Tafsir of Al-Hashr 59:8

Al-Zamakhshari said: It is an appositional substitute (badal) for the words of the Almighty: "for the kindred." Regarding the one who prevented the substitution from "for Allah and for the Messenger" and what follows, even if the meaning is for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), it is because Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He—has elevated His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) above being included among the poor in His statement, "and they support Allah and His Messenger," and that one elevates the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) above being named as "poor." Furthermore, substitution based on the literal wording contradicts what is required in venerating Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He—just as it is not permissible to describe Him (Glorified is He) with a feminine marker because it entails a lack of proper etiquette. End quote.

It is intended as a substitution of the whole for the whole, considering the substituted-from (mubdal minhu) as the sum of what was mentioned. The Imam said: It is as if it were said: I mean by those four groups, these poor emigrants. The aforementioned substitution for "the kindred" and what follows is based on the position of the Hanafis that the wealthy among the kindred are not given [from the spoils], but rather only the poor are given. As for those like Al-Shafi'i, who believe that the wealthy are given just as the poor are given, they restricted the substitution to the orphans and those that follow. It has also been said that this is permissible, except that he [the claimant] argues for restricting the consideration of poverty to the spoils of Banu al-Nadir, for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not give any of it to a wealthy person, and the verse was revealed concerning it; however, there is a clear affectation in this.

It is stated in al-Kashf that "for the poor" is not for restriction, but rather an elucidation of the existing state of the emigrants and an affirmation of their greater exclusivity, as if it were said: For Allah, for the Messenger, and for the emigrants. Ibn Atiyyah said: "For the poor" and what follows is an explanation of the words of the Almighty: "the orphans, the needy, and the wayfarer," and the particle of genitive case (lam) was repeated because what preceded it was governed by it, to clarify that the substitute is part of it. It has also been said that the lam is connected to what the words of the Almighty, "so that it will not be a perpetual distribution among the rich among you," indicate; it is as if it were said: "Rather, it shall be for the poor emigrants."

There will come, if Allah Almighty wills, what has occurred to us regarding the possibility of that, based on what is understood from the apparent speech of Umar ibn al-Khattab in the presence of a gathering of the Companions.

"(Who were driven out of their homes and their wealth)": Since the disbelievers of Mecca constrained them and forced them to depart, so they left them. This description is in consideration of the majority. It is said there were one hundred men.

"(Seeking bounty from Allah and pleasure)": That is, seeking from Him—Exalted is He—sustenance in this world and contentment in the Hereafter. They were first described by what indicates their entitlement to the fay (spoils), which is being driven out of their homes and wealth. Second, this was qualified by what necessitates the magnifying of their status and emphasizes it, indicating their complete reliance and their contentment with what the Sovereign, the All-Knowing, has decreed.

"(And they support Allah and His Messenger)": A conjunction to "seeking," meaning they are intending the support of Allah—Exalted is He—and His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), or it is simultaneous; for their departure from among the disbelievers, opposing them and emigrating to Medina, is a support—and what a support it is!

"(Those)": Who are described with the aforementioned magnificent attributes, "(are the truthful)": That is, those who are perfect in their truthfulness regarding their claim of faith, for they performed acts that signify it with the strongest evidence, while being driven out of their homelands and wealth for its sake, unlike others who believed in Mecca but did not leave their homes and wealth, and for whom what was established for these [emigrants] was not established, due to their indulgence toward the polytheists. Thus, the restriction is relative. It has been interpreted otherwise.

Some have construed the statement to be general due to the omission of the object of truthfulness, and they have clung to it in arguing for the correctness of the Imamate of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), because these emigrants used to call him the Caliph of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and Allah Almighty has testified to their truthfulness; therefore, his Imamate (may Allah be pleased with him) must be correct and established in reality. This is a weak argument, for one has no need for such [a proof] given the claim of the correctness of the Caliphate of al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) by the consensus of the Companions, including Ali (may Allah honor his face). The Shi'a do not agree with attributing taqiyya (dissimulation) to him as agreement, just as the claim of coercion [is rejected], but it is also sufficient without that.