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
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ كِتَـٰبٌ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ وَكَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُوا۟ كَفَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ۚ فَلَعْنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
And when there came to them a Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] from Allāh confirming that which was with them - although before they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved - but [then] when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allāh will be upon the disbelievers.
مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلَّهِ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَجِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَىٰلَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
Whoever is an enemy to Allāh and His angels and His messengers and Gabriel and Michael - then indeed, Allāh is an enemy to the disbelievers.
لِّلَّذِينَ يُؤْلُونَ مِن نِّسَآئِهِمْ تَرَبُّصُ أَرْبَعَةِ أَشْهُرٍ ۖ فَإِن فَآءُو فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
For those who swear not to have sexual relations with their wives is a waiting time of four months, but if they return [to normal relations] - then indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوا۟ لَوْ أَنَّ لَنَا كَرَّةً فَنَتَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُمْ كَمَا تَبَرَّءُوا۟ مِنَّا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُرِيهِمُ ٱللَّهُ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ حَسَرَٰتٍ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ وَمَا هُم بِخَـٰرِجِينَ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ
Those who followed will say, "If only we had another turn [at worldly life] so we could disassociate ourselves from them as they have disassociated themselves from us." Thus will Allāh show them their deeds as regrets upon them. And they are never to emerge from the Fire.