Tafsir of Al-Hadeed 57:18

“Indeed, the male and female almsgivers” (al-mussadiqīn wa al-mussadiqāt)—meaning the male and female givers of charity (sadaqah); Ubayy [ibn Ka’b] recited it as such. Ibn Kathir, Abu Bakr, al-Mufaddal, Aban, and Abu ‘Amr, in one narration from Harun, recited it with a light sad (mussaddiqīn), derived from tasdīq (truthfulness/belief), not from sadaqah (alms), as in the reading of the majority. That is, those who have declared the truth of Allah—the Almighty and Majestic—and His Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

The first reading is more appropriate for His saying, “and have loaned Allah a goodly loan.” It has been said that the second is superior because the mention of "loaning" renders the mention of "giving charity" unnecessary. You shall soon know, if Allah Almighty wills, the wisdom behind this.

As for the conjunction of “and have loaned” (wa aqradū) to the sense of the verb implied in “the almsgivers”—which is the position chosen by Abu ‘Ali and al-Zamakhshari—this is because “al” (the definite article) serves as “alladhīna” (those who), and the active participle carries the meaning of the verb. Thus, it is as if it were said: "Indeed, those who have given charity or those who have been truthful (according to the two readings) have loaned..."

Abu Hayyan and others critiqued this, stating that it involves separating the parts of the silah (conjunctive clause)—since the conjunction falls upon the silah with an intervening element, namely “the female almsgivers”—and that is impermissible. The author of al-Taqrib said: It is interpreted according to the meaning, as if it were said: "Indeed, the people who have given charity—both males and females—have loaned," so it is a conjunction to the silah by meaning, without separation. This was critiqued on the grounds that it has no basis unless one says the second “al” is redundant, so as not to conjoin to a part of the word-form, which is strained. It is clear that the argument regarding the consideration of meaning dismisses what was mentioned; hence it was said that it is close [to correctness], and it is not far-fetched to apply what was mentioned from Abu ‘Ali and al-Zamakhshari to it.

Others said: The conjunction is to the silah of “al” in “the female almsgivers.” The difference in pronouns—feminine and masculine—does not harm [the structure], because “al” is suitable for all. Thus, it carries the meaning of “al-lāti” (those females) when the feminine plural pronoun refers back to it, and the meaning of “alladhīna” (those males) when the masculine plural pronoun refers back to it—which is as you see. Similar to this is the saying, "It is from the category of 'every man and his business'." “Indeed, the male and female almsgivers” are paired together in reward and station, or a predicate is estimated, meaning: "Indeed, the male and female almsgivers shall prosper."

“And have loaned” (wa aqradū), in both views, is not a conjunction to the silah, but an initiation (a new sentence). “And it shall be multiplied for them” (yudā‘afu lahum) follows the description of the “goodly loan,” or it is an initiation. He who is fair will not see this as something appropriate for the speech of the lowliest of the eloquent, let alone the speech of the Lord of the Worlds.

Abu Hayyan chose to interpret this as an ellipsis of the relative pronoun (mawsūl) due to the indication of what precedes it. It is as if it were said: "And those who have loaned..." It is thus the same as His saying: “Whoever among you deserts the Messenger... and praises and supports him.” This is accepted according to the view of the Kufans, but not the Basrans, for they do not permit the ellipsis of the relative pronoun in such a structure.

Some leading investigative scholars, after considering the interpretation of al-Taqrib likely and not finding the attribution to al-Zamakhshari and Abu ‘Ali far-fetched, said: Closer than this is to say that “the female almsgivers” is in the accusative case due to specification (ikhtisās). It is as if it were said: "Indeed, the almsgivers" (in general, according to the rule of dominance/masculine inclusion) "and specifically the female almsgivers among them," just as you say: "Indeed, those who believed—and especially the scholars among them—and did righteous deeds, for them is such and such."

The reasoning for this specification is what has reached us in his—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—saying: "O assembly of women, give charity, for I have been shown that you are the majority of the inhabitants of the Fire." He urged them toward charity, for when they perform it, it is more accepted by Him—the Almighty—and its reward from Him—Subhanahu—is more abundant and superior. Then he said: Since the "loaning" is nothing other than that charity, it was said: “and have loaned,” meaning by that charity, to verify its essence; they are thereby represented before Allah—the Almighty and Majestic—as those who deal with the Most Generous of the generous with His pleasure. Were one to say, "And the lenders," the subtlety would be lost. End quote.

It is clear that the accusative case of “the female almsgivers” as a specification is contrary to the apparent meaning. As for what he mentioned regarding the subtlety of avoiding the word "the lenders," it is good, and it is applicable to the interpretation of Abu ‘Ali and al-Zamakhshari, and to the interpretation of Abu Hayyan.

Al-Khafaji said: The statement—that is, the statement of Abu al-Baqa'—that “and have loaned” etc., is a parenthetical statement between the subject of inna and its predicate, which is clearer and easier. Perhaps the subtlety in it is the confirmation of the ruling regarding the multiplication [of the reward]. He claimed that the sentence is a state (hāl), with or without the estimation of “qad,” from the two pronouns of the male and female almsgivers. This is clearly neither meaningful nor correct Arabic, so reflect upon it.

“It shall be multiplied for them”—the pronoun is for all those mentioned, males and females, according to the rule of dominance, like the pronoun in “and have loaned.” The prepositional phrase is the deputy subject. It is also said that it is the pronoun of "charity" or the pronoun of "the loan," with an omitted genitive (mudaf), meaning: "The reward of the charity, or the reward of the loan, shall be multiplied for them." Ibn Kathir and Ibn ‘Amir recited it as yuda‘‘ifu with a shaddah on the ‘ayn. It is also read in the active voice, meaning: "Allah—the Almighty and Majestic—multiplies for them the reward of that."

“And for them is a noble reward.”