Explanation Of Surah Al-Mamoon
28 Explanation of Lesson One Explanation of the Maki Surah ‘Al-Maa’oon’ “Simplest Aid” In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful 1. Have you seen the one who denies the religion? 2. That is the one who repulses the orphan, 3. And does not encourage the feeding of the poor. 4. So woe to those hypocrites who pray 5. Yet are unmindful of their prayers; 6. Those who show off, 7. And refuse to give even the simplest aid.
(1) Allah, the Most High, criticizes those who do not fulfil His rights nor the rights of His slaves by saying “Have you seen the one who denies the religion” , by denying the resurrection and the recompense and as such does not believe in what the Messengers came with.
2) “That is the one who repulses the orphan” with coarseness and insolence. He shows him no mercy because of the hardness of his heart and because he does not look to reward, nor fear punishment.
(3) “And does not encourage” others “the feeding of the poor “, not to mention him, himself feeding them!
(4-5) “So woe to those hypocrites who pray” they pray but “are unmindful of their prayers” lax in its performance, not praying in its correct time and skipping its pillars. This is because they do not give the commandments of Allah due regard; they wasted the prayer which is the most important act of obedience . Heedlessness of the prayer is what leads to censure and blam e. However to have some sort of forgetfulness in the prayer is something that happens to everyone, even the Prophet – may Allah praise and send him peace -.
(6-7) It was to express this fact that Allah describes them as showing off, hard of heart and without mercy: “Those who show off ” i.e. they work their deeds by to show off “and refuse to give even the simplest aid” they forbid giving small things that would not harm them at all, essentials such as a cup or bowl or the likes which are ha bitually given away without the giver feeling any remorse at their loss. These people, because of their intense greed, prevent even these being given let alone larger, more significant things! This chapter encourages the feeding of the poor and the orphan, it encourages the encouragement of this, it stresses the importance of being careful in our prayers, the importance of preserving them, the importance of being sincere in them, and in all other deeds. The chapter also encourages doing good and spending sm all amounts of wealth in charity because Allah reprimands those who do not do this. Allah, the Perfect One, knows best.