Al-Baqarah: (274) "Those who spend their wealth..."
"Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and publicly," meaning they encompass all times and circumstances with goodness and charity. Thus, the intent behind "by night and by day" is all times, just as the intent behind what follows is all circumstances. Night is mentioned before day, and secrecy before publicity, to signify the superiority of concealing [charity] over displaying it.
The accusative case of "secretly and publicly" (sirran wa ‘alaniyyatan) functions as verbal nouns in the position of a state (hal), meaning: "while concealing and while manifesting." Alternatively, they may be states (hal) relating to the pronoun within the act of spending, according to the doctrine of Sibawayh, or adjectives for an elided verbal noun, meaning: "an expenditure that is secret and public." The particle ba in bil-layl (by night) signifies "in."
There is disagreement regarding whom this was revealed concerning:
- 'Abd al-Razzaq and Ibn al-Mundhir recorded from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that it was revealed concerning Ali (may Allah honor his face). He had four dirhams, so he spent one at night, one by day, one secretly, and one publicly. In a narration by al-Kalbi, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) asked him, "What prompted you to do this?" He replied, "That I might deserve from Allah, the Exalted, what He has promised me." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "Indeed, that is yours."
- Ibn al-Mundhir recorded from al-Musayyib that the entire verse is concerning Uthman ibn Affan and Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf regarding their expenditure on the Army of Hardship (Jaysh al-'Usrah).
- 'Abd ibn Humayd, Ibn Abi Hatim, and al-Wahidi recorded via Hasan ibn Abdullah al-San'ani that he heard Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) say regarding this verse: "Those who spend..." are those who provide fodder for horses in the cause of Allah, the Exalted. This is also the view of Abu Umamah, Abu al-Darda', Makhul, al-Awza'i, and Rabah ibn Yazid. Mentioning "secretly and publicly" does not reject this, as is obvious.
- Some have said it was revealed concerning Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) for giving forty thousand dinars in charity: ten at night, ten by day, ten secretly, and ten publicly. Imam al-Suyuti countered this by noting that the report of him giving forty thousand dinars was recorded by Ibn 'Asakir in his history from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), but as for the report that the verse was revealed specifically concerning him, I have not encountered it. It seems that whoever claimed this understood it from what Ibn al-Mundhir recorded from Ibn Ishaq, who said: "When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away and Umar was sworn in, he addressed the people... [then] he recited the noble verse." You know that this is not evidence for the claim.
"For them is their reward," which is hidden for them in the treasuries of bounty, "with their Lord." The fa is introduced into the silah (relative clause) to indicate the causality of what preceded it. It is also said to be for conjunction, in which case the predicate is elided, meaning: "And among them are those who..." For this reason, pausing at "publicly" ('alaniyyatan) is permitted.
"And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve." (This has already been interpreted; the indication in the verses is clear).
