Surah Ya-Sin 36:47

The Misguidance of the Idolators

Allah tells us how the idolators persisted in their misguidance and in not paying attention to the sins that they had committed in the past or what was to happen to them in the future, on the Day of Resurrection.

(And when it is said to them: "Fear of that which is before you, and that which is behind you...") Mujahid said, "This refers to sins." Others said it is the opposite.

(in order that you may receive mercy.) means, `so that, if you fear such things Allah will have mercy on you and will save you from His punishment.' The wording implies that they would not respond. Rather that they would turn away and ignore that, as Allah says:

(And never came an Ayah from among the Ayat of their Lord to them,) meaning, signs of Tawhid and the truth of the Messengers,

(but they did turn away from it,) means, they did not accept it or benefit from it.

(And when it is said to them: "Spend of that with which Allah has provided you,") means, when they are told to spend of that which Allah has provided to them on the poor and needy among the Muslims,

(those who disbelieve say to those who believe) means, about the believers who are poor, i.e., they say to those believers who tell them to spend on the needy,

(Shall we feed those whom, if Allah willed, He (Himself) would have fed) meaning, `those whom you are telling us to spend on, if Allah had wanted to, He would have made them independent and fed them from His provision, so we are in accordance with the will of Allah with regard to them.

(You are only in a plain error.) means, `by telling us to do that.'

Allah menyebutkan sisi lain dari keingkaran mereka, yaitu keengganan mereka menyumbangkan sebagian harta yang telah dikaruniakan-Nya kepada mereka. Apabila kepada mereka dianjurkan menafkahkan harta bagi kepentingan fakir miskin dan orang yang memerlukan bantuan, mereka menjawab kepada orang-orang beriman yang menganjurkan itu, "Apa perlunya kami memberi mereka itu makan, karena Allah dapat memberi makan bila Allah menghendaki." Di samping itu, mereka mengatakan bahwa orang-orang mukmin yang suka menyumbangkan harta benda untuk membantu fakir miskin itu adalah orang-orang yang sesat dan bodoh.

Alangkah jauh pendapat mereka itu dari kebenaran. Menyumbangkan sebagian harta benda dan menolong orang lain berupa sumbangan wajib, seperti zakat, maupun sumbangan suka rela, seperti sedekah, merupakan perwujudan dari rasa iman dan syukur atas nikmat Allah, dan sekaligus menghilangkan sifat bakhil dari jiwa manusia. Harta benda, menurut ajaran Islam mempunyai fungsi sosial, bukan hanya untuk kepentingan diri sendiri.

Harta benda haruslah dijadikan alat untuk mempererat tali persaudaraan, solidaritas, dan kegotongroyongan. Manusia tidak akan dapat hidup sendiri, tanpa mengharapkan pertolongan orang lain dalam berbagai keperluan hidup, walau pun ia seorang yang kaya raya.