Tafseer of The Originator · Faatir · 35:29
Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allah and establish prayer and spend [in His cause] out of what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, [can] expect a profit that will never perish -
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 explanation of the saying of the Exalted: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلاةَ وَأَنْفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلانِيَةً يَرْجُونَ تِجَارَةً لَنْ تَبُورَ (35:29) (Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allah, establish the ritual prayer (ṣalāh), and spend from what We have provided them, secretly and openly, they hope for a commerce that will never perish.)
The Exalted, whose remembrance is exalted, says: indeed, those who read the Book of Allah which He sent down upon Muḥammad ﷺ, "and establish the ritual prayer" — He says: and they perform the obligatory prayer at the appointed times while observing its limits. He said: "and they have established the prayer" with the meaning: and they perform the prayer.
And His saying: "and they spend from what We have provided them, secretly and openly" — He says: and they give as alms from the possessions which We have given them, secretly in concealment and openly in plain view. The meaning of that is only that they discharge the obligatory alms (zakāh), and beyond that they also voluntarily give alms from it, after fulfilling the obligation imposed upon them therein.
And His saying: "they hope for a commerce that will never perish" — the Exalted, whose remembrance is exalted, says: they hope through their deed for a commerce that will never perish: that will never stagnate and never come to nothing. This is derived from their expression: "the market has stagnated" (bārat al-sūq) when it comes to a standstill, and "the food has spoiled" (bāra al-ṭaʿām). And His saying "a commerce" (tijāratan) is the response to the beginning of the clause.
