Surat al-Ma'un

[Tafsir of al-Ma'un taken from a number of traditional sources]

107

Al-Ma'un Helping Others

In the name of Allah, All-Merciful, Most Merciful

1 Have you seen him who denies the deen?

2 He is the one who harshly rebuffs the orphan

3 and does not urge the feeding of the poor.

4 So woe to those who pray,

5 and are forgetful of their prayer.

6 Those who show off

and deny help to others.

Al-Iklil of as-Suyuti:

He only has one page on this sura. This is very much a tafsir bi'r-riwaya. As-Suyuti (d.
911/1505) was a famous Egyptian Shafi'i scholar. He takes a very simple approach, looking for
any judgements contained in the ayats or any hadiths about it. He starts with the meaning

2. "Harshly rebuffs" means "he is hard to him and wrongs him," according to Ibn Abi Hatim.

4. "those who are forgetful of their prayer." The Prophet said that "they are those who delay
the prayer beyond its time." (at-Tabari, at-Tabarani and Abu Ya'la from the hadith of Sa'd ibn
Abi Waqqas. Al-Firyabi has it mawquf and al-Hakim and al-Bayhaqi considered it sound.)
Mus'ab, Sa'd's son, asked him about this, "Which of us does not forget? Which of us does not
have his self speak to him?" He replied, "That is not what it is about. It is about missing the
time." (Ibn Abi Hatim) Abu'l-'Aliyya said, "It is reciting this and that, looking to his right and his
left."

6 "those who show off" criticises showing off.

7. "deny help to others." This is encouragement for making the 'ariyya - the loan of the use of
something. An-Nasa'i transmitted from Ibn Mas'ud, "We considered the ma'un in the time of the
Messenger of Allah to be the lending of a bucket or pot." Al-Bazzar added, "Or an axe." Ibn Abi
Hatim transmitted it with "Loans means pots, scales, and buckets." Ibn Jarir said, "We said that
denying help was to refuse to lend a bucket and the like." Ibn Abi Hatim transmitted from the
hadith of 'A'id ibn Rabi'a an-Namiri said that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace, said, "So not deny help." They asked, "And what is denying help?" He said, "It is in
[lending] stones, iron and water." Sa'id ibn Mansur reported that Ibn 'Abbas said, "That it is the
lending of things." It is, however, reported from 'Ali that it is refusing to pay zakat. Ibn 'Umar
said, "Ma'un is the property whose right is paid." 'Ikrima said, "The head of ma'un is the zakat on
property and the least of it is a shovel, bucket and needle.' Muhammad ibn Ka'b said that is an act
of charity (ma'ruf).

Ibn Juzayy

Ibn Juzayy is a little earlier than as-Suyuti. He was from Granada and a Maliki (d. 741/1340).
His tafsir is entitled at-Tahsil fi 'Ulum at-Tafsir (Making Things Easy in the Sciences of Tafsir).
Instead of immediately starting with the meanings, he begins by telling us when it was sent
down, and then deals with each individual ayat:

The first three ayats are Makkan and the rest Madinan. It has 7 ayats. and it was sent down after
al-Takathur.

"Have you seen him who denies the deen?" It is said that this was sent down about Abu Jahl
and Abu Sufyan ibn Harb. It was said that it is general. Here the deen can mean the religion or
the repayment.

"He is the one who rebuffs the orphan" i.e. repels him with harshness. This repelling can be in
not feeding him and not being good to him or about his property and rights. This is stronger
criticism than "and does not urge feeding the poor". He does not feed him "properly". This
sentence is the apodosis of "Have you seen?" because its meaning is: "Inform me". It is as if it is
a question. The meaning is: look at the one who denies the deen and you will find these ugly
questions and evil actions. That is because the deen moves the one who has it to do good actions
and abandoning evil actions. So the aim of the words is to censure the rejectors and their states,
who were doing all of these things.

"So woe to those who pray, who are forgetful of their prayer" It is said that this was sent
down about 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, the famous hypocrite in Madina. According to this,
half of the sura is Makkan and half of it is Madinan. Abu Zayd as-Suhayl said that. That is
because that the mention of Abu Jahl and other rejectors comes mostly in the Makkan suras.
Unmindfulness in the prayer and showing off in it are part of the attributes of those who were in
Madina, especially according to the words of the one who says that it is about 'Abdullah ibn
Ubayy. It is also said that it is all Makkan, which is the most well known view. According to
this, the end of it was sent down about a man who became Muslim in Makka and did not have
sound belief. It is also said that it is Madinan and that unmindfulness of the prayer means
abandoning it and delaying it beyond its time. 'Ata' ibn Yasar said, "Praise be to Allah who said,
'unmindful of their prayer' and did not say 'in their prayer.'"

