Surah 2:215

"They ask you (about) what they should contribute. Say: ‘Whatever good you have contributed is for parents and family, and the orphans, and the poor, and the traveler. Whatever good you do, surely God knows about it.’"

Islamic Commentaries (1)Manuscripts (61)

Who deserves the Nafaqah (Spending or Charity) Verses 2:215

Show Full Scripture Context (2:215) — 1 Verse

Verse 215

يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَۖ قُلۡ مَآ أَنفَقۡتُم مِّنۡ خَيۡرٖ فَلِلۡوَٰلِدَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِۗ وَمَا تَفۡعَلُواْ مِنۡ خَيۡرٖ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٞ

They ask you (about) what they should contribute. Say: ‘Whatever good you have contributed is for parents and family, and the orphans, and the poor, and the traveler. Whatever good you do, surely God knows about it.’

Muqatil bin Hayyan said that this Ayah was revealed about the voluntary charity. The Ayah means, They ask you (O Muhammad) how they should spend,' as Ibn 'Abbas and Mujahid have stated. So, Allah explained it for them, saying:

Quoted Scripture

"Say: "Whatever you spend of good must be for parents and kindred and orphans and Al-Masakin and the wayfarer,""

meaning, spend it on these categories or areas. Similarly, a Hadith states (that those who deserve one's generosity the most, are):

«Your mother, father, sister, brother, the closest and then the farthest (relatives).»

Maymun bin Mihran once recited this Ayah (2:215) and commented, "These are the areas of spending. Allah did not mention among them the drums, pipe, wooden pictures, or the [missing OCR portion]

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.

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