Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 273

After the encouragement to spend in the way of Allah, now specifically some people are being mentioned who are most deserving of help and financial support. Allah Almighty has described six of their qualities, and all these qualities were found in the Ashab al-Suffah, so the first and foremost example of this verse is them, and then until the Day of Judgment, whoever possesses these qualities will be most deserving of financial support. Now, observe these qualities:

➊ { ”لِلْفُقَرَآءِ“ } Here, the reason for their poverty is not mentioned; in Surah Hashr it is stated: «لِلْفُقَرَآءِ الْمُهٰجِرِيْنَ الَّذِيْنَ اُخْرِجُوْا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ وَ اَمْوَالِهِمْ » [الحشر : ۸ ] “(This wealth) is for those needy who were driven out from their homes and their possessions.” Now they were empty-handed, neither did they have wealth nor a home. For them, a platform was made in Masjid Nabawi. Their number was four hundred, which kept increasing and decreasing due to being sent on expeditions and campaigns.

➋ { ”الَّذِيْنَ اُحْصِرُوْا فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ“ } “Ihsar” in language means that a person faces an obstacle in doing what he wants to do, for example, illness, old age, lack of resources, or an enemy, etc. The purpose is that these people are restrained in the way of Allah, meaning jihad and seeking knowledge have prevented them from earning a livelihood; they are sitting in wait for the command to come so they can go out for jihad. These people left their homes for Allah, left their wealth and livestock for Allah, chose poverty, and now have devoted themselves in the way of Allah. Even now, any mujahid or student of religion who, instead of business or employment, has devoted himself to jihad and acquiring religious knowledge, spending on them is the foremost duty.

➌ { ”لَا يَسْتَطِيْعُوْنَ ضَرْبًا فِي الْاَرْضِ“ } That is, due to jihad and seeking knowledge, they cannot travel.

➍ { ”يَحْسَبُهُمُ الْجَاهِلُ اَغْنِيَآءَ مِنَ التَّعَفُّفِ“ } That is, due to their self-sufficiency, dignity, and avoidance of asking, an unaware person thinks they are wealthy. The servant (‘Abd al-Salam) submits that my father, Hafiz Muhammad Abu al-Qasim (may Allah have mercy on him), told me an incident from his student days that he used to study in those days in a village of Ferozepur called “Lakhoki.” His father had passed away, there was poverty at home, and in the winter season, he did not even have a shirt. He said that he spent those six months without a shirt, wrapping himself in a “dohr” (double shawl), and did not let anyone know that he did not have a shirt. Then his mother sent some money earned from picking cotton, so he made a shirt. [اَللّٰھُمَّ اغْفِرْلَہُ وَارْفَعْ دَرَجَتَہُ فِی الْمَھْدِیِّیْنَ ]

➎ { ”تَعْرِفُهُمْ بِسِيْمٰىهُم“ } So you will recognize them by their sign. Some commentators have said that it means you will recognize their poverty by their weakness due to hunger and the paleness of their faces, but if this is the meaning, then even an unaware person can recognize it, so the meaning is the light and radiance on their faces that was evident due to faith and righteous deeds, as it is said: «سِيْمَاهُمْ فِيْ وُجُوْهِهِمْ مِّنْ اَثَرِ السُّجُوْدِ » [الفتح: ۳۹ ] “Their mark is on their faces from the effect of prostration.” The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) were recognized by a special radiance on their faces. See the commentary of the last verse of Surah al-Fath.

➏ { ”لَا يَسْـَٔلُوْنَ النَّاسَ اِلْحَافًا“ } They do not cling to people and ask. Apparently, this means that they do ask, but not by clinging to people, but this meaning is not correct, because if this were the case, then the previous two sentences would be pointless, because once they have asked, where is the abstinence from asking, and then what is the need to look for a sign on their faces for recognition, their poverty would be evident from their asking. Therefore, the meaning of this sentence is that they neither ask people nor cling to them. Here, { ”لَا“ } is not only for {”يَسْـَٔلُوْنَ“} but also for { ”اِلْحَافًا“ }. In fact, this is a condemnation of the habit of beggars who do so, but our poor do not do this. The example is that someone says to another, “My father was not a notorious thief.” This does not mean he was a thief but not famous, rather he is alluding that your father was like that. As the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ لَيْسَ الْمُؤْمِنُ بِالطَّعَّانِ وَلاَ اللَّعَّانِ ] “A believer is not one who curses much or insults much.” [ترمذی، البروالصلۃ، باب ما جاء فی اللعنۃ : ۱۹۷۷، عن عبد اللہ رضی اللہ عنہ و صححہ الألبانی ] This does not mean that he curses or insults a little, rather it is an allusion that a disbeliever does so, not a believer. The evidence for this is found in another hadith; the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “The needy is not the one who goes around to people, who is given a morsel or two or a date or two, and then moves on, but the needy is the one who does not have enough wealth to make him independent, and his condition is not known so that charity is given to him, and he does not stand and ask people.” [بخاری، الزکاۃ، باب قول اللہ عزوجل : « للفقراء الذین احصروا … » : ۱۴۷۹، عن أبی ہریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ]

