قَد أَفلَحَ مَن زَكّاها

One who purifies it is felicitous.

EXEGESIS

Aflaḥa (is felicitous) is from the infinitive falāh which means attaining what is desired and reaching one’s goal.

Zakkāhā (purifies it) comes from zakā, which originally meant the growing of a plant in a manner that would be beneficial, and tazkiyah (growth) later on came to be used to mean purification. Perhaps this was because purification from sins leads to spiritual growth.^{‎[1]Amthal, 20/237.} However, according to Mudarrisi, the original meaning of zakā was to purify, and since only those plants which are pure are able to grow and contaminated or impure ones do not usually grow, the meaning of zakā was concomitant with growth and increase.^{‎[2]Mudarrisi, 18/137.} Regardless of which meaning was the original, both purification and growth can be possibly intended in this verse.^{‎[3]Amthal, 20/237.}

The sentence is emphasised by the emphatic preposition qad to further add emphasis to the message and to reiterate that this is the subject of the oath.^{‎[4]Alusi, 15/360.}

EXPOSITION

This verse is the subject of the previous eleven oaths and thus the question arises as to what is the link between purifying the soul and the objects sworn by in the previous verses? A possible link is that the objects mentioned are great blessings of God that are needed for the continuity of life. A necessary concomitant of God’s bounties and generous nature is that we should in return be obedient to Him (which means purifying the soul) and avoid going against His commands.^{‎[5]Munyah, 30/387.}

Felicity here is understood as felicity in the hereafter, and it is not necessary that one who purifies his soul would become felicitous in material aspects.^{‎[6]Muhit, 30/328.}

[1] Amthal, 20/237.
[2] Mudarrisi, 18/137.
[3] Amthal, 20/237.
[4] Alusi, 15/360.
[5] Munyah, 30/387.
[6] Muhit, 30/328.