al-Rabi ibn Sulayman informed us; al-Shafi‘i informed us; Sufyan informed us, from Muhammad ibn Ajlan, from Sa‘id ibn Abi Sa‘id, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, “Messenger of Allah, I have a dinar.” He said, “Spend it on yourself.” The man said, “I have another.” He said, “Spend it on your child.” The man said, “I have another.” He said, “Spend it on your family.” The man said, “I have another.” He said, “Spend it on your servant.” The man said, “I have another.” He said, “You know best.” (1)

Allah Most High says: “Thus Allah makes the verses clear to you” (2:219). Al-Zajjaj said: He used the singular form “thus,” though He is addressing a group, because a group carries the sense of a people—as if He had said, “Thus, O people.” It was also said that this is an address to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, because addressing him includes addressing the Muslim community, as in His saying: “O Prophet, when you divorce women...” (al-Talaq 65:1).

Allah Most High says: “So that you may reflect upon this world and the Hereafter” (2:219). It was said that this means: Allah makes clear to you the verses concerning expenditure, so that you may reflect upon this world and the Hereafter, retaining from your wealth what will sustain you in the life of this world and spending the remainder in that which will benefit you in the Hereafter. Most exegetes said that its meaning is as follows: Allah makes clear to you the verses concerning this world and the Hereafter, so that you may reflect upon the passing and perishing of this world and thus renounce it, and upon the coming and permanence of the Hereafter and thus desire it.

Allah Most High says: “And they ask you concerning orphans” (2:220). Ibn Abbas and Qatadah said: When Allah Most High revealed, “Do not approach the property of an orphan except in the best manner” (al-An‘am 6:152), and His saying, “Indeed, those who consume the property of orphans wrongfully...” (al-Nisa’ 4:10), the Muslims became exceedingly scrupulous concerning the property of orphans. They separated the orphans’ property from their own, so that food would be prepared for an orphan, and some of it would remain over; they would leave it and not eat it until it spoiled. This became difficult for them, so they asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and Allah Most High revealed this verse: “Say: Improving their condition is best” (2:220)—that is, managing their property for their benefit (2), without payment or taking compensation, is better for you and greater in reward, because of the reward you receive for doing so; and it is better for them, because it preserves their property for them.

Mujahid said: He may provide them generously from his own food, but not from the orphan’s food. “And if you mix with them” (2:220): this permits such mingling; that is, if you share with them in their property and mix it with your own in your expenditures, dwellings, servants, and riding animals, taking from their property recompense for attending to their affairs, and repaying them for what you take from their property, then “they are your brothers” (2:220)—that is, they are your brothers, and brothers assist one another and may take from one another’s property in a manner that is beneficial and mutually agreeable. “And Allah knows the corrupter” of their property “from the reformer” of it (2:220)—that is, the one who intends through such mingling