ism

171
2:223 Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will. But do some
good act for your souls beforehand; and fear Allah and know that ye are to meet Him (in the
Hereafter) and give (these) good tidings to those who believe. 249250
249 Sex is not a thing to be ashamed of, or to be treated lightly, or to be indulged to excess. It is as solemn a fact as any
in life. It is compared to a husbandman's tilth; it is a serious affair to him; he sows the seed in order to reap the
harvest. But he chooses his own time and mode of cultivation. He does not sow out of season nor cultivate in a
manner which will injure or exhaust the soul. He is wise and considerate and does not run riot. Coming from the
simile to human beings, every kind of mutual consideration is required, but above all, we must remember that even in
these matters there is a spiritual aspect. We must never forget our souls, and that we are responsible to God. (2.223)
250 Our highest spiritual ambition should be the hope of meeting God. To uphold such a hope is to give glad tidings to
people of faith. It would only be unrepentant sinners who would fear the meeting. Note how the most sensuous
matters are discussed frankly, and immediately taken up into the loftiest regions of spiritual upliftment. (2.223)
2:254 – O ye who believe! spend out of (the bounties) We have provided for you before the day
comes when no bargaining (will avail) nor friendship nor intercession. Those who reject faith
they are the wrong-doers. 294295
294 Spend, i.e, give away in chartiy, or employ in good works, but do not hoard. Good works would in Islam include
everything that advances the good of one that is in need whether a neighbor or a stranger or that advances the good
of the community or even the good of the person himself to whom God has given the bounty. But it must be real good
and there should be no admixture of baser motives, such as vainglory, or false indulgence, or encouragement of
idleness, or playing off one person against another. The bounties include mental and spiritual gifts as well as wealth
and material gifts. (2.254)
295 Cf. ii. 123 and ii. 48. (2.254)
2:264- O ye who believe! cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury like those who
spend their substance to be seen of men but believe neither in Allah nor in the last day. They are in
Parable like a hard barren rock on which is a little soil; on it falls heavy rain which leaves it (just) a bare
stone. They will be able to do nothing with aught they have earned. And Allah guideth not those who
reject faith. 310
310 False charity, "to be seen of men", is really no charity. It is worse, for it betokens a disbelief in God and the Hereafter.
"God seeth well whatever ye do" (ii. 265). It is compared to a hard barren rock on which by chance has fallen a little
soil. Good rain, which renders fertile soil more fruitful, washes away the little soil which this rock had, and exposes its
nakedness. What good can hypocrites derive even from the little wealth they may have amassed? (2.264)
2:267 - O ye who believe! give of the good things which ye have (honorably) earned and of the
fruits of the earth which We have produced for you and do not even aim at getting anything
which is bad in order that out of it ye may give away something when ye yourselves would not
receive it except with closed eyes. And know that Allah is free of all wants and worthy of all
praise. 314315316317
314 According to the English proverb "Charity covers a multitude of sins". Such a sentiment is strongly disapproved in
Islam. Charity has value only if (1) something good and valuable is given, (2) which has been honorably earned or
acquired by the giver, or (3) which is produced in nature and can be referred to as a bounty of God. (1) May include
such things as are of use and value to others though they may be of less use to us or superfluous to us on account of
our having acquired something more suitable for our station in life; for example, discarded clothes, or an old horse or
a used motor car; but if the horse is vicious, or the car engine so far gone that it is dangerous to use, then the gift is
worse than useless; it is positively harmful and the giver is a wrong-doer. (2) Applies to fraudulent companypromoters,
who earn great credit by giving away charity in some of their ill-gotten gains, or to robbers (even if they call
themselves by high-sounding names) who "rob peter to pay Paul". Islam will have nothing to do with tainted property.
Its economic code requires that every gain should be honest and honorable. Even "charity" would not cover or
destroy the taint. (3) Lays down a test in cases of a doubtful gain. Can we refer to it as a gift of God? Obviously the
produce of honest labour or agriculture can be so referred to. In modern commerce and speculation there is much of
quite the contrary character, and charity will not cover the taint. Some kind of art, skill, or talent are God-given: it is
the highest kind of charity to teach them or share their product. Others are the contrary: they are bad or tainted. In
the same way some professions or services may be tainted, if these tend to do moral harm. (2.267)
315 The preceding note tries to indicate some of the things which are bad or tainted. We should not even think of
acquiring them for ourselves, soothing our conscience by the salve that we shall practice charity out of them. (2.267)
316 Closed eyes imply disgust or connivance because of some feature which we would not openly acknowledge. (2.267)
317 To dedicate tainted things to God is a dishonor to God, Who is independent of all wants, and Who is worthy of all
honor and praise. (2.267)
2:277 – Those who believe and do deeds of righteousness and establish regular prayers and
regular charity will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear nor shall they
grieve. 327
Go to UP
171