Bismillāh.
إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ , فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ , وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ , فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
Your endeavours are indeed diverse. As for him who gives and is God-conscience, and confirms the best promise, We will surely ease him toward facility.
(Sūrat al-Layl, No. 92, Āyat 4-7)
The first three verses of Sūrat al-Layl begin with contrasting yet complementary realities of this world. The first two oaths are taken on the night and the day, and their alteration results in darkness and light respectively. They are opposite in essence, yet vital for creation. The third oath is taken on the creation of the male and the female, the fruits of their creation being necessary for the survival of the human species. Nevertheless, the male and female also differ substantially in their nature and their abilities.
Allah ‘azza wajall’ takes these oaths to portray an important message: ‘Your endeavours are indeed diverse.’ (إِنّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ)
This verse is the primary reason for the oaths. The word shatta refers to something that is scattered or diverse. It draws attention to the fact that the efforts of mankind are different and diverse depending on their goal. According to some exegetes, this verse was revealed after a companion by the name of Abū Dahdah gave forty date trees in charity in return for one date tree in paradise. These verses stipulate conditions for striving and giving charity in the way of Allah.
- Giving charity with piety. (فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ)
The concept of giving is general, and it refers to giving whatever one possesses. It includes one’s wealth, time, strength, or skills. This verse promises a state of ease for a specific group of givers. They are those who constantly exercise piety while giving charity. Their act of giving exhibits the following three conditions:
- They give out of their lawful sustenance.
- They give solely for the sake of Allah ‘azza wajall with sincerity of intention.
- They give without announcing their charity or causing any hurtful feelings (Q 2:264).
The epitome of generosity in Islamic history is Amīrul Mu’minīn Imam Ali ‘alayhis-salām’. He worked as a farmer to acquire his lawful sustenance and used it to free many slaves. He gave with sincerity and only after he had left this world, did many come to realise the extent of his generosity. And for his grandson, Imam Ali Zaynul ‘Ābidīn al-Sajjad (a), there was never a Ramadan that in its last night, he would not have freed about twenty of his slaves.
b) Believing in the divine promise. (وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ)
Out of the mercy of Allah subhānahu wata‘ālā, He acknowledges the effort exerted by his servants by offering them divine promises. These are eternal rewards that are more real and worthier than those of this world. Allah (swt) has informed the believers of these promises through the religion and the examples and teachings of his Prophets and their successors. In the charity of Abū Dahdah, it was seen that he strived to give what he had to obtain the real and valuable gifts of Paradise.
The fruits of this noble struggle are mentioned immediately after outlining its conditions. In this world, Allah (swt) will make the lives of the givers easier for them by increasing their sustenance and distancing them from calamities. Imam Ali (a) has said: Attract sustenance by giving charity (Saying 137, Nahjul Balāghah). Another meaning of attaining ease is that Allah (swt) will facilitate for them the path to performing righteous deeds. He will increase their tawfīq to do good such that they can continuously perform good deeds (Q11:88). In the hereafter, the givers of charity will enjoy eternal happiness and remain in paradise forever.
Imam al-Husayn (a) demonstrated that righteousness cannot be attained unless one sacrifices that which he loves the most (Q3:92). He sacrificed his own life and the lives and freedom of his family and his companions. His sacrifice was both pious and out of sincere faith and it brought ease for the entire ummah by making the path to righteousness easier. Centuries have elapsed since the tragedy of Karbala, and yet the remembrance of his martyrdom revives both godliness and goodliness within the ummah. May the Almighty enable us to give selflessly to attain nearness to Him.
Resources: Sayyid Radhi, Nahjul Balāghah; Allāmah Muhammad Husayn Tabātabā’ī, Tafsīr al-Mīzān, Āyatullāh Nāsir Makārim Shirāzī (Ed), Tafsīr-e Namūneh; Sh Mohammad Saeed Bahmanpour/Dr. Tahir Ridha Jaffer (Eds), Tafsīr Tadabbur Al Qur’an; https://www.al-islam.org/spiritual-journey-mystics-suluk-al-arifan-mirza-jawad-maliki-tabrizi/last-night-holy-month-ramadhan