Period of Revelation
This is unanimously a Madani Sura
and a study of its subject matter shows that it was probably sent down some time
during the interval between the Battle of Uhud and the Truce of Hudaibiyah. This was
the time when the tiny Islamic State of Madinah had been hemmed in by the
disbelievers and the handful of the ill equipped Muslims were entrenched against the
com bined power of entire Arabia. In this state Islam not only stood in need of the
sacrifice of Life from its followers
but it also needed monetary help and assistance. In this Sura a forceful appeal has
been made for the same. This view is further strengthened by verse 10 in which Allah
has addressed the believers to the effect "Those of you who would spend and fight
after the victory can never be equal to those who have spent and fought before the
victory." And the same is supported by the traditions that Ibn Marduyah has related on
the authority of Hadrat Anas. In respect of the verse Alam ya'n-i lilladhina aamanu an
takhsha'a qulubu- hum li-dhikrillah-i
he says that 17 years after the commencement of the revelation of the Qur'an this verse
was sent down to arouse the believers to action. Reckoned thus the period of the
revelation of this Sura falls between the 4th and the 5th year after the hijra.
Theme and Subject Matter
The theme of this Sura is to exhort the Muslims to spend in the cause of Allah. At the
most critical juncture of the history of Islam when it was engaged in a life and death
struggle against Arab paganism
this Sura was revealed to persuade the Muslim's to make monetary sacrifices in
particular
and to make them realize that Islam did not merely consist in verbal affirmation and
some outward practices but its essence and spirit is sincerity towards Allah and His
Religion. The faith of the one who was devoid of this spirit and who regarded his own
self and wealth as dearer to himself than Allah and His Religion
was hollow and therefore of little worth in the sight of Allah. For this object
first the attributes of Allah Almi- ghty have been mentioned so that the listeners may
fully realize as to Who is addressing them. Then
the follow- ing themes have been expressed in sequenee (1)The inevitable demand of
the Faith is that one should not shirkspending one's wealth for the sake of Allah. This
would not only be contrary to the Faith but also wrong realistically. For the wealth
indeed belongs to Allah
on which man has been given proprietary rights only as His vicegerent. Yesterday this
wealth was in other people's possessiont today it is with one particular man
and tomorrow it will pass into some one else's hand. Ultimately
it will go back to Allah
Who is the inheritor of everything in the universe. Only that much of this wealth will be
of any use to a man
which he spends in the cause of Allah during the period it is in his possession. (2)
Although making sacrifices for the sake of Allah is commendable in any case
the true worth of these sacrifices is determined by the nature of the occasion. There is
an occasion when the power of paganism is overwhelming and there is a danger that it
might subdue and overcome Islam completely; there is another occasion when Islam is
in a stronger position in its struggle gainst un-Islam and the believers are attaining
victories. Both these states are not equal as regards their respective importance.
Therefore
the sacrifices that are made in these different states would also not be equal. Those
who sacrifice their lives and expend their wealth to further promote the cause of Islam
when it is already strong cannot attain to the rank of those who struggled with their lives
and their wealth to promote and uphold the cause of Islam when it was weak.
(3)Whatever is spent for the cause of the Truth is a loan on Allah
and Allah will not only return it increasing it manifold but will also give from Himself the
best reward for it. (4)In the Hereafter the Light shall be bestowed only on those
believers who would have spent their wealth in the cause of Allah. As for the hypocrites
who watched and served only their own interests in the world
and who least bothered whether the Truth or falsehood prevailed will be segregated
from the believers in the Hereafter although they might have lived in close association
with them in the world. They will be deprived of the Light
and they will be counted among the disbelievers. (5)The Muslims should not behave
like those followers of the earlier Books
whose lives have been. spent in the worship of the world and whose hearts have
become hardened due to negligence with the passage of time. He cannot be a believer
whose heart does not melt at the remembrance of Allah and does not bow to the Truth
sent down by Him. (6)The sincere upholders of the Truth and the true witnesses of the
Faith in the sight of Allah are only those believers who spend their wealth in His way
sincerely
without any desire of show. (7)The life of this world is only a short lived spring and a
means of pride and show. Its sports and pastimes
its adornments and decorations
its pride of place
its wealth and possessions
for which the people try to vie with one another
are transient. Its likeness is of the crop which flourishes and blooms
then turns pale and then finally is reduced to cha
