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wa-ʾimmā tuʿriḍanna ʿanhumu btighāʾa raḥmatin min rabbika tarjūhā fa-qul lahum qawlan maysūran
And if you have to hold off from [assisting] them [for now], seeking your Lord’s mercy which you expect [in the future], speak to them gentle words.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Isra’ – Verse 28
28. “And if you turn away from them seeking mercy from your Lord, which you are hopeful for, then speak unto them a gentle word.”
The Qur’an declares that whenever you are unable to do them good because of your lack of means and funds and you are about to ask Allah for help, hoping to get His help so as to assist them in fulfilling their needs, pledge to aid them in a good manner and use soft words as far as you can. The verse says:
“And if you turn away from them seeking mercy from your Lord, which you are hopeful for, then speak unto them a gentle word.”
Therefore, this noble verse deals with adopting a decent approach towards the people. That was why, while waiting for Allah’s grace and assistance for providing him with the necessary means and funds, the blissful Prophet (S) would pray for him who might turn to him for help when and if he lacked the means and the fund, saying:
“May Allah provide the means for you and I out of His Grace!” 22
Fatimah Zahra (as) once asked the Prophet (S) for a maid to help her with her chores. He answered:
“There are four hundred in the mosque who have no food and clothing. Were the case not so, I would appoint a maid servant for you.”
He then taught her the ‘hymms’ known as ‘Tasbihy at’ which are called as: ‘Tasbih at-i-Hadrat-i-Zahra’. 23 The blissful Qur’an contains instructions concerning the ways of talking with people, among them one may name the gentleness, leniency, easiness, firmness, idiomatic and eloquent ways with which one must commence his speaking. The verse 3, TaHa; 44, 4, ‘Isra’; 23, 5, 9, 6, 8, 7, and 63 Nisa confirm the above points.
Footnotes