And do not touch the property of the orphans except for bettering it, until they come of age; and fulfil the promise made: You will surely be questioned about the promise.
And do not approach the wealth of the orphan except in the best possible way, till he reaches adulthood; and fulfil the promise; indeed the promise will be asked about.
And do not approach the property of the orphan save in the fairest manner, until he is of age. And fulfil the covenant; surely the covenant shall be questioned of.
And do not touch the substance of an orphan, save to improve it, before he comes of age. And be true to every promise - for, verily, [on Judgment Day] you will be called to account for every promise which you have made!
And approach not the substance of an'orphan save with that which is best, until he attaineth his age of strength. And fulfil the covenant; verily the covenant shall be asked about.
And come not near to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength. And fulfil (every) covenant. Verily! the covenant, will be questioned about.
And do not go near the orphan’s property, except with the best of intentions, until he has reached his maturity. And honor your pledge, because the pledge involves responsibility.
(x) And do not even go near the property of the orphan - except that it be in the best manner - till he attains his maturity. (xi) And fulfil the covenant, for you will be called to account regarding the covenant.
And come not near to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength. And fulfill (every) covenant. Verily, the covenant will be questioned about.
Come not near the wealth of the orphan save with that which is better till he come to strength; and keep the covenant. Lo! of the covenant it will be asked.
Do not approach the orphan’s property except in the best manner, until he comes of age. Fulfill the covenants; indeed all covenants are accountable.
Do not draw near the wealth of the orphan except in the best manner, until he reaches maturity. And keep your promise. Surely, the promise will be questioned.
And do not approach the property of an orphan, except in the way that is best, until he reaches maturity. And fulfill [every] commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever [that about which one will be] questioned.
Do not get close to the property of the orphans (unless it is for a good reason) until they are mature and strong. Keep your promise; you will be questioned about it.
And draw not near to the property of the orphan except in a goodly way till he attains his maturity and fulfill the promise; surely (every) promise shall be questioned about.
Wal<u>a</u> taqraboo m<u>a</u>la alyateemi ill<u>a</u> bi<b>a</b>llatee hiya a<u>h</u>sanu <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> yablugha ashuddahu waawfoo bi<b>a</b>lAAahdi inna alAAahda k<u>a</u>na masool<u>a</u><b>n</b>
Do not go near the orphans' property, except with the best of intentions, until they reach maturity. Keep your promises; you will be called to account for every promise which you have made!
Come not nigh to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength; and fulfil (every) engagement, for (every) engagement will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ مَالَ ٱلْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ وَأَوْفُوا۟ بِٱلْعَهْدِ إِنَّ ٱلْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْـُٔولًا
Do not transact in the property of a child whose father has passed away, except in his best interests such as investing or preserving it until he reaches the age of mental and prudential maturity. Fulfill any pledge between yourselves and Allah, or between yourselves and His servants, without breaking or falling short in them. Allah will question the one who made a pledge on the Day of Judgement.   Did he fulfill it, in which case He will reward him, or did he not fulfil it, in which case He will punish him.
Do not transact in the property of a child whose father has passed away, except in his best interests such as investing or preserving it until he reaches the age of mental and prudential maturity. Fulfill any pledge between yourselves and Allah, or between yourselves and His servants, without breaking or falling short in them. Allah will question the one who made a pledge on the Day of Judgement.   Did he fulfill it, in which case He will reward him, or did he not fulfil it, in which case He will punish him.
