Tafsir of An-Nisa' 4:5

The foolish (al-sufaha’): They are those who squander their wealth, spending it on what is not appropriate, and who lack the ability to manage, invest, or handle it. The address here is directed to the guardians.

"Your property": He attributed the wealth to them because it is the means by which people sustain their livelihoods, as He said: "And do not kill yourselves" (4:29), and "From those whom your right hands possess of your believing slave girls" (4:25). The evidence that this is an address to guardians regarding the wealth of orphans is His saying: "And provide for them out of it and clothe them" (4:5).

"Which Allah has made a means of support for you": Meaning, you stand by it and thrive. If you were to waste it, you would be lost; thus, it is, in itself, your support and your prosperity.

• It is recited as qiyaman (a means of support), similar to ‘awadhan (a refuge) meaning ‘iyadhan.
• Abdullah ibn Umar recited it as qiwaman (with a waw). Qiwam of a thing is that by which it is sustained, as when you say, "He is the malak (foundation) of the affair," meaning that by which it is possessed/maintained.

The predecessors used to say: "Wealth is the believer’s weapon. For me to leave behind wealth for which Allah will not hold me accountable is better than needing people."

• It is narrated of Sufyan—who had merchandise he would trade—that he said: "Were it not for this, the Banu al-Abbas would have used me as a towel (i.e., humiliated me)."
• When it was said to him, "It brings you closer to the worldly life," he replied: "If it brings me closer to the world, it has protected me from it (i.e., from needing others)."
• They used to say: "Trade and earn, for you are in a time where, if one of you becomes needy, the first thing he consumes is his religion." Sometimes, if they saw a man at a funeral, they would say to him, "Go to your shop."

"And provide for them out of it": Make it a place for their provision by trading with it and generating profit, so that their expenses are covered by the profits, not the principal of the wealth, lest spending consumes it.

It is also said that this is a command to everyone: do not hand over your wealth to any foolish person—whether relative or stranger, man or woman—if you know they will place it where it does not belong and corrupt it.

"And speak to them a fair word":

• Ibn Jurayj said: A beautiful promise, such as: "If you become righteous and mature, we will hand over your wealth to you."
• ‘Ata’ said: "If I make a profit, I will give you a share; if I gain spoils in my military expedition, I will assign you a portion."
• It is said: If the person is not someone whose maintenance is obligatory upon you, say: "May Allah grant us and you well-being; may Allah bless you."

Everything that the soul finds comfort in and loves—due to its goodness in reason or Sharia—in terms of speech or action, is ma‘ruf (fair/recognized). Whatever it rejects and recoils from due to its ugliness is munkar (disapproved).