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Ayah
Word by Word
إِن
If
تُبۡدُواْ
you disclose
ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ
the charities
فَنِعِمَّا
then well
هِيَۖ
it (is)
وَإِن
But if
تُخۡفُوهَا
you keep it secret
وَتُؤۡتُوهَا
and give it
ٱلۡفُقَرَآءَ
(to) the poor
فَهُوَ
then it
خَيۡرٞ
(is) better
لَّكُمۡۚ
for you
وَيُكَفِّرُ
And He will remove
عَنكُم
from you
مِّن
[of]
سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمۡۗ
your evil deeds
وَٱللَّهُ
And Allah
بِمَا
with what
تَعۡمَلُونَ
you do
خَبِيرٞ
(is) All-Aware
إِن
If
تُبۡدُواْ
you disclose
ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ
the charities
فَنِعِمَّا
then well
هِيَۖ
it (is)
وَإِن
But if
تُخۡفُوهَا
you keep it secret
وَتُؤۡتُوهَا
and give it
ٱلۡفُقَرَآءَ
(to) the poor
فَهُوَ
then it
خَيۡرٞ
(is) better
لَّكُمۡۚ
for you
وَيُكَفِّرُ
And He will remove
عَنكُم
from you
مِّن
[of]
سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمۡۗ
your evil deeds
وَٱللَّهُ
And Allah
بِمَا
with what
تَعۡمَلُونَ
you do
خَبِيرٞ
(is) All-Aware
Translation
If ye disclose (acts of) charity, even so it is well, but if ye conceal them, and make them reach those (really) in need, that is best for you: It will remove from you some of your (stains of) evil. And Allah is well acquainted with what ye do.
Tafsir
If you proclaim, make manifest, your voluntary almsgivings, that is, your supererogatory deeds, it is a fine thing, to show them; but if you conceal them, and give them to the poor, that is even better for you, than making them manifest or giving it to the rich. As regards the obligatory almsgiving, it is better to make it manifest, so that it serves as an example and so that one is not accused [falsely of not giving]; as regards giving it to the poor, this is obligatory; and it will absolve you of, some of, your evil deeds (read yukaffir, 'it will absolve', or nukaffir, 'We will absolve', either in apocopated form [with no final vowel, yukaffir, nukaffir], being a supplement to the locus of fa-huwa, 'that is', or with nominative inflection [yukaffiru, nukaffiru], indicating the beginning of a new sentence). God is aware of what you do, knowing its inner and outer aspects, nothing of it being hidden from Him.
"The Encouragement to Spend Honest Money for Allah's Sake
Allah says;
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ أَنفِقُواۡ مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا كَسَبۡتُمۡ وَمِمَّا أَخۡرَجۡنَا لَكُم مِّنَ الَارۡضِ وَلَا تَيَمَّمُواۡ الۡخَبِيثَ مِنۡهُ تُنفِقُونَ وَلَسۡتُم بِأخِذِيهِ إِلاَّ أَن تُغۡمِضُواۡ فِيهِ
O you who believe! Spend of the good things which you have (legally) earned, and of that which We have produced from the earth for you, and do not aim at that which is bad to spend from it, (though) you would not accept it save if you close your eyes and tolerate therein.
Allah commands His believing servants to spend in charity, as Ibn Abbas stated, from the pure, honest money that they earned and from the fruits and vegetables that He has grown for them in the land.
Ibn Abbas said,
""Allah commanded them to spend from the purest, finest and best types of their money and prohibited spending from evil and dishonest money, because Allah is pure and good and only accepts that which is pure and good.""
This is why Allah said,
وَلَا تَيَمَّمُواۡ الۡخَبِيثَ
(and do not aim at that which is bad) meaning, filthy (impure) money,
مِنۡهُ تُنفِقُونَ وَلَسۡتُم بِأخِذِيهِ
(to spend from it, (though) you would not accept it) meaning,
""If you were given this type, you would not take it, except if you tolerate the deficiency in it. Verily, Allah is far Richer than you, He is in no need of this money, so do not give, for His sake, what you would dislike for yourselves.""
