Question:
Salam Dato’ Mufti, I often hear people talked about the verse of a thousand dinars in the Quran. Can you explain to me about it?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the many countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
We bring forth a few of Islamic scholars’ views regarding the verse of a thousand dinars in Surah Al-Talaq verses 2-3. Allah SWT states:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّـهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا ﴿٢﴾ وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّـهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّـهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا
“And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.”
Surah al-Talaq (2-3)
In general, according to a scholar in Quranic commentary, Imam Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ibrahim As-Tha’labi Rahimahullahu Taala, he states that this surah has Madani verses, 61 letters and 247 words in 12 verses. (See al-Kasyf wa al-Bayan ‘an Tafsir al-Quran, 9/331)
He also said in his book of the benefits of reciting this surah, from Abi Kaab RA, he said the Prophet PBUH said:
من قرأ سورة يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّساءَ مات على سنّة رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وسلّم
“Whoever recites the surah يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّساء then that person dies, then he dies following the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH.” (See Majma’ Al-Bayan, 10/36)
This narration is from the book al-Amali al-Khamisiyah by al-Syajari. Among the narrators includes Yusuf bin ‘Atiyyah al-Soffar which is known to be a deceiver in hadith. Furthermore, some scholars say that this narration is very weak because one of the narrators is Sulaim al-Tamami as stated in the book al-Wasit fi Tafsir al-Quran al-Majid.
Main Views of Islamic Scholars Regarding This Verse
This verse in the surah is well known by the public in Malaysia as the verse of a thousand dinars. First, we would like to explain the scholars’ views regarding this verse:
According to Imam Al-Tobari Rahimullahu Taala, in his book Tafsir Al-Tobari (23/43-47), he states, from Masruq bin Abdillah:
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا قال: المخرج أن يعلم أن الله تبارك وتعالى لو شاء أعطاه وإن شاء منعه، (وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَحْتَسِبُ قال: من حيث لا يدري
(Allah states): “Whoever fears Allah then Allah will make a way out for him,”, which means that the way that Allah knows and if He wants He will give or prevent it, and Allah states that He would provide by means that is unexpected: which means from which is unknown.
From Ibnu Abbas RA:
قوله: (وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا) يقول: نجاته من كل كرب في الدنيا والآخرة
(Allah states): “Whoever fears Allah then Allah will make a way out for him,” which means safe from any distress or agony here and in the hereafter.
From Rabi’ bin Haitham Rahimahullah:
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا قال: من كلّ شيء ضاق على الناس
(Allah states): “Whoever fears Allah then Allah will make a way out for him,” which means out from anything that limits or restricting to humans.
From Ikrimah Rahimahullah:
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا قال: من طلق كما أمره الله يجعل له مخرجًا
(Allah states): “Whoever fears Allah then Allah will make a way out for him,” which means whoever divorces his wife, Allah has make way for him to reconcile with her in the duration of her iddah or by marrying her again with new mahar if her iddah has ended (this is for wives that has been divorced with one and two times of talak)
From al-Suddi Rahimahullah:
في قوله: (وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا) قال: يطلق للسُّنة، ويراجع للسُّنة؛
ويراجع للسُّنة؛
In commenting (Allah’s statement): “Whoever fears Allah then Allah will make a way out for him,”, means whoever divorces his wife according to the Islamic teachings then must reconcile with his wife according to Islamic teachings.
The circumstances for the revelation of this verse is as follows:
زعم أن رجلا من أصحاب النبيّ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم يقال له عوف الأشجعيّ،كان له ابن، وأن المشركين أسروه، فكان فيهم، فكان أبوه يأتي النبيّ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم،فيشكوا إليه مكان ابنه، وحالته التي هو بها وحاجته، فكان رسول الله صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم يأمره بالصبر ويقول له: إن الله سيجعل له مخرجا، فلم يلبث بعد ذلك إلا يسيرًا إذا انفلت ابنه من أيدي العدوّ، فمرّ بغنم من أغنام العدوّ فاستاقها، فجاء بها إلى أبيه، وجاء معه بغنًى قد أصابه من الغنم، فنزلت هذه الآية: (وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَحْتَسِبُ
One of the companions of the Prophet PBUH named Auf bin Al-Asyjai’ has a son and his son is captured by the musyrikin. He then went to meet the Prophet PBUH to complain about what has happened and his wishes for his son to come back safely to him. The Prophet PBUH asks him to be patient and surely Allah will make a way out for him and his son. Not long after that, his son escaped his captors taking with him a few of their goats with valuables on the goats and the son gave them to his father. And so, the verse is revealed afterwards.
