Surah At-Tawbah (9): Verse 79

Translation and Exegesis

[79] Those who criticize the volunteers...

Know that this is another type of their ugly deeds: their mocking of those who give charity willingly and voluntarily.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) addressed them one day, urging them to gather charity. Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf came to him with four thousand dirhams, saying: "I had eight thousand dirhams; I kept four thousand for myself and my family, and I have loaned these four thousand to my Lord." The Prophet (PBUH) replied: "May Allah bless you in what you have given and what you have kept." It is said that the Prophet's prayer was accepted, so much so that his wife reconciled a debt of eighty thousand for a quarter of the price. Umar came with a similar amount. Asim ibn Adi al-Ansari came with seventy sa' of dates for charity. Uthman ibn Affan came with a great charity. Abu Aqil came with a sa' of dates, saying: "Last night, I hired myself out to a man to carry water to his palm groves, and I received two sa' of dates. I kept one for my family and loaned the other to my Lord." The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) ordered that it be placed with the charity offerings.

The hypocrites then mocked them, saying: "They only brought their charities for ostentation and showing off. As for Abu Aqil, he only brought his sa' so that he might be mentioned alongside the great ones." Allah is certainly not in need of his sa'. Then Allah Almighty revealed this verse.

The discussion regarding the meaning of lamz (criticism/mockery) has already passed in the exegesis of the verse: {And among them are those who criticize you concerning the charities...} (9:58).

Al-Mutawwi'un (the volunteers) means those who volunteer (mutatawwi'un). Volunteering (tatattu') means performing voluntary acts of obedience to Allah Almighty that are not obligatory. The reason for merging the letter tā’ into ṭā’ is the proximity of their articulation points.

Al-Layth said: Juhd (effort/means) refers to a small amount by which the needy can live. Al-Zajjaj said regarding {except their effort} (illa juhdahum): Juhd can be pronounced with a ḍammah (u) or a fatḥah (a). Al-Farrā’ said: The ḍammah is the dialect of the people of Hijaz, and the fatḥah is used by others. Ibn al-Sikkit narrated from him a distinction: Juhd (with ḍammah) means capacity/ability. You say: "This is my juhd," meaning my capacity.

If this is understood, then the intended meaning of al-mutawwi'un (the volunteers) in the context of charity refers to those wealthy individuals who brought large amounts of charity, and {and those who find nothing except their effort} refers to Abu Aqil, who came with a sa' of dates. Then, the verse recounts how the hypocrites mocked them, and then clarifies that Allah Almighty mocked them in return.

Know that spending wealth to seek the pleasure of Allah can be obligatory, as in Zakāt and other obligatory expenditures, or it can be voluntary, which is what this verse refers to. The one who gives voluntary charity may be wealthy and thus give a lot, like Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf and Uthman ibn Affan. Or, they may be poor and give a little, which is the extent of their means (juhd al-muqill). There is no difference between these two categories in deserving reward, because the essence of outward deeds is the quality of the intention and the consideration of the motives and the deterrents. Thus, the small amount given by the poor person might carry more weight with Allah Almighty than the large amount given by the rich person.

Furthermore, those ignorant hypocrites only looked at the outward aspects of matters. They criticized that poor person who brought a small charity. This criticism could imply several things:

1. That he needs it himself due to his poverty, so how can he give it away? However, this very act is a cause for virtue, as Allah Almighty says: {And they give preference to themselves even though they are in need} (Al-Hashr: 9).
2. That this small amount has no impact. This is also ignorance, because when this person could only afford this much, giving it means he has expended everything he was capable of. Therefore, it carries greater weight with Allah than the deed of another, because he severed his heart's attachment to what he possessed of worldly things and contented himself with reliance upon the Master (Allah).
3. That this poor person only brought this small amount to associate himself with the great people in this gathering. This is also ignorance, because a person striving to associate himself with the people of goodness and religion is better for him than striving to associate himself with the people of laziness and idleness.

As for the statement {Allah mocked them}, you have already learned the principle concerning this matter. Al-Asamm said that it means Allah Almighty accepted the outward acts of righteousness shown by these hypocrites, even though He will not reward them for it, and this acceptance was like mockery.

[80] Whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them—if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, never will Allah forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.