<p>Commentary</p><p>Mentioned in the two verses cited above, there are three injunctions: the ninth, the tenth and the eleventh. They relate to financial rights. It will be recalled that previous verses dealt with physical rights while the financial ones appear here.</p><p>Caution in handling the property of orphans</p><p>The ninth injunction given in the first verse (34) concerns the protection of properties owned by orphans and the observation of caution in their handling. Laying emphasis on it, it was said: 'And do not go (even) near the property of orphans.' It means that there should be no free use of their property counter to the provisions of the Shari` ah or the interest and advantage of the children. Those who are charged with the protection and management of the properties of orphans are duty-bound to observe utmost caution therein. When spending, they must spend only in the interest and to the advantage of orphans - and definitely not as based on their whim or lack of concern. And this pattern of management is to continue until such time when the orphaned children grow up and become capable of protecting their property themselves - the lower limit is when they attain to the age of fifteen years while the higher is eighteen years.</p><p>The fact is that it is just not permissible to spend from anyone's property through false means. But, it has been mentioned here in the case of orphans particularly because they themselves are incapable of keeping or taking account and no one is expected to know about it. So, a place where no one is present to demand one's right is exactly the place where the demand of Allah Ta’ ala becomes stronger and harder. Any shortfall in disbursing such rights becomes more sinful as compared to the rights of common people.</p><p>Fulfillment of Covenants and Implementation of Contracts</p><p>The tenth injunction enjoins the fulfillment of the covenant. There are two forms of the covenant. The first form has two aspects to it: (1) Between Allah and His servant, like the covenant of the servant in eternity that Allah is their Lord. This covenant necessarily results in obedience to His injunctions and the seeking of His pleasure. This is a covenant every human being has made in eternity irrespective of whether he or she is a believer or a disbeliever. (2) The second covenant is the covenant of a believer made through shahadah or professing of the kalimah: لا إله إلا اللہ (la ilaha illallah: there is no god but Allah) the outcome of which is a perfect following of Divine injunctions and the seeking of His pleasure.</p><p>The second form of the covenant takes effect between human beings themselves. This includes all treaties, pacts, agreements, pledges and contracts - political, commercial, or transactional - that are made between individuals or groups or institutions all over the world.</p><p>The fulfillment of all covenants identified in the first form is obligatory on human beings. As for the other kind of covenants or contracts, it is also obligatory to fulfill them subject to the condition that they should not be against the Islamic Law. As for those that are against the Islamic Law, it is obligatory to terminate them - after having first served a notice on the other party. If one of the parties does not fulfill, the other party has the right to go to the court and make them fulfill it. Essentially, a contract is an agreement between two parties that they would do or not do something. And in case, someone unilaterally promises to some-one else that he would give him a certain thing or meet him at a certain time or take care of a certain task for him, then, it is also obligatory to fulfill this promise. There are commentators who include this too under the sense of covenant, but they do so with a slight difference. We know when two parties are bound by a contract, any contravention by one of them can be challenged in the court and the other party can force its completion. But, the fulfillment of a unilateral promise cannot be enforced through the court. Of course, if someone were to go back on the promise made to someone else - without any valid legal excuse permitted by the Shari` ah - he will be committing a sin. In Hadith, this has been called hypocrisy in acts.</p><p>At the end of this verse, it was said: إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْئُولًا (Surely, the covenant shall be asked about). It means: 'On the day of Qiyamah, the way questions shall be asked about the fulfillment or non-fulfillment of obligatory divine injunctions, so it will be with mutual contracts - these too will be asked about.' Here, it has been left at that only: 'it will be asked about.' at is going to happen next after the questioning? This has been left untold. Perhaps, intended as such, it may be signaling towards the danger being great!</p><p>The eleventh injunction enjoins fulfillment of weights and measures in transactions of buying and selling and forbids any short measuring. Full details appear in Surah al-Mutaffifin (83).</p><p>Ruling</p><p>Respected jurists of Islam say that the outcome of the injunction against shortening weights and measures is that it is Haram (unlawful) to give less than whatever is the due of whoever it may be. Therefore, it is also included therein that an employee curtails the assigned duty entrusted with him or gives a time that is less than what should actually be given to it, or that a worker shirks work and fails to deliver what is due out of it.</p>
