Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 264

(Ayah 264) ➊ { لَا تُبْطِلُوْا صَدَقٰتِكُمْ بِالْمَنِّ وَ الْاَذٰى…:} That is, after giving charity to someone, do not waste your deeds by reminding them of your favor or by causing them harm, like that hypocrite who spends his wealth only out of the desire to show off and does not have faith in Allah Almighty and the Day of Judgment. (Ibn Kathir)

➋ {كَمَثَلِ صَفْوَانٍ:} That is, this show-off apparently seems to spend in the way of Allah Almighty, but in reality, his example is like that smooth rock on which there is a little dust (the tanween in {”تُرَابٌ“} is for diminution), and the onlooker considers it cultivable land, but as soon as rain falls, all its dust is washed away and only the bare rock remains. In the same way, the deeds of the show-offs will be erased from their record of deeds, and they will neither benefit from them nor receive any reward for them. In the previous verse, there was an example of the charity and alms of a sincere believer, who spends only for the pleasure of Allah Almighty, and this is the example of the spending of a show-off, who does not have faith in Allah Almighty and the Hereafter. (Ibn Kathir)

264. 1. In this, firstly it is said that giving charity and then reminding of favors and causing hurtful words is not the way of the believers, but rather the habit of those who are hypocrites and spend for show. Secondly, the example of such spending is like a smooth stone or rock on which there is some soil; someone sows seeds in it to obtain produce, but as soon as a shower of rain falls, all the soil is washed away from it and the stone is left completely bare of soil. That is, just as the rain did not prove beneficial for that stone, in the same way, the show-off will not benefit at all from his charity.

264. O you who believe! Do not nullify your charities by reminders of generosity or by injury, like the one who spends his wealth only to be seen by people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day. His example is like a smooth rock covered with a thin layer of soil; then a heavy rain falls upon it and leaves it bare. They gain nothing from what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people to the right path.

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The Fate of the Show-Off:

Since the show-off does not have a correct intention, and intention is the real seed, therefore such a seed cannot be fruitful. Allah Almighty has described its example as follows: like a smooth, slippery stone on which there is a little soil, he sows his seed in it, and when it rains, the water washes away the soil as well as the seed along with it. So, what harvest can there be now? In reality, the show-off does not have complete faith in Allah and the Day of Judgment; he acts only to please people, and he does not even intend to receive reward from Allah Almighty. Thus, it is mentioned in a hadith: Hazrat Abu Hurairahؓ says that I heard the Messenger of Allahﷺ say: On the Day of Resurrection, the first person whose case will be decided will be a martyr. He will be brought before Allah Almighty. Allah will remind him of His blessings, which he will acknowledge. Allah will say: "So what did you do?" He will say: I fought in Your way until I was martyred. Allah will say: You are lying. You fought so that people would call you brave, and that has already been said about you in the world. Then Allah will command the angels, who will drag him and throw him into Hell. Then another person will be brought who had acquired knowledge of religion, taught it to people, and used to recite the Quran. Allah will remind him of His blessings, which he will acknowledge. Then Allah will ask him: So what did you do? He will say: I learned knowledge myself, taught others, and kept reciting and teaching the Quran. Allah will say: You are lying. You learned knowledge so that people would call you a scholar, and you recited the Quran so that people would call you a reciter, and you have already been called a scholar and a reciter in the world. Then Allah will command the angels, who will drag him and throw him into Hell. Then another person will be brought who had been granted all kinds of wealth by Allah. Allah will remind him of His blessings, which he will acknowledge. Then Allah will ask him: So what did you do? He will say: I spent wealth in every way that You liked. Allah will say: You are lying. You spent so that people would call you generous, and that has already been said about you in the world. Then the angels will be commanded, who will drag him and throw him into Hell. [مسلم، كتاب الامارة باب من قاتل للرياء والسمعة استحق النار]