Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:268

(The devil promises you poverty) is a resumption of speech to clarify the reason for choosing the lowly [as an object] for spending and to belittle its status. In its linguistic root, the "promise" (wa'd) is used commonly for both good and evil. In common usage, however, "promise" (wa'd) is used for good, and "threat" (wa'id) is used for evil, to the point that using one in place of the other is considered metaphorical or sarcastic. It is used here for evil, with consideration for its root meaning, because poverty is something man views as an evil. For this reason, the devil frightens those who give charity with it, saying to them: "Do not spend the good of your wealth, for the consequence of your spending will be that you become poor."

Naming this a "promise," despite the fact that a promise entails informing of something that will occur from the perspective of the informer, is [significant]. The devil did not attribute the occurrence of poverty to his own doing; [rather, he phrased it as a prediction] to signal the cursed one’s exaggeration in asserting the certainty of its arrival, as if he had placed the status of its occurrence—in his determination of its inevitability—at the level of deeds that occur according to his will, or because it occurs in parallel to the promise of Allah, by way of correspondence (mushakalah). Some have claimed that the usage of "promise" here is for good, according to common usage, meaning that what he frightens you with is a "promise of good" because the poverty resulting from spending is the greatest good. It is not hidden that this is far removed from the flavor of the Revelation.

"Poverty" (al-faqr) is read with a damma and a sukun, with two fathas, and with two dammas; all are dialects for poverty, and its origin is the breaking of the vertebrae of the spine.

(And commands you to indecency), meaning the indecent trait, which is stinginess and abandoning charity. The Arabs call the stingy person fahish (indecent). Ka’b said: "My brother, O my brother, is not fahish (stingy) at his house, nor is he a grumbler who is fearful upon meeting [the enemy]." The intention behind "commanding" this is enticement and urging; thus, there is in the speech a primary metaphorical expression (isti'ara musarrahah taba'iyyah). It is said: the intention by "indecency" is all acts of disobedience; some carry it to mean adultery—we seek refuge in Allah from that. It is also permitted that it be in the meaning of "evil speech," in which case this sentence acts as an affirmation of the first. The devil's promise was placed before his command because through the promise, one finds reassurance in him; once one is reassured and fears poverty, he gains power over them through command, as it entails dominance over the commanded.

(And Allah promises you)—in spending, upon the tongue of your Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)—(forgiveness) for your sins, and according to Qatadah, for your indecencies. The indefinite noun (tanwin) here is for magnification, as is His description of it with the words (from Him), which confirms its greatness. It contains a clarification of what was known implicitly from the promise, just as you know it is an exaggeration in belittling the matter of the devil.

(And bounty), meaning provision and compensation; this is what is narrated from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both). Thus, "forgiveness" points to the benefits of the Hereafter, and this points to the benefits of the world. In the Hadith: "There is no day upon which the servants wake, but two angels descend; one of them says: 'O Allah, give the spender compensation,' and the other says: 'O Allah, give the holder destruction.'" The benefits of the Hereafter are mentioned first because they are more important to the one who believes in them. It is said: "forgiveness" and "bounty" are both in the Hereafter, and the former is placed first because clearing [faults] must precede adorning [with virtues], and because removing corruption is more important than bringing about benefits. In the verse is: "Whoever is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [success]." The attribute of the second [bounty] is omitted because the aforementioned [forgiveness] acts as an indication of it.

(And Allah is All-Encompassing) in mercy and bounty, (All-Knowing) of what you spend, so He will reward you for it. The sentence is a concluding observation, affirming the content of what preceded it, and similar to it is His saying...