CommentaryMentioned in the two verses cited above, there are three injunctions: the ninth, the tenth and the eleventh. They relate to financial rights. It will be recalled that previous verses dealt with physical rights while the financial ones appear here.Caution in handling the property of orphansThe ninth injunction given in the first verse (34) concerns the protection of properties owned by orphans and the observation of caution in their handling. Laying emphasis on it, it was said: 'And do not go (even) near the property of orphans.' It means that there should be no free use of their property counter to the provisions of the Shari` ah or the interest and advantage of the children. Those who are charged with the protection and management of the properties of orphans are duty-bound to observe utmost caution therein. When spending, they must spend only in the interest and to the advantage of orphans - and definitely not as based on their whim or lack of concern. And this pattern of management is to continue until such time when the orphaned children grow up and become capable of protecting their property themselves - the lower limit is when they attain to the age of fifteen years while the higher is eighteen years.The fact is that it is just not permissible to spend from anyone's property through false means. But, it has been mentioned here in the case of orphans particularly because they themselves are incapable of keeping or taking account and no one is expected to know about it. So, a place where no one is present to demand one's right is exactly the place where the demand of Allah Ta’ ala becomes stronger and harder. Any shortfall in disbursing such rights becomes more sinful as compared to the rights of common people.Fulfillment of Covenants and Implementation of ContractsThe tenth injunction enjoins the fulfillment of the covenant. There are two forms of the covenant. The first form has two aspects to it: (1) Between Allah and His servant, like the covenant of the servant in eternity that Allah is their Lord. This covenant necessarily results in obedience to His injunctions and the seeking of His pleasure. This is a covenant every human being has made in eternity irrespective of whether he or she is a believer or a disbeliever. (2) The second covenant is the covenant of a believer made through shahadah or professing of the kalimah: لا إله إلا اللہ (la ilaha illallah: there is no god but Allah) the outcome of which is a perfect following of Divine injunctions and the seeking of His pleasure.The second form of the covenant takes effect between human beings themselves. This includes all treaties, pacts, agreements, pledges and contracts - political, commercial, or transactional - that are made between individuals or groups or institutions all over the world.The fulfillment of all covenants identified in the first form is obligatory on human beings. As for the other kind of covenants or contracts, it is also obligatory to fulfill them subject to the condition that they should not be against the Islamic Law. As for those that are against the Islamic Law, it is obligatory to terminate them - after having first served a notice on the other party. If one of the parties does not fulfill, the other party has the right to go to the court and make them fulfill it. Essentially, a contract is an agreement between two parties that they would do or not do something. And in case, someone unilaterally promises to some-one else that he would give him a certain thing or meet him at a certain time or take care of a certain task for him, then, it is also obligatory to fulfill this promise. There are commentators who include this too under the sense of covenant, but they do so with a slight difference. We know when two parties are bound by a contract, any contravention by one of them can be challenged in the court and the other party can force its completion. But, the fulfillment of a unilateral promise cannot be enforced through the court. Of course, if someone were to go back on the promise made to someone else - without any valid legal excuse permitted by the Shari` ah - he will be committing a sin. In Hadith, this has been called hypocrisy in acts.At the end of this verse, it was said: إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْئُولًا (Surely, the covenant shall be asked about). It means: 'On the day of Qiyamah, the way questions shall be asked about the fulfillment or non-fulfillment of obligatory divine injunctions, so it will be with mutual contracts - these too will be asked about.' Here, it has been left at that only: 'it will be asked about.' at is going to happen next after the questioning? This has been left untold. Perhaps, intended as such, it may be signaling towards the danger being great!The eleventh injunction enjoins fulfillment of weights and measures in transactions of buying and selling and forbids any short measuring. Full details appear in Surah al-Mutaffifin (83).RulingRespected jurists of Islam say that the outcome of the injunction against shortening weights and measures is that it is Haram (unlawful) to give less than whatever is the due of whoever it may be. Therefore, it is also included therein that an employee curtails the assigned duty entrusted with him or gives a time that is less than what should actually be given to it, or that a worker shirks work and fails to deliver what is due out of it.
