Surah At-Tawbah — Verse 79

Word Meanings:

• يَلْمِزُونَ (Yalmizoon): They criticize, find fault with, or taunt.
• الْمُطَّوِّعِينَ (Al-Mutawwi‘een): Those who voluntarily give charity out of their own free will and generosity.
• جُهْدَهُمْ (Juhdahum): Their utmost ability or capacity — meaning the little they can afford.
• يَسْخَرُونَ (Yaskharoon): They mock, ridicule, or sneer at.
• سَخِرَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ (Sakhira Allahu minhum): Allah will requite their mockery — a divine recompense of humiliation and disgrace in return for their arrogance.

Explanation of the Verse:

This noble verse exposes the ugly behavior of the hypocrites who, despite their own stinginess and refusal to spend in the cause of Allah, dared to mock and belittle the sincere believers who gave charity.

The verse describes two groups of believers who were targeted by the hypocrites' ridicule:

First: The wealthy believers who gave large sums in charity. The hypocrites accused them of showing off (riyā’) and seeking fame, casting doubt on their pure intentions.

Second: The poor believers who had little but gave whatever they could — even if it was a handful of dates or a small coin. These sincere souls gave their "utmost effort" (juhdahum), yet the hypocrites sneered at them, saying sarcastically: "What good is this tiny charity? It will not benefit anyone!" They belittled their sacrifice and mocked their devotion.

Allah responded to this arrogance with a stern warning: "سَخِرَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ" — Allah will mock them in return, meaning He will humiliate them and punish them for their contempt. This is a divine justice that fits the crime: those who ridiculed the believers' good deeds will face disgrace and a painful torment in the Hereafter.

A Call to Reflection and Action:

This verse carries profound lessons for every Muslim:

1. The value of sincerity over quantity: Allah does not look at the amount of your giving, but at the purity of your heart and the sincerity of your intention. A small coin given with love and faith can outweigh mountains of gold given with pride.
2. Beware of belittling others: Never mock or look down upon the worship, charity, or efforts of your fellow believers — no matter how small they may seem. You do not know the weight of deeds in Allah's scale. The very deed you mock could be the reason for that person's salvation.
3. The hypocrites' disease: Mocking the sincere believers is a hallmark of hypocrisy. A true believer rejoices in the goodness of others and encourages them, while a hypocrite seeks to tear them down.
4. Divine justice is certain: No one who humiliates the believers will escape Allah's recompense. Just as the mockers will taste humiliation in this world and the next, the sincere givers will be honored and rewarded beyond their imagination.

Let this verse inspire you to be among those who give what they can — even a small amount — with a pure heart, and to protect your tongue from ever ridiculing the efforts of others. For in the sight of Allah, the smallest sincere deed is immense, and the greatest arrogant deed is nothing at all.