Al-Birr (Piety, Righteousness)
This Ayah contains many great wisdoms, encompassing rulings and correct beliefs.
As for the explanation of this Ayah, Allah first commanded the believers to face Bayt Al-Maqdis, and then to face the Ka`bah during the prayer. This change was difficult for some of the People of the Book, and even for some Muslims. Then Allah sent revelation which clarified the wisdom behind this command, that is, obedience to Allah, adhering to His commands, facing wherever He commands facing, and implementing whatever He legislates, that is the objective. This is Birr, Taqwa and complete faith. Facing the east or the west does not necessitate righteousness or obedience, unless it is legislated by Allah. This is why Allah said:
﴿áøóíúÓó ÇáúÈöÑøó Ãóä ÊõæóáøõæÇú æõÌõæåóßõãú ÞöÈóáó ÇáúãóÔúÑöÞö æóÇáúãóÛúÑöÈö æóáóÜßöäøó ÇáúÈöÑøó ãóäú ÁóÇãóäó ÈöÇááøóåö æóÇáúíóæúãö ÇáÇøñÎöÑö﴾
(It is not Birr that you turn your faces towards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Birr is the one who believes in Allah and the Last Day,)
Similarly, Allah said about the sacrifices:
﴿áóä íóäóÇáó Çááøóåó áõÍõæãõåóÇ æóáÇó ÏöãóÂÄõåóÇ æóáóÜßöä íóäóÇáõåõ ÇáÊøóÞúæóì ãöäßõãú﴾
(It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is the piety from you that reaches Him.) (22:37)
Abu Al-`Aliyah said, "The Jews used to face the west for their Qiblah, while the Christians used to face the east for their Qiblah. So Allah said:
﴿áøóíúÓó ÇáúÈöÑøó Ãóä ÊõæóáøõæÇú æõÌõæåóßõãú ÞöÈóáó ÇáúãóÔúÑöÞö æóÇáúãóÛúÑöÈö﴾
(It is not Birr that you turn your faces towards east and (or) west (in prayers)) (2: 177) meaning, "this is faith, and its essence requires implementation.'' Similar was reported from Al-Hasan and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Ath-Thawri recited:
﴿æóáóÜßöäøó ÇáúÈöÑøó ãóäú ÁóÇãóäó ÈöÇááøóåö﴾
(but Birr is the one who believes in Allah,) and said that what follows are the types of Birr. He has said the truth. Certainly, those who acquire the qualities mentioned in the Ayah will have indeed embraced all aspects of Islam and implemented all types of righteousness; believing in Allah, that He is the only God worthy of worship, and believing in the angels the emissaries between Allah and His Messengers.
The `Books' are the Divinely revealed Books from Allah to the Prophets, which were finalized by the most honorable Book (the Qur'an). The Qur'an supercedes all previous Books, it mentions all types of righteousness, and the way to happiness in this life and the Hereafter. The Qur'an abrogates all previous Books and testfies to all of Allah's Prophets, from the first Prophet to the Final Prophet, Muhammad, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon them all.
Allah's statement:
﴿æóÁóÇÊóì ÇáúãóÇáó Úóáóì ÍõÈøöåö﴾
(...and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it,) refers to those who give money away while desiring it and loving it. It is recorded in the Sahihayn that Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said:
«ÃóÝúÖóáõ ÇáÕøóÏóÞÉö Ãóäú ÊóÕóÏøóÞó æóÃóäúÊó ÕóÍöíÍñ ÔóÍöíÍñ¡ ÊóÃúãõáõ ÇáúÛöäóì æÊóÎúÔóì ÇáúÝÞúÑ»
(The best charity is when you give it away while still healthy and thrifty, hoping to get rich and fearing poverty.)
Allah said:
﴿æóíõØúÚöãõæäó ÇáØøóÚóÇãó Úóáóì ÍõÈøöåö ãöÓúßöíäÇð æóíóÊöíãÇð æóÃóÓöíÑÇð - ÅöäøóãóÇ äõØúÚöãõßõãú áöæóÌúåö Çááøóåö áÇó äõÑöíÏõ ãöäßõãú ÌóÒóÂÁð æóáÇó ÔõßõæÑÇð ﴾
(And they give food, inspite of their love for it, to the Miskin (the poor), the orphan, and the captive (saying): "We feed you seeking Allah's Face only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you.'') (76:8, 9)
and:
﴿áóä ÊóäóÇáõæÇú ÇáúÈöÑøó ÍóÊøóì ÊõäÝöÞõæÇú ãöãøóÇ ÊõÍöÈøõæäó﴾
(By no means shall you attain Birr unless you spend of that which you love.) (3:92) Allah's statement:
﴿æóíõÄúËöÑõæäó Úóáóì ÃóäÝõÓöåöãú æóáóæú ßóÇäó Èöåöãú ÎóÕóÇÕóÉñ﴾
(...and give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that) (59:9) refers to a higher category and status, as the people mentioned here give away what they need, while those mentioned in the previous Ayat give away what they covet (but not necessarily need).
