Surat Al-Ma’oon The small kindness

أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يُكَذِّبُ بِالدِّينِ (1) 1. Have you seen him who denies the Recompense? فَذَلِكَ الَّذِي يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ (2) 2. That is he who repulses the orphan (harshly). وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَى طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ (3) 3. And urges not the feeding of AlMiskin (the poor). فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُصَلِّينَ (4) 4. So woe unto those performers of Salat (prayers) (hypocrites). الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ (5) 5. Who delay their Salat (prayer) from their stated fixed times. الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ (6) 6. Those who do good deeds only to be seen (of men). وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ (7) 7. And refuse Al-Ma'un (small kindnesses e.g. salt, sugar, water, etc.).

Its names: Its names: Surat Al-Ma'oon 1) Surat Al-Ma'oon: because this word came in the last verse. (this word came just one time in Al- Qur'an) Surat ( أرأيت ) or ( أرأيت الذي يكذب بالدين ) 2) Surat ( أرأيت ) or ( أرأيت الذي يكذب بالدين ), as some of the companions call it. (because it’s the first word in the first verse in this Sura). Surat( التكذيب ) و ( اليتيم ) و ( الدين ) 3) Surat ( التكذيب ) و ( اليتيم ) و ( الدين ): As these words came in this Sura.

Time of revelation: Time of revelation: The first three verses revealed in Makkah, the rest four verses revealed in Al-Madina.

The reason of its revelation: The reason of its revelation: Ibn Abbas  said: its been revealed about ( العاص بن وائل ) As-Suddi said: its been revealed about ( الوليد بن المغيرة ) or ( أبو جهل ): because Abu Jahl was a conservator (guardian) over an orphan who came one day to Abu Jahl naked, and asked him from his money, then Abu Jahl refused to give him and pushed him away. - Some scholars said its been revealed about ( أبو سفيان ) who used to slaughter a camel every week, then an orphan came to ask him for a piece, Abu Sufian hit him with a stick.

The theme of this Sura: The theme of this Sura: Warning against denying the Day of Judgment, because it’s a reason behind the bad manners and morals.

The relation between Surat Al-Ma'oon and its theme: The relation between Surat Al-Ma'oon and its theme: Allah  mentioned many descriptions about the disbelievers who deny the Day of Judgment. (Deny to be accounted). Allah  mentioned also the descriptions of hypocrites: - They are (Sahun) in their prayer. - Worshipping just to show-off (not for Allah's sake) - Preventing doing kindness toward others.

The reason of its beginning: The reason of its beginning: The question in the first verse is for wondering from the disbeliever's state. They disbelieved in the Day of Judgment, and that will lead to bad manners (harming the orphan, prevent helping the poor,… etc.)

The relation between its beginning and its end: The relation between its beginning and its end: The beginning of this Sura is Makkeyyah: It talks about the disbelievers. The end is Madaneyyah: It talks about the hypocrites. → The disbeliever denies the Recompense so therefore he repulses the orphan harshly and urges not on the feeding of the poor. (two descriptions). → He didn't neither do good in worshiping Allah  nor in giving the people's right. The end of this Sura: dispraise the hypocrite who shows Islam and hides Al-Kofr. He is careless in performing the prayer, showing-off his acts of worships and withhold Al-Ma'oon (Three descriptions). → Allah  has threatened both parties with disgrace, torment and destroy. The reason of the Question at the beginning is to draw their attention towards their bad attitudes with wondering from them.

The relation between the beginning of this Sura and the end of Surat Quraish: The relation between the beginning of this Sura and the end of Surat Quraish: The end of Surat Quraish is: ( الذي أطعمهم من جوع ): Allah  reminded Quraish with His favor upon them: (He had fed them against hunger): This is the opposite to - ( ولا يحض على طعام المسكين ): Those who urge not on the feeding the poor. - ( فليعبدوا رب هذا البيت ): let them worship Allah the Lord of this House (Al-Ka'bah). This is against ( الذين هم عن صلاتهم ساهون، الذين هم يراؤون ). → After counting the favors upon Quraish who denied the Recompense, the beginning of this Sura came to threaten them from His punishment and to frighten them from His torment.

