There is a misnomer among some people that if they just abide by the obligatory five times prayers a day, keep fasts during the month of Ramadan and pay Zakat, they will be among the most liked Muslims by Allah. But perhaps they may be wrong, for all obligatory actions are to be observed as these have been directed to be done by Allah for all adult Muslims and violators will be punished for refusing the Divine commandments.
But then who are the one's Allah likes the most? Well at many places, Allah has spelt the properties of the people whom Allah likes and will grant them befitting rewards both in this world and the hereafter. One set of three blessed people have been mentioned in the 134th verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran as under:
الَّذِيۡنَ يُنۡفِقُوۡنَ فِى السَّرَّآءِ وَالضَّرَّآءِ وَالۡكٰظِمِيۡنَ الۡغَيۡظَ وَالۡعَافِيۡنَ عَنِ النَّاسِؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُحِبُّ الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَۚ
(3:134) who spend in the way of Allah both in plenty and hardship, who restrain their anger, and forgive others. Allah loves such good-doers."
The devouring of interest had created greed, avarice, parsimony and selfishness in those who took interest; hatred, anger, enmity and jealousy in those who had to pay it, and these moral evils contributed to some extent to the setback in the Battle of Uhd. Therefore Allah has condemned and prohibited interest and prescribed charity as an antidote to it. It is obvious that Paradise has been reserved for those who practice charity and spend money generously, and not for those greedy persons who practice money-lending on interest. (Please refer also to verse 278 of Surah 2. Al-Baqarah.)
Tafsir Ibn-Kathir:
(" الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِى السَّرَّآءِ وَالضَّرَّآءِ " Those who spend (in Allah's cause) in prosperity and in adversity) in hard times and easy times, while active (or enthusiastic) and otherwise, healthy or ill, and in all conditions, just as Allah said in another Ayah:
(Those who spend their wealth (in Allah's cause) by night and day, in secret and in public) (2:274) These believers are never distracted from obeying Allah, spending on what pleases Him, being kind to His servants and their relatives, and other acts of righteousness.
Allah said, (" وَالْكَـظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَـفِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ " who repress anger, and who pardon men;) ﴿3:134﴾ for when they are angry, they control their anger and do act upon it. Rather, they even forgive those who hurt them.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said, (The strong person is not he who is able to physically overcome people. The strong person is he who overcomes his rage when he is angry.)
This Hadith is also recorded in the Two Sahihs. Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah said, (He who gives time to a debtor or forgives him, then Allah will save him from the heat of Jahannam (Hell-fire). Behold! The deeds of Paradise are difficult to reach, for they are on top of a hill, while the deeds of the Fire are easy to find in the lowlands. The happy person is he who is saved from the tests. Verily, there is no dose of anything better to Allah than a dose of rage that the servant controls, and whenever the servant of Allah controls it, he will be internally filled with faith.)
This Hadith was recorded by Imam Ahmad, its chain of narration is good, it does not contain any disparraged narrators, and the meaning is good.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Sahl bin Mu`adh bin Anas said that his father said that the Messenger of Allah said, (Whoever controlled rage while able to act upon it, then Allah will call him while all creation is a witness, until He gives him the choice of any of the Huris (fair females with wide, lovely eyes - as mates for the pious) he wishes.)
Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah collected this Hadith, which At-Tirmidhi said was "Hasan Gharib''.
Ibn Marduwyah recorded that Ibn `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said, (There is not a dose of anything that the servant takes which is better than a dose of control of rage that he feels, when he does it seeking Allah's Face.) Ibn Jarir and Ibn Majah also collected this Hadith.
Allah said, (" وَالْكَـظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ " who repress anger) meaning, they do not satisfy their rage upon people. Rather, they refrain from harming them and await their rewards with Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored.
Allah then said, (" وَالْعَـفِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ " and who pardon men;) They forgive those who treat them with injustice. Therefore, they do not hold any ill feelings about anyone in their hearts, and this is the most excellent conduct in this regard.
This is why Allah said, (" وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ "verily, Allah loves the Muhsinin (the good-doers)).
This good conduct is a type of Ihsan (excellence in the religion). There is a Hadith that reads, (I swear regarding three matters: no charity shall ever decrease the wealth; whenever one forgives people, then Allah will magnify his honor; and he who is humble for Allah, then Allah will raise his rank.)
Yusuf Ali Explanation:
Another definition of the righteous (vv. 134-35). So far from grasping material wealth, they give freely, of themselves and their substance, not only when they are well-off and it is easy for them to do so, but also when they arc in difficulties, for other people may be in difficulties at the same time. They do not get ruffled in adversity, or get angry when other people behave badly, or their own good plans fail. On the contrary they redouble their efforts. For the charity-or good deeds-is all the more necessary in adversity. And they do not throw the blame on others. Even where such blame is due and correction is necessary, their own mind is free from a sense of grievance, for they forgive and cover other men's faults. This as far as other people are concerned. But we may be ourselves at fault, and perhaps we brought some calamity on ourselves. The righteous man is not necessarily perfect. In such circumstances his behaviour is described in the next verse.
Qur'an Wiki Explanation:
The emphasis laid on this characteristic has particular relevance to the Battle of Uĥud. Reference to spending in the sūrah is made several times and in the same way as the repeated condemnation of those who refuse to come forward with their money for the cause of God.
They “restrain their anger, and forgive their fellow men.” Fearing God also works in this respect, providing similar motives and leaving similar effects. Anger is a human reaction which is normally combined with or followed by a fit of temper. It is both natural and essential to man. However, it can only be overcome through that higher perception made possible by the positive effects of fearing God and the spiritual strength which man achieves through looking up to horizons which are far superior and more sublime than man’s own needs and interests.
Restraining anger is only the first stage; it is not sufficient on its own. A person may restrain his anger but harbour a grudge. His outward fury becomes a deeply- seated, inward rancour. Needless to say, anger and fury are preferable to harbouring grudges and rancour. The Qur’ānic verse emphasises that the God-fearing do not allow their anger to become a grudge. They forgive others and do not harbour any ill feelings. When anger is deliberately restrained it becomes a burden, a fire which burns internally sending its smoke over man’s conscience in order to blur his vision. Forgiveness, however, ensures a release from that burden. It gives peace of heart and conscience, as well as an easy movement in a more sublime world.
“God loves the benevolent.” Those who spend their money at times of prosperity and hardship are benevolent. Similarly, those who do not hesitate to forgive others after having been angered by them are also benevolent. The Qur’ānic verse tells us that God loves all who are benevolent. Use of the term “love” here is significant. Its pleasant, friendly, bright and compassionate shades are in perfect harmony with the pleasant and honourable atmosphere of help and forgiveness.
Because God loves the benevolent and the good turns they do, those who love God also love to be benevolent. They have the best of all motives. The final comment is, then, not only an inspiring description, it is a statement of fact.
The community which enjoys God’s love and, in turn, loves God and in which forgiveness replaces anger and rancour is a strong, brotherly and closely-knit community. We see here how this directive is clearly relevant to both the military battle and to the battle of life.
May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen. May we be among the three good doers mentioned above so that we too are included in the list of those whom Allah likes the most. Ameen.
For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources:
- Towards Understanding the Quran
- Tafsir Ibn Khatir
- Muhammad Asad Translation
- Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
- Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
- Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.
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