كَلّا ۖ بَل لا تُكرِمونَ اليَتيمَ

No indeed! Rather, you do not honour the orphan.

EXPOSITION

This verse begins by means of a particle of response, which is kallā, used here to respond to and emphatically negate the assertion and understanding of divine trials described in the two foregoing verses. This particle has been described as having two functions: that of rebuke and repulsion, meaning: not at all, never!, certainly not, by no means, and the other being emphasis, meaning: no way, not ever.^{‎[1]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 817.} This succinct particle emphatically and unreservedly negates the perspective with which mankind tends to view and consider honour and blessings on the one hand, and the straitening of provisions on the other, mentioned in verses 15 and 16, and rebukes and repulses it.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 10/356; Mizan, 20/283; Tabrisi.J, 6/488.} Rāzī writes that the attitude described in verses 15 and 16 is that of the disbelievers who only consider the apparent of things (30:7), as well as of those weak in faith (22:11).^{‎[3]Razi, 31/155.} Furthermore, the Quran observes that mankind generally has a tendency to become arrogant and wayward when granted ease and comforts (42:27), while the same person becomes depressed and despondent when subjected to difficulties and hardship (41:51, 11:9).

Rāzī goes on to ask as to how worldly blessings and abundance necessarily indicate honour, whilst tribulations and deprivations indicate a humiliation, when the human soul has a tendency to become attached to worldly comforts, losing which subsequently becomes very difficult and hard, especially at the time of death. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said: ‘A person whose engagement with the world intensifies shall be exceedingly regretful at the time of his departure from it.’^{‎[4]Mishkat, p. 272.} Such comforts and abundance also make the human being forget God, while the opposite, which is lack of worldly comforts, allows the human being to concentrate on God and His worship since the human is less distracted. Imam al-Bāqir (a) narrates that there was a poor, yet devout companion of the Prophet of God who was from the People of the Veranda (al-ṣuffah). His name was Saʿd and he was very particular with respect to the daily prayers. The Prophet used to feel much compassion and pity on his straitened circumstances. He used to say to him: ‘If something valuable comes my way then I shall certainly enrich you with it.’ Subsequently, Gabriel came to the Prophet and gave him two dirhams, telling him to give it to Saʿd and to ask him to undertake trade with it. The Prophet did this, and consequently circumstances took such a turn for the better for Saʿd that if he bought something for a dirham he would sell it for two, and if he bought something for two dirhams he would sell it for four, and his wealth and trade increased dramatically. He chose a spot near the door of Masjid al-Nabī as a place of trade for himself. However, when Bilāl would give the call to prayer at the behest of the Prophet, Saʿd would remain preoccupied with the world. He would neither perform the ablutions nor prepare himself for the ritual prayers. The Prophet used to say: ‘Saʿd, the world has preoccupied you and diverted you away from the ritual prayers,’ and Saʿd would retort: ‘So what should I do? Should I waste away my wealth? This customer requires my attention and that supplier requires my attention …’ Then Gabriel came to the Prophet and said: ‘Worldly possessions and this worldly life causes a preoccupation that diverts away from the hereafter, so tell Saʿd to return the two dirhams you had given him.’ This the Prophet did, while Saʿd’s response at the moment of returning the money reflected exuberant confidence for he said: ‘Rather, I can give you hundreds of dirhams!’ The Prophet said: ‘No, I just want my original two dirhams back,’ which Saʿd returned. Consequently, the world turned its back on Saʿd and all that he had earned and gathered dissipated, while his state regressed to its previous state of poverty.^{‎[5]Mishkat, pp. 272-273.} Therefore, having worldly comforts can be a source of distance from God, while of course the contrary can also be true. In light of this, how can worldly comforts and ease necessarily be a blessing when they may distance the human being from God? Similarly, how can lack of comforts necessarily be a humiliation when it could allow the human being to be less inclined and attached to the world, consequently proving less distracting from God, in addition to which losing the comforts at death becomes less painful?^{‎[6]Razi, 31/155.} Rāzī further argues, in the context of a response to one who may not believe in resurrection and therefore the question of closeness to or distance from God has no meaning for him, that extensive wealth may result in jealousy from enemies leading to murder, looting, and tribulations which a person could suffer on account of his wealth in contrast to which lack of such comforts could lead to peace and safety of his person.^{‎[7]Razi, 31/156.}

Another reason is that if comfort and ease or lack of it was the criterion for God’s nearness and distance then human history has plenty of examples of prophets and messengers of God, as well as faithful and devout people, being overtaken with great difficulties and hardships during their lives, while many an arrogant and tyrannical person has been observed to enjoy multitudes of comforts and ease in his life. The people of ʿĀd, Thamūd, and Pharaoh and his henchmen, described previously, did not suffer material deprivations or need, yet it is clear they were not the closest creatures to God nor honoured by Him. Rather, the matter was the converse. Hence, could it be claimed that the messengers of God had been debased by God and made distant from Him while the tyrants had been brought close to God? Certainly not! The true criteria of being close or distant to God are traits such as knowledge, faith, God-wariness, obedience to God and lack thereof, respectively, and not merely the existence or lack of ease and comforts.^{‎[8]Amthal, 19/187-188.}

Thereafter, there occurs the particle bal in this verse, translated as nay, rather, not so, but, on the contrary. This particle broadly functions in three ways in the Quran. Here, it denotes turning away from what precedes and confirming what follows, setting into contrast that which precedes and that which follows.^{‎[9]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 110.} Ṭūsī writes that the particle bal, which means rather, seeks to convey the idea that humiliation and dishonour is in not honouring the orphans, not encouraging each other in feeding the needy,^{‎[10]Tibyan, 10/356.} etc. Rāzī interprets the particle bal to mean: rather you carry out an act that is worse than this belief, which is dishonouring the orphans …^{‎[11]Razi, 31/157.} It could also be argued that in contrasting between the preceding and the following, the particle bal intends to say that rather than God humiliating the human being when testing him it is actually the human being who humiliates the orphan, the needy, and the weak by being miserly, rude, stingy, and greedy.

