Verse. 222

٢ - ٱلْبَقَرَة

2 - Al-Baqara

يَسْــَٔـلُوْنَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُوْنَ۝۰ۥۭ قُلْ مَاۗ اَنْفَقْتُمْ مِّنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْاَقْرَبِيْنَ وَالْيَتٰمٰى وَالْمَسٰكِيْنِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيْلِ۝۰ۭ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوْا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَاِنَّ اللہَ بِہٖ عَلِيْمٌ۝۲۱۵
Yasaloonaka matha yunfiqoona qul ma anfaqtum min khayrin falilwalidayni waalaqrabeena waalyatama waalmasakeeni waibni alssabeeli wama tafAAaloo min khayrin fainna Allaha bihi AAaleemun

English

Ahmed Ali

They ask you of what they should give in charity. Tell them: "What you can spare of your wealth as should benefit the parents, the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the wayfarers, for God is not unaware of the good deeds that you do."

215

Tafseer

'Abdullāh Ibn 'Abbās / Muḥammad al-Fīrūzabādī

تفسير : (they ask thee (o muhammad)) and this was before the verse of inheritance was revealed (what they shall spend) to whom they should give in charity. (say: that which ye spend for good) of your wealth ((must go) to parents and near kindred) later, giving charity to parents was abrogated by the verse on inheritance (and orphans) he says: give in charity to the orphans (and the needy) the needy among people (and the wayfarer) the guest who drops by. (and whatsoever good ye do) whatever wealth you spend on these, (lo! allah is aware of it) allah knows it as he knows your intention and he will reward you for it.

Jalāl al-Dīn al-Maḥallī

تفسير : they will ask you, o muhammad (s), about what they should expend. this was the question posed by ‘amr b. al-jamūh. he was a wealthy elderly man and went to ask the prophet (s) what and for whom he should expend; say, to them: ‘whatever you expend of good (min khayrin, ‘of good’, is an explication of mā, ‘whatever’, covering small and large amounts, and denotes one half of the question represented by the expender; god responds with regard to the one receiving the expenditure, this pertaining to the other half of the question, in the following) it is for parents and kinsmen, orphans, the needy, and the traveller, that is, they are the most deserving of it; and whatever good you may do, by way of expending or otherwise, god has knowledge of it’, and will requite it accordingly.

Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi

تفسير : (they ask thee, (o muhammad), what they shall spend…) [2:215]. according to the report of abu salih, ibn 'abbas said: “this verse was revealed about 'amr ibn al-jamuh al-ansari who was very old and wealthy. he asked the prophet, allah bless him and give him peace, saying: 'o messenger of allah! what should we spend in charity? and on whom should we spend it?' and so this verse was revealed”. and he said, according to the report of 'ata': “this verse was revealed concerning a man who went to the prophet, allah bless him and give him peace, and said: 'i have one gold piece [on whom should i spend it?]' the prophet, allah bless him and give him peace, said: 'spend it on yourself'. the man said: 'i have two gold pieces'. the prophet, allah bless him and give him peace, said: 'spend them on your family'. the man said: 'i have three gold pieces'. the prophet said: 'spend them on your servant'. the man said: 'i have four gold pieces'. the prophet said: 'spend them on your parents'. the man said: 'i have five gold pieces'. the prophet said: 'spend them on your relatives'. the man said: 'i have six gold pieces'. the prophet said: 'spend it in the way of allah, and this is the best way of spending your money' ”.