Al-Ma'un (The Small Kindnesses): (Verses 2-3)

Then the Almighty said:

{That is the one who drives away the orphan, * And does not urge on the feeding of the poor.}

Know that the Almighty, in describing one who denies the Religion (of accountability), mentioned two characteristics: one is an act, which is His saying: {That is the one who drives away the orphan}, and the second is an omission (a leaving undone), which is His saying: {And does not urge on the feeding of the poor}.

The Fa' (then/so) in {So that is the one...} indicates causality. Meaning, because he was an unbeliever denying the faith, his disbelief became the cause for driving away the orphan.

He restricted the description to these two only in the sense that what proceeds from one who denies the Religion is nothing but that. We know that the denier of the Religion does not limit himself to just these two, but rather this is by way of parable (tamthīl). It is as if the Almighty mentioned one example for each category to indicate all other reprehensible deeds by mentioning that one, or because these two traits, while being reprehensible according to Sharia, are also condemned according to chivalry and humanity.

As for His saying: {drives away the orphan} (yad'u al-yatīm), the meaning is that he pushes him away with harshness and roughness, like His saying: {The Day they will be dragged toward the Fire of Hell with a violent dragging} (52:13).

The essence of "driving away the orphan" encompasses several matters:

1. Driving him away from his right and his wealth through injustice.
2. Neglecting to show him kindness (muwāsāh), even if showing kindness is not obligatory. A person may be blamed for neglecting supererogatory acts, especially when attributed to hypocrisy and lack of faith.
3. Scolding him, hitting him, and treating him with contempt.

It has also been recited as {yada'u al-yatīm} (with a short a sound, meaning 'he leaves/abandons'), implying he calls/invites all other people but leaves the orphan alone, despite the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying: "There is no table greater than a table upon which an orphan is present."

It has also been recited as {yad'ū al-yatīm} (with a damma on the dāl, meaning 'he calls the orphan'), implying he calls the orphan for the sake of ostentation (riyā’), but then does not feed him. Rather, he calls him for the purpose of using him as a servant, or by coercion, or out of arrogance.

Know that in the recitation {yad'u} (with the shadda on the dāl, meaning 'drives away/repels'), there is a benefit: the intensified form (tashdīd) implies that he is accustomed to this action. Thus, the threat does not apply to one who commits this act but then repents from it. This is similar to His saying: {Those who avoid the major sins and indecencies, except for minor faults (al-limam)} (53:32). A believer's sin is called limam because it is like a passing thought or phantom that appears and then vanishes, as the believer repents as soon as he finishes the sin. The denier is the one who persists in the sin.

As for His saying: {And does not urge on the feeding of the poor}, there are two interpretations:

1. He does not urge himself to feed the poor. The attribution of the food to the poor ({feeding of the poor}) indicates that this food is the poor person's right. Thus, it is as if he is withholding what is due to the poor person, which indicates the utmost stinginess, hardness of heart, and baseness of character.
2. He does not urge others to feed that poor person because he does not anticipate reward for that action.

The summary is that the Almighty made the knowledge of denying the Resurrection the cause for committing harm against the weak and withholding kindness. Meaning, if he truly believed in recompense and was certain of the warning, such actions would not proceed from him. The root of the sin is the denial of the Hereafter.

Here arise two questions:

First Question: Does a person not urge others in many situations without being sinful? Answer: This is because someone else takes his place, or because his word would not be accepted, or due to some other expected harm. However, here it is mentioned that he does not do this except because he denies the Religion.

Second Question: Why did He not say: {And does not feed the poor}? Answer: If he withholds the orphan's right, how could he feed the poor from his own wealth? Rather, he is stingy even with someone else's money. This represents the height of baseness. Therefore, it is more fitting that he would be stingy with his own money. The opposite of this is found in the praise of the believers: {And they enjoin upon one another mercy, and they enjoin upon one another truth, and they enjoin upon one another patience} (90:17).