وَآتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَىٰ حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا
And give the relative his right, and [also] the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully. (Surah al Isra: 26)
In this ayah, Allah is telling us to give the relatives their right – Dhal Qurba. And Dhal Qurba refers to immediate family members, which includes one’s parents and siblings. Then the closest to them, and the next closest such as aunts, uncles and cousins. After the immediate family members come the extended family members through blood, marriage and radaa’ (suckling). So we need to start with those who are closest to us and then move outwards.
And what is their right over us? That we treat them well, that we do good to them and join ties with them i.e. not cutting them off. So if they are needy, we should step forward to help them, and even if they are not poor, we should still visit them and spend on them.
After the relatives, Allah has commanded us to give the miskeen their right. That we spend on them by giving them from our Zakaat. And al-Miskeen refers to the hidden needy person, who does not go around begging from people, rather he is someone who needs help but his state is unknown in the apparent sense.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The Miskeen is not the one who goes around among the people (begging) maybe receiving a morsel or two, and a date or two. Rather, the Miskeen is the one who does not have enough wealth to suffice him, however he does not let others know about it in order to be given charity and he does not stand and beg people.” [Al-Bukhaari]
So it is our duty to actively search for the Miskeen and to spend on them.
And after the Miskeen we are told to give the traveller his haqq, which is hospitality, whether he is in need of help of not.
Finally Allah tells us in this ayah not to waste our wealth by spending it in evil ways and in His disobedience. We’re supposed to give all these people mentioned in this ayah their rights, and that is not possible when we don’t have money to begin with!
إِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوا إِخْوَانَ الشَّيَاطِينِ ۖ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا
Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful. (Surah al Isra: 27)
Those who spend in haram are brothers of the shayateen, because they’re spending on those things that promote the cause of shaytan.
Man will be asked about his wealth on the Day of Judgment; from where he acquired it and how he spent it. So when a person spends his wealth by wasting it in wrong ways, he is like Shaytan who is ever ungrateful.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Allah dislikes for you: gossip, ask too many questions and wasting wealth [al-Bukhrai]
