Spending

وَأَنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تُلۡقُواْ بِأَيۡدِيكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلتَّهۡلُكَةِ وَأَحۡسِنُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ١٩٥

And spend in the cause of Allah and do not throw yourselves into destruction, and do good. Truly, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verse 195

• ‘spend in the cause of Allah’ signifies financial sacrifice in the way of Allah
• The root of the word Ihsan is husn, which means doing something in a goodly manner. One standard of conduct is merely to perform the task entrusted to one. The other and the higher standard is to perform that task in a wholesome manner, to devote all one’s capacities and resources to its fulfilment, to do one’s duty with all one’s heart. The first standard is that of ordinary obedience for which it is enough that a man should fear Allah. The other and higher standard is that of Ihsan (moral and spiritual excellence) for which it is necessary that one should have a strong love for Allah and a profound attachment to Him

يَسۡ‍َٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَۖ قُلۡ مَآ أَنفَقۡتُم مِّنۡ خَيۡرٖ فَلِلۡوَٰلِدَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَ وَٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِۗ وَمَا تَفۡعَلُواْ مِنۡ خَيۡرٖ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٞ ٢١٥

۞يَسۡ‍َٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡخَمۡرِ وَٱلۡمَيۡسِرِۖ قُلۡ فِيهِمَآ إِثۡمٞ كَبِيرٞ وَمَنَٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثۡمُهُمَآ أَكۡبَرُ مِن نَّفۡعِهِمَاۗ وَيَسۡ‍َٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَۖ قُلِ ٱلۡعَفۡوَۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ ٢١٩

They ask you (O Muhammad, pbuh) what should they spend. Say: ‘Whatever you spend of good must be for parents and kindred and orphans and Al-Masakin and the wayfarer and whatever you do of good deeds, truly, Allah knows it well’...And they ask you what they ought to spend. Say: ‘That which is (spare) beyond your needs’ Thus Allah makes clear to you His laws in order that you may give thought.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verses 215/219

• Maymun bin Mihran once recited this Ayah and commented “These are the areas of spending. Allah did not mention among them the drums, pipe, wooden pictures, or the curtains that cover the wall”
• Narrated Jabir that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Start with yourself and grant it some charity. If anything remains, then spend it on your family. If anything remains, then spend it on your relatives. If anything remains, then spend it like this and like that (i.e. on various charitable purposes)’
• Another Hadith states: ‘O Son of Adam! If you spend whatever you can spare, it would be better for you; but if you keep it would be worse for you. You shall not be blamed for whatever is barely sufficient’

مَّن ذَا ٱلَّذِي يُقۡرِضُ ٱللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنٗا فَيُضَٰعِفَهُۥ لَهُۥٓ أَضۡعَافٗا كَثِيرَةٗۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَقۡبِضُ وَيَبۡصُۜطُ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ٢٤٥

Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times? And it is Allah that decreases or increases, and to Him you shall return.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verse 245

• ‘goodly loan’ signifies whatever one gives to another person or to a cause selflessly, and from absolutely pure motives. Allah describes whatever man spends in this manner as a loan made to none other than Him and He undertakes to repay that loan several-fold. The stipulation, however, is that it should be given for the sake of Allah, to be spent for purposes pleasing to Him

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰكُم مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن يَأۡتِيَ يَوۡمٞ لَّا بَيۡعٞ فِيهِ وَلَا خُلَّةٞ وَلَا شَفَٰعَةٞۗ وَٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ٢٥٤

O you who believe! Spend of that which We have provided for you, before a day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. And it is the disbelievers who are the Zalimun (wrong doers).

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verse 254

• ‘disbelievers’ here signifies either of the following:

• Those who refused to obey Allah and held their property to be dearer than Allah’s Good Pleasure; or
• Those who did not believe in the Day of which they have been warned; or
• Those who cherished the false illusion that in the Hereafter their association of men devoted to Allah would stand them in good stead for they would intercede with Allah on their behalf

مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَٰلَهُمۡ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنۢبَتَتۡ سَبۡعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنۢبُلَةٖ مِّاْئَةُ حَبَّةٖۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُضَٰعِفُ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ٢٦١ ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَٰلَهُمۡ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ لَا يُتۡبِعُونَ مَآ أَنفَقُواْ مَنّٗا وَلَآ أَذٗى لَّهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ ٢٦٢ ۞قَوۡلٞ مَّعۡرُوفٞ وَمَغۡفِرَةٌ خَيۡرٞ مِّن صَدَقَةٖ يَتۡبَعُهَآ أَذٗىۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَلِيمٞ ٢٦٣

The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower. 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. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. Kind words and forgiving (of faults) are better than Sadaqah followed by injury. And Allah is Rich and He is Most Forbearing.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verses 261-263

• Allah is not in need of man’s charity. Allah himself is tolerant, and therefore, He will tend to like those who are generous and tolerant rather than those who are narrow minded and mean. How is it possible for Allah, Who lavishes upon man all kinds of bounties and forgives him again and again despite his faults and failings, to be pleased with those who, even if they were able to offer anyone a loaf of bread, unfailingly trample upon the receiver’s self-respect by constantly reminding him of the favours they have done him?

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُبۡطِلُواْ صَدَقَٰتِكُم بِٱلۡمَنِّ وَٱلۡأَذَىٰ كَٱلَّذِي يُنفِقُ مَالَهُۥ رِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِۖ فَمَثَلُهُۥ كَمَثَلِ صَفۡوَانٍ عَلَيۡهِ تُرَابٞ فَأَصَابَهُۥ وَابِلٞ فَتَرَكَهُۥ صَلۡدٗاۖ لَّا يَقۡدِرُونَ عَلَىٰ شَيۡءٖ مِّمَّا كَسَبُواْۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٢٦٤ وَمَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَٰلَهُمُ ٱبۡتِغَآءَ مَرۡضَاتِ ٱللَّهِ وَتَثۡبِيتٗا مِّنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ كَمَثَلِ جَنَّةِۢ بِرَبۡوَةٍ أَصَابَهَا وَابِلٞ فَ‍َٔاتَتۡ أُكُلَهَا ضِعۡفَيۡنِ فَإِن لَّمۡ يُصِبۡهَا وَابِلٞ فَطَلّٞۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ٢٦٥

O you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah by reminders of your generosity or by injury. Like him who spends his wealth to be seen of men, and he does not believe in Allah or the Last Day. His likeness is the likeness of a smooth rock on which is a little dust; on it falls heavy rain which leaves it bare. They are not able to do anything with what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people. And the likeness 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, is the likeness of a garden on a height; heavy rains fall on it and it doubles its yield of harvest. And if it does not receive heavy rain, light rain suffices it. And Allah is All-Seer of what you do.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verses 264-265

• Narrated Abu Dharr that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘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’
• In this parable, ‘heavy rain’ signifies charity and ‘rock’ the wicked intent and motive which lie behind external acts of charity. The expression ‘on which is a little dust’ signifies external aspect of charity which conceals the wicked intent and motive of a man. The natural effect of rainfall should be the growth of plants and harvest. But if the earth is insignificant in quantity (as in a little dust) the result will be that instead of yielding any beneficial results the rainfall may even prove harmful

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَنفِقُواْ مِن طَيِّبَٰتِ مَا كَسَبۡتُمۡ وَمِمَّآ أَخۡرَجۡنَا لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ وَلَا تَيَمَّمُواْ ٱلۡخَبِيثَ مِنۡهُ تُنفِقُونَ وَلَسۡتُم بِ‍َٔاخِذِيهِ إِلَّآ أَن تُغۡمِضُواْ فِيهِۚ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ ٢٦٧ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱلۡفَقۡرَ وَيَأۡمُرُكُم بِٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغۡفِرَةٗ مِّنۡهُ وَفَضۡلٗاۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٞ ٢٦٨

O you who believe! Spend of the good things which you have earned, and of that which We have provided from the earth for you, and do not aim at that which is bad to spend from it, you would not accept it except if you close your eyes and tolerate therein. And know that Allah is Rich, and Worthy of all praise. Shaitan threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahsha; whereas Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself and bounty, and Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verses 267-268

• 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”
• Although Allah commanded us to give charity out of the purest of your money, He is far Richer from needing our charity; the purpose is that the distance between the rich and the poor becomes less.
• Fahsha: evil deeds, sins, indulging in what is prohibited, and immoral conduct

إِن تُبۡدُواْ ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَۖ وَإِن تُخۡفُوهَا وَتُؤۡتُوهَا ٱلۡفُقَرَآءَ فَهُوَ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡۚ وَيُكَفِّرُ عَنكُم مِّن سَيِّ‍َٔاتِكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ ٢٧١

ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَٰلَهُم بِٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ سِرّٗا وَعَلَانِيَةٗ فَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ ٢٧٤

If you disclose your Sadaqat, it is well; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, that is better for you. (Allah) will expiate you some of your sins. And Allah is well-Acquainted with what you do…. Those who spend their wealth (in Allah’s Cause) by night and day, in secret and in public, they shall have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verse 271/274

• 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.
• If charity is of an obligatory nature, it is preferable to dispense it openly. Non-obligatory charity should preferably be dispensed secretly. The principle applies to all acts. As a rule, it is more meritorious to perform obligatory acts openly and non-obligatory acts of goodness secretly
• Narrated Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Allah will give shade to seven on the Day when there will be no shade but His. (They are):

1. A just ruler
2. A youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allah
3. Two persons who love each other only for Allah’s sake, who meet and part in Allah’s Cause only
4. A man whose heart is attached to the Masjid from the time he departs the Masjid until he returns to it
5. A person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears
6. 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
7. A man who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given’

۞لَّيۡسَ عَلَيۡكَ هُدَىٰهُمۡ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُۗ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِنۡ خَيۡرٖ فَلِأَنفُسِكُمۡۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا ٱبۡتِغَآءَ وَجۡهِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِنۡ خَيۡرٖ يُوَفَّ إِلَيۡكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تُظۡلَمُونَ ٢٧٢

Not upon you (Muhammad, pbuh) is their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills. And whatever you spend in good, it is for yourselves, when you spend not except seeking Allah’s Countenance. And whatever you spend in good, it will be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verse 272

• In the beginning Muslims tended to hesitate in helping either their non-Muslim relatives or other non-Muslims who were in need. They thought that helping Muslims only constituted ‘spending in the way of Allah’. This verse rejects this attitude. The purpose of this verse is to point out that Muslims are not responsible for forcing true guidance down the throats of people; conveying the message of truth absolves them of the obligation incumbent upon them. Muslims, therefore should not shirk from helping their relatives in the affairs of the world on the ground that they are not following true guidance
• Ata Al Khurasani said that the ayah means “You give away charity for the sake of Allah. Therefore, you will not be asked about the deeds (or wickedness) of those who receive it”

لَن تَنَالُواْ ٱلۡبِرَّ حَتَّىٰ تُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَيۡءٖ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٞ ٩٢

By no means shall you attain Al-Birr unless you spend (in Allah’s Cause) of that which you love; and whatever of good you spend, Allah knows it well.

