عن أبي مسعود عُقْبَةَ بن عمرٍو الأنصاريِّ البدريِّ رضي اللّهُ عنه قال: لمَّا نَزَلَتْ آيةُ الصَّدقَةِ كُنَّا نُحَامِلُ عَلَى ظُهُورِنا. فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَتَصَدَّقَ بِشَيْءٍ كَثِيرٍ فَقَالُوا: مُراءٍ، وجاءَ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَتَصَدَّقَ بِصَاعٍ فقالُوا: إنَّ اللّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ عَنْ صاعِ هَذَا، فَنَزَلَتْ {الَّذِينَ يَلْمِزُونَ المُطَّوِّعِينَ مِنَ المُؤْمِنِينَ فِي الصَّدَقَاتِ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَجِدُونَ إلاَّ جُهْدَهُمْ} [التوبة 79] الآية. متفقٌ عليه.
On the authority of Abu Mas'ud, 'Uqbah ibn 'Amr al-Ansari al-Badri (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: When the verse of charity was revealed, we used to carry loads on our backs to earn wages and give in charity. A man came and donated a large amount, and they said: "He is showing off." Another man came and donated a sa' (a measure of grain), and they said: "Allah has no need for the sa' of this man." Then the verse was revealed: {Those who criticize the contributors among the believers concerning their voluntary charities, and those who find nothing to give except their own effort} [al-Tawbah: 79]. Agreed upon (narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
لمّا نزلت آية الصدقة: أي قوله تعالى {خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِمْ بِهَا} [التوبة:103]، فهي آية الصدقة. كنَّا نُحَامِلُ: أي يَحْمِلُ أَحَدُنَا على ظَهْرِهِ بِالأجْرَةِ، وَيَتَصَدَّقُ بها. فجاء رجل فتصدق بشيء كثير: يقال هو عبد الرحمن بن عوف رضي اللّه عنه، كان من أغنياء الصحابة. فقالوا مُراءٍ: أي قال المنافقون إنّه يقصد بذلك الرياء والسُّمعة. وجاء رجل آخر فتصدق بصاع: يقال هو أبو عقيل، وإنّه قد أَجَر نفسه في استخراج الدلاء من البئر على صاعين من تمر، فذهب بصاع إلى أهله، وتصدق بصاع. يلمزون: يعيبون. المطَّوِّعين: المُتَنَفِّلين. جُهدَهُم: طاقَتهُم.
"When the verse of charity was revealed": Referring to the saying of Allah the Most High: {Take from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase} [al-Tawbah: 103] — this is the verse of charity. "We used to carry loads on our backs" (nuhamilu): Each of us would carry loads on his back for wages and give the earnings in charity. "A man came and donated a large amount": It is said he was 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf (may Allah be pleased with him), who was among the wealthy Companions. "They said: 'He is showing off'": The hypocrites said he intended by it ostentation and seeking fame. "Another man came and donated a sa'": It is said he was Abu 'Aqil, who hired himself out to draw water from a well for two sa' of dates. He took one sa' to his family and donated one sa'. "Criticize" (yalmizun): They find fault with. "The contributors" (al-mutawwi'in): Those who give voluntarily. "Their own effort" (juhdahum): Their utmost capacity.
الدروس · lessons
على المؤمن دائمًا أن يجاهد نفسه في أعمال الخير وأن يتحمّل في ذلك ما لا مشقة فيه لينافس في الخيرات ويسارع إلى الطّاعات من غير رِياء ولا سُمعة بل عن إخلاص وصدق ورغبة فيما عند اللّه. الحثّ على الصدقة ولو بالشيء اليسير، وعدم احتقار المعروف. سُمِّيت صدقة لأنَّ بذل المال للّه عزَّ وجلَّ دليلٌ على صدقِ الإيمان باللّه. على الإنسان أن يطيع ربّه قدر استطاعته ويتصدق بما يقدر عليه وإن قل. على الإنسان ألَّا يلتفت إلى قول المنافقين وأصحاب الدعايات السيئة. حرص الصحابة على استباق الخير، ومجاهدتهم أنفسهم على ذلك.
A believer should always strive in doing good deeds and endure what is manageable in that pursuit, competing in acts of virtue and hastening toward obedience — not out of ostentation or seeking fame, but with sincerity, truthfulness, and a desire for what is with Allah. Encouragement to give charity even if it is a small amount, and not to belittle any act of kindness. Charity is called sadaqah because giving wealth for the sake of Allah the Almighty is a proof of the sincerity (sidq) of one's faith in Allah. A person should obey his Lord to the best of his ability and give charity with whatever he can afford, even if it is little. A person should not pay attention to the words of hypocrites and those who spread malicious propaganda. The eagerness of the Companions to compete in good deeds and their striving against themselves in that pursuit.