In this and the succeeding verses the affluent leaders of Mecca and Taif are directly addressed. They are chided, censured, and admonished for not carrying out the philanthropic acts mentioned. And in order to indicate the severity of this censure the mood of the verses changes from the third person singular in verses 15 and 16 to the second person singular; a direct address of censure and rebuke.^{‎[12]Mizan, 20/283.}

It is worthy of note that this verse draws specific attention to honouring orphans thereby drawing attention to the fact that the emotional and psychological needs of orphans, which may have been affected adversely due to the loss of their parent/s, must be taken care of, and perhaps more so than their bodily needs such as food, clothing, and shelter.

In 93:6 God reminds the Prophet of his own orphan status and how God sheltered him, and so in a subsequent verse of the same surah (93:9) God urges and commends him (and us by extension) not to oppress the orphan, while in 107:2, driving away the orphan in derision is mentioned as one of the principal signs of lack of faith in the Day of Judgement.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) defined an orphan (which here is in the context of a male child), saying: ‘Nocturnal emission is the point in time when an orphan’s state of being an orphan comes to an end. And that is his state of puberty. However, if he experiences nocturnal emission but you do not perceive maturity in him and he proves to be foolish or retarded then let his guardian withhold from him his wealth.’^{‎[13]Faqih, 4/164, h. 575.} A general principle applicable to orphans of both genders that could thus be derived from this tradition is that an orphan is a child that has not yet reached puberty.
2. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) transmits the counsel of the Prophet that he made to Imam Ali (a): ‘Ali! Whoever is among the following four types of people will have God build for him a house in paradise: one who shelters an orphan, has compassion on the weak, takes care of his parents, and treats those under his authority kindly.’ Then he said: ‘Ali! One who provides adequately for an orphan from his wealth such that he becomes self-sufficient and independent will definitely have paradise made obligatory for him. Ali, one who caresses the head of an orphan in compassion will have God grant him in lieu of every hair a light on the Day of Judgement.’^{‎[14]Wasail, 16/337/9, h. 21704.}
3. The Messenger of God is reported to have said: ‘The one who supports and looks after an orphan and I shall be like this in paradise,’ and he gesticulated with his middle and forefinger.^{‎[15]Tabrisi, 10/740.}
4. The Messenger of God said: ‘The best house among Muslims is one in which an orphan is treated kindly, while the worst house among Muslims is one in which an orphan is mistreated.’ Then, while gesticulating with his fingers, he said: ‘One who supports an orphan and I will be in paradise.’^{‎[16]Mishkat, p. 167.}
5. The Messenger of God said: ‘God will humiliate whoever humiliates an orphan.’^{‎[17]Mishkat, p. 168.}
6. ʿAjlān ibn Abī Ṣāliḥ narrates: ‘I asked Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) regarding one who consumes the wealth of the orphans and he said: “His position is just as God said: Indeed those who consume the property of orphans wrongfully, only ingest fire into their bellies, and soon they will enter the blaze [4:10].” Then he added without being asked: “One who supports and provides for an orphan till he reaches maturity or becomes independent and capable of looking after himself, will have God, the exalted and the majestic, ordain paradise for him just as He has ordained hell for one who consumes the property of the orphans.”’^{‎[18]Daqaiq, 3/343.}
7. Ibn Abī Awfā narrates: ‘We were seated in the company of the Messenger of God (s) when a young boy came along and said: “I am an orphan, I have a sister who is an orphan too and a mother who is a widow. Feed us with what God has fed you and God shall grant you with what is with Him till you are pleased and happy.” The Messenger of God said: “What a nice thing you said, child! Bilāl! Go forth and bring us what we have.” So Bilāl came back with twenty-one dates. The Prophet said [to the orphan child]: “Seven [dates] for you, seven for your sister, and seven for your mother.” Then Muʿādh ibn Jabal went over to him and caressed his head and said: “May God redress your state of orphanhood and cause you to succeed your father.” The boy was from the sons of the Muhājirūn. So the Messenger of God said: “I observed what you did, O Muʿādh.” He replied: “I felt compassion for him.” The Messenger of God said: “None of you takes charge of an orphan and consequently carries out his charge excellently and places his hand on his head save that God shall register in lieu of every strand of hair a goodness, and wipe off for every strand of hair an evil deed, and shall raise him in station for every strand of hair.”’^{‎[19]Daqaiq, 4/322.}

[1] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 817.
[2] Tibyan, 10/356; Mizan, 20/283; Tabrisi.J, 6/488.
[3] Razi, 31/155.
[4] Mishkat, p. 272.
[5] Mishkat, pp. 272-273.
[6] Razi, 31/155.
[7] Razi, 31/156.
[8] Amthal, 19/187-188.
[9] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 110.
[10] Tibyan, 10/356.
[11] Razi, 31/157.
[12] Mizan, 20/283.
[13] Faqih, 4/164, h. 575.
[14] Wasail, 16/337/9, h. 21704.
[15] Tabrisi, 10/740.
[16] Mishkat, p. 167.
[17] Mishkat, p. 168.
[18] Daqaiq, 3/343.
[19] Daqaiq, 4/322.