Surah 3 Al-Imran Verse 92

• Al-Birr: piety, righteousness – here it means Allah’s reward i.e., Paradise. Al-Birr is spending from the best of one’s wealth.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَن تُغۡنِيَ عَنۡهُمۡ أَمۡوَٰلُهُمۡ وَلَآ أَوۡلَٰدُهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡ‍ٔٗاۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ ١١٦ مَثَلُ مَا يُنفِقُونَ فِي هَٰذِهِ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا كَمَثَلِ رِيحٖ فِيهَا صِرٌّ أَصَابَتۡ حَرۡثَ قَوۡمٖ ظَلَمُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ فَأَهۡلَكَتۡهُۚ وَمَا ظَلَمَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَلَٰكِنۡ أَنفُسَهُمۡ يَظۡلِمُونَ ١١٧

Surely, those who reject Faith, neither their properties, nor their offspring will avail them aught against Allah. They are the dwellers of the Fire, therein they will abide. The likeness of what they spend in this world is the likeness of a wind which is extremely cold; it struck the harvest of a people who did wrong aginst themselves and destroyed it. Allah wronged them not, but they wronged themselves.

Surah 3 Al-Imran Verses 116-117

ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي ٱلسَّرَّآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَٱلۡكَٰظِمِينَ ٱلۡغَيۡظَ وَٱلۡعَافِينَ عَنِ ٱلنَّاسِۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ١٣٤

Those who spend (in Allah’s Cause - deeds of charity, alms, etc.) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun (the good doers).

Surah 3 Al-Imran Verse 134

• The verse introduces the attributes of the pious ones and expresses five splendid human qualities for them. They are as follows:

1. They spend out in any condition they are in, whether when they are in ease and welfare or at the time when they are in deprivation and adversity- “Those who spend in prosperity and in adversity ...”. It is worthy to note that here the first outstanding quality of the pious ones is mentioned as ‘spending’. Spending property and wealth, especially both in the states of ease and adversity, is the clearest sign of piety.

2. The third attribute of the pious ones, mentioned here, is that: “... and who repress anger...”.

3. The fourth quality they have is that: “... and who pardon men...”. Of course, restraining anger is very good but it, singly, is not enough, because it may not eradicate enmity and grudge from the heart and thought. In this condition, for dismissing the state of enmity, ‘restraining anger’ and ‘pardoning the faults’ should gather together.

4. Their fifth quality is that they are “Muhsinun (good doers)”, and the Lord loves the doers of good. Here, it has referred to a higher degree of pardoning. It is the case that a person, in spite of receiving wrong, reacts with doing good, (when the circumstance requires), in order to remove the root of enmity in the opponent’s heart, and to make that person kind to himself.

وَلَا يَحۡسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَبۡخَلُونَ بِمَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ هُوَ خَيۡرٗا لَّهُمۖ بَلۡ هُوَ شَرّٞ لَّهُمۡۖ سَيُطَوَّقُونَ مَا بَخِلُواْ بِهِۦ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۗ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَٰثُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ ١٨٠

And let not those who covetously withhold of that which Allah has bestowed on them of His bounty think that it is good for them. Nay, it will be worse for them; the things which they covetously withheld shall be tied to their necks like a collar on the Day of Resurrection. And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is Well Acquainted with all that you do.

Surah 3 Al-Imran Verse 180

• The verse refers to those who do not pay their obligatory Zakat.
• Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah alone. Hence the possession and use of anything by man is purely transient. For everyone will be dispossessed of their temporary belongings, and everything will ultimately return to abide with Allah. If anyone spends open heartedly in the way of Allah out of his temporary possessions he does so from the property, which ultimately belongs to Allah alone. Anyone who hoards his possessions and fails to spend them in the way of Allah is indeed stupid.

ٱلَّذِينَ يَبۡخَلُونَ وَيَأۡمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلۡبُخۡلِ وَيَكۡتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦۗ وَأَعۡتَدۡنَا لِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٗا مُّهِينٗا ٣٧ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَٰلَهُمۡ رِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا بِٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِۗ وَمَن يَكُنِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لَهُۥ قَرِينٗا فَسَآءَ قَرِينٗا ٣٨

Those who are miserly and enjoin miserliness on other men and hide what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounties. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a disgraceful torment. And also those who spend of their substance to be seen of men, and believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whoever takes Shaitan as an intimate, then what a dreadful intimate he has!

Surah 4 An-Nisa Verses 37-38

• Allah chastises the stingy behaviour of those who refuse to spend their money for what Allah ordered them, such as being kind to parents, compassionate to relatives, orphans, the poor, the relative who is also a neighbour, the companion during travel, the needy wayfarer, the slaves and servants. Such people do not give Allah’s rights from their wealth and they assist in the spread of stingy behaviour.
• The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Beware of being stingy, for it destroyed those who were before you, as it encouraged them to cut their relations and they did, and it encouraged them to commit sin and they did’
• A miser is ungrateful for Allah’s favour, for its effect does not appear on him, whether in his food, clothes or what he gives. Kufr means to cover something. Therefore, the Bakhil (miser) covers the favour that Allah has blessed him with, meaning he does not spread those favours. So, he is described by the tearm Kafir (ungrateful) regarding the favours that Allah granted him. A Hadith states that: ‘When Allah grants a servant a favour, He likes that its effects appear on him’
• Miserly conduct with respect to knowledge is also included in this Ayah.
• Narrated Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Everyday two angels come down from heaven and one of them says “O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause” and the other says “O Allah! Destroy every miser”’

إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ ٱللَّهُ وَجِلَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتُهُۥ زَادَتۡهُمۡ إِيمَٰنٗا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ٢ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ ٣ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ حَقّٗاۚ لَّهُمۡ دَرَجَٰتٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَمَغۡفِرَةٞ وَرِزۡقٞ كَرِيمٞ ٤

The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses (this Quran) are recited unto them, they (i.e., the Verses) increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone); Who perform As-Salat (the prayer) and spend out of that We have provided them. It is they who are the believers in truth. For them are grades of dignity with their Lord, and Forgiveness and a generous provision (Paradise).

Surah 8 Al-Anfal Verses 2-4

۞وَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ عَٰهَدَ ٱللَّهَ لَئِنۡ ءَاتَىٰنَا مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ لَنَصَّدَّقَنَّ وَلَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ٧٥ فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَىٰهُم مِّن فَضۡلِهِۦ بَخِلُواْ بِهِۦ وَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعۡرِضُونَ ٧٦ فَأَعۡقَبَهُمۡ نِفَاقٗا فِي قُلُوبِهِمۡ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يَلۡقَوۡنَهُۥ بِمَآ أَخۡلَفُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا وَعَدُوهُ وَبِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡذِبُونَ ٧٧

And of them are some who made a covenant with Allah (saying): “If He bestowed on us of His Bounty, we will verily, give Sadaqah (charity in Allah’s Cause) and will be certainly among those who are righteous”. Then when He gave them of His Bounty, they became niggardly (refused to pay the Sadaqah), and turned away, averse. So, He punished them by putting hypocrisy into their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet Him, because they broke that (covenant with Allah) which they had promised Him and because they used to tell lies.

Surah 9 At-Taubah Verses 75-77

• Breach of covenant and becoming stingy causes hypocrisy to come into existence in hearts. When a person behaves like that, he has to clasp to justification of himself and has to say something through his tongue which he does not believe in his inward. It is similar to the manner of the hypocrites who, in order to protect themselves, expressed Islam falsely and said something that they did not believe.

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦٓ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّهُمۡ وَيَخَافُونَ سُوٓءَ ٱلۡحِسَابِ ٢١ وَٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ ٱبۡتِغَآءَ وَجۡهِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَأَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنفَقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰهُمۡ سِرّٗا وَعَلَانِيَةٗ وَيَدۡرَءُونَ بِٱلۡحَسَنَةِ ٱلسَّيِّئَةَ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ عُقۡبَى ٱلدَّارِ ٢٢

Those who join that which Allah has commanded to be joined (i.e., they are good to their relatives and do not sever the bond of kinship), fear their Lord, and dread the terrible reckoning. And those who remain patient, seeking their Lords Countenance, perform As-Salat (the prayer), and spend out of that which We have bestowed on them, secretly and openly, and defend evil with good, for such there is a good end;

Surah 13 Ar-Rad Verses 21-22

قُل لِّعِبَادِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ يُقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰهُمۡ سِرّٗا وَعَلَانِيَةٗ مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن يَأۡتِيَ يَوۡمٞ لَّا بَيۡعٞ فِيهِ وَلَا خِلَٰلٌ ٣١

Say (O Muhammad, pbuh) to ibadi (My slaves) who have believed, that they should perform As-Salat and spend in charity out of the sustenance We have given them, secretly and openly, before the coming of a Day on which there will be neither mutual bargaining nor befriending.

Surah 14 Ibrahim Verse 31

• Allah says that on the Day of Resurrection, there will be no friendship between friends that might save those deserving punishment from it. Rather, on that Day, there will be fairness and justice. Similarly, no mutual bargaining or ransom will avail anyone, even if he ransom’s himself with earth fill of gold.

