Tafsir of Ar-Rum 30:38

"So give the relative his right..."

The right of the relative: Maintaining kinship ties.

The right of the needy and the wayfarer: Their designated share of charity (sadaqah).

Legal Rulings:

• Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him): Used this verse as evidence for the obligation of financial support (nafaqah) for unmarriageable kin (maharim) if they are needy and unable to earn a living.
• Al-Shafi‘i (may Allah have mercy on him): Held that there is no obligation of support based on kinship except for children and parents. He analogized other relatives to the cousin, arguing that there is no direct lineage (wilad) between them.

Inquiry: How does the command "So give the relative his right" connect to what precedes it, such that the particle fa (so/then) is used?

Response: When He mentioned that evil befalls them because of what their hands have sent forth, He followed it with a mention of what must be done and what must be avoided.

"Desiring the Countenance of Allah": This may mean His Essence, or His direction and side. That is, they intend by their good deeds Him alone, sincerely and rightfully, as in His saying: "Except seeking the Countenance of his Lord, the Most High" (Al-Layl: 20). Or, it means they intend the path of drawing near to Allah, not any other direction. Both meanings are close, though the phrasing differs.

"And whatever you give for interest to increase within the wealth of people will not increase with Allah. But what you give in zakah, desiring the Countenance of Allah - those are the multipliers."