Levels of Righteousness

57. Sura al-Hadid [Iron]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تُنفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَاثُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ...

57: 10.  And what cause have ye why ye should not spend in the Cause of Allah? -- For to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth.

C5285. "To Allah belongs the heritage of... ": see n. 485 to 3:180; also n. 988 to 6:165; and n. 1964 to 15:23.

...لَا يَسْتَوِي مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ...

Not equal among you are those who spent (freely) and fought, before the Victory, (with those who did so later).

C5286. This is usually understood to refer to the Conquest of Makkah, after which the Muslims succeeded to the power and position which the Pagan Quraish had so misused at Makkah. Thereafter the Muslims had the hegemony of Arabia, and in a few centuries, for a time, the hegemony of the world.

But the words are perfectly general, and we must understand the general meaning also: that the people who fight and struggle in Allah's Cause and give of their best to it at any time are worthy of praise: but those are worthy of special distinction who do it when the Cause is being persecuted and in most need of assistance, before victory comes.

...أُوْلَئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أَنفَقُوا مِن بَعْدُ وَقَاتَلُوا وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى...

Those are higher in rank than those who spent (freely) and fought afterwards. But to all has Allah promised a goodly (reward),

...وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ﴿١٠﴾

and Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.

Asad’s Version:

57: 10 …Not equal are those of you who spent and fought before …and after the victory….