Surah Al-Baqarah 2:261-266 - Quran Translation Commentary

(2:261: The likeness of those who expend their wealth in the cause of Allah is as the likeness of a grain which brought forth seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. And Allah grants increase to whom He wills. Allah is All embracing, All knowing.⁵⁶¹

(2:262) Those who expend their wealth in the cause of Allah and then follow not what they have expended with taunts and injury: for such is their reward with their Lord. They shall have nothing to fear nor shall they grieve.⁵⁶²

(2:263: A good word and forgiveness is better than that charity which is followed by injury. And Allah is All sufficient, Forbearing.

(2:264) Believers! Do not destroy your charity with taunts⁵⁶³ and injury as one who expends his wealth to show off to the people, believing neither in Allah nor in the Day of Standing. The likeness of him is as like the likeness of a smooth rock on which is (a thin coat of) soil. When heavy rains fell upon it, it rendered it hard and bare. They have no power over anything of what they earned. And Allah guides not an ungrateful people.

(2:265) And, the likeness of those who expend their wealth seeking Allah's approval and to strengthen their own souls⁵⁶⁴ is as the likeness of a garden on a lofty piece of land, which, (when) struck with heavy rains, yields its produce two fold. But, if it does not receive heavy rains, then, even a shower (would do). And Allah is Aware of what you do.

(2:266) Will any of you wish to have an orchard of palms and vines with streams flowing beneath it with all manners of fruits for him therein, and old age has struck him, and he has children (but) weak, when a scorching whirlwind struck it and burnt it down? Thus Allah makes clear His signs haply that you will reflect.⁵⁶⁵

Commentary

561. Imam Ahmad has recorded that: عَنْ عِيَاضِ بْنِ غُطَيْفٍ قَالَ دَخَلْنَا عَلَى أَبِى عُبَيْدَةَ بْنِ الْجَرَّاحِ نَعُودُهُ مِنْ شَكْوىً أَصَابَهُ وَامْرَأَتُهُ تُحَيْفَةُ قَاعِدَةٌ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ قُلْنَا كَيْفَ بَاتَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ قَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ بَاتَ بِأَجْرٍ. فَقَالَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ مَا بِتُّ بِأَجْرٍ وَكَانَ مُقْبِلاً بِوَجْهِهِ عَلَى الْحَائِطِ فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ بِوَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ أَلاَ تَسْأَلُونِى عَمَّا قُلْتُ قَالُوا مَا أَعْجَبَنَا مَا قُلْتَ فَنَسْأَلُكَ عَنْهُ . قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَقُولُ « مَنْ أَنْفَقَ نَفَقَةً فَاضِلَةً فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَبِسَبْعِمِائَةٍ وَمَنْ أَنْفَقَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَأَهْلِهِ أَوْ عَادَ مَرِيضاً أَوْ مَازَ أَذًى فَالْحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا وَالصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ مَا لَمْ يَخْرِقْهَا وَمَنِ ابْتَلاَهُ اللَّهُ بِبَلاَءٍ فِى جَسَدِهِ فَهُوَ لَهُ حِطَّةٌ » Some people visited Abu `Ubaydah when he was ill. They found him in his bed with his face towards the wall, his wife besides him shrouded (in a cloak). They asked her, 'How did he spend the night?' She said, 'Earning rewards.' Upon this Abu `Ubaydah spoke out, 'No. Not earning rewards.' Then he turned around and said, 'Will you not ask me why I said that?' They said, 'Your answer didn't please us enough to ask you why.' He said, 'I heard the Prophet (saws) say, "Whoever spent in the way of Allah will have rewards seven hundred fold. Whoever spent on himself, his family, or visited the sick will have the rewards ten fold. And fasts are a shield so long as one does not destroy it (himself). Further, whomsoever Allah tested with a physical disorder will have his sins washed off"' (Ibn Kathir).

Qurtubi writes: By implication it can be deduced from this verse that farming is one of the best of professions. Muslim records a hadith which says: « لاَ يَغْرِسُ مُسْلِمٌ غَرْسًا وَلاَ يَزْرَعُ زَرْعًا فَيَأْكُلَ مِنْهُ إِنْسَانٌ وَلاَ دَابَّةٌ وَلاَ شَىْءٌ إِلاَّ كَانَتْ لَهُ صَدَقَةٌ » "A Muslim does not plant a tree, or work on a farm but he is rewarded for every benefit that mankind, animals or birds draw from it." Tirmidhi has another narration which reports the Prophet as having said: " التمسوا الرزق في خبايا الارض "

562. Ibn Marduwayh as well as Abu Hatim and Hakim in his sahih, have recorded that when this verse was revealed the Prophet (saws) supplicated: رب زد أمتي "O Lord, grant an increase to my ummah." In response it was revealed: "Who is it that will offer Allah a goodly loan so that Allah may increase (for him the reward) many fold?" The Prophet again supplicated, "O Lord. Grant an increase to my ummah." Then Allah revealed: "Indeed those who are patient will have their reward without measure" (Ibn Kathir).

It is reported that once `Uthman ibn `Affan brought in 1000 Dinars (at a time when funds were badly needed). The Prophet (saws) shoved his hand into the heap, turned the Dinars around and said, "Nothing of what `Uthman will do after this will do him any harm."

Abu Sa`id al Khudri says I saw the Prophet (saws) with his hands raised up in supplication, 'O Allah, I'm pleased with `Uthman, May You also be pleased with him.' He kept repeating these words until the daybreak. Then came down this verse: "Those who expend their wealth in the cause of Allah and then follow not what they have expended with reminders, nor injury: for such is their reward with their Lord" (Qurtubi).