<h2 class="title">The Command to handle the Orphan's Wealth properly and to be Honest in Weights and Measures</h2><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ</div><p>(And come not near to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength.) meaning, do not dispose of the orphan's wealth except in a proper manner.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافاً وَبِدَاراً أَن يَكْبَرُواْ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيّاً فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيراً فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ</div><p>(but consume it the orphan's property not wastefully and hastily fearing that they should grow up, and whoever (among guardians) is rich, he should take no wages, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable (according to his labor).) 4:6 In Sahih Muslim it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah said to Abu Dharr:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«يَا أَبَا ذَرَ إِنِّي أَرَاكَ ضَعِيفًا، وَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ لَكَ مَا أُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِي: لَا تَأَمَّرَنَّ عَلَى اثْنَيْنِ، وَلَا تَوَلَّيَنَّ مَالَ الْيَتِيم»</div><p>(O Abu Dharr, I see that you are weak (in adiministering), and I like for you that which I like for myself. Do not let yourself be appointed as Amir over two people, and do not let yourself be appointed as guardian of an orphan's property.)</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَوْفُواْ بِالْعَهْدِ</div><p>(And fulfill (every) covenant.) meaning, everything that you promise people, and the covenants that you agree to, because the person who makes a covenant or a promise will be asked about it:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْؤُولاً</div><p>(Verily, the covenant will be questioned about.)</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ إِذا كِلْتُمْ</div><p>(And give full measure when you measure.) meaning, do not try to make it weigh less nor wrong people with their belongings.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَزِنُواْ بِالْقِسْطَاسِ</div><p>(and weigh with a balance) meaning scales,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الْمُسْتَقِيمَ</div><p>(that is straight.) meaning that which is not distorted nor that which will cause confusion.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ</div><p>(that is good) for you, in your daily life and in your Hereafter. So Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً</div><p>(and better in the end.) meaning, with regard to your ultimate end in the Hereafter.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ذلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً</div><p>(That is good (advantageous) and better in the end.) Sa`id narrated that Qatadah said that this means "Better in reward and a better end. " Ibn `Abbas used to say: "O people, you are entrusted with two things for which the people who came before you were destroyed - these weights and measures."</p>
The Command to handle the Orphan's Wealth properly and to be Honest in Weights and Measuresوَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ(And come not near to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength.) meaning, do not dispose of the orphan's wealth except in a proper manner.وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافاً وَبِدَاراً أَن يَكْبَرُواْ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيّاً فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيراً فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ(but consume it the orphan's property not wastefully and hastily fearing that they should grow up, and whoever (among guardians) is rich, he should take no wages, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable (according to his labor).) 4:6 In Sahih Muslim it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah said to Abu Dharr:«يَا أَبَا ذَرَ إِنِّي أَرَاكَ ضَعِيفًا، وَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ لَكَ مَا أُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِي: لَا تَأَمَّرَنَّ عَلَى اثْنَيْنِ، وَلَا تَوَلَّيَنَّ مَالَ الْيَتِيم»(O Abu Dharr, I see that you are weak (in adiministering), and I like for you that which I like for myself. Do not let yourself be appointed as Amir over two people, and do not let yourself be appointed as guardian of an orphan's property.)وَأَوْفُواْ بِالْعَهْدِ(And fulfill (every) covenant.) meaning, everything that you promise people, and the covenants that you agree to, because the person who makes a covenant or a promise will be asked about it:إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْؤُولاً(Verily, the covenant will be questioned about.)وَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ إِذا كِلْتُمْ(And give full measure when you measure.) meaning, do not try to make it weigh less nor wrong people with their belongings.وَزِنُواْ بِالْقِسْطَاسِ(and weigh with a balance) meaning scales,الْمُسْتَقِيمَ(that is straight.) meaning that which is not distorted nor that which will cause confusion.ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ(that is good) for you, in your daily life and in your Hereafter. So Allah says:وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً(and better in the end.) meaning, with regard to your ultimate end in the Hereafter.ذلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً(That is good (advantageous) and better in the end.) Sa`id narrated that Qatadah said that this means "Better in reward and a better end. " Ibn `Abbas used to say: "O people, you are entrusted with two things for which the people who came before you were destroyed - these weights and measures."