The 365 · Verses · Day 268 · Justice
Qur'an 2:215
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ ۖ قُلْ مَآ أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٌ
“They ask you, Prophet, what they should give. Say, 'Whatever you give should be for parents, close relatives, orphans, the needy, and travellers. God is well aware of whatever good you do.' (Quran 2:215)”
Svenska: De frågar dig vad de skall ge ut. Säg: 'Det goda ni vill ge skall ni ge föredrar åt föräldrar och närmaste släktingar och de föräldralösa och de nödställda och vandringsmannen.' (Koranen 2:215)
A reflection to carry
When the Companions asked the Prophet ﷺ what to give, Allah Himself answered through revelation. 'Yasʾaluk maza yunfiqūn. Qul mā anfaqtum min khayrin fa-li-l-wālidayn wa al-aqrabīn wa al-yatāmā wa al-masākīn wa ibn al-sabīl.' Allah listed five recipients in a hierarchy: 1) al-wālidayn (parents); 2) al-aqrabīn (close relatives); 3) al-yatāmā (orphans); 4) al-masākīn (the needy); 5) ibn al-sabīl (the stranded traveler). The order is meaningful. Allah began with the closest circle of obligation (parents) and moved outward. The believer who gives heavily to charitable causes while neglecting parental support has inverted Allah's hierarchy. The believer who supports a struggling relative while skipping the orphan has also inverted the order. The verse closes with: 'wa mā tafʿalū min khayr fa-inna Allāha bihi ʿalīm.' Whatever good you do, Allah is aware. The cluster of giving (Days 246-268) closes here on the recipient-architecture: parents first, then relatives, then orphans, then needy, then travelers. Build your giving life around this hierarchy.
Read the longer reflection
Yā Rabb, You closed the long giving-architecture (Days 246-268) with the verse that names the recipients. Parents. Close relatives. Orphans. The needy. The traveler. Five categories in hierarchical order. And You opened with the Companions asking; You answered through revelation. Ya Allāh, this verse should restructure my giving. Audit who I have given to most this year. Have my parents received financial support from me first? Have my struggling relatives been supported before strangers? Have orphans been part of my monthly giving? Have the needy in my community been my regular recipients? Have I helped a stranded traveler when I could? Forgive me, ya Rabb, for the inversion. I have, in some years, given more to large institutional causes that were prominent than to the silent struggling parent who needed help. I have given to viral fundraisers while my own cousin's tuition went unpaid. I have donated to global causes while the orphan in my city was not adopted. Each was a giving Allah loves, but the hierarchy was not followed. Realign me. Make my giving start at the top of Your list. The parents first. Then relatives in difficulty. Then orphans I commit to long-term. Then the needy in my own community. Then the traveler I help when crossing paths. Build the giving-life from this architecture. And ya Rabb, You closed the cluster with the gentlest mercy: 'wa mā tafʿalū min khayr fa-inna Allāha bihi ʿalīm.' Whatever good you do, Allah is aware of it. The same mercy that closed the Justice arc (Day 238: 4:127) closes the Giving arc. Allah's awareness is the closing seal. He sees. He knows. He records. Let me give knowing this. Āmīn ya ʿAlīm.
A verse, a healing, and a Sunnah, every morning.
Subscribe, free