۞ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا عَبۡدٗا مَّمۡلُوكٗا لَّا يَقۡدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَيۡءٖ وَمَن رَّزَقۡنَٰهُ مِنَّا رِزۡقًا حَسَنٗا فَهُوَ يُنفِقُ مِنۡهُ سِرّٗا وَجَهۡرًاۖ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوُۥنَۚ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِۚ بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٧٥

Allah puts forward the example (of two men -- a believer and a disbeliever); a slave (disbeliever) under the possession of another, he has no power of any sort, and (the other), a man (believer) on whom We have bestowed a good provision from Us, and He spends thereof secretly and openly. Can they be equal? (By no means, not). All the praises and thanks be to Allah. Nay! (But) most of them know not.

Surah 16 An-Nahl Verse 75

وَءَاتِ ذَا ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرۡ تَبۡذِيرًا ٢٦ إِنَّ ٱلۡمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوٓاْ إِخۡوَٰنَ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينِۖ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لِرَبِّهِۦ كَفُورٗا ٢٧

And give to the kinsmen his due and to the Miskin (needy) and to the wayfarer. But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift. Verily, the spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayatin, and the Shaitan is ever ungrateful to his Lord.

Surah 17 Al-Isra Verses 26-27

• A Hadith states; ‘Your mother and your father, then your closest relatives and the next closest’
• According to another Hadith: ‘Whoever would like to see his provision expanded and his life extended, let him maintain ties of kinship’
• Mujahid said: If a man spends all his wealth on appropriate things, then he is not a spendthrift; but if he spends a little inappropriately, then he is a spendthrift. Qatadah said: Extravagance means spending money on sin in disobeying Allah, and on wrongful and corrupt things

وَلَا تَجۡعَلۡ يَدَكَ مَغۡلُولَةً إِلَىٰ عُنُقِكَ وَلَا تَبۡسُطۡهَا كُلَّ ٱلۡبَسۡطِ فَتَقۡعُدَ مَلُومٗا مَّحۡسُورًا ٢٩

And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift) so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty.

Surah 17 Al-Isra Verse 29

• It is important to know what is meant by extravagance and miserliness in Islam. Extravagance consists of:

1. Spending money on unlawful things, no matter how small be the amount so spent
2. Over-spending on lawful things in the sense that one spends more than one can afford to or one goes about continually spending out of his abundant resources on one’s luxurious living; and
3. Spending on charity but in order to make a display of one’s charitableness rather than to please Allah

Miserliness, in Islam, consists of:

1. A refusal to spend on one’s own genuine needs or those of one’s family commensurate with one’s resources; or
2. A refusal to spend on charity

Moderation in expenditure was a distinguishing characteristic of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions. The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Moderation in living is one of the signs of a man’s wisdom’

• Human beings are required to act with moderation in financial matters. They should neither prevent the flow of wealth out of miserliness, nor should they waste financial resources by irresponsible extravagance. Believers should not shirk from spending when that is genuinely needed; and should abstain from spending when it is not truly needed or is not justified. Expenses incurred for show, or out of vanity or on sheer luxury, and for sinful purposes – in fact every misdirected expense which is made at the expense of genuine needs and beneficial purposes amount to ingratitude to Allah for His bounty. It is for this reason that extravagant people have been dubbed ‘brothers of Shaitan’
• A carefully engineered public awareness should be taken up to enable people to distinguish between generosity and wasteful expenditure on the one hand, and between miserliness and judicious moderation in expenditure on the other.
• Narrated Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Wealth never decreases because of sadaqah (charity). Allah never increases a servant who gives in charity except in honour, and whoever is humble for the sake of Allah, Allah will raise him in status’

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنۡ خَشۡيَةِ رَبِّهِم مُّشۡفِقُونَ ٥٧ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِ‍َٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِمۡ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٥٨ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِرَبِّهِمۡ لَا يُشۡرِكُونَ ٥٩ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡتُونَ مَآ ءَاتَواْ وَّقُلُوبُهُمۡ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمۡ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ رَٰجِعُونَ ٦٠ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يُسَٰرِعُونَ فِي ٱلۡخَيۡرَٰتِ وَهُمۡ لَهَا سَٰبِقُونَ ٦١

Verily, those who live in awe for fear of their Lord; and those who believe in the Ayat of their Lord; and those who join not anyone as partners with their Lord; and those that give that which they give with their hearts full of fear, because they are sure to return to their Lord. It is these who hasten in the good deeds, and they are foremost in them.

Surah 23 Al-Muminun Verses 57-61

• ‘live in awe’ – means even though they have faith and do righteous deeds, they are still in awe of Him and fear Him and His hidden plan for them, as Al Hasan Al Basri said, “The believer combines Ihsan (perfection) with awe, while the disbelievers combine evil deeds with a sense of security”
• Ayat – refers to signs, and it is of two kinds:

5. Which are brought forward by the Prophets on behalf of Allah
6. That are found within man as well as those that are scattered around the universe

• ‘those who give’ – The word ita’ in Arabic usage is not only confined to giving money or something material. Thus giving, in the Verse, also includes giving oneself to Allah in obedience and servitude. Believers despite fully exerting themselves in acts of devotion and virtue, remain anxious for they are unsure whether or not their deeds will find Allah’s acceptance. They are also uncertain about whether their deeds will outweigh their sins, and whether these good will suffice to earn them Allah’s forgiveness. Narrated Aishah: I said “O Messenger of Allah (pbuh) Are these the ones who steal and commit Zina and drink alcohol while fearing Allah? (about the Verse above)” The Prophet (pbuh) replied: ‘No, O daughter of As-Siddiq, they are the ones who pray and fast and give in charity while fearing that it will not be accepted from them. It is these who hasten in the good deeds’

وَلَا يَأۡتَلِ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡفَضۡلِ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلسَّعَةِ أَن يُؤۡتُوٓاْ أُوْلِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينَ وَٱلۡمُهَٰجِرِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَلۡيَعۡفُواْ وَلۡيَصۡفَحُوٓاْۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغۡفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٌ ٢٢

And let not those among you who are blessed with graces and wealth swear not to give (any sort of help) to their kinsmen, Al-Masakin (the needy), and those who left their homes for Allah’s Cause. Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Surah 24 An-Nur Verse 22

• The Ayah was revealed concerning Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, when he swore that he would not help Mistah bin Uthathah after he said what he said about Aishah (the Slander Episode)

أَوَ لَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٣٧ فَ‍َٔاتِ ذَا ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞ لِّلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ ٣٨ وَمَآ ءَاتَيۡتُم مِّن رِّبٗا لِّيَرۡبُوَاْ فِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَلَا يَرۡبُواْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَآ ءَاتَيۡتُم مِّن زَكَوٰةٖ تُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَ ٱللَّهِ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُضۡعِفُونَ ٣٩

Do they not see that Allah enlarges the provision for whom He Wills and straitens (it for whom He Wills). Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who believe. So, give to the kindred his due, and to Al-Miskin and to the way farer. That is best for those who seek Allah’s Countenance; and it is they who will be successful. And that which you give in gift (to others), in order that it may increase (your wealth by expecting to get a better one in return) from other people’s property, has no increase with Allah; but that which you give in Zakat seeking Allah’s Countenance, then those they shall have manifest increase.

Surah 30 Ar-Rum Verses 37-39

• It is significant that here man is not being asked to give charity to near of kin, the needy and the wayfarer; instead, he is being asked to give them what is their due, to render them the right that he owes them. Man should be fully cognizant of the fact that if Allah (the true Owner of wealth) has granted him a little more wealth than others then these others have a right over the additional wealth. This additional wealth has, in fact, been entrusted to him so that His Lord might test him and see whether he is conscious of the rights of others or not

قُلۡ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَقۡدِرُ لَهُۥۚ وَمَآ أَنفَقۡتُم مِّن شَيۡءٖ فَهُوَ يُخۡلِفُهُۥۖ وَهُوَ خَيۡرُ ٱلرَّٰزِقِينَ ٣٩

Say: ‘Truly, my Lord enlarges the provision for whom He Wills of His slaves, and restricts for Him, and whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allah’s Cause), He will replace it. And He is the Best of Providers.

Surah 34 Saba Verse 39

• The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘He truly succeeds who becomes Muslim and is given just enough provision and Allah makes him content with what He has given’
• It was reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Allah says: “Spend, I will spend on you”’

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتۡلُونَ كِتَٰبَ ٱللَّهِ وَأَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنفَقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰهُمۡ سِرّٗا وَعَلَانِيَةٗ يَرۡجُونَ تِجَٰرَةٗ لَّن تَبُورَ ٢٩ لِيُوَفِّيَهُمۡ أُجُورَهُمۡ وَيَزِيدَهُم مِّن فَضۡلِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ غَفُورٞ شَكُورٞ ٣٠

Verily, those who recite the Book of Allah (Quran), and perform As-Salat, and spend out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, they hope for a (sure) trade-gain that will never perish. That He may pay them their wages in full, and give them more, out of His Grace. Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate.

Surah 35 Fatir Verses 29-30

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ أَنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَنُطۡعِمُ مَن لَّوۡ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ أَطۡعَمَهُۥٓ إِنۡ أَنتُمۡ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٖ ٤٧

And when it is said to them: ‘Spend of that which Allah has provided you’, those who disbelieve say to those who believe: ‘Shall we feed those whom, if Allah willed, He (Himself) would have fed? You are only in a plain error’.

Surah 36 Ya Sin Verse 47

• Man may reach a point where he considers infidelity and stinginess as a right path, and faith and charity as a deviated way. In this holy verse, the Quran refers to one of the important instances of their obstinacy and renouncement. This is the same very vulgarly logic which is propounded from the side of self-loving and niggardly persons who usually say: If so and so is poor, he has surely done something that Allah desires him to remain poor; and if we are rich, we have necessarily done something that we are in the grace of Allah; therefore, neither their poverty nor our richness is not void of wisdom. They are heedless that the world is the field of trial. Allah tries someone with poverty and the other with wealth, and sometimes He puts one person under trial in both of them in different times. He tries him whether he performs the rites of deposit, high-mindedness of nature, and gratitude, or he neglects all of them; and at the time he is wealthy whether he spends out what he has in his possession in the way of Allah, or not.

ِنَّمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا لَعِبٞ وَلَهۡوٞۚ وَإِن تُؤۡمِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ يُؤۡتِكُمۡ أُجُورَكُمۡ وَلَا يَسۡ‍َٔلۡكُمۡ أَمۡوَٰلَكُمۡ ٣٦ إِن يَسۡ‍َٔلۡكُمُوهَا فَيُحۡفِكُمۡ تَبۡخَلُواْ وَيُخۡرِجۡ أَضۡغَٰنَكُمۡ ٣٧ هَٰٓأَنتُمۡ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ تُدۡعَوۡنَ لِتُنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَمِنكُم مَّن يَبۡخَلُۖ وَمَن يَبۡخَلۡ فَإِنَّمَا يَبۡخَلُ عَن نَّفۡسِهِۦۚ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلۡغَنِيُّ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلۡفُقَرَآءُۚ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوۡاْ يَسۡتَبۡدِلۡ قَوۡمًا غَيۡرَكُمۡ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوٓاْ أَمۡثَٰلَكُم ٣٨

The life of this world is but play and pastime; but if you believe, and fear Allah, and avoid evil, He will grant you your wages, and will not ask you (to sacrifice all of) your wealth. If He were to ask you of it, and press you, you would covetously withhold, and He will bring out all your (secret) ill-wills. Behold! You are those who are called to spend in the Cause of Allah, yet among you are some who are niggardly. And whoever is niggardly, it is only at the expense of his own self. But Allah is Rich, and you (mankind) are poor. And if you turn away, He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes.

Surah 47 Muhammad Verses 36-38

• ‘at the expense of his own self’ – meaning he only reduces his own rewards, and the bad outcome of that will come back to him. Allah ordained charity and spending from your wealth so that you would help your needy brothers or establish the system of Islam, the benefit of that would then come back to you, as well as the rewards

ءَامِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَأَنفِقُواْ مِمَّا جَعَلَكُم مُّسۡتَخۡلَفِينَ فِيهِۖ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَأَنفَقُواْ لَهُمۡ أَجۡرٞ كَبِيرٞ ٧

Believe in Allah and His Messenger (pbuh) and spend of that whereof He has made you trustees. And such of you as believe and spend, theirs will be a great reward.

Surah 57 Al-Hadid Verse 7

• ‘whereof He has made you trustees’ – Allah encourages spending from what He has made mankind trustees of – the wealth that Allah has lent, which was in the hands of others before you. Therefore, mankind ought to spend it for Allah’s obedience.
• Narrated Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir: “I came to Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) as he was reciting and saying: ‘“abundance diverts you” The son of Adam claims, “My wealth, my wealth” But is there anything belonging to you, except that which you consumed, which you used, or which you wore and then it became worn or you gave as charity and sent it forward?’

مَّن ذَا ٱلَّذِي يُقۡرِضُ ٱللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنٗا فَيُضَٰعِفَهُۥ لَهُۥ وَلَهُۥٓ أَجۡرٞ كَرِيمٞ ١١

Who is he that will lend Allah a goodly loan, then (Allah) will increase it manifold to his credit and he will have (besides) a good reward (Paradise)?

Surah 57 Al-Hadid Verse 11

• Ibn Hatim recorded that Abdullah bin Masud said: “When this Ayah was revealed, Abu Ad-Dahdah Al-Ansari said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! Does Allah ask us for a loan?’ The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Yes, O Abu Ad-Dahdah’ He said, ‘Give me your hand, O Allah’s Messenger’ and the Prophet (pbuh) placed his hand in his hand. Abu Ad-Dahdah said, ‘Verily, I have given my garden as a loan to my Lord’ He had a garden that contained six hundred date trees; his wife and children were living in that garden too. Abu Ad-Dahdah went to his wife and called her, ‘Umm Ad-Dahdah!’ She said ‘Here I am’ He said ‘Leave the garden, because I have given it as a loan to my Lord, the Exalted and Most Honoured’ She said ‘That is a successful trade, O Abu Ad-Dahdah!’ She then transferred her goods and children. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: ‘How plentiful are the sweet date clusters that Abu Ad-Dahdah has in Paradise!’ In another narration the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘How many date tree that has lowered down its clusters, which are full of pearls and gems in Paradise for Abu Ad-Dahdah!’”

إِنَّ ٱلۡمُصَّدِّقِينَ وَٱلۡمُصَّدِّقَٰتِ وَأَقۡرَضُواْ ٱللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنٗا يُضَٰعَفُ لَهُمۡ وَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرٞ كَرِيمٞ ١٨

Verily, those who give Sadaqat (i.e., zakat and alms), men and women, and lend Allah a goodly loan, it shall be increased manifold (to their credit), and theirs shall be an honourable good reward (i.e., Paradise).

Surah 57 Al-Hadid Verse 18

ٱلَّذِينَ يَبۡخَلُونَ وَيَأۡمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلۡبُخۡلِۗ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡغَنِيُّ ٱلۡحَمِيدُ ٢٤

Those who are misers and enjoin upon people miserliness (Allah is not in need of their charity). And whosoever turns away (from faith) then Allah is the Rich, the Worthy of all praise.

Surah 57 Al-Hadid Verse 24

وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلۡإِيمَٰنَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ يُحِبُّونَ مَنۡ هَاجَرَ إِلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمۡ حَاجَةٗ مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ وَيُؤۡثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَلَوۡ كَانَ بِهِمۡ خَصَاصَةٞۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفۡسِهِۦ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ ٩

And those who, before them, had homes (in Al-Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, love those who emigrate to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given (from the booty of Banee An-Nadeer), and give them (emigrants) preference over themselves, even though they were in need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful.

Surah 59 Al-Hashr Verse 9

• Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Be on your guard against committing oppression, for oppression is a darkness on the Day of Resurrection. Be on your guard against being stingy, for being stingy is what destroyed those who were before you. It made them shed blood and make lawful what was unlawful for them’

وَأَنفِقُواْ مِن مَّا رَزَقۡنَٰكُم مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن يَأۡتِيَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوۡلَآ أَخَّرۡتَنِيٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٖ قَرِيبٖ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُن مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ١٠ وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهَاۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ ١١

And spend (in charity) of that with which We have provided you before death comes to one of you, and he says: ‘My Lord! If only You would give me respite for a little while, then I should give Sadaqah, and be among the righteous’ And Allah grants respite to none when his appointed time (death) comes. And Allah is Well Acquainted with what you do.

Surah 63 Al-Munafiqun Verses 10-11

فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُمۡ وَٱسۡمَعُواْ وَأَطِيعُواْ وَأَنفِقُواْ خَيۡرٗا لِّأَنفُسِكُمۡۗ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفۡسِهِۦ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ ١٦ إِن تُقۡرِضُواْ ٱللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنٗا يُضَٰعِفۡهُ لَكُمۡ وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ شَكُورٌ حَلِيمٌ ١٧

So, keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can; listen and obey, and spend in charity; that is better for yourselves. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, then they are the successful. If you lend to Allah a goodly loan, He will double it for you, and will forgive you. And Allah is Most Ready to appreciate and to reward, Most-Forbearing.

Surah 64 At-Taghabun Verses 16-17

• …whosoever is saved from his own covetousness… - The word used here means “is saved” and not “was safe”, for without Allah’s help and succor no one can attain to the wealth of the heart (liberal-mindedness) by his own power and effort. This is a blessing of Allah, which one can attain only by Allah’s bounty and grace. The word shuhha is used for stinginess and miserliness in Arabic. But when this word is attributed to the self of man, it becomes synonymous with narrow-mindedness, niggardliness, mean spiritedness and small-heartedness, and not mere stinginess; it is rather the root cause of stinginess itself. Because of this very quality man avoids acknowledging even the good qualities of another, not to speak of recognizing his rights and discharging them. He wants that he alone should gather up everything in the world, and no one else should have anything of it. He never feels content with his own right, but usurps the rights of others, or at least wants to have for himself all that is good in the world and should not leave anything for others. On this very basis one’s being saved from this evil has been described in the Quran as a guarantee for success. The Prophet (pbuh) has counted it among the most evil qualities of man which are the root cause of corruption and mischief. Jabir bin Abdullah has reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: Avoid shuhha for it was shuhha which ruined the people before you. It incited them to shed each other’s blood and make the sacred and forbidden things of others lawful for themselves. The tradition of Abdullah bin Umar contains the following words: It led them to commit wickedness and they committed it. It commanded them to commit sins and they committed sin. It urged them to break off all connections with the kindred and they broke off all connections with them. Abu Hurairah has reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: Faith and shuhha of the self cannot combine in one and the same heart. Abu Said Khudri has stated that the Prophet (pbuh) said: Two of the qualities are such that they cannot combine in a Muslim: stinginess and misbehavior. It is as a result of this very teaching of Islam that, apart from individuals, the Muslims as a nation are still the most generous and liberal minded people in the world.

أَسۡكِنُوهُنَّ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ سَكَنتُم مِّن وُجۡدِكُمۡ وَلَا تُضَآرُّوهُنَّ لِتُضَيِّقُواْ عَلَيۡهِنَّۚ وَإِن كُنَّ أُوْلَٰتِ حَمۡلٖ فَأَنفِقُواْ عَلَيۡهِنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَضَعۡنَ حَمۡلَهُنَّۚ فَإِنۡ أَرۡضَعۡنَ لَكُمۡ فَ‍َٔاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَأۡتَمِرُواْ بَيۡنَكُم بِمَعۡرُوفٖۖ وَإِن تَعَاسَرۡتُمۡ فَسَتُرۡضِعُ لَهُۥٓ أُخۡرَىٰ ٦ لِيُنفِقۡ ذُو سَعَةٖ مِّن سَعَتِهِۦۖ وَمَن قُدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ رِزۡقُهُۥ فَلۡيُنفِقۡ مِمَّآ ءَاتَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُۚ لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا مَآ ءَاتَىٰهَاۚ سَيَجۡعَلُ ٱللَّهُ بَعۡدَ عُسۡرٖ يُسۡرٗا ٧

Lodge them (the divorced women) where you dwell, according to your means, and do not treat them in such a harmful way that they be obliged to leave. And if they are pregnant, then spend on them till they deliver. Then if they give suck to the children for you, give them their due payment, and let each of you accept the advice of the other in a just way. But if you make difficulties for one another, then some other woman may give suck for him (the father of the child). Let the rich man spend according to his means, and the man whose resources are restricted, let him spend according to what Allah has given him. Allah puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him. Allah will grant after hardship, ease.

