Ayah
Word by Word
إِنَّ
Indeed
ٱلۡمُصَّدِّقِينَ
the men who give charity
وَٱلۡمُصَّدِّقَٰتِ
and the women who give charity
وَأَقۡرَضُواْ
and who lend
ٱللَّهَ
(to) Allah
قَرۡضًا
a loan
حَسَنٗا
goodly
يُضَٰعَفُ
it will be multiplied
لَهُمۡ
for them
وَلَهُمۡ
and for them
أَجۡرٞ
(is) a reward
كَرِيمٞ
noble
إِنَّ
Indeed
ٱلۡمُصَّدِّقِينَ
the men who give charity
وَٱلۡمُصَّدِّقَٰتِ
and the women who give charity
وَأَقۡرَضُواْ
and who lend
ٱللَّهَ
(to) Allah
قَرۡضًا
a loan
حَسَنٗا
goodly
يُضَٰعَفُ
it will be multiplied
لَهُمۡ
for them
وَلَهُمۡ
and for them
أَجۡرٞ
(is) a reward
كَرِيمٞ
noble
Translation
For those who give in Charity, men and women, and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan, it shall be increased manifold (to their credit), and they shall have (besides) a liberal reward.
Tafsir
Indeed men who give voluntary alms (al-mussaddiqeena, derives from the [infinitive] al-tasadduq, 'to give voluntary alms'; the taa' [of the original mutasaddiqeena] has been assimilated with the saad) and women who give voluntary alms (a variant reading for both has the softened form [with a single saad, musaddiqeena and musaddiqaati], which derives from al-tasdeeq, 'to affirm the truth of', 'to believe in') and [those of them] who have lent God a goodly loan (this refers back to both the men and women with [the masculine plural of] predominance; the supplementing of a verb [aqradoo, 'who lent'] to a noun [of action, al-mussaddiqaat] at [the point of] the relative clause of the al-, is because in that position it [the noun] functions as a verb; the mention of the 'loan' together with its qualification ['goodly'] after [the mention of] 'the giving of voluntary alms' is intended to define it), it will be multiplied (yudaa'afu, is also read as yuda''afu), namely, their loan [will multiplied], for them and they will have a generous reward.
Encouraging Khushu` and the Prohibition of imitating the People of the Scriptures
Allah asks,
أَلَمۡ يَأۡنِ لِلَّذِينَ امَنُوا أَن تَخۡشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمۡ لِذِكۡرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الۡحَقِّ
Has not the time yet come for the believers that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah? And that which has been revealed of the truth,
Allah asks, `Has not the time come for the believers to feel humility in their hearts by the remembrance of Allah and hearing subtle advice and the recitation of the Qur'an, so that they may comprehend the Qur'an, abide by it, and hear and obey.
Muslim recorded that Abdullah bin Mas`ud said,
Only four years separated our acceptance of Islam and the revelation of this Ayah, in which Allah subtly admonished us,
أَلَمۡ يَأۡنِ لِلَّذِينَ امَنُوا أَن تَخۡشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمۡ لِذِكۡرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الۡحَقِّ
Has not the time yet come for the believers that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah
This is the narration Muslim collected, just before the end of his book.
An-Nasa'i also collected this Hadith in the Tafsir of this Ayah.
Allah's statement,
وَلَا يَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الۡكِتَابَ مِن قَبۡلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيۡهِمُ الاَۡمَدُ فَقَسَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡ
Lest they become as those who received the Scripture before, and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened,
Allah is prohibiting the believers from imitating those who were given the Scriptures before them, the Jews and Christians. As time passed, they changed the Book of Allah that they had, and sold it for a small, miserable price. They also abandoned Allah's Book behind their back and were impressed and consumed by various opinions and false creeds. They imitated the way others behaved with the religion of Allah, making their rabbis and priests into gods beside Allah. Consequently, their hearts became hard and they would not accept advice; their hearts did not feel humbled by Allah's promises or threats,
وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ فَاسِقُونَ
And many of them were rebellious.
meaning, in action;
therefore, their hearts are corrupt and their actions are invalid, just as Allah the Exalted said,
فَبِمَا نَقۡضِهِم مِّيثَـقَهُمۡ لَعنَّـهُمۡ وَجَعَلۡنَا قُلُوبَهُمۡ قَاسِيَةً يُحَرِّفُونَ الۡكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَضِعِهِ وَنَسُواۡ حَظَّا مِّمَّا ذُكِرُواۡ بِهِ
So, because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard. They changed the words from their (right) places and have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. (5:13)
meaning, their hearts became corrupt and they hardened, and they acquired the behavior of changing Allah's Speech from their appropriate places and meanings. They abandoned acts of worship that they were commanded to perform and committed what they were prohibited to do.
