Surah Al-Hashr (59) — Ayah 7

(Ayah 7) ➊ In {مَاۤ اَفَآءَ اللّٰهُ عَلٰى رَسُوْلِهٖ مِنْ اَهْلِ الْقُرٰى : ’’ الْقُرٰى ‘‘}, the "alif lam" is for specification, therefore the translation is "those towns."
➋ { فَلِلّٰهِ وَ لِلرَّسُوْلِ وَ لِذِي الْقُرْبٰى …:} In this verse, a general principle has been stated that any wealth that comes into the hands of Muslims without military action is considered the property of the public treasury (Bayt al-Mal), and nothing from it will be given to the fighters, because it is not the result of their effort but rather the result of the collective strength that Allah has granted to His Messenger (peace be upon him), his Ummah, and the system he established. Therefore, this wealth is entirely distinct from the spoils of war (ghanima); it is called "fay" wealth, and it applies to both movable and immovable property. The income from jizya and kharaj, which an Islamic state receives from non-Muslims, is also included in fay wealth. The complete authority to distribute this was given to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and after him, this authority belongs to the leader of the Muslims, who uses it to spend in the avenues prescribed by Allah. In this verse, Allah has also mentioned the avenues where fay wealth should be spent. These are the same avenues in which the fifth (khums) of the spoils of war is spent; for fay wealth, not just a fifth, but the entire amount is to be spent in these avenues. For details, see the commentary of Surah Al-Anfal (41).
➌ {كَيْ لَا يَكُوْنَ دُوْلَةًۢ بَيْنَ الْاَغْنِيَآءِ مِنْكُمْ : ’’ دُوْلَةً ‘‘ ’’دَالَ يَدُوْلُ دَوْلَةً ‘‘ (ن)’’اَلزَّمَانُ‘‘} The changing of times from one state to another, as He said: «وَ تِلْكَ الْاَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ » [ آل عمران : ۱۴۰] "And these are the days which We alternate among the people." {’’ دُوْلَةً ‘‘} That which is taken from one and given to another, sometimes with this one, sometimes with that one.
"So that the wealth of fay does not circulate only among the rich among you"—in terms of the context, this means that fay wealth should not be distributed among the fighters, most of whom have already become wealthy and are no longer needy or poor, but rather it should reach the destitute. However, this also lays down the foundation of the Islamic economic system: in Islam, the flow of wealth is not from the poor to the rich, so that the rich become richer and the poor become poorer, but rather the flow of wealth is from the rich to the poor, giving the entire society the opportunity to benefit. The greatest means of wealth accumulating in a few hands is interest, which Allah has declared forbidden. Zakat has been made obligatory for the distribution of wealth, the command to take a fifth from the spoils of war has been given, the entire fay wealth is to be distributed in five avenues, voluntary charity is repeatedly encouraged, expiations have been prescribed for many shortcomings, and the law of inheritance has been made such that the wealth of every deceased person is dispersed rather than remaining consolidated. Miserliness has been severely condemned, and spending in the way of Allah has been repeatedly emphasized and its virtue mentioned. If these commands are acted upon, wealth can never accumulate in a few hands.
➍ {وَ مَاۤ اٰتٰىكُمُ الرَّسُوْلُ فَخُذُوْهُ وَ مَا نَهٰىكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوْا :} In terms of the context, this means that whatever the Messenger gives you from the fay wealth, take it, and from whatever he withholds, refrain. Accept his decision without any objection or displeasure. Since the intention of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was to distribute the wealth of Banu Nadir among the Muhajirun so that they could stand on their own feet, it is as if the Ansar are being told that if the Messenger does not give you something on any occasion, do not demand it; it is at the discretion of the Messenger to give to all the deserving or to consider some more deserving and give to them and not to others. According to the context, this is the meaning of the verse, but the words of the verse are general, so it is not limited only to the distribution of wealth, but it commands obedience to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in every matter. This is also clarified by the fact that Allah did not say: {’’ مَا أَتَاكُمُ الرَّسُوْلُ فَخُذُوْهُ وَمَا مَنَعَكُمْ فَلَا تَأْخُذُوْهُ‘‘} "Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he does not give you, do not take," but rather, "Whatever he forbids you from, abstain from it." This shows that the purpose of the verse is obedience to his command. Thus, this verse has given the command of the Prophet (peace be upon him) the status of a permanent law, and it is not conditional that only the command found in the Qur'an should be followed; therefore, any command of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that is established by an authentic hadith is obligatory to act upon. This is supported by the hadith narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ دَعُوْنِيْ مَا تَرَكْتُكُمْ ، إِنَّمَا هَلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ بِسُؤَالِهِمْ وَاخْتِلاَفِهِمْ عَلٰی أَنْبِيَاهمْ ، فَإِذَا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْ شَيْءٍ فَاجْتَنِبُوْهُ ، وَ إِذَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ فَأْتُوْا مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ ] [ بخاري، الاعتصام بالکتاب والسنۃ، باب الاقتداء بسنن رسول اللّٰہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : ۷۲۸۸ ] "Leave me as long as I leave you, for those before you were destroyed only because of their excessive questioning and disagreement with their prophets. So when I forbid you from something, avoid it, and when I command you to do something, do as much of it as you can." And the eminent Companion Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) also understood this from the verse. His student Alqamah narrates that once he said: [ لَعَنَ اللّٰهُ الْوَاشِمَاتِ وَالْمُوْتَشِمَاتِ وَالْمُتَنَمِّصَاتِ وَالْمُتَفَلِّجَاتِ لِلْحُسْنِ، الْمُغَيِّرَاتِ خَلْقَ اللّٰهِ ] "Allah has cursed those women who tattoo, and those who get tattooed, and those who pluck facial hair, and those who create gaps between their teeth for beauty, changing the creation of Allah." A woman from the tribe of Asad, Umm Ya'qub, heard this and came and said, "I have heard that you have cursed such and such women?" He replied, "Why should I not curse those whom the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) has cursed and which is found in the Book of Allah?" The woman said, "I have read the entire Qur'an between the two covers, but I did not find what you are saying." Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "If you had read it, you would have found it. Did you not read: «وَ مَاۤ اٰتٰىكُمُ الرَّسُوْلُ فَخُذُوْهُ وَ مَا نَهٰىكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوْا » [ الحشر : ۷ ] 'And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you from, abstain from it.'?" She said, "Of course." He said, "Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) has forbidden it." She said, "I think your wife does these things." He said, "Go and see." She went and looked but found nothing of what she sought, so (Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him) said, "If she were like that, she would not be with us." [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب : «وما آتاکم الرسول فخذوہ» : ۴۸۸۶ ]
➎ {وَ اتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ شَدِيْدُ الْعِقَابِ :} That is, fear Allah and remember! If you do not comply with the command of the Prophet (peace be upon him) or do not refrain from what he has forbidden, then Allah's punishment is very severe.