Name of the Surah
This surah is called Al-Ma’un, namely, small kindness, because those who refuse to give small kindness are reprimanded in it, just like those who are heedless of their prayers and the hypocrites are censured in it. In the Arabic language, Al-Ma’un means something that one borrows from his neighbors, such as a pot, salt, or needle. Those people are extremely selfish and hardhearted and they refuse to help others even by offering them small kindness that will not harm them in the least. Because of their avaricious souls, they decline to assist their fellow human beings even if it means offering them small kindness.
Surah Al-Ma’un was revealed in Makkah. It contains seven ayat.
Relationship between Surah Quraysh and Surah Al-Ma’un
Surah Al-Ma’un comes after surah Quraysh according to the written copy of the Quran, al-Mushaf. Allah, Exalted be He, censures those who are unthankful for His blessings in surah Quraysh, and He reprimands those who do not urge the feeding of the needy in this surah.
Allah, Exalted be He, has commanded to worship Him alone in surah Quraysh, and He has criticized those who are heedless of their prayers and delay performing them at their proper times in this surah.
Most Important Topics Discussed in Surah Al-Ma’un
In the beginning, surah Al-Ma’un censures the disbelievers in the recompense on the Day of Judgment. It mentions that they repulse the orphan though they should honor and help them as they have lost their parents. They also do not urge one another to feed the needy though they should help their fellow human beings. In sum, the disbelievers refuse to worship Allah, the Giver of all blessings and refuse to be kind to others.
At the end of surah Al-Ma’un, the hypocrites, who pretend to be believers and hide disbelief are criticized. Surah Al-Ma’un mentions that they are heedless of the prayers, like showing off, and refuse to offer small kindness to others. Thus, they do not perform righteous deeds for Allah’s sake and are unkind to their fellow human beings.
Those two parties are threatened with humiliation and severe punishment for their evil deeds.
English Translation of Surah Al-Ma’un
Revealed in Makkah, Contains 7 Ayah
Bism-Allah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim
In the Name of Allah, the Giver of Mercy, the Most Merciful
107:1 Have you seen him who denies the Recompense?
107:2 That is he who repulses the orphan,
107:3 and urges not the feeding of the needy.
107:4 So woe to those that pray
107:5 those who are heedless of their prayers,
107:6 those who strive to be seen
107:7 and refuse to give small kindness.
Tafsir
107:1 Have you seen him who denies the Recompense?
The interrogation in the ayah is for astonishment at the behavior of the conduct of the disbelievers and the selfish people. The address is directed to Messenger Muhammad and those who are eligible for it.
O noble Messenger Muhammad, have you seen him who denies the recompense on the Day of Judgment? He denies that he will be resurrected after death and recompensed for all his deeds on the Day of Judgment.
107:2 That is he who repulses the orphan,
107:3 and urges not the feeding of the needy.
He, who denies the recompense on the Day of Judgment, repulses the orphan and deprives him of his rights. Instead of being kind to the orphan and compensating him for losing his parents, he treats him harshly, which is a sign of the hardness of his heart. Moreover, this person does not urge the feeding of the needy because of his stinginess.
In sum, the disbeliever in the recompense on the Day of Judgment has reached a great degree of shamelessness that his heart is merciless to the orphan and does not like to help the needy.
107:4 So woe to those that pray
107:5 those who are heedless of their prayers,
Woes to those that pray, but they are heedless of their prayers. They may delay it beyond their prescribed times, not fulfill their requirements, or be insincere when performing them, namely, they perform the prayer to show off and impress people. Severe punishment awaits those hypocrites if they die before repenting of these evil acts.
It was narrated that [woe to that pray, those who are heedless of their prayers.] was revealed about the hypocrites because they hoped to be rewarded for their prayers, and did not fear punishment for not performing them. If they were with Messenger Muhammad, they would pray for showing off, and if they were not with him, they would not pray. Abdul Allah Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ‘By Allah, they did not refrain from praying. If they refrained from praying, they would be considered disbelievers. However, they did not perform the prayer at its prescribed time. Abdul Allah Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ‘The hypocrites used to delay performing the prayer beyond its prescribed time.’
107:6 those who strive to be seen
107:7 and refuse to give small kindness.
When those who are heedless of their prayers perform the prayer, they do so to be seen by people. They also perform righteous deeds to be seen and praised by people. Moreover, they refuse to give small kindness to others and they refuse to lend them small household items such as kitchen utensils.
Learned Lessons from Surah Al-Ma’un
• Criticizing the deniers of the recompense on the Day of Judgment.
• Repulsing the orphan and not urging others to feed the needy are wicked deeds.
• Severe punishment is awaiting those who delay performing the prayer beyond their prescribed times, do righteous deeds for showing off, and refrain from offering small kindness to their fellow human beings, which indicates that they have evil souls and hard hearts.
• It is prohibited to delay performing the prayers beyond their prescribed times, but unintentional forgetfulness while praying is pardoned and can be mended by making prostration of forgetfulness.
• The hypocrites pretend to be believers before the believers, but they hide disbelief in their hearts.
• Those who perform righteous deeds for showing off do them to be praised by others.
• Refraining to help people even by offering small acts of kindness is dispraised and deserves censure.
The Noble Quran English Translation of Surah Al-Ma’un
The Noble Quran English Translation of Tafsir Ibn Kathir Surah Al-Ma’un
The Noble Quran English Translation and Tafsir of Surah Al-Humazah
The Noble Quran Surah an-Nahl English Translation and Tafsir
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