DAY 590: Hashr 7-10

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  DAY 590: Hashr 7-10

  •  As for gains granted by Allah to His Messenger from the people of ˹other˺ lands, they are for Allah and the Messenger, his close relatives, orphans, the poor, and ˹needy˺ travellers so that wealth may not merely circulate among your rich. Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it. And whatever he forbids you from, leave it. And fear Allah. Surely Allah is severe in punishment. ˹Some of the gains will be˺ for poor emigrants who were driven out of their homes and wealth, seeking Allah’s bounty and pleasure, and standing up for Allah and His Messenger. They are the ones true in faith. As for those who had settled in the city and ˹embraced˺ the faith before ˹the arrival of˺ the emigrants, they love whoever immigrates to them, never having a desire in their hearts for whatever ˹of the gains˺ is given to the emigrants. They give ˹the emigrants˺ preference over themselves even though they may be in need. And whoever is saved from the selfishness of their own souls, it is they who are ˹truly˺ successful. 
    (
    Allah says this wealth belongs to the public treasury, distributed by the Prophet (and later, the Islamic state) to:
    •     The poor (fuqara)
    •     The orphans (yatama)
    •     The stranded travelers (ibn as-sabil)
    In most ancient empires (Rome, Persia, pre-Islamic Arabia), wealth was a closed loop. The rich warlords and nobles collected taxes, land, and loot, and they just kept passing it around among themselves. The poor were invisible.
    
    Now Allah identifies the first priority group: the Muhajirun. These are the early Muslims who fled persecution in Mecca, leaving behind their homes, businesses, and farms. They arrived in Medina with nothing.
    The Quran calls them "the truthful" (as-sadiqun). Why? Because they didn't just talk about faith; they paid for it with everything they owned. They literally walked away from their wealth for Allah.
    The economic ruling here is clear: Refugees and displaced people have a divine right to state support. They are not a burden; they are the truthful ones who sacrificed everything. Society owes them.
    
    The Ansar (the native Muslims of Medina) took in the refugees. But look at the psychology the Quran praises:
    •     They love the emigrants. Not just tolerate them, but genuinely love them.
    •     They feel no jealousy or resentment in their hearts for what the emigrants are given. Even if the state gives the refugees more financial aid, the Ansar don't feel envious.
    They give preference over themselves, even though they are in poverty (khasasah). This is the peak of generosity. It means if there is only enough food for one person, the Ansar would give it to their refugee brother and go hungry themselves.
        
    Shuhh (stinginess/greed) is described as a disease of the soul. It is the root of economic inequality. It is that anxious voice inside you that says, "If I give to him, there won't be enough for me." The Quran says the truly successful human being is the one who is vaccinated against that greed.
    
    What is the cure for tribal jealousy and class warfare? Dua for the past generations.
    By telling future generations to pray, "Our Lord, forgive our brothers who came before us, and do not put hatred in our hearts toward them," the Quran is ensuring that society doesn't become bitter over how money was distributed in the past.
    
    The blueprint the Quran lays out is breathtaking:
        Verse 7: Wealth must circulate; it cannot be trapped by the rich.
        Verse 8: Support the displaced and refugees.
        Verse 9: The host community must give with love, not resentment, even if they are poor themselves.
        Verse 10: Future generations must let go of historical grudges and pray for those who came before.
        
    True economic justice is not just redistributing wealth, but curing the soul of greed—state intervention stops elites from hoarding, refugees are dignified, hosts give with love even in poverty, and future generations are purged of resentment through prayer.
         
    )