The Meaning of the Saying of Allah the Exalted: "But as for the orphan, do not oppress him. And as for the beggar, do not drive him away," and the Explanation of a Rule in Tafsir
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The Shaykh : He said: [Ad-Duhaa 93:9] in response to His saying: [Ad-Duhaa 93:6] meaning, since We have sheltered you, then shelter the orphans; do not oppress them. And as for the beggar, do not drive him away. Is the beggar the one who begs for money, or the one who asks about knowledge? Or both? O students, "do not drive away the beggar" refers to the one who begs for money who says, "Give me a dirham," or the one who seeks knowledge and begs for money? Which one? Both. Here we give you, may Allah reward you, a rule in tafsir: if a noble verse can be understood in two meanings equally, and there is no contradiction between them, it is obligatory to apply it to both. Pay attention to the rule: if the verse can be understood in two meanings equally, and there is no contradiction between them, what do you do? Apply it to both meanings, because Allah the Exalted knows what this word implies. If it implies two meanings, then Allah intended that. Apply it to both meanings. However, if one of the two meanings is more apparent than the other, apply it to what? What? To the other? To the more apparent one. Apply it to the more apparent one. Or, if it can be understood in two meanings equally, but they are contradictory and cannot coexist, then in that case, seek the stronger evidence for one meaning over the other. If you find it, that is fine. If you do not find it, then suspend judgment. And say: [Al-Baqarah 2:32] What is the rule now? Who knows it, let him bring it? One, two, three, four, five. Please.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Equally.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Well done, may Allah reward you. This is the rule: if it can be understood in two meanings equally, and there is no contradiction between them, it is obligatory to apply it to both meanings, because Allah the Exalted is most knowledgeable about His intent. He knows that this word implies two meanings and did not specify one of the two meanings, so it is obligatory to apply it to both. If one of them is more apparent?
The student: If the verse can be understood in two meanings, one of which is more apparent than the other, it is applied to the more apparent one.
The Shaykh : Well done. It is obligatory to apply it to the more apparent one. May Allah reward you. If it can be understood in two meanings, and one is not more apparent than the other, but they cannot coexist, meaning there is a contradiction between them, what do we do?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : What?
The student: We seek the stronger evidence.
The Shaykh : Well done. We seek the stronger evidence from outside the wording. If a stronger evidence is found, we take it. If not, what is our position?
What? Our position is to suspend judgment. We say:[Al-Baqarah 2:32] It is obligatory to suspend judgment. But know that it is impossible for there to be something in the Book of Allah that the Ummah does not know. The Ummah must know it, either all of them or the people of knowledge among them. As for there being something in the Book of Allah that has no meaning, that is impossible. It must be understood. Good.
And as for the beggar, do not drive him away. What did we say? The beggar includes what? The seeker of knowledge and the seeker of money. A poor person comes to you and asks, saying, "Give me, I am in need, I am a traveler." Do not drive him away. Either you say something kind, "By Allah, my brother, I have nothing, I have nothing in my hand," or you give to him. But to drive him away, saying for example, "Get lost, turn your face away, I have nothing. Go," this is not permissible. Perhaps one day you will be, what? A beggar in his position. The world is not certain. Good. The beggar is also the seeker of knowledge. A person comes to you and asks you, wanting you to clarify the ruling of Allah to him. You must clarify it. We seek refuge in Allah from that. But if you know that the questioner is being stubborn or wants to pit the opinions of the scholars against each other, then in that case, drive him away. We will complete this, if Allah wills.
- Interruption for the Adhan -
O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and the established prayer, grant Muhammad the intercession and the virtue, and raise him to the praised station which You have promised him. Indeed, You do not break Your promise.
We said: The seeker of knowledge, what? He must be answered, unless you know that this man is stubborn or that he wants to pit the opinions of the scholars against each other. Then do not answer him. You may drive him away. The practice of the righteous Salaf indicates this.
So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him].
فأما اليتيم فلا تقهرDid He not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge?
ألم يجدك يتيما فآوىExalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us
سبحانك لا علم لنا إلا ما علمتناThe student: ... .
The Shaykh : Equally.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Well done, may Allah reward you. This is the rule: if it can be understood in two meanings equally, and there is no contradiction between them, it is obligatory to apply it to both meanings, because Allah the Exalted is most knowledgeable about His intent. He knows that this word implies two meanings and did not specify one of the two meanings, so it is obligatory to apply it to both. If one of them is more apparent?
The student: If the verse can be understood in two meanings, one of which is more apparent than the other, it is applied to the more apparent one.
The Shaykh : Well done. It is obligatory to apply it to the more apparent one. May Allah reward you. If it can be understood in two meanings, and one is not more apparent than the other, but they cannot coexist, meaning there is a contradiction between them, what do we do?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : What?
The student: We seek the stronger evidence.
The Shaykh : Well done. We seek the stronger evidence from outside the wording. If a stronger evidence is found, we take it. If not, what is our position?
What? Our position is to suspend judgment. We say:
Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us
سبحانك لا علم لنا إلا ما علمتناAnd as for the beggar, do not drive him away. What did we say? The beggar includes what? The seeker of knowledge and the seeker of money. A poor person comes to you and asks, saying, "Give me, I am in need, I am a traveler." Do not drive him away. Either you say something kind, "By Allah, my brother, I have nothing, I have nothing in my hand," or you give to him. But to drive him away, saying for example, "Get lost, turn your face away, I have nothing. Go," this is not permissible. Perhaps one day you will be, what? A beggar in his position. The world is not certain. Good. The beggar is also the seeker of knowledge. A person comes to you and asks you, wanting you to clarify the ruling of Allah to him. You must clarify it.
And whoever is asked about his knowledge and conceals it, will be bridled with a bridle of fire on the Day of Resurrection
ومن سئل عن علمه فكتمه ألجم بلجام من نار يوم القيامة- Interruption for the Adhan -
O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and the established prayer, grant Muhammad the intercession and the virtue, and raise him to the praised station which You have promised him. Indeed, You do not break Your promise.
We said: The seeker of knowledge, what? He must be answered, unless you know that this man is stubborn or that he wants to pit the opinions of the scholars against each other. Then do not answer him. You may drive him away. The practice of the righteous Salaf indicates this.