From Qatadah Rahimahullah:
يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا قال: من شُبُهَات الأمور، والكرب عند الموت (وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَحْتَسِبُ) : من حيث لا يرجو ولا يؤمل
“Allah’s statement of making a way out for him: means a way out from anything that is syubhat (doubted or unclear) and the agony at the verge of death. And Allah states that He would provide from the unexpected which means blessings or gifts that he didn’t even expected or hoped.”
وقوله: (قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا) يقول تعالى ذكره: قد جعل الله لكلّ شيء من الطلاق والعدّة وغير ذلك حدًا وأجلا وقدرًا يُنتهى إليه. وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.
In Allah’s statement, it means that Allah made talak, iddah and other things each with its own duration (an expiration date).
These are some explanations from Quranic commenters scholars’ opinion regarding the verse.
According to Imam Fakhruddin Ar-Razi Rahimahullahu Taala in his book Tafsir Ar-Razi (30/562):
From al-Kalbi, he said:
وَمَنْ يَصْبِرْ عَلَى الْمُصِيبَةِ يَجْعَلِ اللَّه لَهُ مَخْرَجًا مِنَ النَّارِ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَقَرَأَهَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: مَخْرَجًا مِنْ شُبُهَاتِ الدُّنْيَا وَمِنْ غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ، وَمِنْ شَدَائِدِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ
“If a disaster falls on any one of us and he is patient throughout the test, surely Allah will make a way out for him from hell to heaven, and the Prophet recite the verse. Which means a way out from syubhat in this world, the agony at the verge of death and the sufferings in the hereafter.”
Most Islamic scholars said that this verse is revealed after a companion of the Prophet PBUH named Auf bin Malik Asyjai’ came to meet the Prophet telling the Prophet about his son that has been captured by enemies. The Prophet PBUH advised him to be patient for the disaster that has fallen on him and to recite لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا باللَّه as many times as possible. After he went home, he did as the Prophet PBUH has advised him immediately. When he went back home his son came back safely to him along with camels. The author of Kitab Al-Kasyaf wrote that while he was at his house his son knocked on his door and brought along 100 camels with him. His son has managed to escape from his son’s captors and brought back camels and other valuables.
According to Imam Al-Qurtubi Rahimahullahu Taala’s commentary in Jami’ Li Ahkam Al-Quran (18/160-162):
From the Prophet Muhammad PBUH:
أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَمَّنْ طَلَّقَ ثَلَاثًا أَوْ أَلْفًا هَلْ لَهُ مِنْ مَخْرَجٍ؟ فَتَلَاهَا
When asked about when a man has divorced his wife with three times talak or a thousand, is there a way out for him? Then the Prophet PBUH recited this verse.
From Ibnu Abbas, al-Sya’bi and al-Dahhak, they said:
هَذَا فِي الطَّلَاقِ خَاصَّةً، أَيْ مَنْ طَلَّقَ كَمَا أَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَخْرَجٌ فِي الرَّجْعَةِ فِي الْعِدَّةِ
This verse is specific for whoever that divorced his wife, then he can reconcile with his wife during her iddah.
From Hussain bin Fadhl, he said:
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ فِي أَدَاءِ الْفَرَائِضِ، يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجاً من العقوبة. (وَيَرْزُقْهُ) الثواب مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ أَيْ يُبَارِكْ لَهُ فِيمَا آتَاهُ
Whoever fears Allah and fulfil his obligations, then Allah will make a way out for him from hellfire and provide and reward him from which he didn’t expect and blessed him.
