Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) (Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 264)

To Remind About Charity Given is Forbidden

There are several Hadiths that prohibit reminding people of acts of charity. For instance, Muslim recorded that Abu Dharr (Radhi Allahu Anhu) said that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said,

Three persons whom Allah shall neither speak to on the Day of Resurrection nor look at nor purify, and they shall receive a painful torment: he who reminds (the people) of what he gives away, he who lengthens his clothes below the ankles and he who swears an oath while lying, to sell his merchandise.  

This is why Allah said,

O you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) by reminders of your generosity or by injury   stating that the charity will be rendered in vain if it is followed by harm or reminders. In this case, the reward of giving away charity is not sufficient enough to nullify the harm and reminders. Allah then said,

like him who spends his wealth to be seen of men  meaning, "Do not nullify your acts of charity by following them with reminders and harm, just like the charity of those who give it to show off to people.'' The boasting person pretends to give away charity for Allah's sake, but in reality seeks to gain people's praise and the reputation of being kind or generous, or other material gains of this life. All the while, he does not think about Allah or gaining His pleasure and generous rewards, and this is why Allah said,

and he does not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day.

Allah next set the example of whoever gives charity to show off. Ad-Dahhak commented that the example fits one who follows his acts of charity with reminders or harm. Allah said,

His likeness is the likeness of Safwan   where Safwan, from is Safwanah, meaning `the smooth rocks,'

on which is little dust; on it falls a Wabil meaning, heavy rain,

which leaves it bare. This Ayah means that heavy rain left the Safwan completely barren of dust. Such is the case with Allah's action regarding the work of those who show off, as their deeds are bound to vanish and disappear, even though people think that these deeds are as plentiful as specks of dust. So Allah said,

They are not able to do anything with what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.



Source: Tafsir ibn Kathir (Abridged)