(31) “Tell My servants who believe to establish prayer and spend, secretly and openly, from what We have provided them, before a Day comes in which there will be neither trade nor friendship.”

That is, tell My believing servants—commanding them to do what will bring about their utmost well-being and to seize the opportunity before they are no longer able to do so—to “establish prayer” both outwardly and inwardly, and to “spend from what We have provided them”; that is, from the blessings We have bestowed upon them, whether little or much, “secretly and openly.” This includes obligatory spending, such as zakat and the maintenance of those whose support is incumbent [upon them], as well as recommended spending, such as charity and the like.

“Before a Day comes in which there will be neither trade nor friendship.” That is, nothing will avail on that Day, nor will there be any way to recover what was missed—neither through an exchange of buying and selling nor through the gift of a close friend or companion. Every person will have enough concern of his own. Therefore, let the servant send something ahead for himself, consider what he has sent ahead for tomorrow, inspect his deeds, and call himself to account before the greater reckoning.