ﱨ ﱩ ﱪ ﱫ ﱬ ﱭ ﱮ ﱯ ﱰ ﱱ ﱲ ﱳ ﱴ ﱵ ﱶ ﱷ ﱸ ﱹ ﱺ ﱻ ﱼ ﱽ ﱾ ﱿ ﲀ ﲁ ﲂ ﲃ ﲄ
And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give [aid] to their relatives and the needy and the emigrants for the cause of Allah, and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Tafsir
Verse range: 24:22
"Wa-la ya’tal" (And let not those... swear): It is derived from i’tala, meaning "to swear," an ifti’al form from al-aliyyah (an oath). It is also said to be from the expression: "I did not alw (spare) any effort," meaning one did not withhold anything from it. The reading of al-Hasan, "wa-la yata’al," supports the first interpretation.
The meaning: They should not swear that they will not do good to those who are deserving of kindness. Or, they should not fall short in doing good to them, even if there is animosity between them due to a crime committed. They should return to them with pardon and forgiveness, and do unto them as they hope their Lord will do unto them, despite the abundance of their own sins and transgressions.
Context: It was revealed regarding Mistah, who was the cousin of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with them both). He was among the poor of the Emigrants (Muhajirun), and Abu Bakr used to provide for him. When Mistah committed what he committed [in the incident of the Slander], Abu Bakr swore he would no longer provide for him. This verse was sufficient to call for graciousness and to abandon the preoccupation with retaliating against the wrongdoer.
It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) recited it to Abu Bakr, who replied: "Indeed, I love for Allah to forgive me." He returned the provision to Mistah and said: "By Allah, I will never withhold it from him again."
Abu Haywah and Ibn Qutayb read it as an tu’tu (that you give), using the second-person ta (addressing the believers directly). This is supported by the subsequent phrase: "Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?"
