سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 220
فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۗ وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ ۖ قُلْ إِصْلَاحٌ لَّهُمْ خَيْرٌ ۖ وَإِن تُخَالِطُوهُمْ فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْمُفْسِدَ مِنَ ٱلْمُصْلِحِ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَأَعْنَتَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿220﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
In (to) this worldly life and in the Hereafter. And they ask you concerning orphans. Say: "The best thing is to work honestly in their property, and if you mix your affairs with theirs, then they are your brothers. And Allâh knows him who means mischief (e.g. to swallow their property) from him who means good (e.g. to save their property). And if Allâh had wished, He could have put you into difficulties. Truly, Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فِى
fī
Concerning
ٱلدُّنْيَا
l-dun'yā
the world
وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۗ
wal-ākhirati
and the Hereafter
وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ
wayasalūnaka
They ask you
عَنِ
ʿani
about
ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ ۖ
l-yatāmā
the orphans
قُلْ
qul
Say
إِصْلَاحٌۭ
iṣ'lāḥun
Setting right (their affairs)
لَّهُمْ
lahum
for them
خَيْرٌۭ ۖ
khayrun
(is) best
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
تُخَالِطُوهُمْ
tukhāliṭūhum
you associate with them
فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ ۚ
fa-ikh'wānukum
then they (are) your brothers
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
يَعْلَمُ
yaʿlamu
knows
ٱلْمُفْسِدَ
l-muf'sida
the corrupter
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلْمُصْلِحِ ۚ
l-muṣ'liḥi
the amender
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
شَآءَ
shāa
(had) willed
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
لَأَعْنَتَكُمْ ۚ
la-aʿnatakum
surely He (could have) put you in difficulties
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
عَزِيزٌ
ʿazīzun
(is) All-Mighty
حَكِيمٌۭ
ḥakīmun
All-Wise
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 220) ➊ {فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ الْاٰخِرَةِ:} Its connection is with the previous verse { ”لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُوْنَ“ }, that is, Allah Almighty is clearly explaining to you the worldly benefits in wine and gambling, their harms in this world and the Hereafter, their being major sins, and spending your best things in the way of Allah instead of wine and gambling, so that you may reflect for yourselves, using your intellect, as to which you give preference to: the short-lived world or the everlasting Hereafter.
➋ { ”الْيَتٰمٰى“ } Whoever's father has died is an orphan until he reaches maturity. The meaning of { ”لَاَعْنَتَكُمْ“ ”عَنَتٌ“ } is hardship, as in Surah Tawbah (9:128): "عَزِيْزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ" — "It is very hard on him that you fall into hardship." {”اَعْنَتَ“} is the past tense in the active voice from the form IV verb, and {’’ اِعْنَاتٌ‘‘} is its verbal noun, meaning to put a person into such hardship in which there is a danger of destruction. (Raghib)
➌ Because of the tanween in {اِصْلَاحٌ لَّهُمْ خَيْرٌ :} {”اِصْلَاحٌ“}, it has been translated as "keep improving them in some way or another," meaning, along with protecting their wealth, you should continue to improve their education, character, health, and all matters as much as you are able, which is much better than not questioning them considering them orphans.
➍ {وَ اِنْ تُخَالِطُوْهُمْ:} Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "When this verse was revealed: «وَ لَا تَقْرَبُوْا مَالَ الْيَتِيْمِ اِلَّا بِالَّتِيْ هِيَ اَحْسَنُ » [ بنی إسرائیل : ۳۴ ] 'And do not go near the orphan's wealth except in the best manner,' people separated the orphans' wealth, so the orphans' food spoiled and the meat became foul." This matter was mentioned to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and upon this, this verse was revealed, so people included them with themselves. [ مسند أحمد : 325/1، ح : ۳۰۰۴۔ مستدرک حاکم : 306/2، ح :۳۱۰۳، صححہ الحاکم و وافقہ الذھبی و حسنہ الألبانی ]
➎ {وَ لَوْ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ لَاَعْنَتَكُمْ:} But Allah Almighty has not placed hardship upon you, rather He has created ease and spaciousness. Thus, with the intention of reform, you may include them with yourselves, and if you are in need, you may benefit from their wealth to the extent of your service and need, as He said: «وَ مَنْ كَانَ غَنِيًّا فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَ مَنْ كَانَ فَقِيْرًا فَلْيَاْكُلْ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ» [ النساء : ۶ ] "And whoever is rich, let him abstain, and whoever is poor, let him eat in a reasonable manner."
➋ { ”الْيَتٰمٰى“ } Whoever's father has died is an orphan until he reaches maturity. The meaning of { ”لَاَعْنَتَكُمْ“ ”عَنَتٌ“ } is hardship, as in Surah Tawbah (9:128): "عَزِيْزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ" — "It is very hard on him that you fall into hardship." {”اَعْنَتَ“} is the past tense in the active voice from the form IV verb, and {’’ اِعْنَاتٌ‘‘} is its verbal noun, meaning to put a person into such hardship in which there is a danger of destruction. (Raghib)
➌ Because of the tanween in {اِصْلَاحٌ لَّهُمْ خَيْرٌ :} {”اِصْلَاحٌ“}, it has been translated as "keep improving them in some way or another," meaning, along with protecting their wealth, you should continue to improve their education, character, health, and all matters as much as you are able, which is much better than not questioning them considering them orphans.
➍ {وَ اِنْ تُخَالِطُوْهُمْ:} Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "When this verse was revealed: «وَ لَا تَقْرَبُوْا مَالَ الْيَتِيْمِ اِلَّا بِالَّتِيْ هِيَ اَحْسَنُ » [ بنی إسرائیل : ۳۴ ] 'And do not go near the orphan's wealth except in the best manner,' people separated the orphans' wealth, so the orphans' food spoiled and the meat became foul." This matter was mentioned to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and upon this, this verse was revealed, so people included them with themselves. [ مسند أحمد : 325/1، ح : ۳۰۰۴۔ مستدرک حاکم : 306/2، ح :۳۱۰۳، صححہ الحاکم و وافقہ الذھبی و حسنہ الألبانی ]
➎ {وَ لَوْ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ لَاَعْنَتَكُمْ:} But Allah Almighty has not placed hardship upon you, rather He has created ease and spaciousness. Thus, with the intention of reform, you may include them with yourselves, and if you are in need, you may benefit from their wealth to the extent of your service and need, as He said: «وَ مَنْ كَانَ غَنِيًّا فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَ مَنْ كَانَ فَقِيْرًا فَلْيَاْكُلْ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ» [ النساء : ۶ ] "And whoever is rich, let him abstain, and whoever is poor, let him eat in a reasonable manner."
