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THE HUNDRED-SEVENTH SŪRAH Al-Mā`ūn (Assistance) Mecca Period

THE NAME of this sūrah, which was revealed in the early years of the Prophet’s mission (probably after sūrah 102), is derived from the word al-mā`ūn occurring in the last verse. The view of some commentators that verses 4-7 were revealed at Medina lacks all historical or textual evidence and may, therefore, be disregarded.

1

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمـٰنِ الرَّحيمِ أَرَأَيتَ الَّذي يُكَذِّبُ بِالدّينِ

HAST THOU ever considered [the kind of man] who gives the lie to all moral law?1

  1. 1.  I.e., who denies that there is any objective validity in religion as such and, thus, in the concept of moral law (which is one of the primary connotations of the term din - cf. note 3 on 109:6). Some commentators are of the opinion that in the above context din signifies "judgment", i.e., the Day of Judgment, and interpret this phrase as meaning "who calls the Day of Judgment a lie".
2

فَذٰلِكَ الَّذي يَدُعُّ اليَتيمَ

Behold, it is this [kind of man] that thrusts the orphan away,

3

وَلا يَحُضُّ عَلىٰ طَعامِ المِسكينِ

and feels no urge2 to feed the needy.

  1. 2.  Lit., "does not urge", i.e., himself.
4

فَوَيلٌ لِلمُصَلّينَ

Woe, then, unto those praying ones

5

الَّذينَ هُم عَن صَلاتِهِم ساهونَ

whose hearts from their prayer are remote3

  1. 3.  Lit., "who are [knowingly] unmindful of their prayers".
6

الَّذينَ هُم يُراءونَ

those who want only to be seen and praised,

7

وَيَمنَعونَ الماعونَ

and, withal, deny all assistance [to their fellow-men]!4

  1. 4.  The term al-ma'un comprises the many small items needed for one's daily use, as well as the occasional acts of kindness consisting in helping out one's fellow-men with such items. In its wider sense, it denotes "aid" or "assistance" in any difficulty.
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