Quran 17:34 — Surah Al-Israa Ayah 34 | Arabic, Translation & Tafsir

وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلنَّفْسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّه...

17:34

Al-Israa

وَأَوْفُوا۟ ٱلْكَيْلَ إِذَا كِلْتُمْ وَزِنُوا۟ بِٱ...

وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ مَالَ ٱلْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ ۚ وَأَوْفُوا۟ بِٱلْعَهْدِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْـُٔولًۭا

Wa laa taqraboo maalal yateemi illaa billatee hiya ahsanu hattaa yablugha ashuddah; wa awfoo bil'ahd, innal 'ahda kaana mas'oolaa

And do not approach the property of an orphan, except in the way that is best, until he reaches maturity. And fulfill [every] commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever [that about which one will be] questioned.

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Ibn Kathir

The Command to handle the Orphan's Wealth properly and to be Honest in Weights and Measures

وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ

(And come not near to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength.) meaning, do not dispose of the orphan's wealth except in a proper manner.

وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافاً وَبِدَاراً أَن يَكْبَرُواْ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيّاً فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيراً فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ

(but consume it the orphan's property not wastefully and hastily fearing that they should grow up, and whoever (among guardians) is rich, he should take no wages, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable (according to his labor).) 4:6 In Sahih Muslim it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Abu Dharr:

«يَا أَبَا ذَرَ إِنِّي أَرَاكَ ضَعِيفًا، وَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ لَكَ مَا أُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِي: لَا تَأَمَّرَنَّ عَلَى اثْنَيْنِ، وَلَا تَوَلَّيَنَّ مَالَ الْيَتِيم»

(O Abu Dharr, I see that you are weak (in adiministering), and I like for you that which I like for myself. Do not let yourself be appointed as Amir over two people, and do not let yourself be appointed as guardian of an orphan's property.)

وَأَوْفُواْ بِالْعَهْدِ

(And fulfill (every) covenant.) meaning, everything that you promise people, and the covenants that you agree to, because the person who makes a covenant or a promise will be asked about it:

إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْؤُولاً

(Verily, the covenant will be questioned about.)

وَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ إِذا كِلْتُمْ

(And give full measure when you measure.) meaning, do not try to make it weigh less nor wrong people with their belongings.

وَزِنُواْ بِالْقِسْطَاسِ

(and weigh with a balance) meaning scales,

الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

(that is straight.) meaning that which is not distorted nor that which will cause confusion.

ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ

(that is good) for you, in your daily life and in your Hereafter. So Allah says:

وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً

(and better in the end.) meaning, with regard to your ultimate end in the Hereafter.

ذلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً

(That is good (advantageous) and better in the end.) Sa`id narrated that Qatadah said that this means "Better in reward and a better end. " Ibn `Abbas used to say: "O people, you are entrusted with two things for which the people who came before you were destroyed - these weights and measures."

View Full Tafsir: The Command to handle the Orphan's Wealth properly and to be Honest in Weights and MeasuresAyahs 34–35

"When these Verses were revealed - 'And come not near to the orphan's property, except to improve it,' and 'Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans' - the people avoided the property and food of the orphans. That caused hardship to the Muslims and they complained about that to the Prophet. Then Allah revealed: 'And they ask you concerning orphans. Say: The best thing is to work honestly in their property, and if you mix your affairs with theirs, then they are your brothers. And Allah knows him who means mischief (e.g. to swallow their property) from him who means good (e.g. to save their property). And if Allah had wished, He could have put you into difficulties.'"

Sunan Abu Dawud #2872Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

When Allah, Most High, revealed the verses: "Come not nigh to the orphan's property except to improve it". And "Those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans", everyone who had an orphan with him went and separated his food from his (orphan's) food, and his drink from his drink, and began to detain the remaining food which he (the orphan) himself ate or spoiled. This fell heavy on them, and they mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). So Allah, Most High, revealed the verse: "They ask thee concerning orphans. Say: The best thing to do is what is for their good; if ye mix their affairs with yours, they are your brethren." Then they mixed their food with his food and their drink with his drink.

Jami` at-Tirmidhi #641Amr bin Shu'aib narrated from his father, from his grandfather that :

the Prophet addressed the people and said: "As for one who is the guardian of an orphan who has wealth, then let him do business with it and not leave it until it becomes consumed by charity."

Sahih al-Bukhari #2655Nafi' said:

"Ibn 'Umar never refused to be appointed as guardian." The most beloved thing to Ibn Sirin concerning an orphan's wealth was that the orphan's advisor and guardians would assemble to decide what is best for him. When Tawus was asked about something concerning an orphan's affairs, he would recite: '...And Allah knows him who means mischief from him who means good...' (V 2:220). 'Ata said concerning some orphans, "The guardian is to provide for the young and the old orphans according to their needs from their shares."

Sunan Ibn Majah #3415It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said:

"The best house among the Muslims is a house in which there is an orphan who is treated well. And the worst house among the Muslims is a house in which there is an orphan who is treated badly."