Surah 65 At-Talaq Verses 6-7

۞إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ١٩ إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعٗا ٢٠ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلۡخَيۡرُ مَنُوعًا ٢١ إِلَّا ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ ٢٢ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ دَآئِمُونَ ٢٣ وَٱلَّذِينَ فِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ حَقّٞ مَّعۡلُومٞ ٢٤ لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ ٢٥

Verily, man (disbeliever) was created very impatient; Irritable (discontented) when evil touches him; And niggardly when good touches him; Except those devoted to Salat (prayers); Those who remain constant in their Salat (prayers); And those in whose wealth there is a known right; For the beggar who asks, and for the unlucky who has lost his property and wealth, (and his means of living has been straitened) …

Surah 70 Al-Maarij Verses 19-25

• …known right… - Some people have understood this to mean that the due share implies the obligatory zakat, for in the zakat both the exemption limit and the rate have been fixed. But this commentary cannot be accepted on the ground that the Surah Al-Maarij is unanimously a Makkan Revelation, and the zakat with its specific exemption limit and rate was enjoined at Al-Madinah. Therefore, the correct meaning of the due share is that they have of their own accord set aside a share in their possessions of the beggar and needy, which they discharge regularly and honestly. This same meaning of this verse has been given by Abdullah bin Abbas, Abdullah bin Umar, Mujahid, Shabi and Ibrahim Nakhai.

لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ فِي كَبَدٍ ٤ أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ أَحَدٞ ٥ يَقُولُ أَهۡلَكۡتُ مَالٗا لُّبَدًا ٦ أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّمۡ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ ٧ أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ ٨ وَلِسَانٗا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ ٩ وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجۡدَيۡنِ ١٠ فَلَا ٱقۡتَحَمَ ٱلۡعَقَبَةَ ١١ وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡعَقَبَةُ ١٢ فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ ١٣ أَوۡ إِطۡعَٰمٞ فِي يَوۡمٖ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةٖ ١٤ يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ ١٥ أَوۡ مِسۡكِينٗا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٖ ١٦ ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡمَرۡحَمَةِ ١٧ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ ١٨

Verily, We have created man in Kabad. Does he think that none can overcome him? He says (boastfully): ‘I have wasted wealth in abundance!’ Does he think that none sees him? Have We not made for him two eyes, and a tongue and two lips? And shown him the two ways (good and evil). But he has not attempted to pass on the path that is steep. And what will make you know the path that is steep? (It is) freeing a neck (slave); or giving food in a day of hunger (famine) to an orphan near of kin, or to a miskin (needy) cleaving to dust (out of misery). Then he became one of those who believed and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion. They are those on the Right Hand (i.e., dwellers of Paradise).

Surah 90 Al-Balad Verses 4-18

• ‘Kabad’ – means:

• While in hardship
• In hardship and seeking livelihood
• In hardship and long suffering
• In difficulty
• Enduring the hardships of the world by life (toil) and the severity of the Hereafter

The verse conveys that this world is essentially not a place of fun and frolic; instead, here man has to pass through rigours of toil and hardship, something which no human being can escape. Even an enviable person was quite vulnerable in his mother’s womb and at the time of delivery and also as an infant. Even through life one is susceptible to risks all the time. A king is under constant threat of dethronement; a General fears dissidence in his ranks whereas a rich person also constantly strives to increase and protect his wealth. As man has been created in toil and hardship, he cannot have a peaceful, totally comfortable life.

• ‘none can overcome him’ – does man, notwithstanding his constant vulnerability, think that he is free to do what pleases him? A change of fortune turns tycoons into pauper. Not only individuals but also communities undergo downfall and disgrace, though they once enjoyed might and glory. Man should not, therefore, entertain the deception that he is not accountable.
• The boastful squanders wealth spent not on needs but only for showing off, not for any good cause. Squandering of wealth can involve wasting money on:

• Marriage and funeral rites
• Through lavish feasts
• Gambling
• Shopping in fairs
• Competing with other wealthy people
• Feeding people on an unlimited scale (for fame)

• Allah has favoured man with knowledge and reason. The two eyes here signify the faculty of discernment. On drawing upon his rational power man could easily perceive the divine signs scattered around him. Likewise, the tongue and the lips do not stand for faculty of speech, they also signify his ability to observe and articulate faith. Allah has not left man on his own, after having invested him with the mental faculties. Instead, He has imparted him guidance showing him the two roads of good and evil. It is up to man to make a careful choice as to which way he goes.
• ‘path that is steep’ – refers to the path which contains salvation and taxing. The path involves generosity and belief.
• ‘recommended one another to pity and compassion’ – Muslims are to be kind and compassionate towards the whole of mankind. A Hadith states: ‘The merciful people will be treated with mercy by the Most Merciful (Allah). Be merciful to those who are on the earth and He Who is above the heavens will be merciful to you’. In another Hadith: ‘Allah will not be merciful with whoever is not merciful with the people’. Narrated Abdullah bin Amr that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Whoever does not show mercy to our children, nor does he recognize the right of our elders, then he is not of us’

ٱلَّذِي يُؤۡتِي مَالَهُۥ يَتَزَكَّىٰ ١٨ وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُۥ مِن نِّعۡمَةٖ تُجۡزَىٰٓ ١٩ إِلَّا ٱبۡتِغَآءَ وَجۡهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ ٢٠ وَلَسَوۡفَ يَرۡضَىٰ ٢١

He who spends his wealth for increase in self-purification; And who has (in mind) no favour from anyone to be paid back, except to seek the Countenance of his Lord, the Most High; He, surely, will be pleased (when he will enter Paradise).

Surah 92 Al-Lail Verses 18-21

• This is the explanation of the sincerity of the pious man. He was not indebted in any way to the people on whom he spends his wealth so that he may be doing so in order to repay for favors received, or may be giving gifts and holding banquets to them in order to further benefit from them, but he is helping such people only in order to seek the goodwill of his Lord, the Supreme. He was neither indebted to them before, nor he expects any favors from them in the future. Its best illustration is the act of Abu Bakr Siddiq, he would purchase and set free the poor slaves and slaves-girls who accepted Islam in Makkah and were cruelly treated by their masters on that account. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Asakir have related, on the authority of Amir bin Abdullah bin Zubair, that when Abu Bakr’s father saw him spending money to purchase the freedom of the poor slaves and slave-girls, he said to him: Son, I see that you are getting the weak people free; had you spent this money on the freedom of strong, young men, they would have become your helpers and supporters. Abu Bakr replied: Dear father, I only seek the reward that is with Allah.

END OF CHAPTER

Supplication/Invocation

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌۖ أُجِيبُ دَعۡوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِۖ فَلۡيَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلۡيُؤۡمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡشُدُونَ ١٨٦

And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad, pbuh) concerning Me, then (answer them) I am indeed near (to them by my knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verse 186

• Narrated Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Allah said: “I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes near to Me, is what I have enjoined upon Him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him. Then I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him”’
• Narrated Abu Said that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘No Muslim supplicates to Allah with a Du’a that does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb, but Allah will grant him one of the three things:

• He will hasten the response of his supplication
• Save it for him until the Hereafter; or
• Would turn an equivalent amount of evil away from him’

فَإِذَا قَضَيۡتُم مَّنَٰسِكَكُمۡ فَٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ كَذِكۡرِكُمۡ ءَابَآءَكُمۡ أَوۡ أَشَدَّ ذِكۡرٗاۗ فَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَمَا لَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ مِنۡ خَلَٰقٖ ٢٠٠ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٗ وَفِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ حَسَنَةٗ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ٢٠١ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ نَصِيبٞ مِّمَّا كَسَبُواْۚ وَٱللَّهُ سَرِيعُ ٱلۡحِسَابِ ٢٠٢

…But of mankind are some who say: ‘Our Lord! Give us in this world!’ and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter. And of them are some who say: ‘Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!’ Those, for them, there will be allotted a share for what they have earned. And Allah is swift at reckoning.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verses 200-202

• A criticism for those who only supplicate to Allah about the affairs of this life, while ignoring the Hereafter.
• The supplication mentioned and praised in the Ayah includes all good aspects of this life, as in:

• Every material request of well being
• Spacious dwelling
• Pleasing mates
• Sufficient provisions
• Beneficial knowledge
• Good profession or deeds
• Comfortable means of transportation; and

• Good praise

And seeks refuge from all types of evil. As for the good of the Hereafter, the best includes:

• Acquiring Paradise
• Acquiring safety from the greatest horror at the gathering place
• Being questioned lightly

• Al Qasim bin Abdur Rahman said, ‘Whoever is gifted with a grateful heart, a remembering tongue and a patient body, will have been endowed with a good deed in this life, a good deed in the Hereafter and saved from the torment of the Fire’

قُلۡ أَمَرَ رَبِّي بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ وَأَقِيمُواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسۡجِدٖ وَٱدۡعُوهُ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَۚ كَمَا بَدَأَكُمۡ تَعُودُونَ ٢٩

Say (O Muhammad, pbuh): My Lord has commanded justice and (said) that you should face Him only in each and every place of worship, in prayers, and invoke Him only making your religion sincere to Him by not joining in worship any partner to Him and with the intention that you are doing your deeds for Allah’s sake only. As He brought you (into being) in the beginning, so shall you be brought into being (on the Day of Resurrection).

Surah 7 Al-Araf Verse 29

• The verse seeks to suggest that so far as the religion truly prescribed by Allah is concerned, its fundamental principles are the following:

(1) That man should base his life on justice and righteousness.

(2) That man's worship should have the right orientation, i.e., it should he directed to Allah alone and should be free of every trace of devotion to others than Allah, that man should reserve his absolute enthralment and bondage for the One True God alone. All these should have only one direction - the One that is truly worthy of worship.

(3) Man should invoke Allah alone to keep him rightly directed, to grant him help and succour, to favour him with protection and security. This should be done provided one’s life is oriented to serving Allah. Invoking help from Allah would be ludicrous if man’s life is based on unbelief, polytheism, disobedience to Allah, or serving a variety of gods other than the One True God. Such a prayer would amount to asking Allah’s help in strengthening one in one’s rebellion against Him.

