And He said:

“He is the One who sent among the unlettered a Messenger from among themselves, reciting His verses to them and purifying them.”

And He said:

“And woe to the polytheists, who do not give zakah.”

And Moses said to Pharaoh:

“Would you be willing to purify yourself, and let me guide you to your Lord, so that you may fear Him?”

He coupled purification with “or take heed, and the reminder would benefit him” for several reasons:

First: Purification is attained by obeying the Messenger’s command, even if the person does not recall knowledge received from him. As He said:

“Reciting His verses to them and purifying them.”

Then He said:

“And teaching them the Book and wisdom.”

Having the verses recited to them and being purified are common to all believers, whereas being taught the Book and wisdom is particular to some of them. Likewise, purification is common to everyone who believes in the Messenger. Taking heed, however, pertains specifically to someone who possesses knowledge that he recalls, and who, through that recollection, comes to know for himself what others do not know.

Second: His words, “or take heed, and the reminder would benefit him,” encompass benefit, whether small or great, whereas purification is more specific than that.

Third: Taking heed is a cause of purification. When a person takes heed, he experiences fear and hope and thus purifies himself. He therefore mentioned the outcome and its cause; He mentioned action and knowledge, each of which necessarily entails the other.