The Quran

Preface

أَأَشفَقتُم أَن تُقَدِّموا بَينَ يَدَي نَجواكُم صَدَقاتٍ ۚ فَإِذ لَم تَفعَلوا وَتابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيكُم فَأَقيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكاةَ وَأَطيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ خَبيرٌ بِما تَعمَلونَ

Yusuf Ali

Is it that ye are afraid of spending sums¹ in charity before your private consultation (with him)? If, then, ye do not so, and God forgives you, then (at least) establish regular prayer; practise² regular charity; and obey God and His Messenger. And God is well-acquainted with all that ye do.

Note the plural here, Sadaqat, instead of the singular, Sadaqah in verse 12 above. While people with the foibles described in n. 5350 may be willing to spend “something” (small) in charity for a special consultation occasionally, they may be frightened of spending large sums when their needs for consultation may be numerous. What is to be done then? Are they to be shut out altogether? No. They are asked to be punctilious in the discharge of their normal duties of at least normal regular prayers and regular charity, “if God forgives you”, i.e., if God’s Messenger relieves them of further special contributions such as those noted in verse 12. This condition, “if God forgives you”, provides the safeguard against the abuse of the privilege. The messenger would know in each case what is best for the individual and for the community.
Zakah, which I have translated “regular charity”, was instituted about A.H. 2.