"those who show off" It comes from showing off, i.e. their prayer is to show off to people, not
for Allah.

"and deny help" He describes them as being miserly and not helping people. Four things are
said about ma'un. The first is that it is zakat. The second is that it means wealth in the dialect of
Quraysh. The third is that it is denying water. The fourth is that it refers to what people give to
one another, like vessels, axes, buckets and scissors. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, was asked, "What is it lawful to refuse to give?" He replied,
"Water, fire, salt," and it adds in some versions, "needles and yeast."

Ahkam al-Qur'an: Qadi Ibn al-'Arabi

"The Judgements of the Qur'an" This is clearly about legal rulings as is the casee with many
tafsirs. Qadi Ibn al-'Arabi (d. 543/1148) came from Seville and was qadi there for the Murabitun,
and finished his life in Morocco after the Muwahhidun came to power where he eventually died.

There are three points in "those who are forgetful of their prayer".

1. Forgetfulness is abandoning, and that can be either intentional or unintentional. It is is

intentional, that is deliberate, If it is unintentional, it is forgetfulness (sahw) for which there is no
responsibility.

2. It is impossible for the forgetful person to be responsible because he does not understand the
requirement. If it is asked, "How can the one who does not understand criticism be criticised or
the one who is not responsible be charged with responsibility?" there are two aspects to the
answer. One is that if the person had an intention to leave the prayer, he is censured when the
time of the prayer comes, whether if he was heedless at that actual moment or if it is simply his
habit to omit it. Then censure is always connected to him. This does not include the one who
overlooks something in his prayer.

3. It is impossible to be completely free of forgetfulness. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, forgot in his prayer as did the Companions. If someone does not ever forget in
his prayer, that is a person who does not reflect and does not understand his recitation. His
concern is for the number of rak'ats. This is a man who eats the husk and leaves the core. The
only thing that made the Prophet forget in his prayer was reflecting on what was greater than it.
O Allah, may a person who forgets in his prayer not be the one who turns to the whispering of
shaytan when he tells him, "Remember this. Remember that," until he does not remember how
much he has prayed.

"Those who show off and deny help to others."

Ibn Wahb said that Malik said that these are the hypocrites who make a show of their prayer. A
hypocrite shows people that he is praying in obedience to Allah, but he is praying out of taqiyya
(dissimulation). A fasiq prays so that he will be accepted as someone who prays.

The reality of riya' is to seek this world by worship. Its basis is to seek to enjoy a position in
people's hearts. The beginning of it is good reputation, and he desires to obtain rank and praise
by that. The second level is showing off by wearing short clothes and coarse clothes to give an
appearance of asceticism in this world. The third is to show off by verbal expression by
displaying anger against the people of this world and admonition while he actually regrets not
having wealth and their worship. The fourth is making a public display of the prayer and sadaqa
or making the prayer appear good so that people will see it. It is also making the prayer long.

"deny help to others" has 3 points.

1. The first is the definition of the word. Ma'n is derived from the verb help (a'ana). It means to
assist with strength, tools and means to make something easy.

2. The second point refers to the positions of scholars on it. Scholars have 6 views on the
meaning of ma'n.

1. Malik says that it refers to zakat, and that it means that the hypocrite refuses to pay it. Abu
Bakr ibn 'Abdu'l-'Aziz reported that Malik said, "I have heard that this is meaning of the words
of Allah, 'So woe to those who pray, who are forgetful of their prayer. Those who show off and
deny help to others.' The hypocrite is the one who, when he prays, does so to show off. If he
misses the prayer, he feels no regret. They refuse to pay the zakat which Allah has obliged on
them." Zayd ibn Aslam said, "If the prayer had been lightened for them like zakat, they would
not have prayed."

2. Ibn Shihab says that it means wealth.

3. Ibn 'Abbas said that it is what people lend to one another.

4. It is pots, buckets, axes and the like.

5. It is water and pasturage.

6. It is water alone.

3. The third point is that since it is clear the ma'un is part of help, that is why the commentators
have mentioned all types of help. The greatest of them is zakat. The level of censure is
compensurate with the extent of refusal to pay. Lending something is not a personal obligation,
but a general one, and Allah knows best.

"Woe" can only be used for someone who denies the obligation, and that is how they define it.
Al-Qurtubi:

Al-Qurtubi (d. 671/1273), as his name shows, was from Cordoba. He is a famous mufassir and
his 20 volume tafsir is called al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Qur'an. He delights in the meanings of the
various qira'at and the diversity of views of different commentators which produce layered
meanings. As the title implies, he particularly concentrates on the legal rulings in the text.

He says that there are six points in this sura.

