Al-Baqarah: 261

Ayah

Word by Word

مَّثَلُ

Example

ٱلَّذِينَ

(of) those who

يُنفِقُونَ

spend

أَمۡوَٰلَهُمۡ

their wealth

فِي

سَبِيلِ

(the) way

ٱللَّهِ

(of) Allah

كَمَثَلِ

(is) like

حَبَّةٍ

a grain

أَنۢبَتَتۡ

which grows

سَبۡعَ

seven

سَنَابِلَ

ears

فِي

كُلِّ

each

سُنۢبُلَةٖ

ear

مِّاْئَةُ

hundred

حَبَّةٖۗ

grain(s)

وَٱللَّهُ

And Allah

يُضَٰعِفُ

gives manifold

لِمَن

to whom

يَشَآءُۚ

He wills

وَٱللَّهُ

And Allah

وَٰسِعٌ

(is) All-Encompassing

عَلِيمٌ

All-Knowing

Translation

The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. Allah giveth manifold increase to whom He pleaseth: And Allah careth for all and He knoweth all things.

Tafsir

"Rewards of Spending in Allah's Cause

Allah says;

مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَالَهُمۡ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنبَتَتۡ سَبۡعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنبُلَةٍ مِّيَةُ حَبَّةٍ

The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, is that of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains.

This is a parable that Allah made of the multiplication of rewards for those who spend in His cause, seeking His pleasure. Allah multiplies the good deed ten to seven hundred times.

Allah said,

مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَالَهُمۡ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ

(The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah...),

Sa`id bin Jubayr commented,

""Meaning spending in Allah's obedience.""

Makhul said that the Ayah means,

""Spending on Jihad, on horse stalls, weapons and so forth.""

The parable in the Ayah is more impressive on the heart than merely mentioning the number seven hundred. This Ayah indicates that Allah `grows' the good deeds for its doers, just as He grows the plant for whoever sows it in fertile land.

The Sunnah also mentions that the deeds are multiplied up to seven hundred folds. For instance, Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Mas`ud said that a man once gave away a camel, with its bridle on, in the cause of Allah and the Messenger of Allah said,

لَتَأۡتِيَنَّ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ بِسَبۡعِمِايَةِ نَاقَةٍ مَخۡطُومَة

On the Day of Resurrection, you will have seven hundred camels with their bridles.

Muslim and An-Nasa'i also recorded this Hadith, and Muslim's narration reads,

""A man brought a camel with its bridle on and said, `O Messenger of Allah! This is in the sake of Allah.'

The Messenger said,

لَكَ بِهَا يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ سَبۡعُمِايَةِ نَاقَة

You will earn seven hundred camels as reward for it on the Day of Resurrection.

Another Hadith:

Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

كُلُّ عَمَلِ ابۡنِ ادَمَ يُضَاعَفُ الۡحَسَنَةُ بِعَشَرِ أَمۡثَالِهَا إِلَى سَبۡعِمِايَةِ ضِعۡفٍ إِلى مَا شَاءَ اللهُ

Every good deed that the son of Adam performs will be multiplied ten folds, to seven hundred folds, to many other folds, to as much as Allah wills.

يَقُولُ اللهُ إِلاَّ الصَّوۡمَ فَإِنَّهُ لِي وَأَنَا أَجۡزِي بِهِ يَدَعُ طَعَامَهُ وَشَهۡوَتَهُ مِنۡ أَجۡلِي

Allah said, ""Except the fast, for it is for Me and I will reward for it. One abandons his food and desire in My sake.""

وَلِلصَّايِمِ فَرۡحَتَانِ فَرۡحَةٌ عِنۡدَ فِطۡرِهِ وَفَرۡحَةٌ عِنۡدَ لِقَاءِ رَبِّهِ

The fasting person has two times of happiness:when he breaks his fast and when he meets his Lord.

