Tafsir of Al-Hadeed 57:10

Surah Al-Hadid (The Iron): Verse 10

{And what is [the matter] with you that you do not spend in the way of Allah while to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth?}

1. Context and Emphasis on Spending:
   • After commanding belief (Iman) and then emphasizing spending (Infaq) in the preceding verse, the Almighty follows up here by strongly affirming the obligation of spending.
   • The meaning is: You will all die and your possessions will be inherited. Why do you not present these possessions first through spending in obedience to Allah?
   • The reality is that wealth must inevitably leave your possession, either through death or through spending in the cause of Allah.
   • If it leaves through death, the consequence is condemnation, aversion, and punishment.
   • If it leaves through spending in Allah's cause, the consequence is praise, reward, and merit.
   • Since the departure of wealth is inevitable, every rational person knows that its departure in a manner that brings praise and reward is preferable to its departure in a manner that brings condemnation and punishment.

2. Distinction in Merit (The Competition):
   • After establishing that spending is virtuous, the Almighty clarifies that competing in spending constitutes the pinnacle of virtue by stating:

{Not equal among you are those who spent before the Conquest and fought. Those are greater in degree than those who spent and fought afterward. And to all Allah has promised the best [reward], and Allah is Acquainted with what you do.}

Issue 1: The Structure of the Verse

• The implied structure is: "Not equal among you are those who spent before the Conquest and those who spent after the Conquest," similar to the verse: {Not equal are the companions of the Fire and the companions of the Garden} (Al-Hashr: 20). The comparison element is omitted due to clarity.

Issue 2: Defining "The Conquest" (Al-Fath)

• The intended meaning of "The Conquest" (Al-Fath) is the Conquest of Mecca, as the term, when used absolutely in common parlance, refers to it.
  • The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There is no Hijra (migration) after the Conquest."
• Abu Muslim suggested that the Quran indicates another conquest by saying: {And [He promised] besides that a near victory} (Al-Fath: 27).
• Regardless of which conquest is meant, Allah has clarified the great status of spending before the Conquest.

Issue 3: Identifying the Individuals Mentioned

• Al-Kalbi said this verse was revealed concerning the virtue of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, as he was the first to spend his wealth for the Messenger of Allah in Allah's cause.
  • `Umar narrated that he was sitting with the Prophet (PBUH) while Abu Bakr was present, wearing a cloak pinned at the chest with thorns. Gabriel descended and asked: "Why do I see Abu Bakr wearing a cloak pinned at the chest?" He replied: "He spent all his wealth before the Conquest."
• The verse indicates that those whose spending and fighting occurred before the Conquest are of a greater station than those whose spending and fighting occurred after it.
• It is known that the one associated with spending is Abu Bakr, and the one associated with fighting is `Ali (though this is debated).
• Allah mentioned the spender (Abu Bakr) before the fighter (`Ali), implying the precedence of Abu Bakr. This is also because spending is an act of Mercy, while fighting is an act of Wrath, and Allah said: "My Mercy precedes My Wrath." Thus, the precedence belongs to the spender.
• Counter-argument: Some argue the spender is `Ali, citing the verse: {And they give food} (Al-Insan: 8).
• Rebuttal: The general statement that someone spent is only fully realized if they spent great wealth during significant events. Al-Wahidi mentioned in Al-Basit that Abu Bakr was the first to fight for Islam. Furthermore, `Ali was a young boy at the beginning of Islam and not yet the primary fighter. Abu Bakr, however, was a respected elder who defended Islam until he was severely beaten almost to death for it.

Issue 4: The Rationale for Precedence

• The scholars of Tawhid (Monotheism) use this verse to establish the virtue of those who preceded others in embracing Islam, spending, and striving with the Messenger (PBUH) before the Conquest.
• The reason for this high status is the immense weight of supporting the Prophet (PBUH) with one's life and wealth during that time when the Muslims were few, and the disbelievers were numerous and powerful. The need for support and aid was far greater then.
• This contrasts with the period after the Conquest, when Islam became strong and disbelief weak.
• This is supported by Allah's statement: {And the first forerunners [in faith] among the Muhajirun and the Ansar} (At-Tawbah: 100), and the Prophet's saying: "Do not insult my Companions. If one of you spent gold equal to the mountain of Uhud, it would not equal a single Mudd (a small measure) of one of them, nor half of it."

{And to all Allah has promised the best [reward], and Allah is Acquainted with what you do.}

Issue 1: The Promise of the Best Reward

• Meaning: Both groups—those who spent before and those who spent after—Allah has promised the Best Reward (Al-Husna), which is Paradise, albeit with differing degrees of rank.

Issue 2: Grammatical Reading of "Both" (Wakillan)

• The famous reading is {Wakillan} (accusative case), meaning: "Both, Allah has promised the best reward," functioning as the object of the verb wa'ada (promised).
• Ibn 'Amir recited it as {Wakullun} (nominative case). His proof is that when the verb is delayed after its object, the verb does not operate upon it. They cite the example: "Zayd, I struck him," and the poetry:

  “Umm al-Khayyar now claims me / As a sin I did not commit at all.”

  • Here, kulluhu (all of it) is in the nominative case because the verb is delayed, and there is no other reason for it.
• Al-Qaher's Insight: Al-Shaykh 'Abd al-Qahir had profound commentary on this: The meaning changes based on the accusative or nominative reading.
  • Accusative Reading (Wakillan): Implies that he did not commit all sins. This does not negate that he committed some sins. If one says, "I did not do all the sins," it implies he did not do the entirety, leaving open the possibility he did some. For those who hold that Dalil al-Khitab (the argument from silence) is proof, this reading implies an admission of committing some sins.
  • Nominative Reading (Wakullun): Means that every single sin is judged as not having been committed. Thus, the meaning is that he committed absolutely none of the sins. The poet's goal is to claim complete innocence from all sins.
• Application to the Verse: The meaning differs based on the case ending in this grammatical structure. Another example is: {Indeed, We created everything in measure} (Al-Qamar: 49).
  • If read accusative (kulla shay'in), it means Allah created everything in measure.
  • If read nominative (kullun), it does not necessarily mean He created all things, but rather that every created thing He created was done so in measure.
• No Difference in Meaning: However, sometimes the difference in case ending in this structure does not cause a difference in meaning, such as in the verse: {And the moon, We have destined for it stations} (Ya-Sin: 39). Whether you read Al-Qamar (the moon) in the accusative or nominative case, the meaning remains the same. Similarly, in our verse, whether you read {Wakillan} or {Wakullun}, the meaning is one and the same, without variation.

Issue 3: The Final Statement

• The implied structure is: "And to both of them, Allah has promised the Best Reward," with the pronoun hu (Him) omitted due to clarity, as in: {Is this the one whom Allah sent as a messenger?} (Al-Furqan: 41).
• Then follows: {And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.}
• Meaning: Since Allah has promised the reward to the forerunners and the good-doers, He must necessarily be aware of the particulars and all existing knowledge so that He can deliver the reward to those who deserve it. If He were not aware of them and their actions in detail, fulfilling the promise completely would be impossible. For this reason, the promise is followed by the statement: {And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.}