"The one who denies the deen" is the one who denies that there will be repayment and
reckoning in the next World. There is disagreement about whom it was revealed. It is reported
from Ibn 'Abbas that it was revealed about al-'As ibn Wa'il as-Sahmi. Al-Kalbi and Muqatil also
said that. It is reported that ad-Dahhak said, "It was revealed about a man of the hypocrites." As-
Suddi said that it was revealed about al-Walid ibn al-Mughira. It is also said that it was revealed
about Abu Jahl. Ad-Dahhak also said that it was revealed about 'Amr ibn A'idh. Ibn Jurayj said it
was about Abu Sufyan who used to slaughter a camel every week. When an orphan asked him
for some of it, he hit him with a stick, Ibn 'Abbas says that it means he drives the orphan away
from what is his right. Qatada said he wrongs him. The Prophet said about the orphan, "If
someone takes care of a Muslim orphan until he becomes independent, the Garden is mandatory
for him."

2. "He does not does not urge the feeding of the poor" because of his miserliness and denying
the final repayment in the Next World. That is like the words of Allah, "nor did he urge the
feeding of the poor." (69:34). Censure is not general and so it does not apply to someone who is
unable to do it. Rather it is those who were miserly and made excuses for themselves. They say,
as in Yasin (36:47), "Why should we feed someone whom, if He willed, Allah would feed
Himself?" This ayat was revealed about those people. It means: They do not do it when they are
able to do, and they do not urge if when they are unable to do it.

3. Then about "woe to those who pray" ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn 'Abbas that this is about
the one who prays without hoping for a reward, and if he leaves off doing it, he does not fear a
penalty for not doing it. He also said that it is those who delay the prayer beyond its time."
Ibrahim said that it is delaying it beyond the time, saying that "sahun" means "missing the
moment". Abu'l-'Aliyya said that they do not pray the prayer at its time and do not fully complete
the ruku' and prostration."

This also refers to the words of Allah, "An evil generation succeeded them who neglected the
prayer." (19:59) Ibrahim also said that it refers to someone who, when he prostrates, moves his
head as if he were turning. Qutrub says, "He does not recite nor remember Allah." The reading of
'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud had "those who are diverted from their prayer" (lahn instead of sahn).
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas said that it refers to delaying it beyond its time because they think little of
doing so.

Ibn 'Abbas said that it is the hypocrites who abandon the prayer secretly while they pray it
openly. They are described in "When they get up to pray, they get up lazily, showing off to
people, and only remembering Allah a little." (4:142) This indicates that the hypocrites are meant
here. Ibn Wahb reported that from Malik. Ibn 'Abbas pointed out that if it had been about the
believers, Allah would have said, "those who are heedless in their prayer." 'Ata' said, "Praise be
to Allah! He said 'of their prayer' and not 'in their prayer!'" Az-Zamakhshari discussed this
difference and says that "of" means about doing it, and lack of concern for it, which is the action
of the hypocrites or the impious Muslims. "In' is forgetfulness which occurs due to the
whispering of shaytan or the chatter of the self of which no one is free. The Messenger of Allah,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forgot in his prayer and this is why fuqaha' have
established the topic of the prostration of forgetfulness.'

[Then he quotes Ibn al-'Arabi in the Ahkam, already mentioned.]

4. The fourth point is on "those who show off." This is the point of Ibn al-'Arabi about the
reality of showing off. He points out that he already mentioned the reality and rules of hypocrisy
in other suras.

5. The fifth point is that a man is not showing off by displaying righteous action if it is
obligatory. It is part of the right of obligations to made public and well known since the Prophet,
peace be upon him, said, "There is no veiling in the obligations of Allah" because they are the
signs of Islam and hallmarks of the deen, and because someone who abandons them deserves to
be censured and hated. So one removes suspicion by making them public. If the actions are
voluntary, then a person should conceal those actions because he is not censured for leaving
them or suspect in that. If he displays them with the intention that he will be imitated, then it is
good. Showing off is when he intends to show them so that people will see him and praise him
for righteousness. It is reported from one of them that he saw a man in a mosque who performed
the prostration of thankfulness and made it long. He remarked, "How much better this would be
if it had been done in your house!" He said this because he noticed in him the showing off and
the desire for reputation.

The sixth point is about ma'un, and he says that there are 12 views about it:

1. Zakat on property as related by Ibn 'Abbas, 'Ali and Malik. What is meant is that the hypocrite
refuses to pay it. Malik said, "I have heard that the words of Allah (quoting the ayat) mean that
when the hypocrite prays, he prays to show off. If he misses the prayer, he does not regret it.
Their denial of help means the zakat which Allah has obliged on them."

2. It means "wealth" in the dialect of Quraysh. Ibn Shihab and Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab stated that.

