Tafseer of The Cow · Al-Baqara · 2:265
And the example of those who spend their wealth seeking means to the approval of Allah and assuring [reward for] themselves is like a garden on high ground which is hit by a downpour - so it yields its fruits in double. And [even] if it is not hit by a downpour, then a drizzle [is sufficient]. And Allah, of what you do, is Seeing.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The discourse on the interpretation of His statement, Mighty and Exalted: وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمُ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاةِ اللَّهِ وَتَثْبِيتًا مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ
(And the likeness of those who spend their wealth seeking Allah's good pleasure and as a confirmation from within themselves)
Abū Jaʿfar said: By this He means, exalted is His praise: (And the likeness of those who spend their wealth), that is, those who give alms with it, who equip men with it upon the path of Allah, who strengthen with it the needy among the fighters and the mujāhidūn upon the path of Allah, and in other forms of obedience to Allah, seeking His good pleasure — (and as a confirmation from within themselves). By this He means: and as a fixing within them to spend this in obedience to Allah, and as a strengthening. This comes from the saying of the speaker: "I fixed so-and-so firmly in this matter" — when you strengthen his resolve, make it real, and bolster his opinion therein — "I fix him with a fixing," as Ibn Rawāḥah said:
May Allah confirm the good He has bestowed upon you, as the confirmation of Mūsā, and a victory like that which befell them.
* * *
Allah, Mighty and Exalted, intended by this only: that their souls were certain and convinced of the promise Allah had made to them concerning what they spent in obedience to Him, without reproach or causing harm. Thus their souls held them firm in spending their wealth seeking Allah's good pleasure, and they fortified their resolve and their convictions, out of certainty concerning that, and out of confirmation of the promise Allah had made to them. Therefore those among the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) who said something about His statement: (and as a confirmation), said that this means "and as a strengthening" — and some of them said: "and as a certainty" — because the confirmation of the souls of those who spend their wealth seeking Allah's good pleasure arose only out of certainty concerning that and out of confirmation of Allah's promise.
* Mention of who said this among the people of interpretation:
6063 - Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Yaḥyā related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Abū Mūsā, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī: (and as a confirmation from within themselves), he said: as a strengthening and a certainty.
6064 - Aḥmad ibn Isḥāq al-Ahwāzī related to us, saying: Abū Aḥmad related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Abū Mūsā, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī: (and as a confirmation from within themselves), he said: and as a strengthening from within themselves, steadfastness and support.
6065 - Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: (and as a confirmation from within themselves), he said: as a certainty from within themselves. He said: the confirmation is the certainty.
6066 - Yūnus related to me, saying: ʿAlī ibn Maʿbad related to us, on the authority of Abū Muʿāwiya, on the authority of Ismāʿīl, on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ, concerning His statement: (and as a confirmation from within themselves), he says: as a certainty from within themselves.
* * *
Others said: The meaning of His statement: (and as a confirmation from within themselves) is that they scrupulously ascertained the place where they put their alms.
* Mention of who said this:
6067 - Muḥammad ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Muʾammal related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: (and as a confirmation from within themselves), he said: they scrupulously ascertain where they put their wealth.
6068 - Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Suwayd ibn Naṣr related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak related to us, on the authority of ʿUthmān ibn al-Aswad, on the authority of Mujāhid: (and as a confirmation from within themselves), and I said to him: what is that confirmation? He said: they scrupulously ascertain where they put their wealth.
6069 - Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of ʿUthmān ibn al-Aswad, on the authority of Mujāhid: (and as a confirmation from within themselves), he said: they scrupulously ascertained where they put it.
6070 - Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn ʿAlī ibn Rifāʿa, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, concerning His statement: (and as a confirmation from within themselves), he said: they scrupulously ascertained where they put their wealth — that is, their zakāh (the obligatory alms).
6071 - Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Suwayd related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak related to us, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn ʿAlī, he said: I heard al-Ḥasan reciting: (seeking Allah's good pleasure and as a confirmation from within themselves), he said: when a man resolved to give an alms, he scrupulously ascertained; if it was for Allah, he carried it through, but if doubt mingled with it, he held back.
