(113–115) “They are not all alike. Among the People of the Scripture is an upright community who recite Allah’s signs during the hours of the night while prostrating themselves. * They believe in Allah and the Last Day, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and hasten to good deeds. Those are among the righteous. * Whatever good they do, they will never be denied its reward. Allah is All-Knowing of the God-fearing.”
After describing the defiantly disobedient faction among the People of the Scripture, together with their deeds and punishments, ⦗144⦘ Allah Most High here describes the upright community, together with their deeds and reward. He states that the two are not equal in His sight; rather, the difference between them is beyond description. The defiantly disobedient group has already been described. As for these believers, Allah Most High says that among them is “an upright community”—that is, steadfast upon Allah’s religion and faithfully observing the obligations He has imposed upon them. This includes their observance of prayer: “They recite Allah’s signs during the hours of the night while prostrating themselves.” This describes their prayers at night, their lengthy night vigils and recitation of their Lord’s Book, and their devotion to humbling themselves, bowing, and prostrating before Him.
“They believe in Allah and the Last Day”—that is, with a faith like that of the believers, a faith that necessarily entails belief in every prophet He sent and every scripture Allah revealed. Belief in the Last Day is mentioned specifically because genuine belief in it urges the believer to perform everything that draws him nearer to Allah and for which he will be rewarded on that Day, and to abandon everything for which he would be punished on that Day.
“They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.” Thus, they perfect themselves through faith and all that it entails, and help others attain perfection by enjoining every good and forbidding every evil. This includes urging both their own people and others to believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
He then describes their lofty aspirations: they “hasten to good deeds.” That is, they promptly undertake them, seize every opportunity to perform them, and do them at the earliest possible time. This stems from their intense desire for goodness and their knowledge of its benefits and excellent outcomes.
Those whom Allah has described by these beautiful qualities and noble deeds are “among the righteous,” whom Allah will admit into His mercy, enfold in His forgiveness, and grant from His bounty and kindness. Whatever “good” they may do, whether little or much, “they will never be denied its reward.” That is, they will neither be deprived of it nor lose its reward; rather, Allah will reward them for it most fully. However, the reward for deeds corresponds to the faith and fear of Allah present in the heart of the one who performs them. He therefore says, “Allah is All-Knowing of the God-fearing,” just as He says elsewhere: “Allah accepts only from the God-fearing.”