Surah Al-Hashr (59) — Ayah 6

(Ayah 6) ➊ {وَ مَاۤ اَفَآءَ اللّٰهُ عَلٰى رَسُوْلِهٖ مِنْهُمْ … : ’’فَاءَ يَفِيْءُ فَيْئًا‘‘} (ض) To return, as He said: « حَتّٰى تَفِيْٓءَ اِلٰۤى اَمْرِ اللّٰهِ » [ الحجرات : ۹ ] "Until they return to Allah's command." {’’أَفَاءَ يُفِيْءُ‘‘} (af‘al) To return (something). "Fay" refers to those properties that are obtained from the enemy without battle, and those properties obtained through battle are called "ghanimah" (sometimes the word "fay" is also used for ghanimah). These properties are called "fay" because, in reality, all the wealth of the world belongs to the Muslims, and the disbelievers' possession of them is unlawful; when the Muslims acquire them, they are taking back their own property. {’’ اَوْجَفْتُمْ ‘‘ ’’وَجَفَ يَجِفُ وَجْفًا وَ وَجِيْفًا‘‘} (ض) {’’ اَلْفَرَسُ‘‘} The running of a horse. {’’أَوْجَفَ يُوْجِفُ إِيْجَافًا‘‘} To make (something) run. {’’ خَيْلٍ ‘‘} A group of horses. {’’ رِكَابٍ ‘‘} Is a collective noun for riding camels.

➋ { ’’ وَ مَاۤ اَفَآءَ اللّٰهُ عَلٰى رَسُوْلِهٖ مِنْهُمْ ‘‘} This phrase is connected to {’’ مَا قَطَعْتُمْ مِّنْ لِّيْنَةٍ …‘‘}, and the purpose is to mention another blessing among the blessings granted to the Muslims in the expedition of Banu Nadir.

➌ Regarding the houses, gardens, and lands that Banu Nadir left behind with their exile, it is said that the properties which Allah returned to His Messenger, you have no right over them, because you did not acquire them by making your horses or camels run, i.e., by fighting, but Allah, purely by His grace, granted all of them to His Messenger without any significant battle. Remember that the settlements of Banu Nadir were only two miles from Madinah, and the Muslims besieged them by going on foot; only the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went mounted, and due to the awe that Allah cast into their hearts, they surrendered without fighting and submitted themselves to the decision of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

➍ {وَ لٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُسَلِّطُ رُسُلَهٗ عَلٰى مَنْ يَّشَآءُ … : } That is, your possession of the properties of Banu Nadir did not occur as a result of making your horses or camels run, but Allah gives authority to His Messengers over whomever He wills among His enemies, and due to the awe He casts, they surrender themselves without fighting, and Allah is fully capable of everything.

➎ These were the first properties obtained without battle, merely as a result of siege. In terminology, they are called "fay." Previously, the properties obtained as a result of the battle of Badr were called "ghanimah." The rule for their distribution was stated by Allah in Surah Al-Anfal: « وَ اعْلَمُوْۤا اَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُمْ مِّنْ شَيْءٍ فَاَنَّ لِلّٰهِ خُمُسَهٗ وَ لِلرَّسُوْلِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبٰی وَ الْيَتٰمٰى وَ الْمَسٰكِيْنِ وَ ابْنِ السَّبِيْلِ » [ الأنفال :۴۱ ] "And know that whatever you obtain as ghanimah, then indeed, a fifth of it is for Allah and the Messenger and for near relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveler." That is, one-fifth of it is for Allah, His Messenger, the near relatives, the orphans, the needy, and the traveler, and the remaining four parts are to be distributed among the fighters. As for the properties of fay obtained from Banu Nadir, Allah said that you have no right over them; rather, all of them Allah granted to His Messenger. The same applies to all those settlements that were later obtained without battle, such as the settlements of Banu Qurayza and those areas of Khaybar that were conquered without battle, such as Fadak, etc. All of these were given entirely under the authority of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), so that he may give as much as he wishes to whomever he wishes or keep for himself. However, a few categories of deserving people were specified, that the distribution of wealth should remain among them. The mention of these deserving people is in the next verse. Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: [ كَانَتْ أَمْوَالُ بَنِي النَّضِيْرِ مِمَّا أَفَاءَ اللّٰهُ عَلٰی رَسُوْلِهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِمَّا لَمْ يُوْجِفِ الْمُسْلِمُوْنَ عَلَيْهِ بِخَيْلٍ وَلاَ رِكَابٍ، فَكَانَتْ لِرَسُوْلِ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَاصَّةً، يُنْفِقُ عَلٰی أَهْلِهِ مِنْهَا نَفَقَةَ سَنَتِهِ، ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُ مَا بَقِيَ فِي السِّلاَحِ وَالْكُرَاعِ، عُدَّةً فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ ] [بخاري، التفسیر، باب قولہ : « ما أفاء اللہ علٰی رسولہ» :۴۸۸۵ ] "The properties of Banu Nadir were among those properties which Allah granted to His Messenger (peace be upon him) as fay, over which the Muslims had neither made horses run nor camels, so they were exclusively for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). He would give his family a year's provision from them, then whatever remained, he would spend on weapons and horses for preparation in the path of Allah."

6. 1. This region of Banu Nadir, which came under the control of the Muslims, was three or four miles away from Madinah, meaning the Muslims did not need to undertake a long journey for it. That is, they did not have to ride camels and horses for it. In this way, there was also no occasion for fighting, and through a peace treaty, this region was conquered, meaning Allah made His Messenger prevail over them without fighting. Therefore, the wealth obtained from here was declared Fay’, whose ruling is different from that of Ghanimah, that is, the wealth which the enemy leaves behind and flees without fighting or is obtained through a peace treaty, and the wealth that is obtained after proper fighting and achieving dominance is Ghanimah.

And whatever (wealth) Allah granted to His Messenger from them (the Jews) without battle, for which you did not spur horses [6] or camels (so you have no right to it), but Allah gives authority to His messengers over whom He wills. And Allah is capable of all things.

[6]
The Mujahideen Have No Share in Fay’ Wealth:

One fifth of the spoils of war was exclusively allocated for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, which he would spend at his discretion on himself, his family, his relatives, and others. However, the wealth that became available without fighting, which is called Fay’ wealth, all of it was handed over to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, as is clear from the following hadith: Sayyiduna Umar ؓ says that the wealth of Banu Nadir was among those assets which Allah granted to His Prophet without fighting. The Muslims had not made their horses or camels run over them. This type of wealth was considered exclusively for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. From such wealth, he would take out the expenses for his family for a year, and the remaining wealth he would spend on preparing equipment for jihad and on horses (etc.). [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]

It should be noted that in this verse, the word ﴿افاء﴾ has been used. The literal meaning of ﴿فَاءَ﴾ (root: fay’) is to return or go back to a better or good state. And the meaning of ﴿افاء﴾ is to return something. And in this there is an indication that the rebels and disobedient ones of Allah are not entitled to their wealth, and Allah has taken this wealth from His disobedient ones and returned it to His obedient servants.