Allah's statement:
﴿Ðóæöì ÇáúÞõÑúÈóì﴾
(the kinsfolk) refers to man's relatives, who have more rights than anyone else to one's charity, as the Hadith supports:
«ÇáÕøóÏóÞóÉõ Úóáóì ÇáúãóÓóÇßöíäö ÕóÏóÞóÉñ¡ æÚóáóì Ðöí ÇáÑøóÍöãö ÇËúäÊóÇäö: ÕóÏóÞóÉñ æóÕöáóÜÉñ¡ Ýóåõãú Ãóæúáóì ÇáäøóÇÓö Èößó æóÈöÈöÑøößó æóÅöÚúØóÇÆöß»
(Sadaqah (i. e., charity) given to the poor is a charity, while the Sadaqah given to the relatives is both Sadaqah and Silah (nurturing relations), for they are the most deserving of you and your kindness and charity).
Allah has commanded kindness to the relatives in many places in the Qur'an.
﴿æóÇáúíóÊóÜãóì﴾
(to the orphans) The orphans are children who have none to look after them, having lost their fathers while they are still young, weak and unable to find their own sustenance since they have not reached the age of work and adolescence. `Abdur-Razzaq reported that `Ali said that the Prophet said:
﴿æóÇáúãóÓóÜßöíäõ﴾
(and to Al-Masakin) The Miskin is the person who does not have enough food, clothing, or he has no dwelling. So the Miskin should be granted the provisions to sustain him enough so that he can acquire his needs. In the Sahihayn it is recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that Allah's Messenger said:
«áóíúÓó ÇáúãöÓúßöíäõ ÈöåÐóÇ ÇáØøóæøóÇÝö ÇáøóÐöí ÊóÑõÏøõå ÇáÊøóãúÑóÉõ æÇáÊøóãúÑóÊóÇäö¡ æÇááøõÞúãóÉõ æÇááøõÞúãóÊóÇäö¡ æóáßöäö ÇáúãöÓúßöíäõ ÇáøóÐöí áóÇ íóÌöÏõ Ûöäìð íõÛúäöíå æóáóÇ íõÝúØóäõ áóåõ ÝóíõÊÕóÏøóÞó Úóáóíúå»
(The Miskin is not the person who roams around, and whose need is met by one or two dates or one or two bites. Rather, the Miskin is he who does not have what is sufficient, and to whom the people do not pay attention and, thus, do not give him from the charity.)
﴿æóÇÈúäö ÇáÓøóÈöíáö﴾
(and to the wayfarer) is the needy traveler who runs out of money and should, thus, be granted whatever amount that helps him to go back to his land. Such is the case with whoever intends to go on a permissible journey, he is given what he needs for his journey and back. The guests are included in this category. `Ali bin Abu Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "Ibn As-Sabil (wayfarer) is the guest who is hosted by Muslims.'' Furthermore, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Ja`far Al-Baqir, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Az-Zuhri, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Muqatil bin Hayyan said similarly.
﴿æóÇáÓøóÂÆöáöíäó﴾
(and to those who ask) refers to those who beg people and are thus given a part of the Zakah and general charity.
﴿æóÝöí ÇáÑøöÞóÇÈö﴾
(and to set servants free) These are the servants who seek to free themselves, but cannot find enough money to buy their freedom. We will mention several of these categories and types under the Tafsir of the Ayah on Sadaqah in Surat Bara'ah ﴿chapter 9 in the Qur'an﴾, In sha' Allah.
Allah's statement:
﴿æóÃóÞóÇãó ÇáÕøóáóæÉó﴾
(performs As-Salah (Iqamat-As-Salah)) means those who pray on time and give the prayer its due right; the bowing, prostration, and the necessary attention and humbleness required by Allah. Allah's statement:
﴿æóÁóÇÊóì ÇáÒøóßóæÉó﴾
(and gives the Zakah) means the required charity (Zakah) due on one's money, as Sa`id bin Jubayr and Muqatil bin Hayyan have stated.
