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man dhā lladhī yuqriḍu llāha qarḍan ḥasanan fa-yuḍāʿifahū lahū ʾaḍʿāfan kathīratan wa-llāhu yaqbiḍu wa-yabsuṭu wa-ʾilayhi turjaʿūna
Who is it that will lend Allah a good loan that He may multiply it for him severalfold? Allah tightens and expands [the means of life], and to Him you shall be brought back.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Al-Baqarah, Verses 244-245
244 " And fight in the way of Allah, and know that Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing."
245. "Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan, so He will multiply it for him manifold? And Allah straitens and extends and unto Him you will be returned."
From here on the verses of Holy War come forth. It begins with the command of fighting in the path of Allah, and warns us to beware that He hears what we say and knows what we have in our hearts, from our motives and intentions, regarding the Holy War in the way of Allah. It says:
In spite of all that has been said that Islam prefers peaceful methods of preaching the truth, and that it never took any initiative in waging war against its opponents, the fact is that Islam recognizes the right of taking even the initiative in using force against those who persist in ungodly activities causing human degradation or social or moral deterioration. But this measure cannot be adopted save by the Prophet of Allah or his Vicegerent authorized by him and none else. As the fifth Holy Imam Muhammad Ibne-Ali Al-Baqir (as) says ' A war may be termed as holy or godly (jihad)' if the object be to make people give up submission to anyone besides Allah, and to submit only to God's authority and the Divine Will.
But if the object be to make them give up submission to one creature in order to submit to any other, it is the usual war waged for selfish and some worldly gain. Hence it is unholy and thus condemned by Islam. However, Islam enjoins on Muslims to be always ready, well prepared and well equipped to meet all exigencies or an eventuality which may unexpectedly develop against them, and then they should gather strength as much as they can so that their opponents, the opponents of the divine cause may refrain from any unprovoked aggression.
Occasion Of Revelation
It is narrated that the holy Prophet (S) once said that whoever gives any alms will receive it twice in Heaven. Abud-Dahdah Ansari, addressing the Messenger of Allah (S), said that he had two gardens and questioned if he donated one of them as alms, would he have it twice in Heaven? Then the Prophet replied him positively. After that he donated his more privileged garden to the Prophet (S) before when the revelation was sent down making his alms two thousand thousand fold for him. This is the interpretation of / ad'afan kaθirah/ ' manifold '.
This verse inquires who is it that offers to Allah a goodly gift and donates from the wealth He has given to him on the path of Holy War and alongside the way of helping the needy, so that Allah would multiply it to him manifold. It says:
Thus, according to this verse, lending Allah is also rendered into the donations which are performed in the way of Holy War. So, at the end of the verse, it says that it is Allah (s.w.t.) Who both withholds and amplifies the sustenance of the servants. This statement points to the idea that do not think that donation and giving alms causes your wealth to be diminished. The increase and decrease of your sustenance depend on Allah.
Why Is Donation Rendered To Loan?
In several verses of the Qur'an donating in the path of Allah has been rendered into giving a loan to Allah. It shows the ultimate grace of Allah unto His servants, on one hand, and the utmost importance of the subject of donation, on the other hand. In Nahjul-Balagha, Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (as) says:
"Allah asks you for a loan while the treasures of heavens and the earth belong to Him and He is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy. (It is not because of His want), but that He may try you for which of you is the best in action." 2
Footnotes