(4) That man should have full conviction that in the same way as Allah caused him to he born in the world, He will also restore him to life after death and will make him stand before Himself so as to render an account of his life

ٱدۡعُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ تَضَرُّعٗا وَخُفۡيَةًۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِينَ ٥٥ وَلَا تُفۡسِدُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بَعۡدَ إِصۡلَٰحِهَا وَٱدۡعُوهُ خَوۡفٗا وَطَمَعًاۚ إِنَّ رَحۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ٥٦

Invoke your Lord Tadarru’an and Khufyah. He likes not the aggressors. And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, and invoke Him with fear and hope. Surely, Allah’s Mercy is (ever) near to the good-doers.

Surah 7 Al-A’raf Verse 55-56

• Ibn Jarir said that ‘Tadarruan’ means obeying Allah in humility and humbleness; and ‘Khufyah’ means with the humbleness in your hearts and certainty of His Oneness and Lordship, not supplicating loudly to show off.
• It is recorded in two Sahihs that Abu Musa Al Ashari said; “The People raised their voices with supplication but the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘O People! Take it easy on yourselves. Verily, you are not calling one who is deaf or absent, rather, the One you are calling is All-Hearer, Near (to His servants by His knowledge)’”
• ‘aggressors’ refers to aggression in the du’a and otherwise; such as asking to reach the grade of the Prophets. Imam Ahmad narrated that Abu Niamah said that Abdullah bin Mughaffal heard his son supplicating, “O Allah! I ask you for the white castle on the right side of Paradise, if I enter it’ So Abdullah said “O My son! Ask Allah for Paradise and seek refuge with Him from the Fire, for I heard the Prophet (pbuh) say: ‘There will come some people who transgress in supplication and purification’”
• The command not to make mischief on the earth means not to vitiate the right order of life. What basically constitutes ‘mischief making’ is:

• To surrender oneself to one’s lusts
• To commit acts in subservience to other human beings; and
• To subscribe to base morals and principles derived from sources other than Allah’s Guidance

• Calling upon Allah with fear and hope conveys the idea that man should fear Allah alone, and to Him alone he should look for the fulfilment of his wishes. While calling upon Allah man should realize that he is totally dependent on Allah’s favour and that he can attain success only if Allah helps and guides him to it. Similarly, man should also bear in mind that once he is deprived of Allah’s support he is doomed to utter failure and undoing

وَلِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ فَٱدۡعُوهُ بِهَاۖ وَذَرُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ يُلۡحِدُونَ فِيٓ أَسۡمَٰٓئِهِۦۚ سَيُجۡزَوۡنَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ١٨٠

And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do.

Surah 7 Al-A’raf Verse 180

• Narrated Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Verily, Allah has ninety-nine names, a hundred less one; whoever counts (and preserves) them, will enter Paradise. Allah is Witr (one) and loves Al-Witr (the odd numbered things)’

۞وَلَوۡ يُعَجِّلُ ٱللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ ٱلشَّرَّ ٱسۡتِعۡجَالَهُم بِٱلۡخَيۡرِ لَقُضِيَ إِلَيۡهِمۡ أَجَلُهُمۡۖ فَنَذَرُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرۡجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا فِي طُغۡيَٰنِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ ١١

And were Allah to hasten for mankind the evil as He hastens for them good, then they would have been ruined. So, we leave those who expect not their Meeting with Us, in their trespasses, wandering blindly in distraction.

Surah 10 Yunus Verse 11

• Allah tells us about His Forbearance and Benevolence with His servants. He does not respond to them when they pray with evil intentions against themselves, their wealth or their children during times of grief or anger. Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar recorded in his Musnad that Jabir said that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Do not pray against yourselves, do not pray against your children, do not pray against your wealth, for your prayer may coincide with a time of response from Allah and Allah will respond to you’

وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ ٱلضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنۢبِهِۦٓ أَوۡ قَاعِدًا أَوۡ قَآئِمٗا فَلَمَّا كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡهُ ضُرَّهُۥ مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمۡ يَدۡعُنَآ إِلَىٰ ضُرّٖ مَّسَّهُۥۚ كَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ١٢

And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying on his side or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on as if he had never invoked Us for harm that touched him! Thus, it is made fair-seeming to the Musrifun that which they used to do.

Surah 10 Yunus Verse 12

• Musrifun: Those who denied Allah and His Prophets, and transgressed Allah’s limits by committing all kinds of crimes and sins
• The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this is not the case with anyone except a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah, and that is good for him. And if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is also good for him’

أَلَآ إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَن فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ وَمَا يَتَّبِعُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ شُرَكَآءَۚ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَإِنۡ هُمۡ إِلَّا يَخۡرُصُونَ ٦٦

No doubt! Verily, to Allah belongs whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth. And those who worship and invoke others besides Allah, in fact they follow not the (Allah’s so called) partners, they follow only a conjecture and they only invent lies.

Surah 10 Yunus Verse 66

قُلۡ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِن كُنتُمۡ فِي شَكّٖ مِّن دِينِي فَلَآ أَعۡبُدُ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنۡ أَعۡبُدُ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِي يَتَوَفَّىٰكُمۡۖ وَأُمِرۡتُ أَنۡ أَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ١٠٤ وَأَنۡ أَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفٗا وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ١٠٥ وَلَا تَدۡعُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَۖ فَإِن فَعَلۡتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذٗا مِّنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ١٠٦

Say (O Muhammad, pbuh): “O you mankind! If you are in doubt as to my religion (Islam), then (know that) I will never worship those whom you worship, besides Allah. But I worship Allah Who causes you to die, I am commanded to be one of the believers. And (it is inspired to me): Direct your face entirely towards the religion Hanifa (Islamic Monotheism, i.e., to worship none but Allah Alone), and never be one of the Mushrikun (those who ascribe partners to Allah, polytheists, idolaters). And invoke not besides Allah, any that will neither profit you, nor hurt you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers)”.

Surah 10 Yunus Verses 104-106

لَهُۥ دَعۡوَةُ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَسۡتَجِيبُونَ لَهُم بِشَيۡءٍ إِلَّا كَبَٰسِطِ كَفَّيۡهِ إِلَى ٱلۡمَآءِ لِيَبۡلُغَ فَاهُ وَمَا هُوَ بِبَٰلِغِهِۦۚ وَمَا دُعَآءُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَٰلٖ ١٤

For Him (Alone) is the Word of Truth (i.e., none has the right to be worshipped but He). And those whom they (polytheists and disbelievers) invoke, answer them no more than one who stretches forth his hand (at the edge of a deep well) for water to reach his mouth, but it reaches him not, and the invocation of the disbelievers is nothing but an error (i.e., of no use).

Surah 13 Ar-Rad Verse 14

وَيَدۡعُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ بِٱلشَّرِّ دُعَآءَهُۥ بِٱلۡخَيۡرِۖ وَكَانَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ عَجُولٗا ١١

And man invokes (Allah) for evil as he invokes for good and man is ever hasty [i.e., if he is angry with somebody, he invokes (saying): ‘O Allah! Curse him, etc.’ and that one should not do, but one should be patient].

Surah 17 Al-Isra Verse 11

• …man is ever hasty… - the idea is repeated in another verse of the Quran where Alah says: “Man was created of haste” [V 21:37]. Even the finest of Allāh’s creation – the prophets and messengers – were not completely spared from haste. As for the Prophet Adam, it was narrated from Sa’id Ibn Jubair and As-Suddi that: “When Allah blew into Adam from His soul (after fashioning Adam from clay) and it reached his eyes, he looked at the fruits of the garden. When the soul reached his body, he desired to eat, and so he tried to stand up before the soul had reached his feet, hastening to the fruits of paradise”. As for Prophet Musa (alayhi al-Salam), his story with al-Khidr is well known. Had it not been for haste, Prophet Musa could have learnt much more from al-Khidr. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: ‘May Allāh have mercy on Musa. Had he not been hasty, we would have learnt far more stories than we did’. As for Prophet Yunus, he walked away from his community after they had stubbornly rejected him. The decision of Prophet Yunus was one that had yet to be approved by Allah. Prophet Yunus was then swallowed by a whale, where he would spend the next period of his life in extreme distress. Allah would caution our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from displaying similar haste, saying: “Be patient for the decision of your Lord, (O Muhammad), and do not be like the companion of the fish when he called out while he was distressed” [V 68:48]. In fact, even our very own Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) would experience something similar. Angel Jibril would recite verses of the Qur’ān and the Prophet (pbuh) would repeat over him. The Prophet (pbuh) feared forgetfulness, so Allāh instructed him to not be hasty, whilst reassuring him that he shall be made to remember the Quran: “Do not be in haste with the Quran before its revelation is made complete to you, and say: ‘O my Lord, increase me in knowledge’” [V 20:114].
• Islam takes a balanced approach towards the topic of haste. It does not condemn it entirely, nor does it praise it entirely. Islām praises aspects of it whilst condemning others. We can categorise haste into two categories: blameworthy haste, and that which is praiseworthy.

