[58] Surah Al-Mujadilah [The Woman Who Pleads]: Ayat 004

৪. যার এ সামর্থ্য নেই, সে একে অপরকে স্পর্শ করার পূর্বে একাদিক্রমে দুই মাস রোযা রাখবে।  যে এতেও অক্ষম হয় সে ষাট জন মিসকীনকে আহার করাবে। এটা এজন্যে, যাতে তোমরা আল্লাহ ও তাঁর রসূলের প্রতি বিশ্বাস স্থাপন কর। এগুলো আল্লাহর নির্ধারিত শাস্তি। আর কাফেরদের জন্যে রয়েছে যন্ত্রণা দায়ক আযাব।

Ayat 4. And he who finds not (the money for freeing a slave) must fast two successive months before they both touch each other. And for him who is unable to do so, he should feed sixty of Miskin (poor). That is in order that you may have perfect Faith in Allah and His Messenger. These are the limits set by Allah. And for disbelievers, there is a painful torment.

Tafseer of Surah Al- Mujadilah Ayat 4. And if any has not (the wherewithal), he should fast for two months consecutively before they touch each other. But if any is unable to do so, he should feed sixty indigent ones. This, that ye may show your faith in Allah and His Messenger. Those are limits (set by) Allah. For those who reject (Him), there is a grievous Penalty. Cf. 4:92. The penalty is: to get a slave his freedom, whether it is your own slave or you purchase his freedom from another; if that is not possible, to fast for two months consecutively (in the manner of the Ramadan fast); if that is not possible, to feed sixty poor. There is a great deal of learned argument among the jurists as to the precise requirements of Canon Law under the term "feeding" the indigent. For example, it is laid down that half a Sa' of wheat or a full Sa' of dates or their equivalent in money would fulfil the requirements, a Sa ' being a measure corresponding roughly to about 9 lbs. of wheat in weight. Others hold that a Mudd measure equivalent to about 2 1/4 lbs. would be sufficient. This would certainly be nearer the daily ration of a man. It is better to take the spirit of the text in its plain simplicity, and say that an indigent man should be given enough to eat for two meals a day. The sixty indigent ones fed for a day would be equivalent to a single individual fed for sixty days, or two for thirty days, and so on. But there is no need to go into minutiae in such matters. These penalties in the alternative are prescribed, that we may show our repentance and Faith and our renunciation of "iniquity and falsehood" (verse 2 above), whatever our circumstances may be. It would seem that this refers to the spiritual Penalty in the Hereafter for not complying with the small penalty here prescribed. The next verse would then refer to the bigger "humiliating Penalty" for "resistance" to Allah's Law generally. 

Hazrat Abu-Darda' (May Allah be pleased with him)reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) saying, "If three men in a village or in the desert, make no arrangement for Salat in congregation, Satan must have certainly overcome them. So observe Salat in congregation, for the wolf eats up a solitary sheep that stays far from the flock.''  [Abu Dawud Hadith # 547].

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Al-Mujadilah Ayat 04. These are the limits set by Allah. And for disbelievers, there is a painful torment" This Hadith also stresses the importance of offering Salat in congregation and mentions the disadvantages of offering it individually. One who remains aloof from the congregation, is like the sheep which is separated from its herd and becomes a victim of the wolf. One who lives alone is easily overpowered by satanic doubts.