Surah Al-Qasas — Verse 54

Word Meanings:

• يُؤْتَوْنَ أَجْرَهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ — They are given their reward twice.
• بِمَا صَبَرُوا — Because of their patience and steadfastness.
• يَدْرَءُونَ — They repel, push away, or ward off.
• بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ — The good deed (replaces or cancels) the evil deed.
• يُنفِقُونَ — They spend (in charity and good causes).

Tafsir (Explanation):

These blessed souls — those who received the Scripture before you and believed in it sincerely, then embraced the final revelation when it reached them — are the ones whom Allah honors with a double reward. They are granted their full recompense twice: once for their sincere faith in their original scripture and their steadfastness upon it, and a second time for their open-hearted acceptance of the Qur'an and their loyalty to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when he was sent. This doubling of reward is a direct result of their patience — patience in holding fast to the truth, patience in enduring the hardships of faith, and patience in transitioning from one divine law to another without hesitation or resentment.

Their beautiful character is further described by two remarkable qualities:

First, they repel evil with good. When they are met with ignorance, hostility, or harm, they do not respond in kind. Instead, they counter with kindness, forgiveness, and righteous deeds. A good deed wipes away a previous sin, and their noble response disarms the aggressor and softens even the hardest of hearts. They do not let the misdeeds of others drag them into the mud; rather, they elevate themselves through patience and virtue.

Second, they spend from what Allah has provided them. They do not hoard their wealth or cling to it selfishly. Rather, they recognize that everything they own is a trust from Allah, and they generously give in charity, support their families, help the needy, and contribute to every path of goodness and righteousness.

When these people hear idle talk, falsehood, or insults, they do not engage with it. They turn away with dignity and say: *"To us our deeds, and to you your deeds. Peace be upon you. We do not seek the way of the ignorant."* They refuse to lower themselves to futile arguments or respond to provocation with foolishness. This is the highest etiquette of the callers to Allah — to remain focused on the truth, to speak only what is good, and to never let the ignorance of others divert them from their noble mission.

A Call to Reflection:

Dear reader, look at the beauty of this description! These are people who combined faith with action, patience with generosity, and wisdom with gentleness. They did not merely believe — they lived their belief. They did not merely pray — they gave. They did not merely claim love for God — they proved it through their dealings with His creation.

This is the path to doubled rewards. This is the character that elevates a person in this life and the next. And this is the door that remains open for you and me — to be among those who receive their reward twice, who repel evil with good, and who spend from what Allah has given them. Let us strive to embody these qualities, and let us ask Allah to make us among His beloved servants who are described in such noble terms.