The Tafsīr of Sūrat Al-Mā'ūn (Chapter - 107)

Which was revealed in Makkah

Qur’anبِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Qur’an 107:1–7أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يُكَذِّبُ بِٱلدِّينِ فَذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يَدُعُّ ٱلْيَتِيمَ وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَآءُونَ وَيَمْنَعُونَ ٱلْمَاعُونَ

«1. Have you seen him who denies Ad-Dīn?» «2. That is he who repulses the orphan,» «3. And urges not the feeding of Al-Miskīn.» «4. So, woe unto those performers of Ṣalāh,» «5. Those who with their Ṣalāh are Sāhūn.» «6. Those who do good deeds only to be seen,» «7. And withhold Al-Mā'ūn.»

Allāh says, "O Muḥammad! Have you seen the one who denies the Dīn?" Here the word Dīn means the Hereafter, the Recompense and the Final Reward.

Qur’an 107:2فَذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يَدُعُّ ٱلْيَتِيمَ

«That is he who repulses the orphan,» meaning, he is the one who oppresses the orphan and does not give him his just due. He does not feed him, nor is he kind to him.

Qur’an 107:3وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ

«And urges not the feeding of Al-Miskīn.» This is as Allāh says,

Qur’an 89:17–18كَلَّا بَل لَّا تُكْرِمُونَ ٱلْيَتِيمَ وَلَا تَحَٰٓضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ

«Nay! But you treat not the orphans with kindness and generosity! And urge not one another on the feeding of Al- Miskīn!» (89:17-18) meaning, the poor man who has nothing to sustain him and suffice his needs. Then Allāh says,

Qur’an 107:4–5فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ

«So, woe unto those performers of Ṣalāh, those who with their Ṣalāh are Sāhūn.» Ibn 'Abbās and others have said, "This means the hypocrites who pray in public but do not pray in private."^{1Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:632.} Thus, Allāh says,

Qur’an 107:4لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ

«unto those performers of Ṣalāh,» They are those people who pray and adhere to the prayer, yet they are mindless of it. This may either be referring to its act entirely, as Ibn 'Abbās said, or it may be referring to performing it in its stipulated time that has been legislated Islāmically. This means that the person prays it completely outside of its time. This was said by Masrūq and Abu Aḍ-Ḍuḥa.^{2Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:631.} ‘Aṭā’ bin Dīnār said, "All praise is due to Allāh, the One Who said,

Qur’an 107:5عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ

«with their Ṣalāh are Sāhūn.» and He did not say, 'those who are absent minded in their prayer.' "^{3Al-Qurṭubi 20:212.} It could also mean the first time of the prayer, which means they always delay it until the end of its time, or they usually do so. It may also refer to not fulfilling its pillars and conditions, and in the required manner. It could also mean performing it with humility and contemplation of its meanings. The wording of the Āyah comprises all of these meanings. However, whoever has any characteristic of this that we have mentioned then a portion of this Āyah applies to him. And whoever has all of these characteristics, then he has completed his share of this Āyah, and the hypocrisy of actions is fulfilled in him. This is just as is confirmed in the Two Ṣaḥīḥs that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said,

Ḥadīthتِلْكَ صَلَاةُ الْمُنَافِقِ، تِلْكَ صَلَاةُ الْمُنَافِقِ، تِلْكَ صَلَاةُ الْمُنَافِقِ، يَجْلِسُ يَرْقُبُ الشَّمْسَ، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتْ بَيْنَ قَرْنَيِ الشَّيْطَانِ قَامَ فَنَقَرَ أَرْبَعًا، لَا يَذْكُرُ اللهَ فِيهَا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

«This is the prayer of the hypocrite, this is the prayer of the hypocrite, this is the prayer of the hypocrite. He sits watching the sun until it is between the two horns of Shayṭān. Then he stands and pecks four (Rak'ahs) and he does not remember Allāh (in them) except very little.»^{4Fatḥ Al-Bāri 6:386, and Muslim 1:434.}

This Ḥadīth is describing the end of the time for the ‘Aṣr prayer, which is the middle prayer as is confirmed by a text (Ḥadīth). This is the time in which it is disliked to pray. Then this person stands to pray it, pecking in it like the pecking of a crow. He does not have tranquility or humility in it at all. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ said,

Ḥadīthلَا يَذْكُرُ اللهَ فِيهَا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

«He does not remember Allāh (in them) except very little.»

He probably only stands to pray it so that the people will see him praying, and not seeking the Face of Allāh. This is just as if he did not pray at all. Allāh says,

Qur’an 4:142إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَٰفِقِينَ يُخَٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَٰدِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ قَامُوا۟ كُسَالَىٰ يُرَآءُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

«Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allāh, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allāh but little.» (4:142)

and Allāh says here,

Qur’an 107:6ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَآءُونَ

«Those who do good deeds only to be seen,»

Imām Aḥmad recorded from 'Amr bin Murrah that he said, "We were sitting with Abu 'Ubaydah when the people mentioned showing-off. A man known as Abu Yazīd said, "I heard 'Abdullāh bin 'Amr saying that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said,

Ḥadīthمَنْ سَمَّعَ النَّاسَ بِعَمَلِهِ، سَمَّعَ اللهُ بِهِ سَامِعَ خَلْقِهِ، وَحَقَّرَهُ وَصَغَّرَهُ

«Whoever tries to make the people hear of his deed, Allāh, the One Who hears His creation, will hear it and make him despised and degraded.»^{5Aḥmad 2:212.}

from what is related to his statement,

Qur’an 107:6ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَآءُونَ

«Those who do good deeds only to be seen.» is that whoever does a deed solely for Allāh, but the people come to know about it, and he is pleased with that, then this is not considered showing off.

Allāh said:

Qur’an 107:7وَيَمْنَعُونَ ٱلْمَاعُونَ

«And withhold Al-Mā'ūn.» This means that they do not worship their Lord well, nor do they treat His creation well. They do not even lend that which others may benefit from and be helped by, even though the object will remain intact and be returned to them. These people are even stingier when it comes to giving Zakāh and different types of charity that bring one closer to Allāh.

Al-Mas'ūdi narrated from Salamah bin Kuhayl who reported from Abu Al-'Ubaydīn that he asked Ibn Mas'ūd about Al-Mā'ūn and he said, "It is what the people give to each other, like an axe, a pot, a bucket and similar items."^{6Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:639.}

This is the end of the Tafsīr of Sūrat Al-Mā'ūn, and all praise and thanks are due to Allāh.