Surah Al Imran Tafseer

الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاء وَالضَّرَّاء

Those who spend (in Allah's cause) in prosperity and in adversity,

in hard times and easy times, while active (or enthusiastic) and otherwise, healthy or ill, and in all conditions, just as Allah said in another Ayah,

الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَلَهُمْ بِالَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ سِرًّا وَعَلَنِيَةً

Those who spend their wealth (in Allah's cause) by night and day, in secret and in public. (2:274)

These believers are never distracted from obeying Allah, spending on what pleases Him, being kind to His servants and their relatives, and other acts of righteousness.

Allah said,

وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ

who repress anger, and who pardon men;

for when they are angry, they control their anger and do act upon it. Rather, they even forgive those who hurt them.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said,

لَيْسَ الشَّدِيدُ بِالصُّرَعَةِ وَلكِنَّ الشَّدِيدَ الَّذِي يَمْلِكُ نَفْسَهُ عِنْدَ الْغَضَب

The strong person is not he who is able to physically overcome people. The strong person is he who overcomes his rage when he is angry.

This Hadith is also recorded in the Two Sahihs.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَنْ أَنْظَرَ مُعْسِرًا أَوْ وَضَعَ لَهُ وَقَاهُ اللهُ مِنْ فَيْحِ جَهَنَّمَ

He who gives time to a debtor or forgives him, then Allah will save him from the heat of Jahannam (Hell-fire).

أَلَا إِنَّ عَمَلَ الْجَنَّـةِ حَزْنٌ بِرَبْوَةٍ ثَلَثًا أَلَا إِنَّ عَمَلَ النَّارِ سَهْلٌ بِسَهْوَةٍ وَالسَّعِيدُ مَنْ وُقِيَ الْفِتَنَ

Behold! The deeds of Paradise are difficult to reach, for they are on top of a hill, while the deeds of the Fire are easy to find in the lowlands. The happy person is he who is saved from the tests.

وَمَا مِنْ جَرْعَةٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللهِ مِنْ جَرْعَةِ غَيْظٍ يَكْظِمُهَا عَبْدٌ مَا كَظَمَهَا عَبْدٌ للهِ إِلاَّ مَلََ جَوْفَهُ إِيمَانًا

Verily, there is no dose of anything better to Allah than a dose of rage that the servant controls, and whenever the servant of Allah controls it, he will be internally filled with faith.

This Hadith was recorded by Imam Ahmad, its chain of narration is good, it does not contain any disparaged narrators, and the meaning is good.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Sahl bin Mu`adh bin Anas said that his father said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَنْ كَظَمَ غَيْظًا وَهُوَ قَادِرٌ عَلى أَنْ يُنْفِذَهُ دَعَاهُ اللهُ عَلى رُوُوسِ الْخَلَيِقِ حَتَّى يُخَيِّرَهُ مِنْ أَيِّ الْحُورِ شَاء

Whoever controlled rage while able to act upon it, then Allah will call him while all creation is a witness, until He gives him the choice of any of the Huris (fair females with wide, lovely eyes - as mates for the pious) he wishes.

Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah collected this Hadith, which At-Tirmidhi said was "Hasan Gharib".

Ibn Marduwyah recorded that Ibn Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَا تَجَرَّعَ عَبْدٌ مِنْ جَرْعَةٍ أَفْضَلَ أَجْرًا مِنْ جَرْعَةِ غَيْظٍ كَظَمَهَا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ الله

There is not a dose of anything that the servant takes which is better than a dose of control of rage that he feels, when he does it seeking Allah's Face.

Ibn Jarir and Ibn Majah also collected this Hadith.

Allah said,

وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ

who repress anger,

meaning, they do not satisfy their rage upon people. Rather, they refrain from harming them and await their rewards with Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored.

Allah then said,

وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ

and who pardon men;

They forgive those who treat them with injustice. Therefore, they do not hold any ill feelings about anyone in their hearts, and this is the most excellent conduct in this regard.

This is why Allah said,

وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

verily, Allah loves the Muhsinin (the good-doers).

This good conduct is a type of Ihsan (excellence in the religion).

There is a Hadith that reads,

ثَلَثٌ أُقْسِمُ عَلَيْهِنَّ

مَا نَقَصَ مَالٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ

وَمَا زَادَ اللهُ عَبْدًا بِعَفْوٍ إِلاَّ عِزًّا

وَمَنْ تَوَاضَعَ للهِ رَفَعَهُ الله

I swear regarding three matters:

no charity shall ever decrease the wealth;

whenever one forgives people, then Allah will magnify his honor;

and he who is humble for Allah, then Allah will raise his rank.

Allah said