Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi — Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

(Prove orphans�) [4:6]. This was revealed about Thabit ibn Rifa�ah and his uncle. Rifa�ah died when his son Thabit was very young. The uncle of Thabit went to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and said: �The son of my brother is an orphan under my care, what is lawful for me from his wealth? And when should I give him back his wealth?� And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse.

Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi — Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

(Unto the men (of a family) belongeth a share of that which parents and near kindred leave�) [4:7]. The commentators of the Qur�an said: �Aws ibn Thabit al-Ansari died and was survived by a wife whose name was Umm Kujjah and three daughters he had from her. Two men, who were the cousins and executors of Thabit, whose names were Suwayd and �Arfajah, took all his wealth and failed to give anything to his wife or daughters. This is because in the pre-Islamic period women and children, even if they were male, did not inherit anything, for only older man did. They used to say: �Only those who fight riding horses and capture booty are entitled to inherit�. Umm Kujjah went to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and said: �O Messenger of Allah! I am the widow of Aws ibn Malik and he has left me with daughters on whom I do not have anything to spend. Their father had left behind a considerable fortune which is now with Suwayd and �Arfajah who have failed to give me, or my daughters, anything when they are still under my care. They do not feed me or even care about them�. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, summoned them, and in their defence they said: �O Messenger of Allah! Her children cannot ride a horse, withstand any responsibility or harm an enemy!� The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: �Leave for now, I shall wait for what Allah relates to me concerning their matter�, and they left. Then Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse�.

Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi — Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

Surely those who eat the property of orphans wrongly will be eating only fire in their bellies and will roast in a blaze. The majestic compeller, the great Lord, the renowned keeper of servants, the clement, the gener- ous, the loyal, the tremendous, the lord of everyone, the carrier of everything, who takes the hand of the weak and joins with them in love, in this verse caresses the weak and shows love to the orphans. As for those wrongdoers who skewer the livers of orphans and drink the blood of the indigent, He threatens them and warns them of a fearful punishment. He acts as the deputy of the helpless and disputes with the wrongdoers for their sake. For He is the companion of the weak, the helper of the despairing, the responder to the call of the distressed, and the listener to the voice of the grieved. He loves the servant who, when battered, incapable, and destitute, lets out a cold sigh, sheds warm tears, and lifts two empty hands toward Him, asking again to be excused. It has come in the traditions that a man was saying, “O Lord, O Lord! You have written, You have measured out, and You have decreed!” O God, all that was, is, and shall be is what You want, what You bring about, and what You write for the creatures. O God, none of this is outside Your predestination, nor does it happen without Your decree. A call came in his secret core, “That is tawḤīd. Where is servanthood?” What you have said is nothing but tawḤīd and is fit for My Godhood. What then is the mark of your servanthood? The man said, “O Lord, O Lord! Surely I have disobeyed, I have sinned, and I ask.” O God, what comes from me is fitting for me. O God, I have broken the covenant, I have no loyalty, I am disloyal and everything worse. What can I do about this story-I'm all artifice and color. I'm altogether too lame to walk on the straight road. Greed has made me all grasping claws, I'm all war with the Apportioner's apportioning. Surely those who eat the property of orphans wrongly. It is harsh to eat the wealth of orphans and foolishly crave their possessions. They say that once the marvel of the empire, the pure Jesus, was passing by a graveyard.