3. It is a generic noun for all household tools, like axes, pots, fire and the like. Ibn Mas'ud said
that and it is also reported from Ibn 'Abbas.

4. Az-Zajjaj, Abu 'Ubayd and al-Mubarrad said that in the Jahiliyya ma'un designated all that
contains some use, even an axe, pot, bucket and flint, and anything else which has a use, small or
large. They said that ma'un in Islam is obeidence and zakat.

5. It is a loan ('ariyya). That is also reported from Ibn 'Abbas.

6. It is all forms of charity (ma'ruf) which people give to one another. Muhammad ibn Ka'b and
al-Kalbi said that.

7. It is water and pasturage.

8. It is just water. Al-Farra' said that he heard some Arabs use ma'un to mean water.

9. It is refusing hand over to someone his right. 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar said that.

10. It is the yield from the use of property, derived from ma'n (scarce) which means what is
scarce. At-Tabari related that as did Ibn 'Abbas. Qutrub said that the root of ma'n is scantness,
ma'n. The Arabs say, "His property is ample, not scant (ma'na)." Allah referred to zakat, sadaqa
and similar charity as ma'un becaue it is a little taken from a lot. Some people say that the root of
ma'un is ma'na, as al-Jawhari says. Ibn al-'Arabi says that ma'n is a passive form from a'ana,
yu'in, and 'awn means helping with strength, tools and the means to bring something about.

11. It is obedience and submission. Al-Akhfash reported a verbal usage of it when referring to a
camel.

12. It is said that it is what unlawful to refuse, like water, salt and fire because 'A'isha said, "I
said, 'Messenger of Allah what is it unlawful to refuse?' He replied, "Water, fire and salt." I said,
"Messenger of Allah, I understand water, What about fire and salt?' He said, ''A'isha, if someone
gives fire, it is as if he were giving as sadaqa all that is cooked with that fire. If someone gives
salt, it is as if he is giving as sadaqa for all that is made tasty by that salt. If someone gives a
drink of water when there is water available, it is as if he had set free sixty souls. If he gives a
drink of water where there is no water available, it is as he gave life to soul. Whoever gives life
to a soul, it is as if he had given life to all mankind." Ath-Tha'labi mentioned this in his tafsir and
Ibn Majah transmitted it in the Sunan. There is some looseness in its isnad.

Al-Mawardi said that it is possible that it is helping with what is easy to do but which Allah has
made heavy. Allah knows best. 'Ikrima was asked, "Will someone who refuses any goods to use
have woe?" "No," he replied, but whoever combines all three will have woe: abandoning the
prayer, showing off, and being miserly with help."

That is more applicable to the hypocrites because they have all three of these attributes. Allah
says, "When they get up to pray, they get up lazily, showing off to people, and only remembering
Allah a little." (4:142) and He says, "They only give reluctantly." (9:54) These are their states. It
is unlikely that all of these will exist in a true Muslim. If some of them exist, he is rebuked:
denying help when he is asked and abandoning the prayer, and Allah knows best. It is an ugly
denial in good character when that is not necessary. Allah knows best.

Ruh al-Bayan
This Ruh al-Bayan is not the famous one, by one by a Turkish Shaykh, Isma'il Baqqi al-
Burusawi, (d. 1123/1711). This is more of a Sufi tafsir.

"He does not urge": He does not encourage his family and other wealthy people. If he does not
encourage others, how can be himself do it? "Feeding of the poor" ascribes "feeding" to the poor
and indicates that the poor have a right and share in the property of the wealthy and that he is
denying the poor his right to which he is entitled: this is extreme miserliness and hard-
heartedness. If someone says, "A person may not encourage in many states and that is not
considered a sin, so how can he be blamed for it?" The answer is, "Because his lack of urging it
is due to his lack of belief in the reward. So his lack of urging indicates his miserliness and
denying charity to the needy. This is why it is followed by "woe", because it denotes denial of
the deen.

Forgetfulness is negligence. There are two types of that. One is that it does not have a cause and
is not a result of something else, like a madman cursing a person. The second is that it is due to a
cause, like someone drinking wine and then doing something objectionable which he did not
intend to do. The first is overlooked but he is punished for the second. Part of it is what Allah has
censured in this ayat. By "being forgetful of their prayer," what is meant is abandoning it, lack of
concern for it, and paying little attention to it. That is the action of the hypocrites and believers
who are fasiq. Anas said, "Praise be to Allah who said, 'unmindful of their prayer'and did not
say 'in their prayer.'" If He had said, "in their prayer", forgetfulness afflicts them while they are
praying, either by the whispering of Shaytan or the chatter of the nafs, and a Muslim is not free
of that and it is extremely difficult to be free of it. When this ayat was revealed, the Prophet said,
"This is better for you than each of you being given the equivalent of the entire world."

