punishment. Moreover, He rejoices at the repentance of His believing servant with a joy greater than any joy that exists in this entire world. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed, Allah is far more delighted”—the initial lām in the phrase lillāh serves to open the sentence and to emphasize the statement—“Allah is far more delighted with the repentance of His servant than one of you would be when he is travelling with his camel bearing his food and drink, loses it in a barren wasteland where there is not another soul in sight, searches for it but cannot find it, and finally gives up hope of life itself. He then lies down beneath a tree awaiting death, when suddenly the camel’s reins are caught in that very tree. He seizes the reins, and, overwhelmed with joy, blurts out, ‘O Allah, You are my servant and I am Your Lord!’—he meant to say, ‘O Allah, You are my Lord and I am Your servant,’ but his intense elation made him misspeak. Allah, majestic and exalted, is even more joyful over the repentance of His servant than that man is over recovering his camel.”

Thus we place our hopes in the grace of Allah. Our sins are many and grave, yet Allah’s favor is broader and His mercy more expansive. If the five daily prayers wipe away the sins committed between them so long as the major sins are avoided, that in itself is a tremendous bounty. In every case they—those devoted servants—call upon Allah in fear and in hope: fear of His punishment and hope for His reward; fear because of their sins and hope in His gracious favor. All of these understandings are sound.

“And out of what We have provided them they spend” (Q 2:3). The preposition min (“out of”) here is partitive, meaning that they spend some of what We have granted them, for a person is not expected to give away his entire wealth. Hence, when Abū Lubābah said, “Messenger of Allah, I wish to give all of my wealth in charity,” he replied, “A portion will suffice you.”