Charitable giving, as one of the steadfast pillars of the ethical and economic system of Islam, occupies a distinguished position in the verses of the Holy Qur'an. Verse 261 of Surah Al-Baqarah, employing a profound and allegorical expression, elucidates the status of charitable giving on the divine path and clearly articulates the conditions for attaining its immense reward. This verse, by likening charitable giving to a seed that produces seven ears, each bearing a hundred grains, offers a novel depiction of the spiritual and social impacts of this act. The present treatise, adopting a scientific and systematic perspective, analyses this verse and its associated concepts and, through integrating Qur'anic lessons with exegetical analyses, presents a comprehensive vision of charitable giving within the framework of Islamic economics and institutional reforms. This study, while emphasising the purity of wealth, collective charitable giving, and prioritisation of social needs, critiques the existing mechanisms in educational and social systems and proposes reforms accordingly.
مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنْبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنْبُلَةٍ مِائَةُ حَبَّةٍ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
"The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed that grows seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [the reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing."
This verse, utilising an agricultural metaphor, likens charitable giving to a seed which, by producing seven ears each bearing a hundred grains, yields a tremendous fruit. This simile not only indicates the abundance of the reward for charity but also emphasises the conditions necessary for the realisation of this reward.
Key Point: The word "أموالهم" (their wealth) refers to personal and lawful wealth, which constitutes an essential condition for the immense reward of charity.
The term "أموالهم", the plural of "مال" appended with the pronoun "هم", underscores the personal and legitimate ownership of the donors. This term denotes wealth acquired through lawful means, free from any usurpation, oppression, or neglect of religious obligations such as khums. This condition is a fundamental pillar in Islamic economics that transforms charity from a mere material act into a spiritual and devotional practice.
Key Point: Charity derived from unlawful, usurped, or non-khums-paid wealth lacks Qur'anic reward.
Unlawful wealth, usurped property, or wealth from which religious dues have not been fulfilled cannot be encompassed by the immense reward mentioned in the verse. This principle, supported by the hadith "No charity is accepted from usurped wealth", underscores the necessity of the purity of wealth. This concept connects charitable giving to an act contingent upon adherence to ethical and religious principles.
Key Point: The plural form "الذین ینفقون" highlights the importance of collective charity and its social impact.
The verse employs the plural form "الذین ینفقون" instead of the singular "الذی ینفق", emphasising the value of collective charitable giving. This grammatical choice indicates a social vision wherein charity as a communal act produces wider societal effects. This concept aligns with the verse "And cooperate in righteousness and piety" (Surah Al-Ma'idah: 2), which stresses cooperation in virtue and God-consciousness.
Key Point: Charity is a moderate act, whereas self-sacrifice, which involves foregoing personal needs, holds a superior rank and greater reward.
While charity is a valuable act, it ranks below self-sacrifice, where one relinquishes personal necessities. The verse "And they give preference over themselves, even though they are in privation" (Surah Al-Hashr: 9) highlights this higher rank. This distinction indicates a gradation in Islamic ethical deeds ranging from moderate charity to elevated altruism.
Key Point: High-quality charity, even on a small scale, is superior to large-scale but poor-quality charity.
The value system of the Holy Qur'an prioritises quality over quantity. Just as a student holding a bachelors degree with a 19 GPA is superior to a doctorate holder with an 11 GPA, charity performed with purity, sincerity, and purposeful intent holds far greater merit than extensive yet low-quality charity. This principle resonates with the concept of ihsan in the verse "And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good" (Surah Al-Baqarah: 195).
Verse 261 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with a precise and allegorical expression, presents charitable giving as a devotional and social act whose reward is contingent upon the purity of wealth, collectiveness, and purposeful intent in the path of Allah. This verse, emphasising the quality of charity and distinguishing it from self-sacrifice, outlines an ethical and economic framework for the Islamic community.
Key Point: Traditional charity, such as distribution of trivial items, leads to social infantilism and violation of human dignity.