1. Blameworthy haste:

• The most serious form of reprehensible haste for man is favouring what is immediate over what is yet to come, being involved in the worldly pleasures, and forgetting all about the hereafter.
• Another type of reprehensible haste involves rashness in spreading rumours and lodging accusations against innocent people without evidence. Tongues propagate gossip and exchange accusations unhesitatingly. Such statements pass by the ear, which unconsciously receives them, and then they are circulated heedlessly without being examined or weighed on the scales of the religion.
• Haste when praying: This includes racing with an Imam one is praying behind, moving during his movements or even beforehand. This also includes rushing the prayer when performing it alone, which can render one’s prayer invalid. A man in the time of the Prophet (pbuh) once entered the mosque and started praying. When he finished, the man greeted the Prophet (pbuh), who then responded: ‘Go back and repeat your prayer, for you have not prayed’. The man did so, and, having prayed, he then greeted the Prophet (pbuh), who returned his greeting by saying: ‘Go back and repeat your prayer, for you have not prayed’. This happened three times, and on the last time the man said: “I swear by Allah, I can’t do any better than this, so please teach me”. The Prophet (pbuh) replied: ‘When you get up for the prayer, say the Takbir (Allahu Akbar), and then recite what you know of the Quran, and then bow, and remain in this state till you feel at rest in bowing, and then raise your head until you have stood straight, and then prostrate until you feel at rest in prostration, and then sit up until you feel at rest while sitting, and do this throughout your prayer’. The companion Hudhaifa Ibn Al-Yaman once saw a man who was detracting from his prayer. Hudhaifa said to him: “How long have you been praying like this?” The man replied: “For forty years.” Hudhaifa then said: “You have not been praying for forty years, and had you died praying like this, you would have died upon other than the Fitra (disposition) of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)”.
• Haste when making Du’a: This takes several forms, one of which is when one makes Du’a against himself or someone else or a belonging of his, which, if answered, will bring about grave regret. During one of his travels, the Prophet (pbuh) heard a companion curse his animal, saying: “Get up! May the curse of Allah be on you!”. The Prophet (pbuh) asked: ‘Who cursed his camel?’ The man said: “I did, O messenger of Allāh.” To which the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Get down from the camel. A cursed one will not join us in this journey. Do not make Du’a against your own selves, nor your children, nor your belongings. There is the possibility that your curse may correspond with a moment when Allah responds to Du’a, and thus it is answered’. Another form of being hasty in Du’a is giving up on it altogether when one does not see an immediate response. The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘The Du’a of every one of you will be granted so long as he does not become hasty by saying: “I have made Du’a but it has not been answered”’. Another form of haste in supplication is to supplicate Allah before praising and glorifying Him and before asking Allah to bestow His peace and blessings on His Messenger (pbuh). Fadhalah ibn ‘Ubaid said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) heard a man supplicating during the prayer without glorifying Allah or asking Him to bestow His peace and blessings upon the Prophet (pbuh). The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to him, ‘You have been in a hurry, O worshipper!’ Then the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) taught them the proper way of supplication.
• Haste when pursuing knowledge: Imam al-Zuhri said: “Whoever expects to attain knowledge all at once, it will leave him all at once. Rather, knowledge is attained throughout the passage of days and nights”. Imam Malik said: “I only started issuing verdicts after seventy (scholars) approved of me doing so”.
• Haste in securing an income and provisions: The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Angel Jibril has blown into my soul (a form of revelation) saying, “No person shall die till they have first consumed their full lifespan and full provisions. So, be cautious of Allah, and seek your provisions in a beautiful way, and do not let your hurry for your provisions push you to seek it via sinful ways, for that which is with Allah can only be attained through his obedience”’.
• Haste in wanting Allāh to reform people or the circumstances of the Ummah: Khabbab Ibn al-Aratt, a companion who was tortured immensely at the hands of the pagans for being a Muslim, said: “We complained to the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the persecution inflicted upon us by the disbelievers, while he was lying in the shade of the Ka’bah, having made a pillow of his cloak, saying: ‘Will you not make Du’a for our victory over them?’”. The Prophet (pbuh) replied: ‘There were people before you who would be detained. Then, a pit would be dug for them, which they’d be placed in. Then, a saw would be placed in the middle of their heads and sawed into two pieces. Their flesh would also be torn away from their bones using iron combs, and despite this, it would not deter them from their religion. By Allah! Allah will bring this religion to its completion until a rider will be able to travel from Sana to Ḥaḍramawt (two cities in Yemen) fearing none except Allah, and except the wolf for his sheep (i.e., Muslims will govern this region, hence no one will be feared but Allah), but you are in a hurry’.

2. Praiseworthy haste

• Rushing to do good deeds: According to the Quran, the greater the goal is, the greater one’s rush should be towards it. When speaking about worldly pursuits, the Quran uses the term “walk” [V67:15]; When speaking about our journey to prayer, it uses the term “proceed/haste” [V 62:9]; When speaking about our pursuit of Paradise, it uses the term “Race” [V 57:21]; But when speaking about our pursuit of Allah, it uses the term “Flee” [V 51:50]. Remember the words of Prophet Musa who said, “…I hastened to You, my Lord, so that You may be pleased” [V 20:84].
• Rushing to restore rights to their owners: The Prophet (pbuh) once led the Muslims in the afternoon prayer, and after he finished, he left the mosque hurriedly and entered his home. When he reappeared, he saw the astonishment in the faces of his companions, so he explained: ‘I remembered whilst I was praying that a piece of gold had remained within my house, and I disliked that it should remain with us throughout the night, so I instructed for it to be distributed’.
• Rushing to carry out Hajj: The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Whoever intends to perform Hajj, let him hasten to do so, for he may fall sick, lose his mount, or be faced with some need’.
• Rushing to repent: Allah says in the Quran: “Allah accepts the repentance of those who do wrong in ignorance and then they repent soon after. It is they whom Allah will forgive, and Allah is ever knowing and wise. But repentance is not accepted of those who continue to do evil deeds up until, when death comes to one of them, he says, ‘I have repented now’, or of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful punishment” [V 4:17-18].

قُلِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ فَلَا يَمۡلِكُونَ كَشۡفَ ٱلضُّرِّ عَنكُمۡ وَلَا تَحۡوِيلًا ٥٦ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ يَبۡتَغُونَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمُ ٱلۡوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمۡ أَقۡرَبُ وَيَرۡجُونَ رَحۡمَتَهُۥ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّكَ كَانَ مَحۡذُورٗا ٥٧

Say (O Muhammad, pbuh): “Call unto those besides Him whom you pretend [to be gods like angels, Iesa (Jesus), Uzair (Ezra)]. They have neither the power to remove the adversity from you nor even to shift it from you to another person”. Those whom they call upon desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord (Allah), as to which of them should be the nearest and they hope for His Mercy and fear His Torment. Verily, the Torment of your Lord is (something) to be afraid of!

Surah 17 Al-Isra Verse 56-57

• The words of the text are a clear proof that the deities and the helpers referred to in this verse were not idols of stone but were either angels or dead saints. It is clearly implied in this that no prophet, no saint and no angel, whom the people invoke for help, has the power to hear prayers and help anyone. They themselves hope for mercy from Allah and dread His punishment and vie with one another in seeking means for nearness to Him.

قُلِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱللَّهَ أَوِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنَۖ أَيّٗا مَّا تَدۡعُواْ فَلَهُ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰۚ وَلَا تَجۡهَرۡ بِصَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تُخَافِتۡ بِهَا وَٱبۡتَغِ بَيۡنَ ذَٰلِكَ سَبِيلٗا ١١٠ وَقُلِ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي لَمۡ يَتَّخِذۡ وَلَدٗا وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ شَرِيكٞ فِي ٱلۡمُلۡكِ وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ وَلِيّٞ مِّنَ ٱلذُّلِّۖ وَكَبِّرۡهُ تَكۡبِيرَۢا ١١١

Say (O Muhammad, pbuh): “Invoke Allah or invoke the Most Beneficent (Allah), by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names. And offer your Salat (prayer) neither aloud nor in a low voice, but follow a way between”. And say: “All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has not begotten a son, and Who has no partner in (His) Dominion, nor He is low to have a Wali (helper, protector or supporter). And magnify Him with all the magnificence”.

Surah 17 Al-Isra Verses 110-111

وَرَبَطۡنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ إِذۡ قَامُواْ فَقَالُواْ رَبُّنَا رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ لَن نَّدۡعُوَاْ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ إِلَٰهٗاۖ لَّقَدۡ قُلۡنَآ إِذٗا شَطَطًا ١٤

And We made their (People of the Cave) hearts firm and strong when they stood up and said: “Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, never shall we call upon any ilah (god) other than Him; if we did, we should indeed have uttered an enormity in disbelief”.

Surah 18 Al-Kahf Verse 14

وَنُوحًا إِذۡ نَادَىٰ مِن قَبۡلُ فَٱسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهُۥ فَنَجَّيۡنَٰهُ وَأَهۡلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلۡكَرۡبِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ ٧٦

And (remember) Nuh (Noah), when he cried (to Us) aforetime. We listened to his invocation and saved him and his family from great distress.

Surah 21 Al-Anbiya Verse 76

۞وَلَوۡ رَحِمۡنَٰهُمۡ وَكَشَفۡنَا مَا بِهِم مِّن ضُرّٖ لَّلَجُّواْ فِي طُغۡيَٰنِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ ٧٥ وَلَقَدۡ أَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِٱلۡعَذَابِ فَمَا ٱسۡتَكَانُواْ لِرَبِّهِمۡ وَمَا يَتَضَرَّعُونَ ٧٦ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡهِم بَابٗا ذَا عَذَابٖ شَدِيدٍ إِذَا هُمۡ فِيهِ مُبۡلِسُونَ ٧٧

And though We had mercy on them (disbelievers) and removed the distress which is on them, still they would obstinately persist in their transgression, wandering blindly. And indeed, We seized them with punishment; but they humbled not themselves to their Lord, nor did they invoke (Allah) with submission to Him. Until, when We open for them a gate of severe punishment, then Lo! They will be plunged into destruction with deep regrets, sorrows and in despair.

Surah 23 Al-Muminun Verses 75-77

وَمَن يَدۡعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَ لَا بُرۡهَٰنَ لَهُۥ بِهِۦ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ ١١٧

And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allah, any other ilah (god), of whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely! Al-Kafirun (the disbelievers in Allah and in the Oneness of Allah; polytheists, pagans, idolaters) will not be successful.

Surah 23 Al-Muminun Verse 117

وَلَا تَدۡعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَۘ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ كُلُّ شَيۡءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجۡهَهُۥۚ لَهُ ٱلۡحُكۡمُ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ٨٨

And invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Everything will perish save His Face. His is the Decision, and to Him you (all) shall be returned.

Surah 28 Al-Qasas Verse 88

يُولِجُ ٱلَّيۡلَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِي ٱلَّيۡلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَۖ كُلّٞ يَجۡرِي لِأَجَلٖ مُّسَمّٗىۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡ لَهُ ٱلۡمُلۡكُۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَا يَمۡلِكُونَ مِن قِطۡمِيرٍ ١٣ إِن تَدۡعُوهُمۡ لَا يَسۡمَعُواْ دُعَآءَكُمۡ وَلَوۡ سَمِعُواْ مَا ٱسۡتَجَابُواْ لَكُمۡۖ وَيَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ يَكۡفُرُونَ بِشِرۡكِكُمۡۚ وَلَا يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثۡلُ خَبِيرٖ ١٤

He merges the night into the day, and He merges the day into the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon, each runs its course for a term appointed. Such is Allah your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmir (the thin membrane over the datestone). If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call, and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you like Him Who is the All-Knower (of each and everything).