It was reported that,
وَلَا تَيَمَّمُواۡ الۡخَبِيثَ
مِنۡهُ تُنفِقُونَ
(and do not aim at that which is bad to spend from it) means,
""Do not spend from the dishonest, impure money instead of the honest, pure money.""
Ibn Jarir recorded that Al-Bara bin Azib commented on Allah's statement,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ أَنفِقُواۡ مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا كَسَبۡتُمۡ وَمِمَّا أَخۡرَجۡنَا لَكُم مِّنَ الَارۡضِ وَلَا تَيَمَّمُواۡ الۡخَبِيثَ مِنۡهُ تُنفِقُونَ
(O you who believe! Spend of the good things which you have (legally) earned, and of that which We have produced from the earth for you, and do not aim at that which is bad to spend from it),
that it was revealed about the Ansar. When the season for harvesting date-trees would start, the Ansar would collect ripe-date branches from their gardens and hang them on a rope erected between two pillars in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah. The poor emigrant Companions would eat from these dates. However, some of them (Ansar) would also add lesser type of dates in between ripe-date branches, thinking they are allowed to do so. Allah revealed this Ayah about those who did this,
وَلَا تَيَمَّمُواۡ الۡخَبِيثَ مِنۡهُ تُنفِقُونَ
(and do not aim at that which is bad to spend from it).
Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn Abbas commented on the Ayah,
وَلَسۡتُم بِأخِذِيهِ إِلاَّ أَن تُغۡمِضُواۡ فِيهِ
(you would not accept it save if you close your eyes and tolerate therein) means,
""If you had a right on someone who would pay you less than what you gave them, you would not agree until you require more from them to make up the difference. This is why Allah said,
وَلَسۡتُم بِأخِذِيهِ إِلاَّ أَن تُغۡمِضُواۡ فِيهِ
(save if you close your eyes and tolerate therein) meaning,
`How do you agree for Me what you do not agree for yourselves, while I have a right to the best and most precious of your possessions!""'
Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir recorded this Hadith and Ibn Jarir added,
""And this is the meaning of Allah's statement,
لَن تَنَالُواۡ الۡبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنفِقُواۡ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ
By no means shall you attain Al-Birr, unless you spend of that which you love."" (4:92)
Allah said next,
وَاعۡلَمُواۡ أَنَّ اللّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ
And know that Allah is Rich (free of all needs), and worthy of all praise.
meaning, ""Although Allah commanded you to give away the purest of your money in charity, He is far Richer from needing your charity, but the purpose is that the distance between the rich and the poor becomes less.""
Similarly, Allah said,
لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَأوُهَا وَلَـكِن يَنَالُهُ التَّقۡوَى مِنكُمۡ
It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him. (22:37)
Allah is Rich and free of needing anything from any of His creatures, while all of His creatures stand in need of Him.
Allah's bounty encompassing, and what He has never ends. Therefore, whoever gives away good and pure things in charity, let him know that Allah is the Most Rich, His favor is enormous and He is Most Generous, Most Compassionate; and He shall reward him for his charity and multiply it many times. So who would lend to He Who is neither poor nor unjust, Who is worthy of all praise in all His actions, statements, and decisions, of Whom there is neither a deity worthy of worship except Him, nor a Lord other than Him.
