was fraud also on the part of some persons concerned. The principle on which
the objection is based is: that, even if there is no fraud, you gain what you have not
earned, or lose on a mere chance. Dice and wagering are rightly held to be within the
definition of gambling. But insurance is not gambling, when conducted on business
principles. Here the basis for calculation is statistics on a large scale, from which mere
chance is eliminated. The insurers themselves pay premia in proportion to risks, exactly
and statistically calculated. (2.219)
242 Hoarding is no use either to ourselves, or to any one else. We
should use the wealth we need; any superfluities we must spend in good works or in
charity. (2.219)
243 Gambling and intemperance are social as ell as individual sins. They
may ruin us in our ordinary every-day worldly life, as well as our spiritual future. In
case it is suggested that there is no harm in a little indulgence, we are asked to think
over all its aspects, social and individual, - worldly and spiritual. (2.220)