Verse 20
The Winnowing Winds • makkah
View Aspects
70:25-26,
Commentary:
In the wealth of a rich Muslim, according to Islam, those who can express their needs also, as those who cannot, have a share, as of right. Thus a Muslim’s wealth is a trust to the benefit of which the poor are also entitled. Elsewhere the Quran says: "And give the relatives their rightful share in your property and to the poor and the needy" (17:26). So when a Muslim meets the needs of a poor brother, he does him no special favour but only discharges the obligation he owes to him and returns to him what was his due.
The word المحروم (those who cannot express their needs) not only includes in its connotation those poor people who, from a sense of self-respect or a feeling of shame, are prevented from asking (2:274), but also dumb animals. The word, therefore, has been taken here as signifying a person who is debarred from earning his livelihood due to physical infirmityor some other similar cause.
رزق (sustenance) signifies both physical as well as spiritual sustenance. The words "that which you are promised" may signify promises of triumph and prosperity to believers and warnings to disbelievers.
70:25, 26.
In the wealth of a rich Muslim, according to Islam, those who can express their needs, as also those who cannot, have a share, as of right. Thus a Muslim’s wealth is a trust to the benefit of which the poor are also entitled. So when he satisfies the need of a poor brother, he, in fact, does him no favour but only discharges the obligation he owes to him and returns to him what was his due. The word, al-Mahrum, not only includes in its connotation those poor people who, from a sense of self-respect or a feeling of shame, do not ask for alms (2:274), but also dumb animals. The word has been taken here as signifying a person who is debarred from earning his livelihood due to physical infirmity or some other similar cause.