This is why Allah forbade the believers from imitating them in any way, be it basic or detailed matters.
Allah the Exalted said,
اعۡلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحۡيِي الاَۡرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَا
قَدۡ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الاۡيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ
Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death! Indeed We have made clear the Ayat to you, if you but understand.
This Ayah indicates that He brings subtleness to hearts after they have become hard, guides the confused after they were led astray, and relieves hardships after they have intensified. And just as Allah brings life back to the dead and dry earth by sending the needed abundant rain, He also guides the hardened hearts with the proofs and evidences of the Qur'an. The light (of faith) would have access to the hearts once again, after they were closed and, as a consequence, no guidance was able to reach them.
All praise is due to Him Who guides whomever He wills after they were misguided, Who misguides those who were led aright before. Surely, it is He Who does what He wills and He is the All-Wise, the Most Just in all that He does, the Most Subtle, the Most Aware, the Most High, the Proud.
Reward for the Charitable, the True Believers and the Martyrs; and the Destination of the Disbelievers
Allah the Exalted says
إِنَّ الۡمُصَّدِّقِينَ وَالۡمُصَّدِّقَاتِ وَأَقۡرَضُوا
Verily, those who give Sadaqat, men and women,
Allah the Exalted describes the reward that He will award to those who spend from their wealth, whether male or female, on the needy, the poor and the meek,
اللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنًا
and lend Allah handsome loan,
meaning, they give in charity with a good heart seeking the pleasure of Allah. They do not seek worldly rewards or appreciation from those to whom they give in charity.
Allah's statement,
يُضَاعَفُ لَهُمۡ
it shall be increased manifold,
indicating that He will multiply the good deeds from tenfold, up to seven hundredfold and even more than that,
وَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرٌ كَرِيمٌ
and theirs shall be an honorable good reward.
theirs will be a generous, handsome reward, a good dwelling to return to and an honorable final destination.
Allah's statement
وَالَّذِينَ امَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ أُوۡلَيِكَ هُمُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ
And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers -- they are the Siddiqun.
This completes His description of those who have faith in Him and in His Messengers, by describing them as Siddiqun, true believers.
Al-Awfi reported from Ibn Abbas about
وَالَّذِينَ امَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ أُوۡلَيِكَ هُمُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ
(And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers -- they are the Siddiqun) that its meaning does not continue to the next Ayah,
وَالشُّهَدَاء عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ لَهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ وَنُورُهُمۡ
(and the martyrs (are) with their Lord. They shall have their reward and their light).
Abu Ad-Duha (stopped after he) recited,
أُوۡلَيِكَ هُمُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ
(they are the Siddiqun), then initiated recitation:
وَالشُّهَدَاء عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ
(and the martyrs (are) with their Lord).
Masruq, Ad-Dahhak, Muqatil bin Hayyan and others said similarly.
Al-A`mash narrated from Abu Ad-Duha from Masruq from Abdullah bin Mas`ud commented on Allah's statement,
وۡلَيِكَ هُمُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ
وَالشُّهَدَاء عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ
(they are the Siddiqun, and the martyrs with their Lord),
They are of three categories, meaning
- there are those who spend in charity,
- the Siddiqun and
- the martyrs.
Allah the Exalted said,
وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوۡلَـيِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّـلِحِينَ
And whoso obey Allah and the Messenger, then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His grace, of the Prophets, the Siddiqin, the martyrs, and the righteous. (4:69)
Therefore, Allah made a distinction between the Siddiqin and the martyrs, indicating that they are of two distinct categories, so there is no doubt that Siddiq is a better status than the martyr.
Imam Malik bin Anas recorded in his Muwatta' that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said that the Messenger of Allah said,
إِنَّ أَهۡلَ الۡجَنَّةِ لَيَتَرَاءَوۡنَ أَهۡلَ الۡغُرَفِ مِنۡ فَوۡقِهِمۡ كَمَا تَتَرَاءَوۡنَ الۡكَوۡكَبَ الدُّرِّيَّ الۡغَابِرَ فِي الاُۡفُقِ مِنَ الۡمَشۡرِقِ أَوِ الۡمَغۡرِبِ لِتَفَاضُلِ مَا بَيۡنَهُم
The people of Paradise will look at the dwellers of the lofty mansions as one looks at a brilliant star far away in the east or in the west on the horizon, because of their superiority over one another.