Was there any forgetfulness (sahw) on the part of the Prophet? Yes, as he said, "They distracted
us from the 'Asr prayer," meaning on the day of the Battle of the Ditch. "May Allah fill their
hearts with fire!" He also forgot the Fajr prayer on the night when he overslept. He prayed
Dhuhr with two rak'ats and then said the salam. Abu Bakr said to him, "You prayed two
rak'ats." He stood and prayed two rak'ats. His forgetting in what we mentioned was not like the
forgetfulness of the rest of people. The Prophet was constantly in absorption and attraction. He
said, "My eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep." In it he indicates forgetfulness due to
witnessing the subtle meanings of the prayer and heedlessness to its secrets and knowledges, Ibn
Mas'ud recited lahun in place of sahun. If an intelligent person misses the prayer inasmuch as it
is part of ascent and intimate conversation, he must not be careless in it by fiddling with the
beard and clothes nor yawning a lot and looking about and the like. Some of those who pray do
not how how much they have done or recited.

"Show off" They show off their actions to people so that they see them and are praised for them.
Then one must combine the reality and the metaphor because praise is not connected to simply
seeing something. It is applied to metaphors in general or to gnosis. It says in al-Kashshaf: "If a
righteous action is fard, part of the right of obligations is that they are made public and known
since the Prophet said, "There is no veiling in the obligations of Allah" because they are the signs
of Islam and hallmarks of the deen, and because someone who abandons them deserves to be
censured and hated. So he removes suspicion by making them public. If it is voluntary, then he
should conceal them because he is not censured for leaving them or suspect in it. If he displays
them with the intention that he will be imitated, then it is good. Showing off is when he intends
to show them so that people will see him and praise him for righteousness." [Qurtubi]

It is difficult to avoid showing off because it is more hidden than the tiny black ant in a dark
night on a black stone. The difference between the show off and the hypocrite is that the
hypocrite conceals disbelief and makes a show of faith. The show off displays increased humility
and the signs of righteousness so that those who see him will believe that he is one of the people
of righteousness. The reality of showing is to seek this world through worship. It indicates that a
person who attributes his actions and advancement to himself shows off.

"Denies help" From ma'n, which is the scant thing. Zakat is called ma'un because it is 2.5% of
property which is little from a lot. Abu'l-Layth said, "Ma'un means wealth in the dialect of the
Abyssinians."

The meaning is: they refuse to pay zakat, as is indicated because it follows mention of the prayer.
Or it refers to what people normally lend to one another. If there is lack of concern for orphans
and the poor, that comes from lack of belief in the reward and as such deserves censure and
rebuke. Even more worthy to rebuke is lack of concern for the prayer which is the pillar of the
deen and showing off which is a branch of kufr and refusing zakat which is the supporting arch
of Islam and constitutes bad behaviour with people. How many do you see among those call
themselves Muslim? Indeed, there are scholars among them who are like this. What a
misfortune!

What is meant by what people normally lend to one another is what they lend to help one
another, lending things like axes, pots, buckets, needles, plates, spindles, fire, water, and salt and
the like, even if your neighbour asks to cook in your oven or leave his goods with you for a day
and a half. 'A'isha said, "Messenger of Allah, what is it unlawful to refuse?' He replied, "Water,
fire and salt." I said, "Messenger of Allah, I understand water, What about fire and salt?' He said,
'Humayra', if someone gives fire, it is as if he were giving as sadaqa all that is cooked with that
fire. If someone gives salt, it is as if he is giving as sadaqa for all that is made tasty by that salt. If
he gives a drink of water where there is no water, it ia as he gave life to soul. " This is in the
Kashf al-Asrar. It is forbidden to refuse thee things in the Shari'a when they are borrowed
because of need. It is ugly in good character when it is not a case of need.

1-7] Have you seen him who belies the rewards and punishments of the Hereafter? He
1 2 3

it is who drives away the orphan and does not urge giving away the food of the poor.
4 5 6 7

Then woe to the praying ones, who are careless of their Prayer, who do good to be
8 9

seen, and withhold small kindnesses (from the people).

10 11

1The words "have you seen", apparently, are directed to the Holy Prophet (upon whom
be peace), but the Qur'anic style is that on such occasions it generally addresses
every intelligent and thinking person. And "seeing" means seeing with the eyes, for
 what has been described in the succeeding verses can be seen by every seer with
his eyes, as well as knowing, understanding and considering something deeply. If the
word ara'aita is taken in the second meaning, the verse would mean: "Do you know
the kind of man who belies the rewards and punishments." Or: "Have you considered
the state of the person who belies the Judgment?

