OCCASION OF REVELATION (VERSE NO. 2)

      A man from the tribe of BANIGHATFÄN, lost his wealthy brother, and as a guardian to his brother's orphan, he took over all that brother left behind.

      When his brother's son reached maturity and became due, the uncle refused to give him his inheritance back.

      The case was refered to the prophet and the verse (NO. 2) revealed to this effect. When so, the guardian repented and restored the orphan's properties, saying: ``I seek refuge to God from the great sin of devouring orphan's properties.''

NO TREASON IN ORPHAN'S PROPERTIES

      In any community parents may pass away and leave in behind them some orphans. Islam wants the rights of the orphans to be strictly observed, and any treason in orphan's properties is counted as the most heinous and great sins. Now through this verse (NO. 2) three important instructions are issued concerning the rights and guarding the properties of the orphans:

      1) Their heritage, whatever it might be, should be handed over to them when they reach the age of maturity and become due. The guardian must not postpone restoring the orphan's property when due time comes.

      2) the second instruction is to keep their properties in a safe and secure condition lest there should be any temptation to get a personal advantage to their guardian, by mixing their properties with the guardian's properties, or with those of his household:

      And do not exchange your corrupt things with their good ones.'' So the property restored must be of equal value to the property received.

      3) The third instruction is not to eat the property of the orphan with that of yours.

      When in certain cases, perishable goods must necessarily be consumed, the strictest honesty and uprightness must be observed when the separation takes place:

      And devour not their properties with your properties by changing or mixing yours with theirs.''

      And even if human law is not able to detect him he should know: ``Eating the orphan property is indeed a great heinous sin.''