Waamma assa-ila fala tanhar (surah Duha: 10)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(93:10) and chide not him who asks, *10

Wa am mas saa-ila fala tanhar

*10) It has two meanings. (1) If sa Ul is taken in the sense of a needy person, who asks for help, it would mean that if you can,, you should help him; if you cannot you should excuse yourself politely, but should never scold him. In this sense the instruction corresponds to Allah's this favour: "You were poor, then Allah enriched you. " And if sa'il is taken in the sense of the one who inquires, i. e. asks for enlightenment on a religious matter or injunction, it would mean that even if such a person be extremely ignorant and ill-mannered and might put the question, or present his problem, impolitely, you should in any case answer him politely and kindly, and should not turn him away like the rude people proud of their knowledge. In this meaning, the instruction corresponds to Allah's this favour: "You were unaware of the Way, then he guided you." Hadrat Abud-Darda`, Hasan Basri, Sufyan Thauri and some other scholars have preferred this second meaning, for in view of the order and sequence this instruction corresponds to: wa wajadaka daalllan fa hada.