563. The word in the original rendered as "reminders" is mann, which is the act of reminding one of favors shown to him.

Mann is a major sin (kabirah) Qurtubi, Razi, Shawkani. In a hadith the Prophet (saws) is reported to have said: لا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مُدْمِنُ خَمْرٍ، وَلا عَاقٌّ، وَلا مَنَّانٌ “Three persons will not enter Paradise: An alcoholic, the one disobedient to his parents, and the one who reminded the recipient after having given him in charity" (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Ibn Zayd said, "A woman came to my father and said: 'Abu Usama! Show me a man who is sincere in his claims to be fighting in the way of Allah, for I believe they join these expeditions only to get some good food. I have (some) arrows and quiver (that I would like to gift to someone).' My father told her: 'May Allah bless you not in your arrows and the quiver. You have caused injury even before you spent'" (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).

There is a hadith on these lines. Preserved by Muslim it records the Prophet as having said: " الكلمة الطيبة صدقة وإن من المعروف أن تلقى أخاك بوجه طلق " "A good word is (an act of) charity. It is also an act of charity that you meet your brother with a cheerful face" (Qurtubi, Shawkani). The Prophet has also said: " إذا سأل السائل فلا تقطعوا عليه مسألته حتى يفرغ منها ثم ردوا عليه بوقار ولين أو ببذل يسير أو رد جميل فقد يأتيكم من ليس بإنس ولا جان ينظرون صنيعكم فيما خولكم الله تعالى ". "When someone comes to you asking for help, do not cut him short while he is speaking. After he is finished, respond to him with dignity and grace: either giving him what you can, or excusing yourself with honorable words. Sometimes those come to you (in disguise) who are neither of the men nor of the Jinn. They come only to find out how you fare with what Allah has given you." The allusion is to another hadith which relates the story of a leprous, a bald and a blind, (in which the three men were tested through an angel who sought financial help from them: Au.) Qurtubi.

An example of wider implication was given by `Amr b. Hurayth. He said: "A man goes out to participate in a battle. He commits no sins while he was out but returns without any rewards." He was asked: "How can that be?" He said: "This happens when something goes wrong during the campaign that Allah had decreed for him anyway he starts blaming his commander saying, 'I will never go out with this man again.' This is the man who got nothing. It is about him that Allah (swt) said: "Believers, do not destroy your charity with reminders and injury" (Ibn Jarir).

564. The meaning of "tathbeetan min anfusihim," as given in the English rendering is based on Kashshaf's interpretation. However, Ibn Jarir's preference is, 'out of inner certainty,' a meaning originating from Qatadah, Saleh, Ibn Zayd and Sha`bi. The meaning given by Mujahid and Hasan is, 'They are careful about where they place their charity' (Ibn Kathir).

565. Such is the example of a hypocrite. He expends in this world, but to show off. On the day of Judgment, when in dire need, he will find that his charity bore no fruit. All of his good deeds will lie in ruins (Suddi: Ibn Jarir).

However, several reports coming through various chains of transmitters and also recorded by Bukhari say that once `Umar (ra) asked those around him how they understood this verse. They said, 'Allah knows best.' `Umar was not pleased. He said, 'Either you know, or you do not.' Ibn `Abbas said that he had something to say. `Umar told him to speak out and not to be humble about it. Ibn `Abbas said that this is the example of a man who acts righteously through and through, but changes his orientation at the end of his life, losing the credit for all that he did before (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Alusi).

Thanwi writes: Thus, as Ibn `Abbas has said, and which `Umar (ra) approved of, this example encompasses all kinds of good deeds, which of course includes expending in the way of Allah. As further illustration it can be added that there are certain conditions for the appearance of certain spiritual benefits and benedictions. One of them is that one should not indulge in sinful acts after performing good deeds. If one does that, then the spiritual benefits and benedictions are lost, which shows itself in this profane world by the loss of the blissful feeling that appears with good deeds. When that happens then the chain of another good deed after the previous one is broken and the "inducement of good deeds," which is also known as "tawfiq" is severed. In fact, beyond this, one becomes lazy and unwilling even with the habitual good deeds of the day. Thus he loses the reward of the Hereafter, which is the real loss. The loss of spiritual benefits and blessings in this world, that have been mentioned above, has also been referred to as "habt (al A`maal: Au.)."

Commenting on the use of the textual word "rabwa," Razi writes: "It occurs to me that a land which is on a lofty place cannot have streams flowing through it, which is necessary for the richness of soil and vegetation. I believe the right interpretation is that by "rabwa" the allusion is not to 'a land on a lofty place,' which happens to be the meaning adopted by most commentators, rather it is to a 'rich and fertile land.' Another example of this usage is in verse 5 of surah al Hajj: وَتَرَى الْأَرْضَ هَامِدَةً فَإِذَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ اهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ [الحج/5] وَتَرَى الْأَرْضَ هَامِدَةً فَإِذَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ اهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ [الحج/5] "And you see the earth dry, but when We send down water upon it, it quivers, and swells."

Commenting on the destruction of an orchard in old age, Ibn Kathir quotes from Hakim's Mustadrak that the Prophet (saws) used to supplicate in the following words: "اللهم اجعل أوسع رزقك علي عند كبر سني وانقطاع عمري". رواه الطبراني في الأوسط وإسناده حسن. مجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد . "O Allah, let the best of Your bestowals destined for me be during my old age and at the termination of my term."