Quran Garden

Session 418

Chapter 3

Verse 92

None of you will attain true piety unless you spend out of what you cherish: whatever you give, God knows about it very well.  (Chapter 3: Verse 92)

The phrase "true piety" is translated from the Arabic origin ?ل?بِرَّ (Al-Birr).  The root "Ba Ra Ra" refers to something large and open.  We use the word Barr to describe vast lands.  

In the verse under study, ?ل?بِرَّ (Al-Birr) refers to righteousness and obedience.  It also means Paradise.  All these meanings converge because righteousness leads to vast comfort in the heart, while Paradise is the ultimate comfortable home.  

Here, we should take a moment to appreciate the Quranic style.  Verse 91 of Al-Imran ended by describing the severe punishment awaiting those who ignore God's guidance and die as disbelievers.  Here, you may wonder, why did God discuss charity right after talking about the punishment of the disbelievers? We answer that Allah often brings contrasting issues to motivate you.  He mentioned charity right after punishment to encourage you to rush towards pleasure and Paradise.  Allah, who abandons the disbelievers, will rush to the aid of the believers.  What a beautiful contrast.  

The Quran is the miraculous word of God, and such contrasting statements are parts of its beauty and impact.  Our Creator knows the best way to speak to us.  Every person is made up of many faculties that are closely intertwined.  For example, when you listen to slow music, you often have romantic or relaxing emotions, and your eyes may even tear up.  Likewise, when you see a picture of an old friend, you recall the good times together and remember images of family and friends.  One action stirs up many thoughts and emotions.  Allah's speech nourishes all of our mental and emotional faculties at once. 

Let's look at a few examples.  The polytheists used to enter the Sacred House in Mecca freely.  Many traveled long distances to visit Mecca during the pilgrimage season and brought their wealth and goods to trade.  This Hajj season was the main driver of all economic activity in Mecca.  Allah wanted to prevent the polytheists from entering His Sacred House.  He started the address to the Muslims as follows:

O you who believe, those who associate partners with God are impure. So, after the expiry of this year, let them not approach the Sacred Mosque.

But Allah is our Creator, and He knows how our faculties and emotions interact.  You could imagine the anxiety of Mecca's merchants when they heard of the prohibition on non-Muslims entering the Sacred Mosque.  How would they earn their living? Who would buy their goods? Thus, in the very same verse, Allah immediately addressed the issue on everyone's mind.  He continued:

And should you fear poverty, God will enrich you out of His bounty if He so wills.  Surely, God is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (9:28)

This is the magnificence of the divine speech: God addresses concerns and emotions even before the listener is aware of them.  The phrase "should you fear poverty" is a perfect example of that.  When you and I speak, we may miss the emotional impact of our words on the listener.  In fact, many family and social problems are the result of misunderstandings.  But Allah does not miss anything.  Let's look at two other examples.  God says:

They say, "Should we follow the guidance with you, we will be driven out of our land by force." Did We not establish a secure sanctuary for them where fruits of all kinds are brought as a provision from Us? But most of them do not know. (28:57)

Here again, Allah gives the people of Arabia peace of mind, specifically addressing their economic concerns.  He reminds everyone that He is the One Who provides and grants economic security. 

In another verse, God says:

Have you not seen how those who have been forbidden to hold secret conversations go back afterward and hold them and conspire with one another in what is sinful, hostile, and disobedient to the Messenger? When they come to you, they greet you with words God has never used to greet you and say to themselves, "Why does God not punish us for what we say?" Hell will be punishment enough for them: they will burn there - an evil destination. (58:8)

Take note that God informed the disbelievers not only of their secret conversations but also of the thoughts and words they have within themselves.  He said, "They say to themselves, 'Why does God not punish us for what we say?'" Allah has full knowledge of what we conceal and how our psychological faculties interact.  So next time, when you read the Quran, pay close attention, and you will find that its verses are interconnected and arranged in a beautiful manner.  Allah addresses your mind and emotions, so all of your faculties are satisfied and nourished. 

This brings us back to the verse.  God says, "None of you will attain true piety unless you spend out of what you cherish," bringing up the issue of the type of charity that is acceptable immediately after He highlighted those who spent tons of treasure and earned no reward at all.  Allah knows that, when you hear the phrase in verse 91 of Al-Imran, "no ransom even if it was as much gold as to fill the earth will be accepted from any of them," you will wonder about your charity and if it would be acceptable to God.  Thus, Allah immediately addresses your concern with:

None of you will attain true piety unless you spend out of what you cherish: whatever you give, God knows about it very well.  (Chapter 3: Verse 92)

Allah is guiding you towards generosity because He knows of our tendency to be greedy and stingy.  He says:

Be mindful of God as much as you can; hear and obey; be charitable - it is for your own good. Those who are saved from their own stinginess will be the prosperous ones. (64:16)

Both greed and stinginess stem from our fear that life's circumstances will change for the worse.  Hence, when people earn money or buy goods, they save some for a rainy day.  This is especially true when resources become scarce.  Let's clarify with the following example:  Suppose you have three children and brought home twenty oranges.  Every child can eat his or her fill with no need to worry about the others.  But if you only get two oranges, then you would have a problem with the competing kids.  You have to slice the oranges to ensure that one child does not deprive the others.  Likewise, most of our problems today are fought over insatiable greed and dwindling resources. 

Such was not the case at the beginning of history.  In the olden days, the population was low, and resources were plenty.  If you wanted a piece of land, you simply took it to build and farm.  You could pick all the fruit you need from wild trees.  But, as the population increased and people had more tools at their disposal, resources seemed scarcer.  Circumstances were ripe for greed. 

Allah wants you to keep Him in the equation of your wealth.  Let's take a realistic look at the money you earn: you use the intellect God granted you and the body He gave you to make a living.  You eat from the animals and plants God created for you and use the energy and metals He deposited in the earth.  Since everything belongs to God, your role is minimal when it comes to earning provision and money.  Don't you owe God His right from all He gave you?  Allah does not ask for His sake; He is free of need.  Allah's right is for your brothers and sisters in humanity who are down on their fortunes.  More importantly, just as Allah asks you to give from what you like, He will ask everyone to give their best if you fall on hard times. Isn't that the best insurance policy of all?