And do not show favor [while] seeking increase

"And do not show favor [while] seeking increase," meaning: Do not give while seeking increase—that is, seeking much in return from the one to whom you give. This was stated by Ibn Abbas. It is a prohibition against istighzar, which is to give something while coveting a return from the recipient that is greater than what was given. This is permissible [in general], and from this is the hadith narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah, attributed to Shurayh: "The mustaghzir (one who seeks increase) is rewarded for his gift." The most correct position among the Shafi'is is that the prohibition is for tahrim (prohibition/unlawfulness) and that it is one of the specific characteristics of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for Allah the Exalted chose for him the most perfect qualities and most noble manners; thus, it was forbidden for him to give a gift for a greater return.

It is also said that it is a prohibition of tanzih (dislike) for everyone. Alternatively, "Do not give [while] seeking increase" means viewing what you give as something great; here, the sin (in the prefix ta-stakthir) denotes perception (wijdan) rather than a request, as in the first interpretation, which is more apparent. The prohibition of this is because it is a form of self-admiration and contains hidden stinginess.

Al-Hasan and al-Rabi' said: Do not show favor with your good deeds toward Allah the Exalted, while viewing them as something great—that is, seeing them as numerous—for then they diminish in the sight of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. Some masters counted the "viewing of one's good deeds as good," the "lack of fear regarding their rejection," and "being heedless of the fact that they are truly from Allah" as part of the "seeking increase" in good deeds.

Ibn Zayd said: Do not show favor with what Allah has given you of Prophethood and the Quran, while seeking increase through it—meaning, seeking a great reward from the people.

Mujahid said: Do not grow weak in your work by viewing your obedience as great, thus showing favor, derived from their saying: "A weak (manin) rope," meaning brittle. This meaning includes what Ibn Marduyah recorded from Ibn Abbas, that he said: "Do not say, 'I have called them but they have not accepted me,' rather, keep calling them."

Al-Hasan and Ibn Abi 'Ablah read tastakthir (تستكثر) with a sukun on the ra. This is explained as a jazm (jussive), and the verb is a substitute (badal) for tamnun (تمنن), which is jussive due to the prohibitive la. It is as if it were said: "Do not show favor; do not seek increase," for it is the habit of one who shows favor for what he gives to view it as great and count it. This is a badal ishtimal (substitute of inclusion). It is also said to be a badal kull min kull (substitute of the whole for the whole) based on the claim of unity [between the two states].

In al-Kashf, it is noted that the substitution from tamnun is based on the idea that "showing favor" (mann) is the counting of what one gives, not the giving itself; there is a subtle point here: "seeking increase" is a precursor to "showing favor," so it is as if it were said: "Do not seek increase, let alone show favor." It is also permitted that the sukun is an actual pause, or that the continuous reading was made to follow the rule of a pause, or that it is a sukun for ease of pronunciation—analogous to tharu (thigh) with 'adud (upper arm), where the ra falling between the tha and the waw (in wa-lirabbika) was made quiescent, just as the dad was made quiescent. However, this is weak. Under this reading, the sentence is in the position of a hal (state).

Al-Hasan and al-A'mash also read tastakthira (تستكثرَ) with a nasb (accusative) by implying an (to), like their saying: murhu yahfura-ha (order him to dig it), i.e., an yahfura-ha. And his saying: "Shall I—this one rebuking me—attend the war? And witness the pleasures? Will you make me eternal?" where ahdura (attend) is read in the accusative in one narration. Ibn Mas'ud read it as an tastakthira (أن تستكثر), making an explicit. Here, the "showing favor" (mann) signifies "giving," and the speech is based on the intention of providing the reason, i.e., "Do not give for the sake of seeking increase," meaning "to request much from the one to whom you give." This supports the meaning of the first interpretation regarding the reading of the nominative.

Al-Zamakhshari permitted in that reading (the nominative) that it be nominative due to the deletion of an and the nullification of its effect, as was narrated in the reading of ahdura (attend) in the nominative; thus, the sentence is not a hal. Abu Hayyan countered this by saying that it is not permissible to apply this to the Quran, for what was mentioned is not allowed except in poetry. We have room to avoid this, given the correctness of the hal (state) meaning. It was retorted that what contradicts the standard rule is the persistence of the particle's effect after its deletion, but as for the deletion and the nominative, there is no prohibition, and the grammarians have permitted it, such as in the saying: "To hear of al-Mu'aydi is better than to see him."