Page 558 - An Index to the Qur'an

They said, ‘Are we to forsake our gods for a mad POOR
poet?’ (37:36) Remember when We made a covenant with the
Or do they say, ‘He is a poet and We are waiting tribe of Israel: ‘Worship none but Allah and be
for something bad to happen to him’? (52:30) good to your parents and to relatives and or-
It is not the word of a poet–how little faith you phans and the very poor. And speak good words
have! (69:41) to people. And perform prayer and give the
alms.’ But then you turned away–except a few of
POLL TAX (JIZYA) you–you turned aside. (2:83)
Fight those of the people who were given the It is not devoutness to turn your faces to the East
Book who do not believe in Allah and the Last or to the West. Rather, those with true devoutness
Day and who do not make forbidden what Allah are those who believe in Allah and the Last Day,
and His Messenger have made forbidden and do the Angels, the Book and the Prophets, and who,
not take as their religion the religion of Truth, despite their love for it, give away their wealth to
until they pay the poll tax with their own hands their relatives and to orphans and the very poor,
in a state of complete abasement. (9:29) and to travellers and beggars and to set slaves
free, and who perform prayer and give the alms;
POMEGRANATE those who honour their contracts when they
It is He Who sends down water from the sky from make them, and are steadfast in poverty and ill-
which We bring forth growth of every kind, and ness and in battle. Those are the people who are
from that We bring forth the green shoots and true. They are the people who guard against evil.
from them We bring forth close-packed seeds, (2:177)
and from the spathes of the date palm date clus- (Fasting is prescribed) for a specified number of
ters hanging down, and gardens of grapes and days. But any of you who are ill or on a journey
olives and pomegranates, both similar and dis- should fast a number of other days. For those
similar. Look at their fruits as they bear fruit and who can (scarcely) afford it, making up for it
ripen. There are Signs in that for people who be- means feeding a poor man. And if someone does
lieve. (6:99) good of his own accord, it is better for him. But
It is He Who produces gardens, both cultivated that you should fast is better for you, if you only
and wild, and palm-trees and crops of diverse knew. (2:184)
kinds, and olives and pomegranates, both similar They will ask you what they should give away.
and dissimilar. Eat of their fruits when they bear Say, ‘Any wealth you give away should go to
fruit and pay their due on the day of their harvest, your parents and relatives and to orphans and the
and do not be profligate. He does not love the very poor and travellers.’ Whatever good you do,
profligate. (6:141) Allah knows it. (2:215)
If you make your charity public, that is good. But
PONDER (TAFAKKUR) if you conceal it and give it to the poor, that is
Will they not ponder the Qur’an? If it had been better for you, and We will erase some of your
from other than Allah, they would have found bad actions from you. Allah is aware of what you
many inconsistencies in it. (4:82) do. (2:271)
Do they not ponder these words? Has anything It (charity) is for the poor who are held back in
come to them that did not come to their ances- the Way of Allah, unable to travel in the land.
tors, the previous peoples? (23:68) The ignorant consider them rich because of their
It is a Book We have sent down to you, full of reticence. You will know them by their mark.
blessing, so let people of intelligence ponder its They do not ask from people insistently.
Signs and take heed. (38:29) Whatever good you give away, Allah knows it.
Will they not then ponder the Qur’an or are there (2:273)
locks upon their hearts? (47:24) Allah has heard the words of those who say,
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