The Quran

265

Preface

وَمَثَلُ الَّذينَ يُنفِقونَ أَموالَهُمُ ابتِغاءَ مَرضاتِ اللَّهِ وَتَثبيتًا مِن أَنفُسِهِم كَمَثَلِ جَنَّةٍ بِرَبوَةٍ أَصابَها وابِلٌ فَآتَت أُكُلَها ضِعفَينِ فَإِن لَم يُصِبها وابِلٌ فَطَلٌّ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِما تَعمَلونَ بَصيرٌ

Yusuf Ali

And the likeness of those who spend their substance, seeking to please God and to strengthen their souls, is as a garden, high and fertile: heavy rain¹ falls on it but makes it yield a double increase of harvest, and if it receives not Heavy rain, light moisture sufficeth it. God seeth well whatever ye do.

True charity is like a field with good soil on a high situation. It catches good showers of rain, the moisture penetrates the soil, and yet its elevated situation keeps it well-drained, and healthy favourable conditions increase its output enormously. But supposing even that the rain is not abundant, it catches dew and makes the most of any little moisture it can get, and that is sufficient for it. So a man of true charity is spiritually healthy; he is best situated to attract the bounties of God, which he does not hoard selfishly but circulates freely. In lean times he still produces good works, and is content with what he has. He looks to God’s pleasure and the strengthening of his own soul.