Translation:
Charity is for those who are confined to the way of God and who are unable to move freely in the land (to seek livelihood); insensitive people think of them to be above need since they do not beg. But you can recognize them by their dignity; they do not go about begging openly. (Therefore, if you recognize them), and whatever you spend of good things (for them), God knows for sure.150
Those who spend their resources (physical, material, and intellectual) day and night, openly and privately, will have their reward with God—they will have no reason to fear or grieve.151
Interpretation:
150 People who are dedicated to the education and teachings of faith, serving people, and actively engaging in establishing peace and justice in the society either in war time or peace time and are therefore constrained by choice or by circumstances deserve to be supported by charity if they are genuine. Nowadays, there are too many charlatans, pirs, mullahs, clergies, rabbis, swamis, and gurus who exploit the soft-heartedness of the faithful and demand charity in the pretense that they are confined to the ways of God. Society has a responsibility to those who are physically confined due to illness, war wounds, and other limitations, such as mental disorders, as well as to those who are genuinely involved in the welfare of the human race. As we look into the Qur’an and reflect on the teachings of God and His Prophet, it is fundamentally important to note that Islam encourages activism and selfless dedication to serving God and His people, and it is incumbent upon the rest of the society to support these individuals and institutions. Having said that, it is also important to note that these services have
to be much broader than just leading prayers in mosques and giving empty sermons
(e.g., the Friday Khutbah, or sermon) to qualify for such supports.
151 The Qur’an is most eloquent and persistent in asking us to dedicate our resources for the benefit of others on a daily basis, i.e., in a consistent and constant manner and openly or secretly, as the situation may dictate, as long as the intent is clear and pure. Here we come to the conclusion of a long series of verses (2:261–274) on the subject of charity and alms, verses that are very comprehensive and give a broad range of
guidelines, approaches, intents, and mannerisms with which to practice charity and service to people. It is important to reiterate that God is self-subsisting and does not require anything from His created beings. Therefore, the only mechanism available to us in which to serve God, other than personal worship, is to serve our fellow men
in the manner of charity, maintain peace and justice, support economic and physical prosperity, and gain knowledge, actions all targeted toward improving the quality of life on this planet. Too many Muslims and people of other faiths are converging on the
notion that ritual worship is sufficient to achieve God’s grace, but this is far from true.
Reflection:
There are few places in the Qur’an where a single subject is dealt with at such length. This implies the importance that Islam gives to charity and helping others. Yet too many of our lives are spent in self-adulation, arrogant self-right- eousness, empty rituals, and seeking gains at the expense of others when they should be spent seeking to uplift others.
Action:
The key action item should be twofold: (1) Make a personal commitment to charity, whatever your means may be, and do it consistently. This commitment should factor in all available means, such as material, physical, and intellectual help and not just monetary help, and (2) Work to develop a collective framework to provide charity to make people self-sufficient instead of just offering a day’s worth of reprieve and sustenance. Services such as free education, free healthcare, vocational training, income-producing tools and equipment, and public works should be part of the charity work and our collective responsibility. Youths and adults need to dedicate a part of their time to supporting such services with public sectors in broad-based efforts strategically as well as tactically.