Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (98)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(219–220) “And they ask you what they should spend. Say, ‘Whatever they can spare.’ Thus Allah makes the signs clear to you, so that you may reflect * upon this world and the Hereafter.”

This is a question about how much of their wealth they should spend. Allah therefore made the matter easy for them and instructed them to spend whatever they could spare: that portion of their wealth which they did not need for their essential requirements. This varies ⦗99⦘ from person to person according to individual circumstances, whether rich, poor, or of moderate means. Everyone is able to spend something from what he can spare, even if only half a date.

Hence Allah instructed His Messenger—peace and blessings be upon him—to accept from people whatever they could readily offer in their conduct and charitable giving, and not to burden them with what would cause them hardship. That is because Allah Most High did not issue His commands out of any need He has of us, nor to burden us [with what causes hardship] (1). Rather, He commanded us to do what brings us happiness, what is easy for us, and what benefits both us and our brethren. He therefore deserves the fullest praise for this.

After Allah Most High had given this complete explanation and made His servants aware of the wisdoms of His law, He said: “Thus Allah makes the signs clear to you”—that is, the signs which point to the truth and yield beneficial knowledge and discernment—“so that you may reflect upon this world and the Hereafter.” That is, so that you may employ your minds in contemplating the wisdoms of His law and recognize that His commands contain the best interests of both this world and the Hereafter. It is also so that you may reflect upon this world and how swiftly it passes away, and therefore renounce it; and upon the Hereafter, its permanence, and the fact that it is the abode of recompense, and therefore strive to prosper there.

(1) In A: “flashed.”

﴿٢١٩ - ٢٢٠﴾ ﴿وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ * فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ﴾ . وهذا سؤال عن مقدار ما ينفقونه من أموالهم، فيسر الله لهم الأمر، وأمرهم أن ينفقوا العفو، وهو المتيسر من أموالهم، الذي لا تتعلق به حاجتهم وضرورتهم، وهذا يرجع إلى ⦗٩٩⦘ كل أحد بحسبه، من غني وفقير ومتوسط، كل له قدرة على إنفاق ما عفا من ماله، ولو شق تمرة. ولهذا أمر الله رسوله ﷺ، أن يأخذ العفو من أخلاق الناس وصدقاتهم، ولا يكلفهم ما يشق عليهم. ذلك بأن الله تعالى لم يأمرنا بما أمرنا به حاجة منه لنا، أو تكليفا لنا [بما يشق] (١) بل أمرنا بما فيه سعادتنا، وما يسهل علينا، وما به النفع لنا ولإخواننا فيستحق على ذلك أتم الحمد. ولما بيّن تعالى هذا البيان الشافي، وأطلع العباد على أسرار شرعه قال: ﴿كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الآيَاتِ﴾ أي: الدالات على الحق، المحصلات للعلم النافع والفرقان، ﴿لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ﴾ أي: لكي تستعملوا أفكاركم في أسرار شرعه، وتعرفوا أن أوامره، فيها مصالح الدنيا والآخرة، وأيضا لكي تتفكروا في الدنيا وسرعة انقضائها، فترفضوها وفي الآخرة وبقائها، وأنها دار الجزاء فتعمروها.

(١) في أ: لمع.