Satanic Doubts Concerning Spending in Charity
Allah said
الشَّيۡطَانُ يَعِدُكُمُ الۡفَقۡرَ وَيَأۡمُرُكُم بِالۡفَحۡشَاء وَاللّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغۡفِرَةً مِّنۡهُ وَفَضۡلً
Shaytan threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahishah'; whereas Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself and bounty, and Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abdullah bin Mas`ud said that the Messenger of Allah said,
إِنَّ لِلشَّيۡطَانِ لَمَّةً بِابۡنِ ادَمَ وَلِلۡمَلَكِ لَمَّةً فَأَمَّا لَمَّةُ الشَّيطَانِ فَإِيعَادٌ بِالشَّرِّ وَتَكۡذِيبٌ بِالۡحَقِّ وَ أَمَّا لَمَّةُ الۡمَلَكِ فَإِيعَادٌ بِالۡخَيۡرِ وَتَصۡدِيقٌ بِالۡحَقِّ فَمَنۡ وَجَدَ ذَلِكَ فَلۡيَعۡلَمۡ أَنَّهُ مِنَ اللهِ فَلۡيَحۡمَدِ اللهَ وَمَنۡ وَجَدَ الاُۡخۡرَى فَلۡيَتَعَوَّذۡ مِنَ الشَّيۡطَان
Shaytan has an effect on the son of Adam, and the angel also has an effect.
As for the effect of Shaytan, it is by his threatening with evil repercussions and rejecting the truth.
As for the effect of the angel, it is by his promise of a good end and believing in the truth. Whoever finds the latter, let him know that it is coming from Allah and let him thank Allah for it.
Whoever finds the former, let him seek refuge - with Allah - from Shaytan.
The Prophet then recited,
الشَّيۡطَانُ يَعِدُكُمُ الۡفَقۡرَ وَيَأۡمُرُكُم بِالۡفَحۡشَاء وَاللّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغۡفِرَةً مِّنۡهُ وَفَضۡلً
Shaytan threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahishah'; whereas Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself and bounty.
This is the narration that At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i collected in the book of Tafsir in their Sunan collections.
Allah said,
الشَّيۡطَانُ يَعِدُكُمُ الۡفَقۡرَ
Shaytan threatens you with poverty,
so that you hold on to whatever you have and refrain from spending it in Allah's pleasure.
وَيَأۡمُرُكُم بِالۡفَحۡشَاء
And orders you to commit Fahishah',
meaning, ""Shaytan forbids you from spending in charity because of the false fear of becoming poor, and he encourages evil deeds, sins, indulging in what is prohibited, and immoral conduct.""
Allah said,
وَاللّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغۡفِرَةً مِّنۡهُ
Whereas Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself,
instead of the evil that Shaytan enjoins on you.
وَفَضۡلً
And Bounty,
as opposed to the poverty that Shaytan frightens you with.
وَاللّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.
The Meaning of Al-Hikmah
Allah said
يُوتِي الۡحِكۡمَةَ مَن يَشَاء وَمَن يُوۡتَ الۡحِكۡمَةَ فَقَدۡ أُوتِيَ خَيۡرًا كَثِيرًا
He grants Hikmah to whom He wills, and he, to whom Hikmah is granted, is indeed granted abundant good.
يُوتِي الۡحِكۡمَةَ مَن يَشَاء
(He grants Hikmah to whom He wills),
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said,
""That is knowledge of the Qur'an. For instance, the abrogating and the abrogated, what is plain and clear and what is not as plain and clear, what it allows, and what it does not allow, and its parables.""
Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said that he heard the Messenger of Allah saying,
لَاا حَسَدَ إِلاَّ فِي اثۡنَتَيۡنِ رَجُلٌ اتَاهُ اللهُ مَالاًا فَسَلَّطَهُ عَلَى هَلَكَتِهِ فِي الۡحَقِّ وَرَجُلٌ اتَاهُ اللهُ حِكۡمَةً فَهُوَ يَقۡضِي بِهَا وَيُعَلِّمُهَا
There is no envy except in two instances:a person whom Allah has endowed with wealth and he spends it righteously, and a person whom Allah has given Hikmah and he judges by it and teaches it to others.
This was also collected by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, An-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah.
Allah's statement,
وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلاَّ أُوۡلُواۡ الَالۡبَابِ
But none remember (will receive admonition) except men of understanding.
means, ""Those who will benefit from the advice are those who have sound minds and good comprehension with which they understand the words (of advice and reminder) and their implications.
