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
أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَٰتٍ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُۥ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ ۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَأَن تَصُومُوا۟ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of other days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers good [i.e., excess] - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.
بَلَىٰ مَن كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً وَأَحَـٰطَتْ بِهِۦ خَطِيٓـَٔتُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
Yes, [on the contrary], whoever earns evil and his sin has encompassed him - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.
وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۖ كُلَّمَا رُزِقُوا۟ مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقًا ۙ قَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَأُتُوا۟ بِهِۦ مُتَشَـٰبِهًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِيهَآ أَزْوَٰجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ ۖ وَهُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom, they will say, "This is what we were provided with before." And it is given to them in likeness. And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous -