Al Imran: (92) You will never attain true righteousness...

It is known that after the Almighty established that spending (in charity) is utterly useless to the disbeliever, He clarified to the believers the manner of spending by which they will benefit in the Hereafter, saying: {You will never attain true righteousness until you spend of what you love} (Al Imran: 92).

This verse indicates that whoever spends of what he loves is counted among the righteous (al-Abrar). Subsequently, in another verse, He said: {Indeed, the righteous will be in bliss} (Al-Mutaffifin: 22). He also said: {Indeed, the righteous will drink from a cup whose mixture is of Kafur} (Al-Insan: 5). And He also said: {Indeed, the righteous will be in bliss, * Upon couches, looking on. You will recognize in their faces the radiance of bliss. They will be given to drink from a sealed nectar, * Whose sealing is musk. And for that let the competitors compete} (Al-Mutaffifin: 22-26). And He said: {Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west} (Al-Baqarah: 177).

Thus, since Allah detailed the manner of the reward for the righteous in other verses, He sufficed here by mentioning that whoever spends of what he loves attains al-Birr (true righteousness).

There is another subtle point here: The Almighty said: {Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but true righteousness is [that of] one who believes in Allah and the Last Day...} (Al-Baqarah: 177), mentioning most good deeds and naming it al-Birr. Then He said in this verse: {You will never attain true righteousness until you spend of what you love}.

The meaning is: Even if you perform all those good deeds mentioned in that verse, you will not achieve the virtue of al-Birr unless you spend of what you love. This indicates that when a person spends what he loves, that act is the best of obedience.

Here arises an inquiry: One might argue that the word {حتى} (hatta, until) denotes the limit of attainment. Therefore, {You will never attain true righteousness until you spend of what you love} implies that whoever spends of what he loves has attained al-Birr, and whoever attains al-Birr falls under the verses indicating the great reward for the righteous. This suggests that whoever spends what he loves reaches the great reward even without performing all other acts of obedience, which is false.

The answer to this difficulty is: A person cannot spend what he loves unless he seeks, through spending that beloved thing, to attain something beloved that is more noble than the first. Based on this, a person cannot spend his worldly possessions in this world unless he is certain of the bliss of the Hereafter. He cannot affirm the bliss of the Hereafter unless he affirms the existence of the Creator, the All-Knowing, the Capable, and affirms that he must submit to His commands, orders, and prohibitions. Thus, if you reflect, you will know that a person cannot spend the world in the world unless he has gathered all praiseworthy qualities in the world.

Let us return to the exegesis and state the issues in the verse:

When the early Muslims loved something, they dedicated it to Allah. It is narrated that when this verse was revealed, Abu Talha said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have an orchard in Medina, and it is the dearest of my wealth to me. Shall I give it in charity?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: "Excellent, excellent! That is profitable wealth. I advise you to dedicate it to your relatives." Abu Talha said: "I will do so, O Messenger of Allah," and he distributed it among his relatives. It is narrated that he distributed it between Hassan ibn Thabit and Ubayy ibn Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with them).

It is also narrated that Zayd ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him) came upon the revelation of this verse with a horse he loved and dedicated it to the cause of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) then mounted Usama upon it. Zayd felt something in his heart, so the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Indeed, Allah has accepted it."

Ibn Umar bought a slave girl whom he admired and then freed her. When asked why he freed her when he had not yet taken possession of her (consummated the marriage), he replied: {You will never attain true righteousness until you spend of what you love}.

The exegetes have two opinions regarding the interpretation of al-Birr:

1. That by which they become the righteous (al-Abrar) and enter into the saying: {Indeed, the righteous will be in bliss} (Al-Mutaffifin: 22). In this case, al-Birr refers to the accepted deeds they perform.
2. The reward and Paradise. It is as if the meaning is: You will not attain this station except through spending in this manner.

Regarding the first opinion: Some said that al-Birr is Piety (Taqwa). They supported this with the verse: {But true righteousness is [that of] one who believes in Allah...} up to: {Those are the truthful, and those are the pious} (Al-Baqarah: 177). Abu Dharr said that al-Birr is goodness, which is close to the previous meaning.

