"Say, 'Indeed, my Lord extends the provision for whom He wills of His servants and restricts [it] for him'"

(i.e., He expands it for him at one time and restricts it for him at another. Therefore, do not fear poverty, and spend in the way of Allah the Exalted, and draw near to Him, Mighty and Majestic is He, with your wealth, and expose yourselves to the breaths of His mercy, Glorious and Exalted is He). The intent of the verse is admonition, renunciation of the worldly life, and an exhortation to draw near to Him, the Exalted, through spending. This is contrary to the context of its parallel verse mentioned earlier, for that was a refutation of the disbelievers, as you have heard. Furthermore, the previous verse was general, while this is specific to the extension and restriction of provision for a single person in relation to two different times, as suggested by His saying, "for him," and the absence of such phrasing there. Although the pronoun in the previous verse was in a position of ambiguity, the fact that the previous parallel was devoid of that qualifier, while this one includes it, serves as evidence for the intended meaning mentioned. So, do not be heedless.

"And whatever you spend of anything"

It is possible that "ma" (whatever) is a conditional particle in the accusative position governed by "spend," and His saying, "He will replace it," is the response to the condition. It is also possible that it is in the sense of "that which" (alladhi), in the nominative position as an incipient (subject), and the clause that follows is its predicate; the "fa" (so/then) was inserted because the subject entails the meaning of a condition. "Of anything" is an explanatory phrase in both interpretations. The meaning of "replace it" is that He gives something in its place that stands in its stead as a substitute for it. This occurs either in this world with wealth, as is the apparent meaning, or with contentment—which is a treasure that does not diminish, as has been said—or in the Hereafter with reward, which is superior to every earthly substitute. Some have restricted it to the Hereafter.

Al-Firyabi, ‘Abd ibn Humayd, Ibn al-Mundhir, and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Mujahid that he said: "If one of you has something, let him be moderate and not misinterpret this verse, 'And whatever you spend of anything, He will replace it,' for provision is allotted. Perhaps what is allotted for him is little, yet he spends as one who has been given abundance." Others among those mentioned—excluding al-Firyabi—recorded that he said regarding the verse: "Meaning, whatever comes as a replacement, it is from Him, the Exalted." Sometimes a person spends all his wealth in charity and it is not replaced until he dies. Similar to this is: "And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision," meaning whatever provision He gives it, it is from Him, the Exalted; yet sometimes He does not provide for it until it dies. The first interpretation is more apparent because the verse is an exhortation to spend; if the extension and restriction of provision are from Him, the Almighty, then one upon whom provision is expanded should not fear destitution through spending, nor should one upon whom it is restricted fear that it will decrease further.

His saying, the Exalted, "And He is the best of providers," is a tail-clause that supports this, as if it were said: "He provides for him from where he does not expect." The two Shaykhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim) recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, said: "There is no day in which the servants wake up except that two angels descend. One of them says: 'O Allah, give to the spender a replacement,' and the other says: 'O Allah, give to the withhold-er destruction.'" Al-Bayhaqi recorded in Shu'ab al-Iman from Jabir ibn 'Abdullah from the Prophet, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, that he said: "Every expenditure a servant makes, Allah the Exalted is the guarantor of its replacement, except for expenditure on building or in disobedience."

Al-Bukhari and Ibn Marduyah recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Allah the Mighty and Majestic said: 'Spend, O son of Adam, I will spend on you.'" Al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi recorded in Nawadir al-Usul from him that he said: The Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Indeed, assistance descends from heaven according to the measure of the necessity." In a long Hadith from al-Zubayr: "Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, says: 'Spend, I will spend on you; expand [in charity], I will expand on you; do not restrict, lest I restrict on you; do not withhold, lest I withhold on you. The door of provision is open from above the seven heavens, continuous up to the Throne, not closing night or day. Allah the Exalted sends down provision from it to every person according to his intention, his giving, his charity, and his spending. Whoever gives more, more is given to him; whoever gives less, less is given to him; and whoever withholds, it is withheld from him. O Zubayr, eat and feed, do not hoard lest it be hoarded against you, do not count [wealth] lest it be counted against you, do not be stingy lest you be treated with stinginess, and do not be difficult lest it be made difficult for you,'" to the end of the Hadith.

The meaning of "providers" is those who deliver provision and bestow it. Thus, "Provider" (Raziq) is applied in reality to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and to others as well; the verse "and provide for them from it" indicates this. Indeed, one does not say of anyone other than Him, the Exalted, that he is the Provider (ar-Raziq), so there is no ambiguity in His saying, the Exalted, "And He is the best of providers." The basis for the superlative "best" is extremely evident. It has been said that applying the term "provider" to others besides the Exalted is metaphorical, considering that they are intermediaries in delivering the provision of the Exalted, thus they are providers in appearance. The issue of preference (the superlative) was then questioned on the grounds that the preferred object must share with the one to whom it is preferred in the essence of the action in reality, not merely in appearance.

Al-Amidi answered that the meaning is: "The best of those who are called by this name, whether applied to them in reality or metaphorically," and this is a type of general metaphor.