Allah's statement:
﴿æóÇáúãõæÝõæäó ÈöÚóåúÏöåöãú ÅöÐóÇ ÚóÜåóÏõæÇú﴾
(and who fulfill their covenant when they make it,)
is similar to:
﴿ÇáøóÐöíäó íõæÝõæäó ÈöÚóåúÏö Çááøóåö æóáÇó íöäÞõÖõæäó ÇáúãöíËóÜÞó ﴾
(Those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and break not the Mithaq (bond, treaty, covenant).) (13:20)
The opposite of this characteristic is hypocrisy. As found in a Hadith:
«ÂíóÉõ ÇáúãõäóÇÝöÞö ËóáóÇËñ: ÅöÐóÇ ÍóÏøóËó ßóÐóÈó¡ æóÅÐóÇ æóÚóÏó ÃóÎúáóÝó¡ æóÅÐóÇ ÇÆúÊõãöäó ÎóÇä»
(The signs of a hypocrite are three: if he speaks, he lies; if he promises, he breaks his promise; and if he is entrusted, he breaches the trust.)
In another version:
«ÅöÐóÇ ÍóÏøóËó ßóÐóÈó¡ æóÅÐóÇ ÚóÇåóÏó ÛóÏóÑó¡æóÅÐóÇ ÎóÇÕóãó ÝóÌóÑ»
(If he speaks, he lies; if he vows, he breaks his vow; and if he disputes, he is lewd.)
Allah's statement:
﴿æóÇáÕøóÇÈöÑöíäó Ýöì ÇáúÈóÃúÓóÂÁö æÇáÖøóÑøóÇÁö æóÍöíäó ÇáúÈóÃúÓö﴾
(. ..and who are patient in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting (during the battles).) means, during the time of meekness and ailment.
﴿æóÍöíäó ÇáúÈóÃúÓö﴾
(...and at the time of fighting (during the battles).) means on the battlefield while facing the enemy, as Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Murrah Al-Hamdani, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Abu Malik, Ad-Dahhak and others have stated.
And calling them the patient here, is a form of praise, because of the importance of patience in these circumstances, and the suffering and difficulties that accompany them. And Allah knows best, it is He Whom help is sought from, and upon Him we rely.
Allah's statement:
﴿ÃõæáóÜÆößó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÕóÏóÞõæÇ﴾
(Such are the people of the truth) means, whoever acquires these qualities, these are truthful in their faith. This is because they have achieved faith in the heart and realized it in deed and upon the tongue. So they are the truthful,
﴿æóÃõæáóÜÆößó åõãõ ÇáúãõÊøóÞõæäó﴾
(and they are Al-Muttaqun (the pious).) because they avoided the prohibitions and performed the acts of obedience.
﴿íÜÃóíøõåóÇ ÇáøóÐöíäó ÁóÇãóäõæÇú ßõÊöÈó Úóáóíúßõãõ ÇáúÞöÕóÇÕõ Ýöí ÇáúÞóÊúáóì ÇáúÍõÑøõ ÈöÇáúÍõÑøö æóÇáúÚóÈúÏõ ÈöÇáúÚóÈúÏö æóÇáÇøòäËóì ÈöÇáÇøòäúËóì Ýóãóäú ÚõÝöìó áóåõ ãöäú ÃóÎöíåö ÔóìúÁñ ÝóÇÊøöÈóÇÚñ ÈöÇáúãóÚúÑõæÝö æóÃóÏóÂÁñ Åöáóíúåö ÈöÅöÍúÓóÜäò Ðóáößó ÊóÎúÝöíÝñ ãøöä ÑøóÈøößõãú æóÑóÍúãóÉñ Ýóãóäö ÇÚúÊóÏóì ÈóÚúÏó Ðóáößó Ýóáóåõ ÚóÐóÇÈñ Ãóáöíãñ ﴾
æóáóßõãú Ýöí ÇáúÞöÕóÇÕö ÍóíóæÉñ íÃõæáöí ÇáÇáúÈóÜÈö áóÚóáøóßõãú ÊóÊøóÞõæäó-﴾
(178. O you who believe! Al-Qisas (the Law of equality) is prescribed for you in case of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But if the killer is forgiven by the brother (or the relatives) of the killed (against blood money), then it should be sought in a good manner, and paid to him respectfully. This is an alleviation and a mercy from your Lord. So after this, whoever transgresses the limits (i.e. kills the killer after taking the blood money), he shall have a painful torment.) (179. And there is (a saving of) life for you in Al-Qisas (the Law of equality in punishment), O men of understanding, that you may acquire Taqwa.)