فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ قُلْ إِصْلَاحٌ لَّهُمْ خَيْرٌ وَإِن تُخَالِطُوهُمْ فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْمُفْسِدَ مِنَ ٱلْمُصْلِحِ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَأَعْنَتَكُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
“Upon the world and the Hereafter. And they question thee concerning orphans. Say: To improve their lot is best. And if ye mingle your affairs with theirs, then (they are) your brothers. Allah knoweth him who spoileth from him who improveth. Had Allah willed He could have overburdened you. Allah is Mighty, Wise.” — M. M. Pickthall
Taberî9-10. c.✓ Citation verified
This text addresses the matter of guardians living closely together with orphans' property (muhalata). According to Taberî, the verse informs Muslims that they may mix with orphans regarding the improvement of their property, eating together with them, riding their animals, and using their servants without causing them any harm (mürzie) or taking anything in return. While Arabs in the Jahiliyyah period were extremely cautious about orphans' property, in Islam questions were asked to the Prophet about the difficulty this caused, and Allah answered with this verse.
فتأويل الآية إذا: ويسألك يا محمد أصحابك عن مال اليتامى، وخلطهم أموالهم به في النفقة، والمطاعمة، والمشاربة، والمساكنة، والخدمة، فقل لهم: تفضلكم عليهم بإصلاحكم أموالهم من غير مرزئة شيء من أموالهم، وغير أخذ عوض من أموالهم على إصلاحكم
Fahreddin er-Râzî12-13. c.✓ Citation verified
This text interprets the term 'muhalata' (living closely with orphans, mixing their property) mentioned in Verse 220 of Surat al-Baqarah from several perspectives: it conveys that sharing food, drink, and dwelling with orphans is permissible, as long as this does not lead to damage to their property. It also notes that the phrase 'Allah distinguishes the corrupter from the reformer' at the end of the verse contains a warning from Allah, who knows the true intention in hearts. Râzî conveys that goodness (hayr) may be attributed to both the guardian's and the orphan's moral improvement and the improvement of their property, and that the most accurate view is the one encompassing this general meaning.
أن يكون الخبر عائدا إلى اليتيم ، والمعنى أن مخالطتهم بالإصلاح خير لهم من التفرد عنهم والإعراض عن مخالطتهم / والقول الأول أولى ، لأن اللفظ مطلق فتخصيصه ببعض الجهات دون البعض ، ترجيح من غير مرجح وهو غير جائز
İbn Kesîr14. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Ibn Kesîr, this verse shows that just as Allah clarified His previous rulings, He also clarified His other verses with commands, promises, and threats; the purpose of this is for people to contemplate regarding the world and the hereafter. According to a report transmitted from Ibn Abbas, this contemplation is related to knowing that the world is temporary and perishable, while the hereafter is eternal. Furthermore, the reason for revelation (nuzul) regarding the matter of mixing orphans' property with guardians is mentioned; when the verse was revealed, people mixed orphans' food and drink with their own food and drink, and Allah stated that there was no sin in this, that He knows the one with the intention to reform and the one with the intention to cause corruption.
قال ابن جرير حدثنا سفيان بن وكيع حدثنا جرير عن عطاء بن السائب عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس قال لما نزلت فخلطوا طعامهم بطعامهم وشرابهم بشرابهم
Beydâvî13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Beydâvî, this verse was revealed because of the Companions' difficulty after the criticism of those who consume orphans' property in the previous verse, as they completely severed their relationship with orphans and refrained from managing their affairs. The verse communicates that mixing and engaging with orphans in order to improve their property is more beneficial than completely abstaining from them, and it encourages the believers to engage in bounded interaction with orphans (to mix and establish a relationship) on the basis of the characteristic of 'brotherhood'. Allah's statement that He knows the one who causes corruption and the one who reforms contains a promise and a threat in this relationship based on intentions.
لما نزلت إن الذين يأكلون أموال اليتامى ظلما الآية اعتزلوا اليتامى ومخالطتهم والاهتمام بأمرهم فشق ذلك عليهم، فذكر ذلك لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فنزلت قل إصلاح لهم خير
Kurtubî13. c.✓ Citation verified
Kurtubî, in connection with the question 'what will they spend?' from Verse 219 of Surat al-Baqarah, conveys that people ask only about things that will benefit them, that a portion of wealth must be set aside for worldly livelihood and the surplus spent in a way that will be beneficial for the hereafter. He also transmits the reason for revelation (nuzul) of Verse 220 regarding orphans' property: when Muslims refrained from mixing with orphan property and separated their food and drink, this caused difficulty, so Allah made mixing their property with orphans permissible to them with the intention of reform. This is presented as evidence permitting the guardian's disposition over the orphan's property.
ما كانوا يسألون إلا عما ينفعهم
Comparison
Common ground
All exegetes accept that the verse was revealed at a time when the Companions were experiencing difficulty due to excessive caution regarding orphans' property, and that Allah made living together and mixing property with orphans (muhalata) permissible with the intention of reform. Moreover, there is common emphasis that the phrase at the end of the verse 'Allah distinguishes the corrupter from the reformer' carries a warning and promise based on intention.
Differences
While Taberî and Kurtubî primarily employ a reading based on transmitted reports and reasons for revelation, Kurtubî additionally connects this as juridical evidence to the guardian's authority of disposition over the orphan's property. Râzî, through linguistic and rhetorical analysis, expands the scope of the word 'muhalata' and presents a multifaceted understanding of reform in terms of both the guardian and the orphan. Beydâvî, through contextual reading, interprets the verse as a social encouragement based on the concept of 'brotherhood'. Ibn Kesîr, by placing the subject within a broader framework of contemplation (world-hereafter), brings the moral and spiritual dimension of the verse to the foreground.
Historical context
From the early exegete Taberî onwards, the report-based approach has been maintained, but in later periods (Râzî, Beydâvî) linguistic and contextual depth has been added, and later exegetes such as Kurtubî have turned toward deriving juridical conclusions. The fundamental message—that maintaining a relationship with the orphan with the intention of reform is permissible and encouraged conduct—has remained constant throughout the periods.