In begging too, those devoted to Allah were so dignified
That the wealthy did not dare to give charity for fear of the beggar

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) greatly condemned asking. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “A man keeps asking from people until he comes on the Day of Resurrection in such a state that there will not be a piece of flesh on his face.” [بخاری، الزکوٰۃ، باب من سأل الناس تکثرًا : ۱۴۷۴، عن ابن عمررضی اللہ عنہما ]

‘Awf ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) took a special pledge from some companions that they would not associate anything with Allah, would pray five prayers, would obey, and said a secret thing privately: do not ask people for anything. ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) says: “Then I saw some of those men, if his whip fell, he would not ask anyone to hand it to him.” [مسلم، الزکٰوۃ، باب کراھۃ مسئلۃ الناس : ۱۰۴۳ ] However, necessity is a different matter, for in necessity even eating pork is permitted. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has permitted asking for three types of people: one who has taken on a guarantee (for paying blood money or someone’s liability), the second is the one who is afflicted by hunger and three wise men of his people testify to his hunger, the third is the one who is struck by a calamity that destroys all his wealth. These three are permitted to ask until their need is fulfilled; when the need is fulfilled, they should stop asking. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “O Qabisah! Other than these, whatever asking there is, is forbidden; the one who asks eats what is forbidden.” [مسلم، الزکاۃ، باب من تحل لہ المسئلۃ : ۱۰۴۴، عن قبیصۃ بن مخارق رضی اللہ عنہ ]

273. 1. By this is meant the Muhajirun who came from Makkah to Madinah and were cut off from everything in the way of Allah. Students and scholars acquiring religious knowledge can also be included under this.

273. 2. Thus, the characteristic of the believers is that despite poverty and destitution, they choose to avoid begging and refrain from persistent asking. Some have interpreted "ilhaaf" to mean not asking at all, because their first quality mentioned is chastity. (Fath al-Qadeer) And some have said that they do not plead in their asking, nor do they ask people for things they do not need. Therefore, ilhaaf is to ask people (as a profession) without being in need. Hence, instead of professional beggars, one should identify and help the Muhajirun, students of religion, and respectable needy people who avoid asking, because stretching one's hand before others is against human dignity and self-respect. And in the narration of Bukhari and Muslim, it is stated that on the Day of Judgment, the face of the one who always begs from people will have no flesh. (Reference: Mishkat, Book of Zakat, Chapter: For whom begging is not permissible and for whom it is permissible)

273. These charities are for those needy who have been constrained in the way of Allah [389] and cannot move about in the land (to earn their livelihood). An ignorant person thinks them to be free from want because they do not beg. You can recognize them by their appearance; they do not persistently beg from people [390]. Whatever wealth you spend, surely Allah knows it well.

[389] That is, those people who have devoted themselves to the knowledge of religion—whether they are learning or teaching it—or have dedicated themselves to other matters and are needy, such as the Ashab al-Suffah in the time of the Prophet, or those who are engaged in jihad, or on the care of their families and children, and similar other people—charity should be spent on them.

[390] Incidentally, from this verse, the virtue of refraining from asking (begging) is understood. In this regard, here are a few Prophetic hadiths:

Refraining from Asking:

1. Abu Sa'id Khudriؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: "Whoever refrains from asking, Allah will protect him, and whoever seeks to be independent, Allah will make him independent, and whoever strives to be patient, Allah will grant him patience. And no one has been given a blessing better and more expansive than patience." [بخاري كتاب الزكوٰة، باب الاستعفاف عن المسئلة]

2. Hazrat Abu Hurairahؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: "By Him in Whose hand is my soul! If a person takes his rope and brings a bundle of wood on his back, that is better for him than going to someone and asking him, whether he gives or refuses." [بخاري۔ حواله ايضاً]

3. Hazrat Abdullah bin Umarؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: "The beggar who always asks from people will come on the Day of Resurrection in such a state that there will not be a piece of flesh on his face." [بخاري، كتاب الزكوٰة باب من سأل الناس تكثرا]

The Greatness of Labor and the Prophet’sﷺ Method of Training:

4. Hazrat Abdullah bin Umarؓ says that the Messenger of Allahﷺ was giving a sermon to the people from the pulpit about charity and refraining from begging. The Prophetﷺ said: "The upper hand is better than the lower hand. The upper hand is the one that gives, and the lower hand is the one that asks." [ابو داؤد، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب ما تجوز فيه المسئلة]

5. Hazrat Abu Hurairahؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: "Whoever asks people to increase his wealth is asking for burning coals. Now, it is up to him whether he takes less or gathers more." [مسلم، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب النهي عن المسئلة]

The Legitimacy of Auction:

6. Hazrat Anasؓ says that an Ansari came to the Prophet and asked for something. The Prophetﷺ asked him, "Do you have anything in your house?" He replied, "Yes, a mat and a bowl." The Prophetﷺ said, "Bring both of them to me." He brought them, and the Prophetﷺ took them in his hand and said, "Who will buy these two things?" A man said, "I will take them for one dirham." The Prophetﷺ said, "Who will give more than one dirham?" He repeated this two or three times, then a man said, "I will buy them for two dirhams." The Prophetﷺ took the two dirhams and gave the items to that man. Then the Prophetﷺ gave one dirham to the Ansari and said, "Buy food for your family with this," and with the other dirham, "Buy an axe and bring it to me." When he brought the axe, the Prophetﷺ fixed a wooden handle in it with his blessed hand, then said, "Go, cut wood from the forest, bring it here, and sell it. Come back to me after fifteen days." In fifteen days, the man earned ten dirhams. He bought some clothes with a few dirhams and food with a few, and became well-off. After fifteen days, the Prophetﷺ said, "This is better for you than that on the Day of Resurrection there should be a bad mark on your face because of begging." [نسائي، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب فضل من لايسئل الناس شيأ]

The Greatness of Labor and the Prophet’sﷺ Method of Purification of the Self:

Now see, a person whose household possessions are just a mat and a bowl—can there be any doubt about his neediness? But since he was not disabled, rather strong and able to earn, the Prophetﷺ did not give him anything but suggested another way. Then, by teaching him self-respect, he explained the greatness and importance of lawful earning and hard work, through which he became well-off in a few days. This was the Prophet’s method of training and purification of the self.

7. Hazrat Thawbanؓ says that the Messenger of Allahﷺ said to me, "Who will guarantee me that he will never ask anything from anyone, and I will guarantee him Paradise?" Thawbanؓ says, "I said, 'I guarantee it.'" So after that, he never asked anything from anyone. [نسائي، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب فضل من لا يسئل الناس شيأ]

8. On the day of Arafah, a man was asking from people. Hazrat Aliؓ heard and said to him, "On this day and in this place, you ask from others besides Allah?" Then he beat him with a whip. [احمد بحواله مشكوٰة باب من لايحل له المسئله فصل ثالث]

9. On the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Messenger of Allahﷺ was distributing charity among the people. Two men came to the Prophet and asked for charity. They themselves say that the Prophetﷺ looked up at us, then lowered his gaze. The Prophetﷺ saw us strong and able-bodied and said, "If you wish, I will give you, but there is no share in charity for the rich and the strong who can earn." [ابو داؤد، نسائي، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب مسئلة القوي المكتسب]

10. Once, the Prophetﷺ was distributing charity. A man came and asked for charity, so the Prophetﷺ said to him, "Regarding the distribution of charity, Allah was not pleased with the command of a Prophet or anyone else, but He Himself divided it into eight categories. Now, if you are counted among them, I will give you." [حواله ايضاً]

For Whom is Asking Permissible:

11. Hazrat Qabisah bin Mukhariqؓ says that I became a guarantor for a person. Then I came to the Messenger of Allahﷺ and asked about it. The Prophetﷺ said, "Stay here until charity comes to us, then we will do something for you." Then addressing me, he said, "Qabisah! It is not permissible for anyone to ask except for three people: one who becomes a guarantor and the guarantee falls upon him for which he is not able—he may ask to the extent of his guarantee, then stop; second, one who is struck by a calamity that destroys all his wealth—he may ask to the extent that he can stand on his feet; and third, one who is overtaken by hunger to the extent that three trustworthy people from his tribe testify that so-and-so is afflicted by hunger—he may ask until his need is removed. Then the Prophetﷺ said: O Qabisah, apart from these three types of people, it is forbidden for anyone else to ask, and whoever eats by asking is eating what is unlawful." [مسلم، كتاب الزكوٰة باب من لايحل له المسئله]

12. Auf bin Malik Ashja'iؓ says that we were seven or eight people with the Messenger of Allahﷺ. The Prophetﷺ said, "Worship Allah, do not associate anything with Him, perform the five prayers, and obey Allah." And he said one thing quietly: "Do not ask anything from people." Then I saw some of those people that if their whip fell from their camel, they would not ask anyone to hand it to them. [كتاب الزكوٰة باب النهي عن المسئلة]

Hakim bin Hizam Not Even Accepting Government Stipend:

13. Hakim bin Hizam says that I asked the Messenger of Allahﷺ for something, and he gave it to me. Then I asked again, and he gave it to me. Then he said, "O Hakim! This wealth of the world is attractive in appearance and sweet in taste, but whoever takes it with contentment, it will be blessed for him, and whoever takes it with greed and eagerness, there is no blessing in it. Its example is like one who eats but is never satisfied. And the upper (giving) hand is better than the lower (receiving) hand." Hakim said, "O Messenger of Allah! By Him Who sent you as a true Prophet, I will never ask anything from anyone until I die." (And his condition remained such that) Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqؓ would call him to give him his annual stipend, but he would refuse to take it. Hazrat Umarؓ also called him during his caliphate to give him a stipend, but he refused. Hazrat Umarؓ said to those present, "O people! Bear witness that I am giving Hakim his right which Allah has set in the spoils of war, and he does not take it." In short, he honored the pledge made to the Messenger of Allahﷺ so much that throughout his life, not only did he refrain from asking, but he did not accept anything from anyone. [بخاري، كتاب الوصايا، باب تاويل قول اللّٰه تعالىٰ من بعد وصيه توصون بها اودين]