Commentary on Surah al-Māʿūn

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense? That is the one who harshly repulses the orphan and does not urge the feeding of the poor. So woe to those who pray, yet are heedless of their prayer—those who show off and withhold ordinary assistance.

The discussion of the basmala has preceded.

Allah—Exalted is He—says: “Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense?” Is the address in “Have you seen” directed to the Messenger—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—because the Quran was revealed to him, or is it general, encompassing everyone to whom the address applies? The general meaning is preferable. We therefore say that “Have you seen the one” is addressed generally to everyone to whom it applies.

“Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense?” means the one who denies requital. Such people deny the resurrection and say:

“When we have died and become dust and bones, will we indeed be resurrected—and our forefathers as well?” [al-Sāffāt: 16, 17]

One of them also says:

“Who will give life to bones after they have crumbled to dust?” [Yā Sīn: 78]

These people deny the Day of Recompense—that is, the Day of Requital.

“That is the one who harshly repulses the orphan and does not urge the feeding of the poor.” Thus, two matters are brought together:

The first is showing no mercy to orphans, who are especially deserving of mercy. Orphans are those whose fathers die before they reach puberty. They are deserving of compassion and mercy because they have lost their fathers; their hearts are broken and they need someone to mend them. This is why the revealed texts speak of the virtue of treating orphans kindly. But this person—refuge being sought