* * *
Abū Jaʿfar said: This interpretation which we have mentioned from Mujāhid and al-Ḥasan is an interpretation whose meaning is far from what the outward wording of the recitation indicates. That is because they interpreted His statement (and as a confirmation from within themselves) with the meaning of "and as scrupulous ascertaining" (tathabbut), and they claimed that this was only said so because people scrupulously ascertained where they put their wealth. But if the interpretation were so, then it would read: "and as ascertaining (tathabbut) from within themselves"; for the verbal noun of the morphological pattern — when it is upon the pattern "tafaʿʿaltu" — is "al-tafaʿʿul." One thus says: "I behaved generously (takarramtu) with generosity (takarrum)," and "I spoke (takallamtu) with speaking (takallum)," and as He, exalted is His praise, said: أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ عَلَى تَخَوُّفٍ [al-Naḥl: 47] (or that He seizes them in a state of gradual fear), derived from the saying of the speaker: "so-and-so feared (takhawwafa) this matter with a fearing (takhawwuf)." Likewise His statement: (and as a confirmation from within themselves) — if it were derived from "the people scrupulously ascertained (tathabbata) in placing their alms in their rightful places," then the wording would read: "and as ascertaining (tathabbut) from within themselves," not "and as a confirmation (tathbīt)." But its meaning is what we have said: namely, that it is a confirmation by the souls of the people of themselves, by the fortifying of resolve and certainty concerning the promise of Allah, exalted is His mention.
* * *
Now if a speaker were to say: And why do you reject that this should be the counterpart of Allah's statement, Mighty and Exalted: وَتَبَتَّلْ إِلَيْهِ تَبْتِيلا [al-Muzzammil: 8] (and devote yourself wholly to Him with complete devotion), while He did not say: "tabattul"?
Then it is answered: This differs from that. That is because in this case it was only permissible to say "tabtīl" because of the explicit presence of "and devote yourself wholly to Him (wa-tabattal ilayhi)," so that in that explicit presence there lay an indication of an omitted part of the wording from which "tabtīl" was derived. That omitted part is, namely: "devote yourself wholly (tabattal), so that Allah may turn you wholly to Himself with a devotion (tabtīl)." The Arabs sometimes do something of this sort: they form verbal nouns that do not correspond to the wordings of the verbs that preceded them, when the preceding verbs indicate that from which they are derived, as He, Mighty and Exalted, said: وَاللَّهُ أَنْبَتَكُمْ مِنَ الأَرْضِ نَبَاتًا [Nūḥ: 17] (And Allah caused you to spring forth from the earth with a springing forth), and He said: وَأَنْبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا [Āl ʿImrān: 37] (and He caused her to grow up with a goodly growth), and "al-nabāt" is the verbal noun of "nabata." This was only permissible because of the presence of "anbata" before it, which indicated the omitted part from which "nabātan" was derived, and the meaning is: "And Allah caused you to spring forth, so that you sprang forth from the earth with a springing forth." But in His statement (and as a confirmation from within themselves) there is no wording that could be construed as turned away from its morphological form, with the meaning of the wording being: "and they scrupulously ascertain in placing the alms in their rightful places," so that it would be traced back to the meanings to which His statement وَتَبَتَّلْ إِلَيْهِ تَبْتِيلا was traced back, and what resembles it among verbal nouns that are turned away from the verbs explicitly standing before them.
* * *
Others said: The meaning of His statement: (and as a confirmation from within themselves) is: out of seeking reward from within themselves (iḥtisāb).
* Mention of who said this:
6073 - Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: (and as a confirmation from within themselves), he says: out of seeking reward from within themselves.
* * *
Abū Jaʿfar said: This statement too is, in meaning, far from the meaning of "al-tathbīt" (the confirmation), for "al-tathbīt" is not known in any wording in the meaning of "al-iḥtisāb" (the seeking of reward), unless the one who interpreted it thereby meant: that the souls of those who spend sought reward in their confirming of their owners. If that, in his opinion, was the meaning of the wording, then "al-iḥtisāb" in that case is not a meaning of "al-tathbīt" by which it could be rendered.
