zakāh encompasses the matters mentioned at the beginning of Surah al-Baqarah.

As for His words:

“Have you not seen those who claim purity for themselves?”

and His words:

“So do not claim purity for yourselves; He knows best who fears Him,”

people’s self-commendation here consists in their declaring themselves pure and believing this, not in actually making themselves pure.

Allah Most High relates that Abraham said:

“Our Lord, send among them a Messenger from themselves who will recite Your verses to them, teach them the Book and wisdom, and purify them.”

He also says:

“Certainly Allah conferred a great favor upon the believers,”

to the end of the verse; and:

“It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves,”

to the end of the verse. In several places, He, Glorified be He, thus reminds His servants of His favor in sending the Messenger. These are the four tasks with which He sent him: reciting His verses to them, purifying them, teaching them the Book, and teaching them wisdom.

He has also singled out the teaching of the Book and wisdom for mention, as in His words:

“And what He has sent down to you of the Book and wisdom, by which He instructs you.”

And His words:

“And remember what is recited in your houses of the verses of Allah and wisdom.”

This is because reciting the verses to them and purifying them apply to all believers. Recitation means conveying His words, Most High, to them, and this is indispensable for every believer. Purifying them means making their souls pure through righteous deeds arising from the verses they have heard and that have been recited to them. The first is their hearing; the second is their obedience. The believers say, “We hear and we obey.”

The first is their knowledge; the second is their action. Faith consists of words and deeds. Thus, when they hear Allah’s verses, they take them to heart, love them, and act upon them. They are not like those of whom He said:

“The likeness of those who disbelieve is that of