Al-Zuhri said: “It was revealed concerning his remaining behind from the campaign of Tabuk. He tied himself to a pillar and said, ‘By Allah, I shall not free myself, nor shall I taste food or drink, until I die or Allah accepts my repentance!’ He remained for seven days without tasting food or drink, until he collapsed unconscious. Then Allah Most High revealed this verse, and he was told, ‘Your repentance has been accepted!’ He said, ‘By Allah, I shall not free myself until the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is the one who frees me.’ So the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came and released him with his own hand. Then Abu Lubabah said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, part of my repentance is that I abandon the home of my people in which I committed the sin, and that I give up all my wealth as charity for Allah and His Messenger.’ He said, ‘A third will suffice you, O Abu Lubabah.’” (1)

They all said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took a third of their wealth and left them two-thirds, because Allah Most High said, “Take from their wealth,” and did not say, “Take their wealth.” Al-Hasan and Qatadah said: “These were other than the three whose case was deferred.”

“Take from their wealth a charity by which you cleanse them and purify them, and pray for them. Indeed, your prayer is a source of reassurance for them. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (103)

His saying, exalted is He, “Take from their wealth a charity by which you cleanse them,” means: cleanse them thereby of their sins; “and purify them thereby,” that is, raise them from the ranks of the hypocrites to the ranks of the sincere. It was also said that it causes their wealth to grow. “And pray for them,” meaning: supplicate for them and seek forgiveness for them. It was also said that this is what the charity collector says to the donor when he receives charity from him: “May Allah reward you for what you have given and bless you in what you have retained.” Linguistically, prayer means supplication.

“Indeed, your prayer”: Hamzah and al-Kisa’i—164/a—read “your prayer” in the singular, with the singular form also in Surah Hud, “Is it your prayer,” and in Surah al-Mu’minun, “their prayer.” Hafs agreed with them in this verse and in Surah Hud. The other reciters read it in the plural in all these instances, using the feminine-plural accusative/genitive ending in this verse. “A source of reassurance for them,” meaning: your supplication is a mercy for them. This was said by Ibn Abbas. It was also said: it is reassurance and tranquility for them that Allah has accepted from them. Abu Ubaydah said: it strengthens their hearts. “And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”

They differed over whether the imam is obliged to supplicate when taking charity. Some said that it is obligatory. Others said that it is recommended. Others said that it is obligatory in the case of obligatory charity and recommended in the case of voluntary charity. It was also said that it is obligatory upon the imam, while it is recommended for the poor person to supplicate for the giver.

Abd al-Wahid ibn Ahmad al-Mulayhi informed us; Ahmad ibn Abd Allah al-Nu’aymi informed us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf informed us; Muhammad ibn Isma’il narrated to us; Adam ibn Abi Iyas narrated to us; Shu’bah narrated to us from Amr ibn Murrah, who said: I heard Abd Allah ibn Abi Awfa—who was among the Companions who pledged beneath the Tree—say: Whenever people brought their charity to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he would say, “O Allah, bless them.” My father came to him with his charity, and he said, “O Allah, bless the family of Abu Awfa.” (4)