`Ata' bin Dinar said, "All praise is due to Allah, the One Who said,
[عَن صَلَـتِهِمْ
سَاهُونَ]
(with their Salah are Sahun.) and He did not say, `those who are absent
minded in their prayer.''' It could also mean the first time of the prayer,
which means they always delay it until the end of its time, or they usually do
so. It may also refer to not fulfilling its pillars and conditions, and in the
required manner. It could also mean performing it with humility and
contemplation of its meanings. The wording of the Ayah comprises all of these
meanings. However, whoever has any characteristic of this that we have mentioned
then a portion of this Ayah applies to him. And whoever has all of these
characteristics, then he has completed his share of this Ayah, and the hypocrisy
of actions is fulfilled in him. This is just as is confirmed in the Two Sahihs
that the Messenger of Allah said,
«تِلْكَ صَلَاةُ
الْمُنَافِقِ، تِلْكَ صَلَاةُ الْمُنَافِقِ، تِلْكَ صَلَاةُ الْمُنَافِقِ، يَجْلِسُ
يَرْقُبُ الشَّمْسَ، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتْ بَيْنَ قَرْنَي الشَّيْطَانِ قَامَ
فَنَقَرَ أَرْبَعًا، لَا يَذْكُرُ اللهَ فِيهَا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا»
(This is the prayer of the hypocrite, this is the prayer of the hypocrite,
this is the prayer of the hypocrite. He sits watching the sun until it is
between the two horns of Shaytan. Then he stands and pecks four (Rak`ahs) and he
does not remember Allah (in them) except very little.) This Hadith is describing
the end of the time for the `Asr prayer, which is the middle prayer as is
confirmed by a text (Hadith). This is the time in which it is disliked to pray.
Then this person stands to pray it, pecking in it like the pecking of a crow. He
does not have tranquility or humility in it at all. Thus, the Prophet said,
«لَا يَذْكُرُ اللهَ
فِيهَا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا»
(He does not remember Allah (in them) except very little.) He probably only
stands to pray it so that the people will see him praying, and not seeking the
Face of Allah. This is just as if he did not pray at all. Allah says,
[إِنَّ
الْمُنَـفِقِينَ يُخَـدِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُواْ إِلَى
الصَّلَوةِ قَامُواْ كُسَالَى يُرَآءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلاَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ
إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ]
(Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives
them. And when they stand up with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do
not remember Allah but little.) (4:142) and Allah says here,
[الَّذِينَ هُمْ
يُرَآءُونَ ]
(Those who do good deeds only to be seen,) Imam Ahmad recorded from `Amr bin
Murrah that he said, "We were sitting with Abu `Ubaydah when the people
mentioned showing-off. A man known as Abu Yazid said, "I heard `Abdullah bin
`Amr saying that the Messenger of Allah said,
«مَنْ سَمَّعَ
النَّاسَ بِعَمَلِهِ، سَمَّعَ اللهُ بِهِ سَامِعَ خَلْقِهِ، وَحَقَّرَهُ
وَصَغَّرَه»
(Whoever tries to make the people hear of his deed, Allah, the One Who hears
His creation, will hear it and make him despised and degraded.)'' from what is
related to his statement,
[الَّذِينَ هُمْ
يُرَآءُونَ ]
(Those who do good deeds only to be seen.) is that whoever does a deed solely
for Allah, but the people come to know about it, and he is pleased with that,
then this is not considered showing off. Allah said:
[وَيَمْنَعُونَ
الْمَاعُونَ ]
(And withhold Al-Ma`un.) This means that they do not worship their Lord well,
nor do they treat His creation well. They do not even lend that which others may
benefit from and be helped by, even though the object will remain intact and be
returned to them. These people are even stingier when it comes to giving Zakah
and different types of charity that bring one closer to Allah. Al-Mas`udi
narrated from Salamah bin Kuhayl who reported from Abu Al-`Ubaydin that he asked
Ibn Mas`ud about Al-Ma`un and he said, "It is what the people give to each
other, like an axe, a pot, a bucket and similar items.'' This is the end of the
Tafsir of Surat Al-Ma`un, and all praise and thanks are due to Allah.
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