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then you say, ‘I shall give charity’—but when is the time for charity?” (1)
It has also been said that its meaning is: Indeed, We created them for what they are to do: namely, the commands and prohibitions, reward and punishment.
And it has been said that mā here carries the meaning of man; that is: Indeed, We created them from beings who know and understand, not like livestock. (2)
(1) Al-Suyuti attributed it in al-Durr al-Manthur, 8:286, to al-Bayhaqi in Shuab al-Iman, on the authority of Bashir; the correct reading is Bishr.
(2) The text within the parentheses is omitted in manuscript A.
قُلْتَ أَتَصَدَّقُ وَأَنَّى أَوَانُ الصَّدَقَةِ" (١)
وَقِيلَ: مَعْنَاهُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُمْ [مِنْ أَجْلِ مَا يَعْمَلُونَ وَهُوَ الْأَمْرُ وَالنَّهْيُ وَالثَّوَابُ وَالْعِقَابُ.
وَقِيلَ: "مَا" بِمَعْنَى "مَنْ" مَجَازُهُ: إِنَّا] (٢) خَلَقْنَاهُمْ مِمَّنْ يَعْلَمُونَ وَيَعْقِلُونَ لَا كَالْبَهَائِمِ.
(١) عزاه السيوطي في الدر المنثور: ٨ / ٢٨٦ للبيهقي في الشعب عن بشير والصحيح بشر.
(٢) ما بين القوسين ساقط من "أ".