* * *
The discourse on the interpretation of His statement, exalted: كَمَثَلِ جَنَّةٍ بِرَبْوَةٍ أَصَابَهَا وَابِلٌ فَآتَتْ أُكُلَهَا ضِعْفَيْنِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يُصِبْهَا وَابِلٌ فَطَلٌّ
(like the likeness of a garden on a height, which a downpour struck, so it brought forth its fruits twofold; and if a downpour does not strike it, then a light drizzle)
Abū Jaʿfar said: By this He means, Mighty and Exalted: and the likeness of those who spend their wealth, that is, those who give alms with it and let it flow in obedience to Allah, without reproach to the one to whom they grant those alms, and without causing them harm thereby, seeking Allah's good pleasure and as a confirmation from within themselves concerning His promise — (like the likeness of a garden).
* * *
And "al-janna" is the orchard. We have already sufficiently demonstrated earlier that "al-janna" is the orchard, so that repeating it is superfluous.
* * *
(on a height — bi-rabwa). The "rabwa" of the land is that part of it which rises and elevates itself above the watercourse. He, exalted is His praise, described it thus only because that which rises above the watercourses and the valleys is firmer of soil, and the gardens of the firm land are more beautiful and richer in fruit, planting, and crop than those of the barren land. Therefore al-Aʿshā of the Banū Thaʿlaba said in describing a meadow:
No meadow of the meadows of the rugged highland, densely overgrown, green, over which a steady, falling rain streamed gently...
He described it as belonging to the meadows of the rugged highland (al-ḥazn), because the planting and crops of the highlands are more beautiful and stronger than the plantings and crops of the valleys and lowlands.
* * *
In "al-rabwa" there are three linguistic variants, and with each of those variants a group of reciters has recited: namely "rubwa" with a ḍamma on the rāʾ, and with this recited the majority of the reciters of the people of Medina, the Ḥijāz, and Iraq.
And "rabwa" with a fatḥa on the rāʾ, and with this recited some people of Syria and some people of Kūfa, and it is said that it is a linguistic variant of Tamīm. And "ribwa" with a kasra on the rāʾ, and with this recited — according to what is reported — Ibn ʿAbbās.
* * *
Abū Jaʿfar said: In my opinion it is not permissible to recite it other than with one of the two variants: either with a fatḥa on the rāʾ, or with a ḍamma upon it, because the recitation of the people in their regions is according to one of the two. And I more strongly prefer the recitation with the ḍamma over that with the fatḥa, because it is the more well-known of the two variants among the Arabs. As for the kasra: the fact that the recitation with it is rejected is a clear indication that recitation with it is not permissible.
* * *
It was called "al-rabwa" only because it "swelled (rabat)," that is, became firm and elevated, from the saying of the speaker: "this matter swells (rabā yarbū)," when something swells up and becomes great.
* * *
In agreement with what we have said about that, the people of interpretation have spoken.
* Mention of who said this:
6074 - Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His statement: (like the likeness of a garden on a height), he said: the rabwa is the elevated, level place.
6075 - Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, saying: Mujāhid said: it is the level, elevated land.
6076 - Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: (like the likeness of a garden on a height), he says: on a rise of the land.
6077 - Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: Abū Zuhayr related to us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk: (like the likeness of a garden on a height), and the rabwa is the elevated place in which the rivers do not flow, and in which the gardens are.
6078 - Mūsā related to me, saying: ʿAmr related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, His statement: (on a height), on an elevation of the land.
6079 - It was related to us on the authority of ʿAmmār, he said: Ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ: (like the likeness of a garden on a height), and the rabwa is the rise of the land.
6080 - Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, saying: Ibn Jurayj said: Ibn ʿAbbās said: (like the likeness of a garden on a height), he said: the elevated place in which the rivers do not flow.
* * *
Others said: It is the level land.
* Mention of who said this:
6081 - Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, concerning His statement: (like the likeness of a garden on a height), he said: it is the level land that rises above the waters.
* * *
Abū Jaʿfar said: As for His statement: (which a downpour struck), He means by it, exalted is His praise: the garden that lay upon the height of the land was struck by a downpour of rain, and that is the heavy rain with large drops.
* * *
And His statement: (so it brought forth its fruits twofold), He means the garden: that it doubled its fruit when the downpour of rain struck it.
* * *
And "al-ukul" is the thing that is eaten, and it is like "al-ruʿb (the terror)" and "al-huzʾ (the mockery)," and what resembles them among nouns that come upon the pattern "fuʿl." As for "al-akl," with a fatḥa on the alif and a sukūn on the kāf, that is the act of the eater; one says of it: "I ate with an eating (akl)" and "I ate one meal (aklatan wāḥidatan)," as the poet said:
And no meal, if I obtain it, is a spoil, and no hunger, if I suffer it, is a calamity.
