فَأَمّا مَن أَعطىٰ وَاتَّقىٰ
As for him who gives and is God-wary.
EXPOSITION
According to Ibn ʿĀshūr, the following set of verses is an explication of the general concept mentioned in the previous verse, that people’s efforts and endeavours differ. However, it is to the credit of the eloquence and style of the Quran that instead of describing the different acts, it focuses on the doers of these actions. This is because the divergence in the actors necessarily implies a difference in their endeavours. The forthcoming verses are an exposition of how the believers and the disbelievers differ in their endeavours.
This verse begins by mentioning the qualities of the believers that set them apart from the rest. Their first quality is their altruism and giving nature. The object of the verb gives has not been mentioned. However, based on the following verses and the occasion of revelation, it seems to be referring to wealth and is thus referring to those who act charitably with their wealth. Notwithstanding, it is possible to say that the verse is not limited to wealth alone and encompasses a broader concept of giving everything that one has, both material and immaterial, and would include, for example, giving knowledge, whereby some people are generous with their knowledge whilst others are stingy. Some have opined that the object of gives is obedience or the right of Allah and thus the verse is referring to carrying out one’s obligations whilst being God-wary is a reference to staying away from sins. However, what makes the first interpretation the more plausible is that a similar praise has been mentioned at the end of this chapter whereby wealth is explicitly mentioned: And the most God-wary shall be spared it. He who gives his wealth to purify himself and is under no one’s obligation to return his favour, but seeks only the pleasure of his Lord, the most exalted (verses 17-20).
Perhaps the reason the object of gives is not explicitly mentioned is that the import of the verse is to praise the giver and not focus on what is being given but rather the act of giving itself.
The second quality is that of being God-wary. It seems this quality is a condition of giving and thus we can say that what is intended is to give charity in a God-wary fashion. Examples of charity that do not reflect God-wariness include giving charity and then making the recipients feel obliged, or giving stolen wealth, or giving the worst of one’s property, or giving in order to be praised, or giving with the intention of gaining an upper hand over the recipient.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
According to Subḥānī, the verb ittaqā should be understood here by contrasting it with istaghnā which is mentioned in verse 8, as the latter verse seems to be the polar opposite of the qualities mentioned in this verse. Since istaghnā means to consider oneself needless of Allah, ittaqā would mean a kind of belief in our perpetual need of Allah. However, no explanation has been given as to how this meaning may conform with the lexical meaning of ittaqā.
It has been said that the object of the verb gives is justice.
[1] Ibn Ashur, 30/337.
[2] Mizan, 30/302.
[3] Munyah, 30/404.
[4] Safi, 5/336; Daqaiq, 14/305; Tibyan, 10/363.
[5] Muhit, 10/493.
[6] Mudarrisi, 18/150; Amthal, 20/255.
[7] Munyah, 30/405.
[8] Qushayri, 3/736.