(220) “And they ask you concerning orphans. Say, ‘Improving their affairs is best. If you mix your affairs with theirs, they are your brothers. Allah knows the one who causes harm from the one who seeks to do good. Had Allah willed, He could have made matters difficult for you. Indeed, Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.’”
When Allah Most High revealed, “Indeed, those who unjustly consume the property of orphans only consume fire into their bellies, and they will burn in a Blaze,” this weighed heavily upon the Muslims. They separated their food from the orphans’ food, fearing that they might consume some of it, even in situations where sharing was customary. They asked the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—about this, so Allah Most High informed them that the objective was to improve the orphans’ property by preserving, safeguarding, and investing it. Mixing with them in food or otherwise is permissible, provided that it does not harm the orphans, for they are your brothers, and it is natural for a brother to mix with his brother.
The matter therefore turns on intention and conduct. If Allah knows that a person intends to promote an orphan’s welfare and has no desire for his property, there is no blame upon him if some benefit happens to accrue to him unintentionally. But if Allah knows that his purpose in mixing with the orphan is to gain access to and consume his property, then that is blameworthy and sinful. “Means take the same rulings as their ends.”
This verse proves that various forms of mixing are permissible in food, drink, contracts, and other matters. This dispensation is a kindness and favor from Allah [Most High] and an easing for the believers. Otherwise, “Had Allah willed, He could have made matters difficult for you”—that is, He could have burdened you by withholding this dispensation, causing you constraint and hardship and leading you into sin.
“Indeed, Allah is Almighty”—that is, He possesses perfect power and irresistible dominion over all things. Yet despite this, He is “All-Wise”: He does only what is required by His perfect wisdom and consummate care. His might does not conflict with His wisdom. Therefore, it should not be said, “He does whatever He wills, whether it accords with wisdom or contradicts it.” Rather, it should be said that His acts, as well as His rulings, accord with His wisdom. He creates nothing in vain; every act of creation necessarily has a wisdom behind it, whether we know it or not. Likewise, He prescribes nothing for His servants that is devoid of wisdom. He commands only that which is wholly beneficial or whose benefit predominates, and He prohibits only that which is wholly harmful or whose harm predominates, because of His perfect wisdom and mercy.