He placed a fatḥa on the alif because it has the meaning of the act. And what indicates that this is so is his statement: "and no hunger (jawʿatun)." And if the alif of "al-uklah" is pronounced with a ḍamma, then its meaning is: the food I have eaten, and then the meaning of it would read: which food that I eat is a spoil.
* * *
As for His statement: (and if a downpour does not strike it, then a light drizzle), "al-ṭall" is the dew and the gentle form of rain, as:
6082 - ʿAbbās ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to us, saying: Ibn Jurayj said: (then a light drizzle) is dew — on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ al-Khurāsānī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās.
6083 - Mūsā related to me, saying: ʿAmr related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: as for "al-ṭall," that is the dew.
6084 - Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: (and if a downpour does not strike it, then a light drizzle), that is, light drizzle (ṭashsh).
6085 - Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: Abū Zuhayr related to us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk: (then a light drizzle), he said: al-ṭall is the fine drizzle, that is, the gentle form of it.
6086 - It was related to me on the authority of ʿAmmār, he said: Ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ: (then a light drizzle), that is, light drizzle (ṭashsh).
* * *
Abū Jaʿfar said: He, exalted is His mention, intends by this likeness only: just as I doubled the fruit of this garden, whose description I have given, when the downpour fell gently — and if this downpour were to fail, then the light drizzle does likewise. Thus does Allah double the alms of him who gives alms and who spends his wealth seeking His good pleasure and as a confirmation from within himself, without reproach or harm, whether his spending be small or great; his spending does not fail and does not remain without recompense, just as the garden, whose description He, exalted is His praise, has given, doubles itself, whether the rain that strikes it be little or much — its good yield does not fail in any case.
* * *
In agreement with what we have said about that, a group of the people of interpretation have spoken.
* Mention of who said this:
6087 - Mūsā related to me, saying: ʿAmr related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, His statement: (so it brought forth its fruits twofold; and if a downpour does not strike it, then a light drizzle), he says: just as I doubled the fruit of that garden, so is the fruit of this spender increased twofold.
6088 - Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: (so it brought forth its fruits twofold; and if a downpour does not strike it, then a light drizzle), this is a likeness which Allah has set for the deed of the believer. He says: for his good deed there is no failure, just as there is no failure for the good yield of this garden, in any case: either a downpour, or a light drizzle.
6089 - Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: Abū Zuhayr related to us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, he said: this is a likeness of him who spends his wealth seeking Allah's good pleasure.
6090 - It was related to me on the authority of ʿAmmār, he said: Ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ, His statement: الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمُ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاةِ اللَّهِ (those who spend their wealth seeking Allah's good pleasure), the verse, he said: this is a likeness which Allah has set for the deed of the believer.
* * *
Now if a speaker were to say: And how was it said: (and if a downpour does not strike it, then a light drizzle), while this is a report about a matter that has already taken place?
Then it is answered: Herein "kāna (was)" is implied, and the meaning of the wording is: so it brought forth its fruits twofold; and if the downpour had not struck it, then a light drizzle struck it. That is, in speech, comparable to the saying of the speaker: "I held back two horses; and if I do not hold back two, then one for its worth," in the meaning of: "unless I have none" — it is inevitable that "kāna" be implied, because it is a report. And to this belongs also the saying of the poet:
When we recount our lineage, no base woman bore me, and you cannot but acknowledge this.
* * *
The discourse on the interpretation of His statement: وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ (265)
(And Allah is All-Seeing of what you do)
Abū Jaʿfar said: By this He means: (And Allah is, of what you do), O people, in your spendings that you make, (All-Seeing), nothing of that, nor of your deeds therein or in other matters, remains hidden from Him. He knows who among you spends with reproach and harm, and who spends seeking Allah's good pleasure and as a confirmation from within himself, and He keeps account of it against you, until He will recompense you all according to his deed: if it was good, then with good, and if it was evil, then with evil.
He, exalted is His mention, intends by this statement only the warning of His punishment with respect to the spendings that His servants make and other deeds — that anyone among His creatures commits something that was previously forbidden, or is negligent in that which was commanded of him — because that falls under the seeing and hearing of Allah; He knows it and keeps account of it against them, and He lies in wait for His creatures.