2The word ad-din as Qur'anic term is used for the rewards and punishments of the
Hereafter as .well as for the religion of Islam. But the theme that . follows is more
relevant to the first meaning, although the second meaning also is not out of the
context: Ibn 'Abbas has preferred the second meaning, while a majority of the
commentators have preferred the first. In case the first meaning is taken, the theme
of the Surah would mean that denial of the Hereafter produces such and such a
character in man; in case the second meaning is taken, the object of the Surah would
be to highlight the moral importance of Islam, to stress that Islam aims at producing
an altogether different character in its adherents from that found in its deniers.

3The style shows that the object of asking this question at the outset is not to ask
whether he has seen the person or not, but to invite the listener to consider as to
what kind of character is' produced in man when he denies the judgment of the
Hereafter, and to urge him to know the kind of the people who belie this creed so that
he tries to understand the moral significance of belief in the Hereafter.

4The letter fa in the sentence fa-dhalika-alladhi expresses the meaning of a whole

sentence, which is to this effect: "If you do not know, then know that it is indeed he
who..." Or, it gives the meaning: "Because of his this very denial of the Hereafter he
is the kind of man who..."

5The sentence yadu `ul yatim as used in the original, has several meanings:

(1) That he deprives the orphan of his rights and evicting him from his father's heritage
thrusts him away;

(2) that if an orphan comes to ask him for help, he repulses him instead of showing him
any compassion, and if he still persists in his entreaties in the hope for mercy, he
drives him away and out of sight;

(3) that he ill-treats the orphan.

For example, if in his own house there is a closely related orphan, it is the orphans lot to
serve the whole house, to receive rebuffs and suffer humiliation for trivial things.
Besides, this sentence also contains the meaning that - the person does not behave
unjustly and tyrannically only occasionally put this is his habit and settled practice. He
does not have the feeling that it is an evil which he must give up, but he persists in it
with full satisfaction, thinking that the orphan is a helpless, powerless creature;
therefore, there is no harm if his rights are taken away wrongfully, or he is made the
 target of tyranny and injustice, or he is repulsed and driven away whenever he asks
for help.

In this connection, Qadi Abul Hasan al-Mawardi has related a strange incident in his
Alam an-Nubuwwat. Abu Jahl was the testator of an orphan. The child one. day came
to him in the condition that he had no shred of a garment on his body and he
implored him to be .given something out of his father's heritage. But the cruel man
paid no attention to him and the poor child had to go back disappointed. The Quraish
chiefs said to him out of fun: "Go to Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and
blessings) and put your complaint before him. He will recommend your case before
Abu Jahl and get you your property." The child not knowing any background of the
nature of relationship between Abu Jahl and the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace)
and not understanding the motive of the mischief-mongers, went straight to the Holy
Prophet and apprised him of his misfortune. The Holy Prophet immediately arose and
accompanied the child to the house of Abu Jahl, his bitterest enemy. Abu Jahl
received him well and when the latter told him to restore to the child his right, he
yielded and brought out whatever he owed to him. The Quraish chiefs were watching
all this earnestly m the hope that an interesting altercation would take place between
them. But when they saw what actually happened they were astounded and went to
Abu Jahl and taunted him saying that he too perhaps had abandoned his religion. He
said: "By God, I have not abandoned my religion, but I so felt that on the right and left
of Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) there was a spear which
would enter my -body if I acted against what he desired. " This incident not only
shows what was the attitude and conduct of the principal chiefs of the most civilized
and noble tribe of Arabia towards the orphans and other helpless people in those
days but it also shows what sublime character the Holy Prophet possessed and what
impact it had even on his bitterest enemies. A similar incident we have already
related in E.N. 5 of Surah Al-Anbiya' above, which points to the great moral
superiority of the Holy Prophet because of which the disbelieving Quraish branded
him as a sorcerer.

6La yahuddu means that the person neither persuades his own self, nor tells the people
of his household, to provide the poor man with his food, nor does he urge others to
recognize the rights of the poor and needy people of society who are starving and do
something to satisfy their hunger.

Here, by giving only two conspicuous examples, Allah has pointed out what kind of evils
are produced in the people who deny the Hereafter: The real object is not to point out
only these two evils-that the people drive away the orphans and do not urge giving
away the food of the poor as a result of the denial of the Hereafter. But of the
countless evils which are thus produced, two evils have been presented as an
example, which every noble and sound-natured person will regard as hateful.
Besides, another thing meant to be impressed is that if this very man had believed at
he would have to go before God to render an account of his deeds, he would not
have committed such evils as to deprive the orphan of his rights, tyrannize him,
repulse him, neither feed the poor man himself nor urge others to give him his food.
 The characteristics of the believers in the Hereafter which have been described in
Surah Al-`Asr and Surah Al-Balad are that they exhort one another to mercy, and
they exhort one another to the truth and to render the rights of others.

