Beams of Illumination From the Divine Revelation (juz' 'amma - the Last Section of the Qur'an)

Sura 4 : Surat Al Ma’un the Daily Necessities

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Most Merciful

The majority of the following surahs, including this one, are re­garded as Meccan, but a number of the ayats, such as Surat An-Nasr, whose place of origin is very clear, are said to have been revealed in Madinah. 1 Have you seen him who belies the life trans­action (din)?

2 He is the one who rejects the orphan,

Allah is asking, "Do you not see, do you not witness the one who denies the true din, the true way of living, the true way of worship, the true way of conduct?" Historically, many people were specifically identified in connection with the descent of this surah, including Abu Sufyan. These were people who had been asked by the one who was an outcast, the yatim, or orphan, to help him. They were people who were wealthy, people who could give help. This ayah applies to all of us now when we deny knowledge of a personal and direct nature, knowledge that there is only One Reality. In this re­spect, we are all subject to that state of rejection.

3 And does not urge the feeding of the bereft.

These people do not help, nor do they encourage others to do so. Miskin describes a person who has even given up on be­ing faqir (needy), a person whose faqr, whose poverty, has caused him to give up any rest or comfort whatsoever. He has dwelt in poverty to the point of absolute surrender in which no aspiration remains.

4 So woe to the praying ones!

This is the true state of every one of us. If we regard our true state as that of faqr, of spiritual poverty, if we look at our helplessness in every respect, and if we totally submit inwardly, then we must recognize that we are all miskin. Recognizing this fact, we have to out­wardly help those who are immersed in that state of total poverty.

5 Those who are neglectful of their prayers,

Saha means "to be forgetful, neglectful, heedless," and "to be negligent." Sahin means "forgetful or inadver­tent." Sajdat as-sahw (the prostration of forgetfulness) is the practice of Muslims who miss one of the rakat of a pro­scribed prayer by which they must make up for that forgetfulness by performing an added prostration. This ayah refers to those who are not aware of the reality behind the prayers and who miss the meaning of salah. Outwardly, it means those who do the salah hypocritically, for others to see, who simply perform the outer movements as though trying to please someone looking on. The highest ihsan (supreme excellence) is real `ubudiyah (worship, service), and real `ubudiyah manifests in the outward, sincere establishment of the five prayers. The people referred to here, however, miss the point of the prayers; they miss the oceans of light that emanate from that repeated act.

6 Those who wish to be seen,

7 And refuse the daily necessities (to their fel­low men).

Outwardly this is the least a person can do, to donate from his property, to share his goods with others for their sustenance. At that time this ayah was an injunction upon everyone to share. Maun in everyday Arabic usage means "the plate upon which food is served," and by extension means any useful article.

The meaning of this surah is that we must use every tool that is available to help others reduce their outer afflictions until they recog­nize the truth of the din which is incumbent upon them.