The relation between the parts of Surat Al- Ma'oon and its theme: The relation between the parts of Surat Al- Ma'oon and its theme: Every one who denies the Recompense, his behavior will be bad, he will go against the orphan, treat the poor badly, not to perform the Salat in a proper way or show-off his prayers and withhold the small kindness.

The relation between its parts: The relation between its parts: - Surat Al-Ma'oon started with those who denied the Recompense, then it talked about the impact of it. This is a description of the disbelievers and a description of the hypocrites. All the bad manners are a result of disbelieving in the Recompense. - Hypocrisy is leading to Kofr (disbelieving). → There is a strong link between hypocrisy and disbelieving.

The relation between Surat Al-Ma’oon and Surat Quraish: The relation between Surat Al-Ma’oon and Surat Quraish: - There are many links between them: In Surat Quraish: ( الذي أطعمهم من جوع ): He has fed them against hunger. Allah  dispraised those who denied the favors of Allah . In Surat Al-Ma'oon : Allah  dispraised these who urged not on the feeding of the poor. ( ولا يحض على طعام المسكين ) - In Surat Quraish: ( فليعبدوا رب هذا البيت ), let them worship the Lord of the House (Al-Ka'bah). → Allah  ordered the people to worship Him alone (Islamic Monotheism). In Surat Al-Ma'oon: Allah  dispraised these who delay their Salat from their stated fixed times ( الذين هم عن صلاتهم ساهون ) and ( الذين هم يراؤون ). Those who do good deeds only to be seen. In Surat Quraish: Allah  mentioned His graces that He bestowed them upon Quraish, and in spite of that, they denied the Recompense. Allah  threaten them with His torment in the Hereafter.

The relation between Surat Al-Ma'oon and Al- Kawther: The relation between Surat Al-Ma'oon and Al- Kawther: - In Surat Al-Ma'oon: Allah  showed us the attitude of the disbelievers towards the favors that He bestowed upon them, and the attitude of the hypocrites towards the prayer and the good deeds. - Surat Al-Kawther: came to show us that Allah  ordered the Prophet (  ) to pray and sacrifice for His sake, reminding him with the favors that He  bestowed upon him. So even if there are people who turned away from doing good deeds and disobeyed Allah , there are people who respond to Allah’s  orders and legislations.

The general explanation: The general explanation: Islam is not a religion of an apparent acts and worships, but it’s the religion of Ikhlas (sincerity). The sincerity will affect the heart which is the king of the limbs (soldiers) who will force them to worship Allah  The Prophet (  ) said: “Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body, if it becomes good (reformed), the whole body becomes good, but if it gets spoilt, the whole body gets spoilt, and that is the heart.” (Al-Bukhari 52) Islam is not a religion of separated act of worships that we can choose what we want or refuse doing what we want. No, it's a perfect religion (by obeying all its rules and regulations), this will guide to a righteous community, purified hearts and helping each other in virtues and piety. ( البر والتقوى ) If the reality of the faith and the belief in the Day of Judgment is not established in the hearts → then the person who performs the acts of the worships apparently is not Muslim. (even if he called him self Muslim). → Believing in Allah  and in the Day of Judgment (by the heart) → will push to perform the acts of worships and perform the rights of Allah  and the rights of people. ( والمؤمنون بالله واليوم الآخر )

( أرأيت الذي يكذب بالدين ): This is a question for wondering. Which means: How come shall the people disbelieve in the Day of Judgment, after all what they saw and heard. As a result of this disbelief: 1) ( فذلك الذي يدع اليتيم، ولا يحض على طعام المسكين ): The disbeliever will humiliate the orphan and prevent helping poor people. 2) ( فويل للمصلين، الذين هم عن صلاتهم ساهون، الذين هم يراؤون ): It's a Warning to those who pray but they are ( ساهون ). ( ساهون ): has many meanings: a) The hypocrites who pray in public but do not pray in private. b) Those who pray it completely out of its stated time. c) Those who perform the prayer delayed even if its in it stated time d) Those who are absent minded in their prayer. e) Those who don't fulfill its pillars, conditions and the required manners. f) Those who do not perform it with humility and contemplation of its meanings.

→ The wording of this verse comprises all these meanings. However, whoever has any characteristic of this that we have mentioned, then a portion of this verse applies to him. And whoever has all of these characteristics, then he has completed his share of this verse, and the hypocrisy of actions is fulfilled on him. Allah  ordered us in many verses ( وأقيموا الصلاة ) is the established prayer is ( الإقامة ) not to perform it just by words and acts, but with gathering the heart with what we are saying. If they believe in the Day of Judgment, they will pray for Allah's sake not to show off. They will believe that there will come a day when they are going to be rewarded, so they will know that the people whom they pray for, they will not benefit them.

* It was narrated that Ibn Abbas (  ) said: “The Messenger of Allah (  ) said: ‘Whoever wants to be heard of, Allah will make him heard of, and whoever wants to be seen, Allah will display him.’” * Omar bin Al-Khattab  went out of the Masjid, then he saw Mu'ath at the Prophet's  grave crying, so he asked him: "Why are you crying?" Then Mu'ath  said: "A Hadith which I heard from the Prophet  when he said: "A little of a show-off is shirk"' - Allah  said in Surat Al-Ankaboot (29:45): ” إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ“ Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahsha' (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed, etc.) - And because the prayer has not been performed as Allah  wants. Therefore this prayer will not prevent from any kind of sin, that’s why the next verse is:

:( ويمنعون الماعون ) They withhold even the small kindness. They prevent all the good deeds from other people, because if they pray well, their prayers will encourage them to every good and forbid them from every evil. ( الماعون ) has many meanings: Things that people (rich and poor) used to ask, like: Axe, Pot, bucket, sieve, needle, water, salt, fire and so on. This means that they do not worship their Lord well, nor do they treat His creation well. They do not even lend that which others may benefit from and be helped by, even though the object will remain intact and be returned to them. These people are even stingier when it comes to giving Zakah and different types of charity that bring one closer to Allah. In this verse there is a warning from meanness, because preventing these little things which will not be decreased is a severe meanness.

Lessons from Surat Al-Ma'oon: Lessons from Surat Al-Ma'oon: 1)Allah  is the most Merciful, because He guided people to what will benefit them in this life and in the Hereafter. Allah  is Rich, free of all needs, full of Mercy, as He said in Surat Al-An'am (6:133). ( وربك الغني ذو الرحمة ) And your Lord is Rich (Free of all wants), full of Mercy. 2) The affirmation of the Day of Judgment. 3) The lesson is sought from the general expression and not from the special reason. [This is a base in Fiqh]. We can understand it by knowing that the verses. أرأيت الذي يكذب بالدين، فذلك الذي يدع اليتيم، ولا يحض على طعام المسكين )) Are not specified with the persons whom they were the reason of its revelation, but it can be applied to every one who has the same descriptions. 4)Dispraise every one who denies the Recompense, eats an orphan's money and humiliates him. “It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah  said: 'The one who sponsors an orphan, whether it is a relative of his or not, he and I will be like these two in Paradise,'" and Malik (a sub narrator) pointed with his forefinger and middle finger. (Muslim 2983)

5) Dispraise those who urge not on the feeding of the poor because of there meanness and denying the Recompense. 6) الويل = Woe = The severe torment in the Hellfire will be to everyone who: a) Not performing the prayer the in the same way as Allah  wants to be performed. b) Show-off the the acts of worships. c) Preventing kindness even if they are small. → These descriptions are for hypocrites and they could be in Muslims. Everyone who has some of them, he is included in that threat.