7The words used are to `am-il-miskIn and not it am-il-miskin If to am-il-miskin were the
words, the meaning would be that he does not urge (others) to feed the poor. But
ta'am -il-miskin means that he does not urge (others) to give away the food of the
poor. In other words, the food that is given to the poor man is not the food of the giver
but of the poor man himself; it is his right which is enjoined on the giver, and the giver
is not doing him any favor but rendering him his right. This same thing had been said
in Surah Adh-Dhariyat above: "And in their possessions is a due share of him who
asks and of him who is. needy." (v. 19).

8The fa in fa-wail-ul -lil-musallin signifies that such was the condition of the open
deniers of the Hereafter. One may then consider the condition of the hypocrites who
are included among the praying ones (i e. Muslims). Since, despite being Muslims
they regard the Hereafter as a falsehood, one may note what path of ruin they are
following.

Though "musallin" means "the praying ones", in view of the context in which this word
has been used and the characteristics of these people that follow, this word, in fact,
does not have the meaning of "the praying ones" but of "the people of salat", i.e. of
those included among Muslims.

9The words used are an-salat-i him sahun and not fi salat-i-him lahum. In case the
words fi salat-i him had been used, the meaning would be that they forget in the
course of their Prayer.' But forgetting in the course of the Prayer is no sin in the eyes
of the Shari `ah, nothing to say of its being hypocrisy, nor is it a fault or anything
blameworthy. The Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) himself sometimes forgot in
the Prayer and to compensate for it he prescribed the method of sajdah sahv. On the
contrary, `an salat-i-him sahum means that they are neglectful of their Prayer.
Whether they perform the Prayer, or do not perform it, it is of little importance to
them. They are not regular at the Prayers. When they perform it, they do not observe
the prescribed times, but offer it carelessly at the eleventh hour. Or, when they rise
up for the Prayer, they rise up soullessly and perform it with an unwilling heart, as if it
were a calamity imposed on them. They play with their garments, yawn and betray
absence of every trace of Allah's remembrance in their hearts. Throughout the Prayer
they show no feeling at all that they are performing the Prayer, nor of what they are
reciting; their minds wander and they perform articles of the Prayer without due
attention; they somehow perform a semblance of the Prayer and try to be rid of it as
soon as ,possible. And there are many people who would perform the Prayer only
when they must, otherwise the Prayer has no place in their lives. The Prayer time
comes but they show no concern that it is the Prayer time; they hear the call to the
Prayer but do not understand what the caller is calling to, whom he is calling and for
what purpose. These in fact are the signs of absence of faith in the Hereafter. The
claimants to Islam believe thus only because they do not believe that they would be
 rewarded for performing the Prayer, nor have the faith that they would be punished
for not performing it. On this very basis, Hadrat Anas bin Malik and `Ata bin Dinar
say: "Thanks to God that he said 'an salat-i-him and not fi salat-i -him. That is, we do
forget in the course of the Prayer but we are not forgetful and neglectful of it;
therefore, we shall not be counted among the hypocrites."

The Qur'an at another place has described this state of the hypocrites, thus: "They
come to offer their Prayer but reluctantly, and they expend in the way of Allah with
unwilling hearts." (At-Taubah: 54). The Holy Messenger of Allah has said: "This is the
Prayer of the hypocrite; this is the Prayer of the hypocrite; this is the Prayer of the
hypocrite ! He watches the sun at the `Asr time until when it reaches between the two
horns of Satan (i.e. when the time of sunset 'approaches), he gets up and performs
the Prayer carelessly, in which he remembers Allah but little." (Bukhari, Muslim,
Musnad Ahmad) Mus'ab bin Sa`d has related from his father, Hadrat Sa`d bin Abi
Waqqas: "When I asked the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) about the people
who are neglectful of their Prayer, he said: "These are the people who perform their
Prayers when the prescribed time for it has passed." (Ibn Jarir, Abu Ya'la, Ibn al-
Mundhir, Ibn abI Hatim, Tabarani in Ausat; Ibn Marduyah, Baihaqi in As-Sunan. This
tradition has been related as a statement of Hadrat Sa`d himself also as a mauquf
hadith and its sanad is stronger. Its being a marfu' narration of the saying of the Holy
Prophet (upon whom be peace). has been regarded as weak by Baihaqi and Hakim).
Another tradition from Hadrat Mus'ab is that he asked his father: "Have you
considered this verse? Does it mean giving up the Prayer, or wandering of one's
attention in the course of the Prayer?-Who among us has not his attention divided?
He replied: No, it implies wasting the prescribed time of the Prayer and performing it
when its time has elapsed." (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Shaibah, Abu Ya`la, Ibn al-Mundhir,
Ibn Marduyah, Baihaqi in As-Sunan):

