Verse. 227

'Abdullāh Ibn 'Abbās / Muḥammad al-Fīrūzabādī

تفسير : (upon the world and the hereafter) that it is lasting. (and they question thee concerning orphans). this was revealed about 'abdullah ibn rawahah who asked the prophet (pbuh) about whether it was lawful to share food, drink and shelter with orphans. allah told his prophet: they ask you about sharing food, drink and shelter with orphans, (say) o muhammad: (to improve their lot) and their wealth (is best) rather than not sharing with them. (and if you mingle your affairs with theirs) as regards food, drink and shelter, (then (they are) your brothers) in religion and you should therefore safeguard their shares. (and allah knoweth him who spoileth) the wealth of orphans (from him who improveth) their wealth. (had allah willed he could have overburdened you) he could have forbidden such sharing. (indeed allah is mighty) and takes revenge against whoever spoils the wealth of orphans, (wise) ruling that the wealth of orphans should be improved.

Jalāl al-Dīn al-Maḥallī

تفسير : on, the matters of, this world and the hereafter, and follow what is best for you in both. they will ask you about orphans, and the distress their affair caused them, for, if they became intimate with them, they may slip into error, but if they put aside the money due to them and prepare their meals for them separately, this would distress them. say: ‘to set their affairs aright, in terms of their funds, by looking after it, and your mingling with them, is better’, than you not doing this; and if you intermix with them, your funds and theirs, they are your brothers, in religion and it is only natural for one to intermix his affair with his brother, so you do too; god knows well him who works corruption, in their property when he intermixes with them, from him who sets, it, aright, and god will requite both; and had he willed he would have harassed you, and made it difficult for you by prohibiting you from intermixing with them. surely god is mighty, victorious in his affair, wise, in his actions.

Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi

تفسير : (and they question thee concerning orphans…) [2:220]. abu mansur ‘abd al-qahir ibn tahir informed us> abu’l-hasan muhammad ibn al-hasan al-sarraj> al-hasan ibn al-muthanna ibn mu‘adh> abu hudhayfah musa ibn mas‘ud> sufyan al-thawri> salim al-aftas> sa‘id ibn jubayr who said: “when the verse (lo! those who devour the wealth of orphans wrongfully, they do but swallow fire into their bellies…) [4:10] people rushed to separate their own wealth from the wealth of orphans they were in charge of. then allah revealed (and if ye mingle your affairs with theirs, then (they are) your brothers) upon which they mixed their own wealth with the wealth of orphans”. sa‘id ibn muhammad ibn ahmad al-zahid informed us> abu ‘ali al-faqih> ‘abd allah ibn muhammad al-baghawi> ‘uthman ibn abi shaybah> jarir> ‘ata’ ibn al-sa’ib> sa‘id ibn jubayr> ibn ‘abbas who said: “when allah, exalted is he, revealed the verse (and approach not the wealth of the orphan save with that which is better…), whoever had an orphan’s wealth with him proceeded to isolate his food and drink from the orphan’s food and drink, and whatever remained of the orphan’s food was kept aside until the orphan would use it or it gets bad; and this was a source of anguish for people. they went and mentioned this to the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, and as a response, allah, glorified and exalted, revealed (and they question thee concerning orphans. say: to improve their lot is best), by mixing their food and drink with their food and drink”.