Allah says;
وَمَا أَنفَقۡتُم مِّن نَّفَقَةٍ أَوۡ نَذَرۡتُم مِّن نَّذۡرٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ يَعۡلَمُهُ
And whatever you spend for spendings (e.g., in Sadaqah) or whatever vow you make, be sure Allah knows it all.
Allah states that He has perfect knowledge of the good deeds performed by all of His creation, such as charity and various vows, and He rewards tremendously for these deeds, provided they are performed seeking His Face and His promise.
Allah also warns those who do not work in his obedience, but instead disobey His command, reject His revelation and worship others besides Him:
وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنۡ أَنصَارٍ
And for the wrongdoers there are no helpers.
meaning, who will save them from Allah's anger and torment on the Day of Resurrection.
The Virtue of Disclosing or Concealing Charity
Allah said
إِن تُبۡدُواۡ الصَّدَقَاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَ
If you disclose your Sadaqat, it is well),
meaning, ""It is well if you make known the charity that you give away.""
Allah's statement,
وَإِن تُخۡفُوهَا وَتُوۡتُوهَا الۡفُقَرَاء فَهُوَ خَيۡرٌ لُّكُمۡ
But if you conceal them and give them to the poor, that is better for you.
this indicates that concealing charity is better than disclosing it, because it protects one from showing off and boasting. However, if there is an apparent wisdom behind disclosing the charity, such as the people imitating this righteous act, then disclosing it becomes better than concealing it.
The Messenger of Allah said,
الۡجَاهِرُ بِالۡقُرۡانِ كَالۡجَاهِرِ بِالصَّدَقَةِ وَالۡمُسِرُّ بِالۡقُرانِ كَالۡمُسِرِّ بِالصَّدَقَة
He who utters aloud Al-Qur'anic recitation is just like he who discloses charity acts. He who conceals Al-Qur'anic recitation is just like he who conceals charity acts.
The Ayah indicates that it is better that acts of charity be concealed, as reiterated by the Hadith that the Two Sahihs recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said,
سَبۡعَةٌ يُظِلُّهُمُ اللهُ فِي ظِلِّهِ يَوۡمَ لَا ظِلَّ إلاَّ ظِلُّهُ
إِمَامٌ عَادِلٌ
وَشَابٌّ نَشَأَ فِي عِبَادَةِ اللهِ
وَرَجُلَنِ تَحَابَّا فِي اللهِ اجۡتَمَعَا عَلَيۡهِ وَتَفَرَّقَا عَلَيۡهِ
وَرَجُلٌ قَلۡبُهُ مُعَلَّقٌ بِالۡمَسۡجِدِ إِذَا خَرَجَ مِنۡهُ حَتَّى يَرۡجِعَ إِلَيۡهِ
وَرَجُلٌ ذَكَرَ اللهَ خَالِيًا فَفَاضَتۡ عَيۡنَاهُ
وَرَجُلٌ دَعَتۡهُ امۡرَأَةٌ ذَاتُ مَنۡصِبٍ وَجَمَالٍ فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللهَ رَبَّ الۡعَالَمِينَ
وَرَجُلٌ تَصَدَّقَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَأَخۡفَاهَا حَتَّى لَا تَعۡلَمَ شِمَالُهُ مَا تُنۡفِقُ يَمِينُه
Allah will give shade to seven on the Day when there will be no shade but His.
They are:
a just ruler,
a youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allah,
two persons who love each other only for Allah's sake who meet and part in Allah's cause only,
a man whose heart is attached to the Masjids from the time he departs the Masjid until he returns to it,
a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears,
a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illicit intercourse with her and says, `I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds', and
a man who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given.
Allah's statement,
وَيُكَفِّرُ عَنكُم مِّن سَيِّيَاتِكُمۡ
(Allah) will expiate you some of your sins,
means, in return for giving away charity, especially if it was concealed. Therefore, you will gain goodness by your rank being raised, and your sins being forgiven.
Allah's statement,
وَاللّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
And Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do.
means, ""No good deed that you perform escapes His knowledge, and He shall reward for it."
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