The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 419
PT. 3 270. "He grants wisdom AL-BAQARAH to whom He pleases, and whoever CH. 2 يُؤْتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَنْ يَّشَاءُ ۚ وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا وَمَا is granted wisdom has indeed been granted abundant good; and none would be reminded except those endowed with understanding. 276 "17:40. declines, individuals cannot remain unaffected. Again, if we do not help our less fortunate countrymen, they will be tempted to resort to asi i. e. foul and unfair means, and the community will become degraded in the eyes of others. Two pairs of words occur in this verse and their order deserves notice. According to their significance, (bounty) corresponds to (poverty) and (forgiveness or the covering of shortcomings) corresponds to (foul or infamous conduct). Now, following the above significance of the words, the word ought to have preceded the word. But this order has not been observed in the verse, the reason being that whereas the first result of accepting Satan's suggestion, as mentioned in the present verse, is and then comes the first and immediate consequence of one's spending one's وفحشاء فضل and مغفرة wealth in charity is comes afterwards. Another reason for this order is that Satan cares more for wealth than good name; hence in his case precedes. But the righteous care more for God's forgiveness than for 419 يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُوا الْأَلْبَابِ worldly prosperity, hence in their case the precedence of the former to the latter. Forgiveness from Allah as promised here, signifies that not only will men deal kindly and magnanimously with those who spend their wealth in charity, but God also will deal kindly with them. If a man helps the poor, people generally connive at his faults. Similarly, God will pardon his sins and forgive his shortcomings. Nay, He will do more. He will bestow grace and bounty on him, i. e. He will make him prosper and thrive as a result of his charity. The verse also hints that if, in spite of the evil suggestions of Satan, we spend our wealth for the good of humanity, not only shall we prosper individually but also rise as a nation. Finally God is (Bountiful), hence His bounty will have no limit. He is also (All-Knowing), hence He will help righteous men in ways beyond their wildest imagination. 276. Commentary: The verse points out that the injunction regarding spending wealth in charity, which is the secret of national advancement, is based on