Regarding those who said al-Birr is Paradise: Some said: {You will never attain al-Birr} means you will not attain the reward of righteousness. Others said that al-Birr refers to Allah's kindness (birr) towards His allies, His honoring them, and His favor upon them. This is derived from people saying: "So-and-so showed kindness (barrani) to me with such-and-such," and "The kindness (birr) of so-and-so never ceases from me." Allah says: {Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion...} up to: {that you be kind and just to them} (Al-Mumtahanah: 8).

The exegetes differed on the meaning of {مما تحبون} (mimma tuhibbun):

1. The wealth itself. Allah says: {And indeed, he is intense in his love of wealth} (Al-'Adiyat: 8).
2. That the gift be excellent and fine. Allah says: {And do not intend the defective of it for spending} (Al-Baqarah: 267).
3. That which one needs. Allah says: {And they give food, in spite of love for it, to the needy} (Al-Insan: 8). This is one interpretation of "love" in this verse—their need for it. He also says: {And they prefer others over themselves, even if they are in need} (Al-Hashr: 9). The Prophet (PBUH) said: "The best charity is that which you give while you are healthy and covetous, hoping for a long life and fearing poverty."

The preferable view is that all these aspects are considered when determining the virtue and abundance of the reward.

The exegetes differed on whether this spending refers to Zakat or something else:

• Ibn Abbas said it refers to Zakat, meaning until you pay the Zakat of your wealth.
• Al-Hasan said: Everything a Muslim spends of his wealth seeking the Face of Allah is included among those meant by {You will never attain true righteousness until you spend of what you love}, even a date.
• The Judge (Al-Qadi) preferred the first opinion, arguing that this spending is what Allah made conditional upon the servant being among the righteous and achieving Paradise; if this spending did not exist, the servant would not reach this status. This can only be the obligatory spending (Zakat).

I argue that if we were to restrict the verse, it would be more appropriate to restrict it to non-Zakat spending, because the verse is specifically about giving what is loved. Obligatory Zakat does not require the giver to spend his noblest or dearest wealth; rather, the correct view is that this verse is specific to spending on a voluntary basis (nadb).

Al-Wahidi narrated from Mujahid and Al-Kalbi that this verse is abrogated by the verse of Zakat. This view is highly improbable, as how could the obligation of Zakat contradict the encouragement to spend what is beloved for the sake of Allah?

Some said the particle {من} (min) in {مما تحبون} (mimma tuhibbun) denotes partiality (part of). Abdullah read it as: {until you spend some of what you love}. This suggests that spending everything is not permissible, referencing: {And those who, when they spend, are neither wasteful nor tight-fisted but keep the balance between that} (Al-Furqan: 67).

Others said that {من} denotes specification/explanation.

Regarding: {And whatever you spend of anything, indeed, Allah is All-Knowing of it} (Al Imran: 92)

A question arises here: It is stated: {indeed, Allah is All-Knowing of it} as a response to a condition, even though Allah knows everything in all circumstances.

The answer is twofold:

1. It carries the meaning of recompense (reward). The meaning is: Whatever you spend of anything, Allah will recompense you for it, whether little or much, because He is All-Knowing of it; nothing escapes His knowledge. Thus, His being knowledgeable of that spending is a metaphor for giving the reward. Ambiguity (allusion) in such a context is more eloquent than explicit statement.
2. He knows the reason for which they do it. He knows whether the motive is sincerity (Ikhlas) or showing off (Riya'). He knows whether you spend what is loved and excellent, or what is inferior and despised.

It is known that verses similar to this are: {And whatever good you do, Allah is All-Knowing of it} and {And whatever you spend of expenditure or whatever vow you make, indeed, Allah knows it} (Al-Baqarah: 270).

The author of Al-Kashshaf said that {من} (min) in {من شيء} (min shay'in) specifies what they spend—whether it is something good that they love or something bad that they dislike—for Allah is All-Knowing of it and will recompense them according to it.

{All food was lawful to the Children of Israel except what Israel had made unlawful for himself before the Torah was sent down. Say, [O Muhammad], "So bring the Torah and recite it, if you should be truthful." * Then whoever invents a lie about Allah after that - then those are the wrongdoers. * Say, "Allah has spoken the truth. So follow the religion of Abraham, inclining to truth, and he was not of the polytheists."} (Al Imran: 93-95)