From Sahl bin Abdillah, he said:
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ فِي اتِّبَاعِ السُّنَّةِ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجاً مِنْ عُقُوبَةِ أَهْلِ الْبِدَعِ
Whoever that fears Allah and follow the teachings of the Prophet PBUH Allah will make a way out for him from the repercussions of the people of bid’ah (heretical doctrine).
From Umar bin Usman As-Sodafi, he said:
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ فَيَقِفُ عِنْدَ حُدُودِهِ وَيَجْتَنِبُ مَعَاصِيَهُ يُخْرِجْهُ مِنَ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْحَلَالِ، وَمِنَ الضِّيقِ إِلَى السَّعَةِ، وَمِنَ النَّارِ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ. وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَرْجُو
Whoever that fears Allah and obeying all of Allah’s commandments and leave everything that is prohibited, then Allah will prevent him from sins, remove him from what is prohibited to permissible from difficulty to contentment and from hell to paradise. And Allah will also provide him from things that he doesn’t expect.
Sufyan Ibn ‘Uyainah said:
هُوَ الْبَرَكَةُ فِي الرِّزْقِ
It is in the form of sufficient sustenance
Ibnu Mas’ud and Al-Masruq commented about this verse in general. Abu Dzar said that the Prophet PBUH said:
إِنِّي لَأَعْلَمُ آيَةً لَوْ أَخَذَ بِهَا النَّاسُ لَكَفَتْهُمْ- ثُمَّ تَلَا- وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجاً. وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ . فَمَا زَالَ يُكَرِّرُهَا وَيُعِيدُهَا
"Indeed, I have taught you a verse that if you recite it, it will make sufficient for them, then the Prophet PBUH recite وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجاً. وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِب thus, I make it as my routine and always recite this verse everyday (Abu Dzar).”
Most Quranic commenter scholars as mentioned by Imam At-Thalabi said that this verse is revealed to one of Prophet Muhammad PBUH’s companion named Auf bin Malik Ashjai’. Narrated by Ibnu Abbas, he had come to the Prophet PBUH and tell the Prophet PBUH that his son has been captured by enemies. He said, “O messenger of Allah, my son has been captured by enemies and his mother is very sad.” In another narration, by Jabir bin Abdillah this verse is revealed to Auf bin Malik Ashjai’ when his son, Salim was captured by the musyrikin. He then went to meet the Prophet PBUH to seek advice about it. He said, “My son has been captured and his mother is very sad. What am I supposed to do about it?” The Prophet PBUH replied, “Fear Allah and have patience. I command you and your wife to recite لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا باللَّه as many time as possible.”. He then went home and told his wife what the Prophet PBUH had asked them to do. His wife said, “That is the best thing that he could have asked us to do,”. And they both did as they are advised. Not long after that, his son came back home after managing to escape the musyrikin with 4000 of the musyrikin’s goats with him. Then this verse is revealed, and the Prophet PBUH give permission for them to keep all the goats that his son has taken from the musyrikin.
Another narration states they were camels and valuables that his son gave to him since they are poor. Al-Kalbi said they were 50 camels.
Another narration states his son escapes from his captors riding their camel and along the way he brought all the camels with him and give his father everything.
Imam Al Muqatil said that his son escaped with goats and other valuables and give everything to his father. His father then asked the Prophet PBUH whether it was permitted to be eaten. The Prophet answered yes, it is permitted, and the verse is revealed.
Conclusion
After analysing a few of the Islamic scholar commentaries regarding this verse, we found that:
- Every verse of the Quran has its own benefits and advantages. The concept of fearing Allah and reliance to Allah is ingrained in this verse and should be implemented in our daily lives.
- Reciting this verse is not just for the sake of getting the rewards of a thousand dinars, but it must be accompanied with other worships, which are fearing of Allah and reliance to Allah. Allah would bless us with more than a thousand dinars if we practise it with taqwa, as stated by Allah SWT:
واللَّـهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.”
Surah al-Baqarah (261)
We hope that this explanation would give all of us a better understanding about this verse.