The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 379
PT. 29 AD-DAHR CH. 76 يُوفُونَ بِالنَّذْرِ وَ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا كَانَ شَرُّهُ They fulfil their vow, and. 8 مُسْتَطِيرًا fear a day the evil of which is widespread. 4484A وَيُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعَامَ عَلَى حُبّهِ مِسْكِيناً And they feed, for love of. 9 وَيَتِيمَا وَ أَسِيرًا Him, the poor, the orphan, and the prisoner, 4485 اِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنْكُمْ Saying, “We feed you for. 10 جَزَاءً وَلَا شُكُورًا Allah's pleasure only. We desire no reward nor thanks from you. 4 4485A "2:178; 90:15-17. spiritual evolution which requires hard and continuous striving on the part of believers, because unless man brings under control, and suppresses, his evil propensities, he cannot make any spiritual progress. The "spring" mentioned in the verse is the spring of God's love and Divine realization. 4484A. Commentary: Fulfilling "the vow" signifies the discharging of man's duties to God. Man's obligations to his fellow- beings are mentioned in the next verse. 4485. Important Words: (food) is inf. noun from bi. e. he tasted or ate. b means, food; wholesome and agreeable food which satisfies the eater. They say 6) arba lo bi. e. the eater of this food does not become satisfied (Lane). Commentary: The verse may mean: (1) Because they love God, so, in order to win His pleasure, they feed the poor and the 3275 captives. (2) They feed the poor for the sake of feeding them, i. e. they do the good act of feeding for the sake of doing good, seeking no reward, appreciation or approbation for what they do. (3) They feed the poor while they themselves need the money which they spend on others. The verse also signifies that the righteous believers give the poor wholesome and agreeable food, meaning agreeable and wholesome food (Lane). This implies that the believers are expected to give in charity the things they love most. Elsewhere the Quran says: "You cannot attain to righteousness unless you spend in the way of Allah out of that which you love best (3:93). 4485A. Commentary: In everything that a believer does his whole attention is directed towards winning the pleasure of God-his highest ambition. He wants no return, reward or appreciation. His reward is with his Lord and Master.