وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ 110
Translations
And establish prayer and give zakāh, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allāh. Indeed Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.
Transliteration
Wa-aqīmū as-salāta wa-ātū az-zakāta wa-mā tuqaddimū li-anfusikum min khayrin tajidūhu 'inda Allāh; inna Allāha bimā ta'malūn basīr
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the establishment of prayer and payment of zakat (alms), emphasizing that any good deeds performed are ultimately for one's own benefit in the Hereafter, not for Allah's benefit. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the phrase 'whatever good you send forward for yourselves' refers to righteous deeds accumulated for the Day of Judgment, which will be found as treasures in Allah's presence. The concluding statement 'Indeed, Allah is Seeing of what you do' serves as both a reminder of divine accountability and an encouragement that no deed goes unnoticed or unrewarded by Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the early Medinan section of Surah Al-Baqarah, addressing the Muslim community as it was being established in Madinah. It comes within a passage that outlines fundamental Islamic obligations and beliefs, reinforcing the practical pillars of faith (salah and zakat) while encouraging sincere devotion by reminding believers that their good deeds ultimately benefit their own souls.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Tirmidhi 3895), relating to the personal benefit of good deeds. Also relevant is: 'Charity does not decrease wealth' (Sahih Muslim 2588), emphasizing that zakat and charitable giving ultimately benefit the giver.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should understand that obedience to Allah through prayer and charity is not a burden imposed externally, but rather an investment in one's own eternal future, undertaken with the conscious awareness that Allah witnesses all actions. This perspective transforms religious obligation into purposeful spiritual development motivated by hope for reward rather than mere duty.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَٱسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate before Adam"; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers.
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
Allāh does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."
فَمَنْ خَافَ مِن مُّوصٍ جَنَفًا أَوْ إِثْمًا فَأَصْلَحَ بَيْنَهُمْ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
But if one fears from the bequeather [some] error or sin and corrects that which is between them [i.e., the concerned parties], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
وَقَـٰتِلُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ
Fight in the way of Allāh those who fight against you but do not transgress. Indeed, Allāh does not like transgressors.