Here, one should understand that coming of other thoughts in the mind in the course of
the. Prayer is one thing and bing unmindful of the Prayer and thinking other things
during it quite another. The first state is a natural human weakness. Other thoughts
do interfere without intention, and as soon as a believer feels that his attention is
wandering from the Prayer. he gathers it and brings it back to the Prayer. The other
state is of being neglectful of the Prayer, for in it man only goes through an exercise
of the Prayer mechanically, he has no intention of the remembrance of God in his
heart. From the commencement of the Prayer till its completion his heart is not turned
towards God even for a moment, and he remains engrossed in the thoughts with
which he entered the Prayer.

10This can be an independent sentence as well as one relating to the preceding

sentence. In the first case, it would mean that they do not perform any act of
goodness with a pure intention for the sake of God, but whatever they do , they do to
be seen of others so that they are praised, are considered righteous, their good act is
publicized and its advantage and benefit accrues to them here in the world. In the
second case, the meaning would be that they pray to be seen. The commentators
generally have preferred the second meaning, for at first sight it appears that it
 relates to the preceding sentence. Ibn `Abbas says: "It implies the hypocrites who
prayed to be seen. They performed the Prayer if there was somebody to see them,
but did not perform it if there was nobody to see them." In another tradition his words
are to the effect: "If they were alone they did not pray; but if there were others, they
prayed. ". (Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim , Ibn Marduyah, Baihaqi , in Ash-
Shu ab). In the Qur'an too the hypocrites have been described thus: "When they rise
up for the salat, they go reluctantly to it, merely to be seen of people and they
remember Allah but little." (An-Nisa': 142).

11The word used is ma'un. The view held by Hadrat `Ali, Ibn `Umar, Sa`id bin Jubair,
Qatadah, Hasan Basri, Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah, Dahhak, Ibn Zaid, `Ikrimah,
Mujahid, `Ata' and Zuhri (may Allah show them mercy) is that it implies the zakat
while Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud, Ibrahim Nakha`i, Abu Malik and many other scholars
have expressed the opinion that it implies items of common use; for example,
cooking-pot, bucket, hatchet, balance, salt, water, fire, flint (now its successor, the
match-stick), etc. which the people generally borrow from each other. A statement of
Sa'id bin Jubair and Mujahid also supports it. Another view of Hadrat 'Ali also is that it
implies the zakat as well as the little courtesies and kindnesses of daily Iife. Ibn Abi
Hatim has related from `Ikrimah that ma'un of the highest form is zakat and of the
lowest lending of a sieve, bucket, or needle to a barrrower. Hadrat `Abdullah bin
Mas`ud says: "We, the Companions of Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace),
used to say (and according to other traditions, in the time of the Holy Prophet, used
to say) that ma'un implies lending of the cooking pot, hatchet. bucket, balance, and
such other things." (Ibn Jarir. Ibn Abi Shaibah, Abu Da'ud, Nasa'i, Bazzar, Ibn al-
Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Tabarani in AI-Ausat, Ibn Marduyah, Baihaqi in As-Sunan).
Sa`d bin 'Iyad without specifying any names has related almost the same view from
the Companions of the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace), which shows that he
had heard this from several Companions. (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Shaibah). Dailami, Ibn
`Asakir, and Abu Nu`aim have related a tradition from Hadrat Abu Hurairah in which
he says that the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) himself explained this verse
saying that it implies the hatchet, bucket and other such things. If this tradition is
genuine it probably did not come to the notice of other scholars; otherwise it was not
possible that other people should have given any other commentary of this verse.

Ma`un in fact is a small, little thing useful to the people. Accordingly, zakat also is
ma'un, for it is a little amount out of much wealth, which one has to give away in
order to help the poor, and the other small items of common use also are ma'un as
mentioned by Hadrat `Abdullah.Ibn Mas`ud and the scholars who share his
viewpoint. The majority of the commentators say that ma `un applies to all those
small things which the neighbors usually ask each other for, and asking for these is
not in any way blameworthy, for the rich and the poor, all stand in need of these at
one time or another. However, to show stinginess in lending these is regarded as
mean behavior morally. Generally these things by themselves last and the neighbor
returns them in the original form after he has used them. It would also be maim if a
neighbor asks the other for a bed or bedding items on the arrival of guests, or asks
the neighbor's permission to have loaves baked in his, oven, or wants to leave some
valuables in the neighbor's custody when going out of his house for some days.
Thus, the verse means to impress that denial of the Hereafter renders a man so
narrow-minded and niggardly that he is not even prepared to make a most minor
sacrifice for the sake of others.