19 Preface وَفي أَموالِهِم حَقٌّ لِلسّائِلِ وَالمَحرومِYusuf AliAnd in their wealth and possessions (was remembered) the right of the (needy,) him who asked, and him who (for some reason) was1 Prevented (from asking).True charity remembers not only those in need who ask, but also those who are prevented by some reason from asking. The man of true charity seeks out the latter. There may be various reasons which prevent a man from asking for help: (1) he may be ashamed to ask, or his sense of honour may prevent him from asking; (2) he may be so engrossed in some great ideal that he may not think of asking; (3) he may even not know that he is in need, especially when we think of wealth and possessions in a spiritual sense, as including spiritual gifts and talents; (4) he may not know that you possess the things that can supply his needs; and (5) he may be a dumb and helpless creature, whether a human being or a dumb animal, or any creature within your ken or power. Charity in the higher sense includes all help, from one better endowed to one less well endowed. Cf. n. 179 to 2:177; also 2:273-274, and notes 322 and 323.