Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (165)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(9, 10) “Let those be apprehensive who, if they were to leave behind vulnerable offspring, would fear for them. So let them fear Allah and speak justly. Indeed, those who wrongfully consume the property of orphans are only consuming fire into their bellies, and they will burn in a Blaze.”

It has been said that this is addressed to those present when a person is nearing death and acts unfairly in making his bequest: they should instruct him to be just and equitable in it. This is indicated by His words, “and speak justly,” meaning words that are upright and in accordance with justice and what is right. They should advise anyone wishing to make a bequest concerning his children in the manner in which they would want their own children to be treated after their death.

It has also been said that this refers to the guardians of those lacking sound judgment—such as the mentally ill, minors, and the vulnerable. They should manage their religious and worldly interests as they would want their own vulnerable offspring to be treated after them. “So let them fear Allah” in their guardianship over others; that is, they should treat them in a manner consistent with fear of Allah, without humiliating them, while caring for them properly and requiring them to fear Allah.

Having commanded them to do this, Allah warned them against consuming the property of orphans and threatened the severest ⦗166⦘ punishment for doing so. He said, “Indeed, those who wrongfully consume the property of orphans”—that is, without right. This qualification excludes the cases mentioned earlier: the permissibility of a poor guardian consuming a reasonable amount and the permissibility of mixing his own food with the orphans’ food.

Those who consume it wrongfully “are only consuming fire into their bellies”; that is, what they have consumed is a fire blazing within them, and they themselves have put it into their bellies. “And they will burn in a Blaze,” meaning a fiercely burning, blazing fire. This is the gravest warning issued concerning sins. It demonstrates how atrocious and abhorrent it is to consume the property of orphans and that doing so warrants entry into the Fire. It therefore shows that this is among the gravest of major sins. We ask Allah for well-being.

﴿٩، ١٠﴾ ﴿وَلْيَخْشَ الَّذِينَ لَوْ تَرَكُوا مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّةً ضِعَافًا خَافُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْيَقُولُوا قَوْلا سَدِيدًا * إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ الْيَتَامَى ظُلْمًا إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ نَارًا وَسَيَصْلَوْنَ سَعِيرًا﴾ . قيل: إن هذا خطاب لمن يحضر مَنْ حضره الموت وأجنف في وصيته، أن يأمره بالعدل في وصيته والمساواة فيها، بدليل قوله: ﴿وَلْيَقُولُوا قَوْلا سَدِيدًا﴾ أي: سدادا، موافقا للقسط والمعروف. وأنهم يأمرون من يريد الوصية على أولاده بما يحبون معاملة أولادهم بعدهم. وقيل: إن المراد بذلك أولياء السفهاء من المجانين والصغار والضعاف أن يعاملوهم في مصالحهم الدينية والدنيوية بما يحبون أن يعامل به مَنْ بعدهم من ذريتهم الضعاف ﴿فَلْيَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ﴾ في ولايتهم لغيرهم، أي: يعاملونهم بما فيه تقوى الله، من عدم إهانتهم والقيام عليهم، وإلزامهم لتقوى الله. ولما أمرهم بذلك، زجرهم عن أكل أموال اليتامى، وتوعد على ذلك أشد ⦗١٦٦⦘ العذاب فقال: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ الْيَتَامَى ظُلْمًا﴾ أي: بغير حق. وهذا القيد يخرج به ما تقدم، من جواز الأكل للفقير بالمعروف، ومن جواز خلط طعامهم بطعام اليتامى. فمَنْ أكلها ظلمًا فـ ﴿إنما يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ نَارًا﴾ أي: فإن الذي أكلوه نار تتأجج في أجوافهم وهم الذين أدخلوها في بطونهم. ﴿وَسَيَصْلَوْنَ سَعِيرًا﴾ أي: نارًا محرقة متوقدة. وهذا أعظم وعيد ورد في الذنوب، يدل على شناعة أكل أموال اليتامى وقبحها، وأنها موجبة لدخول النار، فدل ذلك أنها من أكبر الكبائر. نسأل الله العافية.