وَلَخَلُوفُ فَمِ الصَّايِمِ أَطۡيَبُ عِنۡدَ اللهِ مِنۡ رِيحِ الۡمِسۡكِ

Verily, the odor that comes from the mouth of whoever fasts is more pure to Allah than the scent of musk.

الصَّوۡمُ جُنَّةٌ الصَّومُ جُنَّة

Fasting is a shield (against sinning), fasting is a shield.

Muslim recorded this Hadith.

Allah's statement,

وَاللّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَن يَشَاء

Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills,

is according to the person's sincerity in his deeds.

وَاللّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.

meaning, His Favor is so wide that it encompasses much more than His creation, and He has full knowledge in whoever deserves it, or does not deserve it.

All the praise and thanks are due to Allah.

To Remind About Charity Given is Forbidden

Allah says;

الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَالَهُمۡ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ ثُمَّ لَا يُتۡبِعُونَ مَا أَنفَقُواُ مَنًّا وَلَا أَذًى لَّهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ

Those who spend their wealth in the cause of Allah, and do not follow up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury, their reward is with their Lord.

Allah praises those who spend from their money in His cause, and then refrain from reminding those who received the charity of that fact, whether these hints take the form of words or actions.

Allah's statement,

وَلَا أَذًى

(or with injury), indicates that they do not cause harm to those whom they gave the charity to, for this harm will only annul the charity.

Allah next promised them the best rewards for this good deed,

لَّهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ

(their reward is with their Lord), indicating that Allah Himself will reward them for these righteous actions.

Further,

وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ

On them shall be no fear,

regarding the horrors of the Day of Resurrection,

وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ

nor shall they grieve.

regarding the offspring that they leave behind and the adornment and delights of this world. They will not feel sorry for this, because they will acquire what is far better for them.

Allah then said

قَوۡلٌ مَّعۡرُوفٌ

Kind words,

meaning, compassionate words and a supplication for Muslims.

وَمَغۡفِرَةٌ

and forgiving,

meaning, forgiving an injustice that took the form of actions or words.

خَيۡرٌ مِّن صَدَقَةٍ يَتۡبَعُهَأ أَذًى

are better than Sadaqah (charity) followed by injury.

وَاللّهُ غَنِيٌّ

And Allah is Rich,

not needing His creation.

حَلِيمٌ

Most Forbearing.

forgives, releases and pardons them.

There are several Hadiths that prohibit reminding people of acts of charity. For instance, Muslim recorded that Abu Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah said,

ثَلَثَةٌ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللهُ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ وَلَا يَنۡظُرُ إِلَيۡهِم وَلَا يُزَكِّيهِمۡ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

الۡمَنَّانُ بِمَا أَعۡطَى

وَالۡمُسۡبِلُ إِزَارَهُ

وَالۡمُنَفِّقُ سِلۡعَتَهُ بِالۡحَلِفِ الۡكَاذِب

Three persons whom Allah shall neither speak to on the Day of Resurrection nor look at nor purify, and they shall receive a painful torment:

he who reminds (the people) of what he gives away,

he who lengthens his clothes below the ankles and

he who swears an oath while lying, to sell his merchandise.

This is why Allah said

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ لَا تُبۡطِلُواۡ صَدَقَاتِكُم بِالۡمَنِّ وَالاذَى

O you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) by reminders of your generosity or by injury,

stating that the charity will be rendered in vain if it is followed by harm or reminders. In this case, the reward of giving away charity is not sufficient enough to nullify the harm and reminders.

Allah then said,

كَالَّذِي يُنفِقُ مَالَهُ رِيَاء النَّاسِ

like him who spends his wealth to be seen of men,

meaning, ""Do not nullify your acts of charity by following them with reminders and harm, just like the charity of those who give it to show off to people.""

The boasting person pretends to give away charity for Allah's sake, but in reality seeks to gain people's praise and the reputation of being kind or generous, or other material gains of this life. All the while, he does not think about Allah or gaining His pleasure and generous rewards, and this is why Allah said,

وَلَا يُوۡمِنُ بِاللّهِ وَالۡيَوۡمِ الاخِرِ

and he does not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day.

