spending. Had He used the conjunction “and,” saying, “and they do not follow what they have spent with reminders of their generosity or hurt,” this might have suggested that the restriction applied only at the time of giving. If reminders and hurt that come later invalidate the effect of spending and prevent its reward, then those accompanying it are all the more likely to do so.

Consider how He omits the connective fā’ (“so”) from the predicate here, saying, “They will have their reward with their Lord,” whereas He includes it in His words: “Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and openly—so they will have their reward with their Lord” (2:274). When fā’ introduces the predicate of a subject expressed by a relative pronoun or qualified by a description, it conveys a condition and its consequence: the recompense is deserved by virtue of what the relative clause or description states. Here, however, the purpose is to identify those entitled to the recompense to the exclusion of others, so the predicate appears without fā’. The meaning is that whoever spends his wealth for Allah, without reminders of generosity or hurt, is the one entitled to the stated reward—not someone who spends for other than Allah and causes hurt and reminds others of his generosity through his spending. The passage is therefore not setting out a condition and its consequence, but identifying those entitled to the reward to the exclusion of others.

In the other verse, He mentions spending by night and by day, secretly and openly, thus encompassing all times and all circumstances. He therefore introduces the predicate with fā’ to indicate that spending, whenever it occurs—by night or by day—and however it occurs—secretly or openly—is a cause of recompense in every case. Let the servant therefore hasten to give, without waiting for a different time or circumstance. He should not postpone spending called for at night until daytime, or daytime spending until night. Nor should he delay an open expenditure until a time when he can give secretly, or a secret expenditure until a time when he can give openly. Whenever and however he spends, his spending is a cause of reward and recompense. Reflect, then, upon these subtleties in the Quran; perhaps you will discover them as you encounter them in the commentaries. All favor and bounty belong to Allah alone, without partner. Then:

[Surah al-Baqarah (2): Verse 263]

“Kind words and forgiveness are better than charity followed by hurt. And Allah is Free of need and Forbearing.” (263)

He thus declares that kind words—words that hearts recognize as good and do not reject—and forgiveness, which is pardoning someone who has wronged you, are better than charity accompanied by hurt. Kind words are an act of kindness and charity through speech, while forgiveness is an act of kindness through refraining from holding someone to account or retaliating. These are therefore two forms of kindness, whereas charity accompanied by hurt is a good deed coupled with something that invalidates it. Undoubtedly, two good deeds are better than one invalidated deed. Forgiveness also includes