| Q: (25) A Preventer of Good, Transgressing...

And His saying, the Exalted: {مَنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ} (A Preventer of Good)

There are two interpretations:

1. He is excessive in withholding obligatory wealth. Even if this stems from disbelief (Kufr), it is the most egregious form, as he denies the clear and manifest signs of God's Oneness. Thus, he is intensely disbelieving and obstinate, rejecting the obvious truth. He is excessively ungrateful (Kaffar) for every blessing, stubbornly refusing to give what is due to the deserving seeker. Here, "Good" (al-Khayr) refers to wealth. This aligns with His saying: {وَيْلٌ لِّلْمُشْرِكِينَ * الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ} (Woe to the polytheists * Who do not give Zakah) [Fussilat: 6-7]. He began by mentioning polytheism and followed it by refusing to give Zakah. In this context, there is a strong connection if we consider the disbelievers as being characterized by ingratitude (Kufraan); it is as if the verse says: He disbelieved in God's blessings and did not give anything in gratitude for them, and he is obstinate.

2. He is intensely preventing faith (Iman). Thus, he is a preventer of "Good," and faith is pure good that should enter the hearts of the servants. In this case, there is a strong connection if we consider the disbelievers as being characterized by disbelief (Kufr); it is as if the verse says: He disbelieved in God, and his disbelief was not enough until he also prevented good from others.

And His saying, the Exalted: {مُعْتَدٍ} (Transgressing)

There are two interpretations:

1. It is linked to {مَنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ} (Preventer of Good) in the sense of withholding Zakah. This means he did not fulfill what was obligatory, and he went beyond that by taking what is forbidden, such as usury (Riba) and theft, which was the custom of the polytheists.

2. It is linked to {مَنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ} (Preventer of Good) in the sense of preventing faith. It is as if the verse means: He prevented faith, and was not content with that, but he transgressed further by insulting those who believed, harming them, and supporting and sheltering those who disbelieved.

And His saying, the Exalted: {مُرِيبٍ} (Doubting/Causing Doubt)

There are two interpretations:

1. He is characterized by doubt (Dhu Rayb). This aligns with our first view: the disbelievers are excessively ungrateful, and the "preventer" withholds Zakah. It is as if the verse means: He does not give Zakah because he is in doubt about the Hereafter and the reward, saying, "I will not approach wealth without compensation."

2. He causes doubt in others by casting suspicion. The word Irabah (causing doubt) carries both meanings.

There is another arrangement for the attributes in the verse: This passage describes the state of the disbeliever concerning God, His Messenger, and the Last Day.

• His saying {كَفَّارٍ عَـنِيدٍ} (An extreme disbeliever, obstinate) refers to his state with God: he disbelieves and obstinately rejects His signs.
• His saying {مَنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ} (A preventer of good, transgressing) refers to his state with the Messenger of God: he prevents people from following him and from spending on those with him, and he transgresses by harming and frequently insulting.
• His saying {مُرِيبٍ} (Causing doubt) refers to his state concerning the Last Day: he doubts it and is skeptical, not believing that the Hour will be established.

If one asks: Does the saying of the Exalted: {أَلْقِيَا فِي جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ * مَنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ} (Cast into Hell every extreme disbeliever, obstinate * Preventer of good) imply that the casting is specific only to one who possesses all these attributes? Since disbelief itself is sufficient to warrant being cast into Hell and commanded to do so, we reply: His saying {كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ} (Every extreme disbeliever, obstinate) does not mean a distinguishing description (like saying, "Give to the knowledgeable ascetic"). Rather, it means an explanatory description, where the described subject is characterized by it, either as praise or blame (like saying, "This is Hatim the generous"). Therefore, {كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ} implies that the disbeliever is obstinate and a preventer of good. The disbeliever is a disbeliever because the signs of God's Oneness are manifest and God's blessings upon His servant are abundant. He is obstinate and a preventer of good because he praises his own religion and condemns the true religion, thus he prevents. And he is one who causes doubt because he is skeptical about the Resurrection and does not believe the Hour will come. Thus, every disbeliever is characterized by these attributes.

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