Traditional charity, like the distribution of items such as chickpeas, beans, or trivial sums, not only fails to satisfy the genuine needs of the poor but also undermines their human dignity. This approach, rather than addressing root problems, perpetuates poverty and dependency. Charity in the way of Allah must aim to fulfil fundamental needs such as food, medicine, and housing to produce tangible outcomes.
Key Point: The current stipend system, by distributing trivial sums, weakens the dignity of students and promotes poverty.
The stipend distribution system in religious institutions, which is limited to minimal payments (e.g., 5 to 10 tomans), neither meets the needs of the students nor supports them properly. Instead, it drives them toward behaviours such as begging. Rather than supporting scholarship, this system imposes economic hardship on students and compromises their dignity. It is recommended to allocate resources to outstanding students, focusing on scientific production and research.
Key Point: Young students, through their diligence and talent, have initiated a scholarly movement within religious institutions.
Young students in religious institutions, endowed with diligence and notable talents, possess the capability to critique and analyse the scientific works of their predecessors. This scholarly movement evidences the dynamism of the new generation, which, with adequate support, can achieve significant advances in the production of religious knowledge.
Key Point: Targeted financial support for outstanding students is the key to enhancing the quality of religious education.
To elevate the religious educational system, financial resources must be strategically allocated to distinguished students. Allocating substantial amounts (e.g., 2 to 3 million tomans) to a limited number of students facilitates concentration on research and scientific production, preventing resource dispersion.
Key Point: Social assistance should focus on job creation and fulfilling fundamental needs instead of distributing trivial items.
The current social assistance, restricted to distributing items such as chickpeas and beans, is not only ineffective but also damages human dignity. These aids must be redirected towards creating employment opportunities, providing housing, and addressing fundamental needs to yield sustainable results.
Key Point: Existing housing policies, through evictions and financial guarantees, violate the dignity of students.
Housing policies in religious institutions, which evict students after a limited period or demand financial guarantees, infringe upon their dignity and impose psychological pressure. It is proposed that permanent or more extensive housing arrangements be provided to students, allowing them to focus on study and research.
The critique of current social and educational systems, from traditional charity to stipend distribution and housing policies, reveals the necessity for fundamental reforms. These reforms must prioritise human dignity, quality enhancement in education, and targeted support for outstanding students to build a just and dynamic society.
Key Point: The parable in the verse, distinguishing between muthallal and tamthil, demonstrates rhetorical and semantic precision.
Verse 261 of Surah Al-Baqarah, through its parabolic structure, presents "the example of those who spend" as the muthallal (simile target) and "like a seed" as the tamthil (simile vehicle). This structure, utilising Arabic rhetorical principles, likens charity to a seed that produces seven ears, portraying the multiplicity of reward.
Key Point: "حبة", derived from "حبّ", refers to a seed cultivated with love and care by the farmer.
The word "حبة", derived from "حبّ" meaning love, points to a small seed cultivated with affection and attention by farmers. This derivation emphasises the emotional and economic dimension of charity, as just as a seed transforms into a fruitful ear through care, charity leads to immense reward through sincerity.
Key Point: The agency of "حبة" in "أنبتت" emphasises the role of human effort in realising the fruitfulness of charity.
The verb "أنبتت" is attributed to the "حبة" rather than directly to Allah, indicating the role of human endeavour in the process of charity. Just as a farmers watering and care enable the seed to grow, the donors adherence to religious conditions results in the fruition of reward.
Key Point: The numbers "seven" and "one hundred" symbolise perfection and abundance, not fixed numerical values.
The numbers "seven" and "one hundred" in the verse serve as symbols of perfection and abundance rather than precise quantities. These figures reflect the flexibility of the reward of charity in accordance with varying agricultural conditions such as water, soil, and climate.
Key Point: "سنابل", derived from "سبل", refers to the gradual and concealed growth of the seed.
The word "سنابل", plural of "سنبلة" and derived from "سبل", signifies the gradual growth of the seed, which is covered by a protective husk. This derivation likens charity to a process that, with precision and care
