The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2)

The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 180

PT. 4 AN-NISA' E CH. 4 وَابْتَلُوا الْيَتَى حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغُوا النِّكَاحَ And prove the orphans until. 7 they attain the age of marriage; فَإِنْ أَنَسْتُمُ مِّنْهُمْ رُشْدًا فَادْفَعُوا then, if you find in them sound إلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوهَا إِسْرَافًا judgement, deliver to them their وَبِدَارًا اَنْ يَّكْبَرُوا وَمَنْ كَانَ غَنِيًّا extravagance and haste against property; and devour it not in their growing up. And whoso is فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَنْ كَانَ فَقِيرًا فَلْيَأْكُلْ rich, let him abstain; and whoso بِالْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمُ is poor, let him eat thereof with equity. And when you deliver to them their property, then call (Lane). So would mean, the act or state of standing; a means of support or sustenance. Commentary: The verse speaks of the property of the orphans as "your property," hinting thereby that the guardians of orphans should be very careful about spending the orphans' property and should in this respect treat it as their own. The expression "your property" may also signify "the property of the orphans which is in your custody. " It is also possible that the expression has been used here to include all property whether belonging to the orphans or to their guardians. As special emphasis was laid in the preceding verses on the care and good treatment of orphans, there was a likelihood that some Muslims might too readily give orphans their money on demand from them. This verse cautions guardians against such a hasty step, because, being young and inexperienced, orphans might waste their money and might also thereby 620 spoil their character. Muslims are, therefore, bidden to meet the legitimate needs of orphans but not to squander away their money, which is of their support and maintenance. The same injunction applies to the children or persons of weak understanding in general, the reason being the same in both cases. a means The word translated as been "foolish" but properly meaning, "those who cannot take proper care of possessions", has their substituted for the word "orphans" in the present verse to supply the needed reason for the injunction, as well as to make it of general application, including in its scope all such persons as are unable to take care of their possessions. In the case of disabled adults, the verse would be taken to be addressed to the State which should take effective steps to set up institutions like courts of wards to look after the property of such persons as cannot manage it themselves.