It is called Sūrah al-Mā`ūn according to most of the books of tafseer, Surat Ara’ayta (سورة أرأيت). It was revealed in Makkah according to the majority of scholars. However, some had the view that it is a Makki and Madani surah.
It is reported that Sūrah al-Mā`ūn was revealed in the case of Abū Jahl, who was the guardian of an orphan. He refused to give him his rights when he came to ask for it and drove him away.
Theme:
The Sūrah points out the kind of moral that man develops when he refuses to believe in the Hereafter.
It delivers the message that:
a.) Islām is a complete way of life which is based on sincerity and devotion to Allāh.
b.) Worship, sincerely motivated, produces good deeds. Bad deeds become a sign of having very weak faith or the absence of it.
c.) Good deeds that are not the result of true belief would not be done properly.
Commentary on The Sūrah:
Ayah 1: أَرَءَيْتَ الَّذِى يُكَذِّبُ بِالدِّينِ
Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense?
Allah addresses His Messenger and every intellectual person who has the ability of seeing; holding their attention and making them wonder: “Who are those who deny the Day of Recompense and as such are wrongdoers?” And receive the answer, “They are those who do not feel that they will eventually have to stand before Allāh and answer for all that they have done in this worldly life” – thus, this way of behaving becomes a sign of disbelief in the Judgment Day.
:يكذب is in the present tense – to indicate persistence in the action.
الدين: refers to the religion of Islam itself. Others said it refers to accountability, recompense, and payback.
Ayah 2: فَذَلِكَ الَّذِى يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ
That is the one who drives away the orphan.
اليتيم – is someone who has lost his parents in childhood.
The Quraysh did not give inheritance to women and children, because they believed they didn't participate in war, so they didn't need it.
The first sign of disbelief in the Day of Judgement is oppressing the orphan.
By pointing out this bad practice, Allāh is also advising us to be trustworthy as He said:
"ياأيها الذين آمنوا أوفوا بالعقود" “O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts."
Islām is not merely a verbal confession; rather it is an overall change of the individual’s conduct. Allāh (SWT) demands good deeds together with belief. Mere words are weightless and valueless if not accompanied by good deeds.
The virtues of caring for the orphans:
- Sahl bin Sa`ed said that the Prophet said, “I and the guardian of the orphan are like these [and he pointed with his index and middle fingers together] in Paradise.”
- Ibn ‘Abbās reported the Prophet saying, “The one who makes an orphan join in his household [providing food and drink] for him, Allāh will make Paradise obligatory for him, unless he commits a sin which cannot be forgiven.” [such as Shirk].
- Abu Umāmah reported, “The Prophet said, “The one who passes his hand on the orphan’s head [only for the sake of Allāh], he will have as many rewards recorded for him as the number of the hair upon which his hand passes.”
Ayah 3: وَلاَ يَحُضُّ عَلَى طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ
And does not encourage the feeding of the poor.
The second sign of disbelief in the Day of Judgement is that of stinginess. Such a man does not encourage the feeding of the poor, but spends his wealth for himself and his family. He feels that his wealth is a result of his own hard work, and that the poor have no money because of their laziness.
على طعام: the feeding is very significant. It indicates that the food which is to be given to the poor is his right enjoined upon the rich, and the one who gives it is doing him no favor.
المسكين: refers to the one who is needy or extremely poor, as is mentioned in the Qur’an;
"إنما الصدقات للفقراء والمساكين ..." - “Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy …”
[Sūrah at-Tawbah 9: 60]
Having faith in the Day of Resurrection is the only preventive factor that gives man balance and clear understanding of the meaning of wealth. It makes him understand that it is a blessing from Allāh given to him to be tested; so will he be thankful to Allāh and prove it by sharing with others, or will he be ungrateful and become stingy?
Ayah 4: فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ
So woe [i.e., destruction] to those who pray.
فويل: the (fa) indicates the meaning that, “Such was the condition of the disbeliever, so one may consider the condition of the hypocrite, who is included among those who pray.”
وَيْلٌ: is mentioned in the Qur’an in several places in connection with different sins:
ويل لكل همزة لمزة
[Surah Al- Humazah 104:1]
ويل للمطففين
[Surah Al-Mutaffifin 83:1]
فويل للذين يكتبون الكتاب بأيديهم ثم يقولون هذا من عند الله
[Surah Al-Baqarah 2:79]
So heedlessness and showing off in prayers are similar sins.
Ayah 5: الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَـتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ
[But] who are heedless of their prayer.
Now the meaning becomes clear; Allāh is not saying woe to all those who make salāh, but destruction is only sent upon those who pretend to pray, make it in a careless way, or out of its time.
- Ibn `Abbās said that (sāhūn) are those who do not expect a reward for it when they pray, nor do they fear a penalty for neglecting it
- Sa`d bin Abī Waqqās said that they are those who perform their prayers later to its prescribed time.
- Or that those who pray only to be seen by people, not out of devotion to Allāh. Therefore, they become inattentive when they pray. Thus, prayer leaves no effect on them. Allah says:
"إن الصلاة تنهى عن الفحشاء والمنكر" “Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing.”
"وإذا قاموا إلى الصلاة قاموا كسالى يراؤون الناس ولا يذكرون الله إلا قليلاً"
“And when they stand up for prayer, they stand lazy, showing (themselves to) the people and
صلاتهم عن: in regard to their prayers - they are heedless.
Allah said عن (about), He did not say في (in) out of mercy from Him, because we are all heedless sometimes in our prayers. Heedlessness in the prayer is like forgetting how many raka`ahs one prayed, or how many sajdahs one performed, etc.
Ayah 6: الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَآءُونَ
Those who make show [of their deed].
This verse explains more about the characteristics of he who is heedless. He performs prayer when there is somebody to see him and do not perform it when alone. Not only he is heedless, but even when he does pray reluctantly, he shows off. Allah says:
"إن المنافقين يخادعون الله وهو خادعهم وإذا قاموا إلى الصلاة قاموا كسالى يراءون الناس ولا يذكرون الله إلا قليلا"
"Indeed, the hypocrites [think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing [themselves to] the people and not remembering Allah except a little.
[Surah An-Nisa 4:142]
“Hidden Shirk is less apparent than a black ant crawling on a black stone in the darkness of the night.”
Ayah 7: وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ
And withhold [simple] assistance.
This is another characteristic of the hypocrites which is a natural outcome of heedlessness and hypocrisy. These people refuse to offer the simplest assistance, because they basically cannot see how they can gain from it.
Now, it has become clear that the purpose behind Allāh’s instruction to the believers to worship Him is not because He needs their worship, but for their own welfare and the purification of their hearts and the attaining of happiness in their lives, then the attainment of Paradise in the Hereafter.
Usually Muslims separate between acts of worship and morals and manners in their social life, which is contrary to the teachings of Islam. That’s why we find too many Muslims in number but very few in practice. This Sūrah teaches that the two components of Islam [acts of worship and good character] are inseparable. A Muslim is required to be good to the people and good to Allah at the same time.
الماعون: refers to Zakah [2.5% of one’s wealth per lunar year according to most commentators] or to the simplest assistance – something insignificant people share like salt, a bucket, or a pen and so on.
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