Surah 35 Fatir Verses 13-14

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدۡعُونِيٓ أَسۡتَجِبۡ لَكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ عَنۡ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدۡخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ ٦٠

And your Lord said: ‘Invoke Me, I will respond to your (invocation). Verily, those who scorn My worship they will surely enter Hell in humiliation’.

Surah 40 Ghafir Verse 60

• The following two points in this Verse merit attention:

1. Invocation (Prayer) and worship have been used as synonyms. This reinforces the notion that Prayer or supplication is the quintessence of worship.
2. ‘those who scorn My worship’ implies that to pray is the essence of servitude to Allah. Those who wilfully refrain from praying in fact do so because they have been puffed up by pride and arrogance. Narrated Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Allah becomes wrathful with him who does not invoke Him for help and support’

• The verse also removes certain misperceptions about supplications being pointless in view of Divine Preordainment, as in:

• Fate does not prevent Allah from doing anything that He pleases or from accepting any supplication. Man, obviously, cannot alter the Divine Decree. However, Allah can change His decision in response to someone’s supplication
• Whether someone’s supplication is granted or not, it is nonetheless not devoid of blessing because by the act of supplication one acknowledges Allah’s supremacy and one’s own servitude and helplessness. The admission of servitude is the essence of worship. Narrated Salman Al-Farisi that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Nothing but Prayer can alter Fate’

• Narrated Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘If any of you prays to Allah, let him not say, “Grant me deliverance or mercy or sustenance, if you please” Rather, he should pray categorically for what he wants’
• Narrated Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Pray to Allah with the conviction that He will answer your prayer’ Similarly Anas bin Malik narrates that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Let each of you ask Allah for what he needs, so much so that he should even ask Him for his shoelace’

هُوَ ٱلۡحَيُّ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَٱدۡعُوهُ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَۗ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٦٥

He is the Ever Living, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), so invoke Him making your worship pure for Him Alone. All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).

Surah 40 Ghafir Verse 65

لَّا يَسۡ‍َٔمُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مِن دُعَآءِ ٱلۡخَيۡرِ وَإِن مَّسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ فَيَ‍ُٔوسٞ قَنُوطٞ ٤٩ وَلَئِنۡ أَذَقۡنَٰهُ رَحۡمَةٗ مِّنَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتۡهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ هَٰذَا لِي وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآئِمَةٗ وَلَئِن رُّجِعۡتُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّيٓ إِنَّ لِي عِندَهُۥ لَلۡحُسۡنَىٰۚ فَلَنُنَبِّئَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنۡ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٖ ٥٠ وَإِذَآ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡإِنسَٰنِ أَعۡرَضَ وَنَ‍َٔابِجَانِبِهِۦ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ فَذُو دُعَآءٍ عَرِيضٖ ٥١

Man does not get tired of asking good (things from Allah); but if an evil touch him, then he gives up all hope and is lost in despair. And truly, if We give him a taste of mercy from Us, after some adversity has touched him, he is sure to say: ‘This is due to my (merit); I think not that the Hour will be established. But if I am brought back to my Lord, surely there will be for me the best with Him’. Then, We verily will show to the disbelievers what they have done, and We shall make them taste a severe torment. And when We show favour to man, he withdraws and turns away; but when evil touches him, then he has recourse to long supplications.

Surah 41 Fussilat Verse 49-51

• Man (al-Insan) used here does not refer to the entirety of mankind. Rather, it means those who fervently invoke Allah when they are engulfed in a crisis but who, no sooner than they receive any portion of good fortune, throw all their scruples aboard and pounce on self-indulgence. Since the majority of human beings are vulnerable to this weakness, it is projected as a common failure pertaining to mankind.
• Such a person tends to boast that he has earned all his good fortune as a result of his own talent and competence. He, thus, considers himself quite worthy of the well-being that he enjoys
• ‘good’ – here refers to prosperity, abundance of sustenance, good health and physical well-being

• ‘withdraws’ – is a sign of arrogance and pride leading to disobedience
• ‘long supplications’ – means:

• Asking at length for one thing
• Long on words and short on meaning (as against concise speech which is brief but full of meaning)

وَيَسۡتَجِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَيَزِيدُهُم مِّن فَضۡلِهِۦۚ وَٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ شَدِيدٞ ٢٦

And He answers (the invocation of) those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and gives them increase of His bounty. And as for the disbelievers, theirs will be a severe torment.

Surah 42 Ash-Shura Verse 26

• It is worthy of note, however, that answering their invocations depends upon faith and doing righteous good deeds.
• By studying the various phrases that are recorded in the ahadith relating to this topic, it is possible to formulate the conditions that guarantee the acceptance of one’s supplications, as in:

• You should call upon no one except Allah. The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘If you ask, then ask of Allah, and if you seek help, then seek the help of Allah’.
• You should seek to draw close to Allah in one of the ways that are prescribed in shariah.
• You should avoid seeking a quick response, for this is one of the problems that may prevent the du’a from being accepted.
• The du’a should not involve sin or severing of the ties of kinship, as stated in the hadith: ‘A man’s (dua) may be answered so long as he does not involve sin or severing the ties of kinship …’
• You should think positively of Allah. The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Allah, may He be exalted, says: ‘I am as My slave thinks I am”’. According to the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet said: ‘Make du’a to Allaah when you are certain of a response’. Whoever thinks well of his Lord, Allah will bestow His bounty upon him and give him in abundance.
• You should be focused, aware of the greatness of the One upon Whom you are calling. The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Know that Allah does not answer a du’a from a distracted heart’.
• Ensuring that one’s food comes from good (halaal) sources. In the hadith it says: [The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] mentioned about a man who undertakes a lengthy journey and is disheveled and covered with dust, and he stretches his hands towards heaven saying, ‘O Lord, O Lord,’ when his food is haraam, his drink is haraam, his clothes are haraam. He is nourished with haraam, so how can he be granted a response?
• You should avoid aggression in du’a, for Allah does not like aggression in du’a.
• Exegetes have mentioned certain other conditions for the acceptance of dua, as in: not asking for a request that is in contradiction with the “best universal order” that governs the world; the immutable Divine will (in which case the supplication will be disregarded); beginning and ending the supplication with blessings upon Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); possessing a thorough knowledge of Allah, putting our trust only in Allah and no other but Him; being sincere and feeling desperately in need of Allah; the harmoniousness of one’s heart and tongue in supplicating; being disposed to carry out our duties and refrain from committing what Allah has forbidden; pleading for forgiveness of one’s sins; being persistent in beseeching Allah without loosing hope; knowing that Allah hears His servants and heeds their supplications; asking Allah to take care of one’s needs the way He deems appropriate and in accordance with what is best for him, (not what he himself whimsically desires). If all these conditions are met, the supplicant should have no doubt that the request will be granted, although it be at a later time.

قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُم مَّا تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شِرۡكٞ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِۖ ٱئۡتُونِي بِكِتَٰبٖ مِّن قَبۡلِ هَٰذَآ أَوۡ أَثَٰرَةٖ مِّنۡ عِلۡمٍ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٤ وَمَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدۡعُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسۡتَجِيبُ لَهُۥٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ وَهُمۡ عَن دُعَآئِهِمۡ غَٰفِلُونَ ٥

Say (O Muhammad, pbuh to those pagans): ‘Think you about all that you invoke besides Allah? Show me, what have they created of the earth? Or have they a share in (the creation of) the heavens? Bring me a Book (revealed) before this, or some trace of knowledge (in support of your claim), if you are truthful!’ And who is more astray than one who calls on (invokes) besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them?

Surah 46 Al-Ahqaf Verses 4-5

• The false gods invoked by polytheists all over the world may be broadly classified as under:

1. Soulless creatures that are devoid of rational faculty
2. Deceased saints and pious people; and
3. The misguided people who put themselves and others on a deviant path

وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱتَّبَعَتۡهُمۡ ذُرِّيَّتُهُم بِإِيمَٰنٍ أَلۡحَقۡنَا بِهِمۡ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمۡ وَمَآ أَلَتۡنَٰهُم مِّنۡ عَمَلِهِم مِّن شَيۡءٖۚ كُلُّ ٱمۡرِيِٕۢ بِمَا كَسَبَ رَهِينٞ ٢١ وَأَمۡدَدۡنَٰهُم بِفَٰكِهَةٖ وَلَحۡمٖ مِّمَّا يَشۡتَهُونَ ٢٢ يَتَنَٰزَعُونَ فِيهَا كَأۡسٗا لَّا لَغۡوٞ فِيهَا وَلَا تَأۡثِيمٞ ٢٣ ۞وَيَطُوفُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ غِلۡمَانٞ لَّهُمۡ كَأَنَّهُمۡ لُؤۡلُؤٞ مَّكۡنُونٞ ٢٤ وَأَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ٢٥ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا كُنَّا قَبۡلُ فِيٓ أَهۡلِنَا مُشۡفِقِينَ ٢٦ فَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡنَا وَوَقَىٰنَا عَذَابَ ٱلسَّمُومِ ٢٧ إِنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبۡلُ نَدۡعُوهُۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡبَرُّ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٢٨

And those who believe and whose offspring follow them in Faith, to them shall We join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything. Every person is a pledge for that which he has earned. And We shall provide them with fruit and meat, such as they desire. There they shall pass from hand-to-hand a (wine) cup, free from any Laghw (dirty, false, evil vague talk between them), and free from sin (because it will be legal for them to drink). And there will go round boy-servants of theirs, to serve them as if they were preserved pearls. And some of them draw near to others, questioning. Saying: “Aforetime, we were afraid (of the punishment of Allah) in the midst of our families. But Allah has been gracious to us, and has saved us from the torment of the Fire. Verily, We used to invoke Him (Alone and none else) before. Verily, He is Al-Barr (the Most Subtle, Kind, Courteous, and Generous), the Most Merciful”.

Surah 52 At-Tur Verses 21-28

• The last words uttered by the people of Paradise, as reflected in the verse in question, is that they acknowledge the reality that they feel Divine Graciousness and Benevolence more than before saying that aforetime, they would invoke God Almighty and would praise Him as the Most Merciful and the Most Gracious, but they perceive the reality and the profundity of such Attributes that He bestowed so many Bounties and Favors upon them for their little deeds and despite so many defects of theirs, He bestowed His Mercy upon them.

END OF CHAPTER