Al-Baqarah · Madani · ayah 262 of 286

Al-Baqarah 2:262

ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ لَا يُتْبِعُونَ مَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ مَنًّا وَلَآ أَذًى ۙ لَّهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

“Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allāh and then do not follow up what they have spent with reminders [of it] or [other] injury will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.”

Saheeh International

Essence

The gift that is given, then never mentioned and never used to wound, keeps its full reward with Allah, free of fear and grief.

A reflection

The reminder that cuts the gift

At every family gathering, an aunt finds a way to mention that she paid for her nephew's wedding hall. Eleven years have passed. The nephew now leaves the room when she arrives.

The ayah praises those who 'do not follow what they spent with mann'. The word deserves a slow look. The root has two faces. A minna is a great favour. But the same root means cutting. A rope worn through is manīn; death is al-manūn, because it cuts life short. A classical commentator connects them. Mann, the reminder, is the favour that cuts itself. It shrinks the gift and muddies it.

Another classical commentator defines it sharply. Mann is counting your kindness against the person you helped. It is wanting them to know you made them, and that they owe you. The old Arabs had a saying: when you do a favour, forget it. A poet went further. A man who gave me a gift and reminded me of it once, he said, is mean.

Why is it so serious? A classical commentator gives reasons. The person who takes charity is already broken-hearted by his need. Reminding him adds a wound to the help. It turns a good deed into harm after benefit. And the giver should know the gift was never really his. Allah opened the way and removed what might have prevented it.

The Prophet ﷺ named three people Allah will not speak to on the Day of Resurrection. One is the mannān, who keeps reminding people of what he gave (Sahih Muslim).

The aunt's money built a wedding. Her reminders took the joy out of it, year by year. Give, then forget. Let only Allah remember.

The full entry has 7 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.