On that the people said, O Allah's Messenger! Are these lofty mansions for the Prophets whom none else can reach
The Prophet replied,
بَلَى وَالَّذِي نَفۡسِي بِيَدِهِ رِجَالٌ امَنُوا بِاللهِ وَصَدَّقُوا الۡمُرۡسَلِين
No! By Him in Whose Hand is my soul! these are for men who believe in Allah and believe in the Messengers.
Al-Bukhari and Muslim also collected this Hadith.
Allah's statement,
وَالشُّهَدَاء عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ
and the martyrs with their Lord.
means that they will be in the gardens of Paradise, as recorded in the Sahih:
إِنَّ أَرۡوَاحَ الشُّهَدَاءِ فِي حَوَاصِلِ طَيۡرٍ خُضۡرٍ تَسۡرَحُ فِي الۡجَنَّةِ حَيۡثُ شَاءَتۡ ثُمَّ تَأۡوِي إِلَى تِلۡكَ الۡقَنَادِيلِ فَاطَّلَعَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّكَ اطِّلَعَةً فَقَالَ مَاذَا تُرِيدُونَ فَقَالُوا نُحِبُّ أَنۡ تَرُدَّنَا إِلَى الدَّارِ الدُّنۡيَا فَنُقَاتِلَ فِيكَ فَنُقۡتَلَ كَمَا قُتِلۡنَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ فَقَالَ إِنِّي قَدۡ قَضَيۡتُ أَنَّهُمۡ إِلَيۡهَا لَا يَرۡجِعُون
The souls of the martyrs live in the bodies of green birds, who fly wherever they wish in Paradise and then return to their nests in chandeliers. Once your Lord cast a glance at them and said,
`Do you want anything
They said, We wish that You return us to the life of the world, so that we may fight in Your cause and be killed as we were killed the first time.
Allah said, I have decreed that they shall not be returned to it again.
Allah's statement,
لَهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ وَنُورُهُمۡ
They shall have their reward and their light,
means that Allah will grant them a generous reward and a tremendous light that will precede before them. In this, the believers vary regarding the level of reward they receive, according to their good actions in the life of this world.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Umar bin Al-Khattab said that he heard the Messenger of Allah say,
الشُّهَدَاءُ أَرۡبَعَةٌ
رَجُلٌ مُوۡمِنٌ جَيِّدُ الاِۡيمَانِ لَقِيَ الۡعَدُوَّ فَصَدَقَ اللهَ فَقُتِلَ فَذَاكَ الَّذِي يَنۡظُرُ النَّاسُ إِلَيۡهِ هكَذَا
There are four ranks of martyrs.
- The first is a man who believes and who is true in faith, who meets the enemy (in battle), fulfills his duty to Allah and is killed. This is the type that the people will look up to (his level in Paradise), like this.
The Prophet raised his head until his cap fell off his head, and the same happened to Umar.
The Prophet continued,
وَالثَّانِي مُوۡمِنٌ لَقِيَ الۡعَدُوَّ فَكَأَنَّمَا يُضۡرَبُ ظَهۡرُهُ بِشَوۡكِ الطَّلۡحِ جَاءَهُ سَهۡمٌ غَرۡبٌ فَقَتَلَهُ فَذَاكَ فِي الدَّرَجَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ
وَالثَّالِثُ رَجُلٌ مُوۡمِنٌ خَلَطَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَاخَرَ سَيِّيًا لَقِيَ الۡعَدُوَّ فَصَدَقَ اللهَ حَتۡى قُتِلَ فَذَاكَ فِي الدَّرَجَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ
وَالرَّابِعُ رَجُلٌ مُوۡمِنٌ أَسۡرَفَ عَلَى نَفۡسِهِ إِسۡرَافًا كَثِيرًا لَقِيَ الۡعَدُوَّ فَصَدَقَ اللهَ حَتۡى قُتِلَ فَذَاكَ فِي الدَّرَجَةِ الرَّابِعَة
- The second is a believer who meets the enemy and is struck by a stray arrow which causes him to die. This believer is in the second grade.
- The third is a believer who has combined good deeds with evil deeds; he meets the enemy and is truthful to his duty to Allah until he is killed. This is the third category.
- And the fourth is a believer who has committed sins excessively, so he meets the enemy and is truthful to his duty to Allah, and is killed. This is the fourth category.
`Ali bin Al-Madini also reported this Hadith and said, This Egyptian chain is Salih useful.
At-Tirmidhi said, Hasan Gharib.
Allah's statement,
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِأيَاتِنَا أُوۡلَيِكَ أَصۡحَابُ الۡجَحِيمِ
But those who disbelieve and deny Our Ayat -- they shall be the dwellers of the blazing Fire.
mentions the destination and the condition of the miserable ones, after Allah mentioned the destination and rewards of the happy ones.
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