Allah next set the example of whoever gives charity to show off.

Ad-Dahhak commented that the example fits one who follows his acts of charity with reminders or harm.

Allah said,

فََََمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ صَفۡوَانٍ

His likeness is the likeness of Safwan,

where Safwan, from is Safwanah, meaning `the smooth rocks,'

عَلَيۡهِ تُرَابٌ فَأَصَابَهُ وَابِلٌ

on which is little dust; on it falls a Wabil,

meaning, heavy rain.

فَتَرَكَهُ صَلۡدًا

which leaves it bare.

This Ayah means that heavy rain left the Safwan completely barren of dust. Such is the case with Allah's action regarding the work of those who show off, as their deeds are bound to vanish and disappear, even though people think that these deeds are as plentiful as specks of dust.

So Allah said,

لااَّ يَقۡدِرُونَ عَلَى شَيۡءٍ مِّمَّا كَسَبُواۡ وَاللّهُ لَا يَهۡدِي الۡقَوۡمَ الۡكَافِرِينَ

They are not able to do anything with what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.

Allah says;

وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَالَهُمُ ابۡتِغَاء مَرۡضَاتِ اللّهِ

وَتَثۡبِيتًا مِّنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ

And the parable of those who spend their wealth seeking Allah's pleasure while they in their own selves are sure and certain that Allah will reward them (for their spending in His cause),

This is the example of the believers who give away charity seeking only Allah's pleasure,

وَتَثۡبِيتًا مِّنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ

(while they in their own selves are sure and certain) meaning, they are certain that Allah shall reward them for these righteous acts with the best rewards.

Similarly, in a Hadith collected by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Messenger of Allah said,

مَنۡ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحۡتِسَابًا

Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and expectation...

meaning, believing that Allah commanded the fast, all the while awaiting His reward for fasting it.

Allah's statement,

كَمَثَلِ جَنَّةٍ بِرَبۡوَةٍ

is that of a garden on a Rabwah,

means, the example of a garden on `a height above the ground', as the majority of scholars have stated.

Ibn Abbas and Ad-Dahhak added that it also has flowing rivers.

Allah's statement,

أَصَابَهَا وَابِلٌ

Wabil falls on it,

means, heavy rain as we stated, So it produces its,

and it doubles its yield of harvest. And if it does not receive heavy rain, light rain suffices it.

فَأتَتۡ أُكُلَهَا

its yield of harvest,

meaning, fruits or produce,

ضِعۡفَيۡنِ

doubles,

as compared to other gardens.

فَإِن لَّمۡ يُصِبۡهَا وَابِلٌ فَطَلٌّ

And if it does not receive Wabil, a Tall suffices it.

Ad-Dahhak said that;

the `Tall' is light rain.

The Ayah indicates that the garden on the Rabwah is always fertile, for if heavy rain does not fall on it, light rain will suffice for it. Such is the case regarding the believer's good deeds, for they never become barren. Rather, Allah accepts the believer's righteous deeds and increases them, each according to his deeds. This is why Allah said next,

وَاللّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

And Allah is All-Seer of what you do.

meaning, none of His servants' deeds ever escapes His perfect watch.

The Example of Evil Deeds Nullifying Good Deeds

Allah says;

أَيَوَدُّ أَحَدُكُمۡ أَن تَكُونَ لَهُ جَنَّةٌ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعۡنَابٍ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا الَانۡهَارُ لَهُ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ وَأَصَابَهُ الۡكِبَرُ وَلَهُ ذُرِّيَّةٌ ضُعَفَاء فَأَصَابَهَا إِعۡصَارٌ فِيهِ نَارٌ فَاحۡتَرَقَتۡ

Would any of you wish to have a garden with date palms and vines, with rivers flowing underneath, and all kinds of fruits for him therein, while he is stricken with old age, and his children are weak (not able to look after themselves), then it is struck with a fiery whirlwind, so that it is burnt!

Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn Abbas and Ubayd bin Umayr said that;

Umar bin Al-Khattab asked the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, ""According to your opinion, about whom was this Ayah revealed,

أَيَوَدُّ أَحَدُكُمۡ أَن تَكُونَ لَهُ جَنَّةٌ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعۡنَابٍ

(Would any of you wish to have a garden with date palms and vines...).""

They said, ""Allah knows best.""

Umar became angry and said, ""Say we know or we do not know.""

Ibn Abbas said, ""O Leader of the Faithful! I have an opinion about it.""

Umar said, ""O my nephew! Say your opinion and do not belittle yourself.""

Ibn Abbas said, ""This is an example set for a deed.""

Umar said, ""What type of deed?""

Ibn Abbas said, ""For a wealthy man who works in Allah's pleasure and then Allah sends Shaytan to him, and he works in disobedience, until he annuls his good works.""

This Hadith suffices as an explanation for the Ayah, for it explains the example it sets by a person who does good first and then follows it with evil, may Allah save us from this end. So, this man annulled his previous good works with his latter evil works. When he desperately needed the deeds of the former type, there were none.

This is why Allah said,

وَأَصَابَهُ الۡكِبَرُ وَلَهُ ذُرِّيَّةٌ ضُعَفَاء فَأَصَابَهَا إِعۡصَارٌ

(while he is stricken with old age, and his children are weak (not able to look after themselves), then it is struck with a whirlwind) with heavy wind,

فِيهِ نَارٌ فَاحۡتَرَقَتۡ

(that is fiery, so that it is burnt) meaning, its fruits were burnt and its trees were destroyed. Therefore, what will his condition be like!

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Al-Awfi said that Ibn Abbas said,

""Allah has set a good parable, and all His parables are good. He said,

أَيَوَدُّ أَحَدُكُمۡ أَن تَكُونَ لَهُ جَنَّةٌ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعۡنَابٍ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا الَانۡهَارُ لَهُ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ

Would any of you wish to have a garden with date palms and vines, with rivers flowing underneath, and all kinds of fruits for him therein. But he lost all this in his old age,

وَأَصَابَهُ الۡكِبَرُ

(while he is stricken with old age) while his offspring and children are weak just before the end of his life. Then a lightning storm came and destroyed his garden.

Then he did not have the strength to grow another garden, nor did his offspring offer enough help. This is the condition of the disbeliever on the Day of Resurrection when he returns to Allah, for he will not have any good deeds to provide an excuse - or refuge - for him, just as the man in the parable had no strength to replant the garden.

The disbeliever will not find anything to resort to for help, just as the offspring of the man in the parable did not provide him with help. So he will be deprived of his reward when he most needs it, just as the man in the parable was deprived of Allah's garden when he most needed it, when he became old and his offspring weak.""

In his Mustadrak, Al-Hakim recorded that the Messenger of Allah used to say in his supplication,

اللَّهُمَّ اجۡعَلۡ أَوۡسَعَ رِزۡقِكَ عَلَيَ عِنۡدَ كِبَرِ سِنِّي وَانۡقِضَاءِ عُمُرِي

O Allah! Make Your biggest provision for me when I am old in age and at the time my life ends.

This is why Allah said,

كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّهُ لَكُمُ الايَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Thus Allah makes clear to you His Laws in order that you may give thought.

meaning, comprehend and understand the parables and their intended implications.

Similarly, Allah said,

وَتِلۡكَ الاٌّمۡثَالُ نَضۡرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ وَمَا يَعۡقِلُهَأ إِلاَّ الۡعَـلِمُونَ

And these similitudes We put forward for mankind; but none will understand them except those who have knowledge (of Allah and His signs). (29:43)"

Al-Baqarah: 261

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