سورة البقرة

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Basir said: "I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about this saying of Allah the Exalted: الَّذِینَ یُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِاللَّیْلِ وَ النَّهارِ سِرًّا وَ عَلانِیَةً [Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and openly]. He said: 'This verse is not about zakat.'"

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) [addressing Imam Ali (peace be upon him)]: O Ali! The expenditure allotted to the army of Allah — that is the very spending of which Allah the Mighty and Majestic said: الَّذِینَ یُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِاللَّیْلِ وَ النَّهارِ سِرًّا وَ عَلانِیَةً [Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and openly].

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) was asked about the verse: الَّذینَ یُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِاللَّیْلِ وَ النَّهارِ سِرًّا وَ عَلانِیَةً فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَ لا خَوْفٌ عَلَیْهِمْ وَ لا هُمْ یَحْزَنُونَ [Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and openly — for them is their reward with their Lord, and there shall be no fear upon them, nor shall they grieve]: "Who are these people?" He said: "The owners of war-horses." Then he said: "The one who spends on horses [for war and equipping the frontline] is like one who gives charity with both hands, and the urine and dung of those horses on the Day of Resurrection are like pure musk [for the one who spent]."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) [narrated from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) from his forefathers]: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) sent thirty [war] horses with Ali (peace be upon him) in the Battle of Dhat al-Salasil and said: "I recite to you a verse about spending on [providing and equipping war] horses: الَّذینَ یُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِاللَّیْلِ وَ النَّهارِ سِرًّا وَ عَلانِیَةً [Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and openly], and this refers to this very open and secret spending for [equipping] war horses."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): [This verse] was revealed concerning the equipping of [war] horses. (The money spent on equipping war horses.)

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: "O Ali! What did you do last night?" He said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), why do you ask?" [The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)] said: "[Because] four exalted stations were revealed concerning you." [Ali (peace be upon him)] said: "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you! I had four dirhams with me, one of which I gave in charity at night, one during the day, one secretly, and one openly." [The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)] said: Allah revealed concerning you: الَّذِینَ ینفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهم بِاللَّیلِ وَالنَّهارِ سِرًّا وَعَلاَنِیةً فَلَهمْ أَجْرُهمْ عِندَ رَبِّهمْ وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَیهمْ وَلاَ همْ یحْزَنُونَ [Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and openly — they shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve]."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): The verse الَّذِینَ یُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِاللَّیْلِ وَ النَّهارِ سِرًّا وَ عَلانِیَةً [Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and openly] was revealed concerning Ali (peace be upon him).

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): This verse was revealed concerning Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him). He had four dirhams with him: one dirham he gave in charity at night, one dirham during the day, one dirham secretly, and one dirham openly.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): The verse was revealed concerning Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), because he gave four dirhams in charity; one dirham in the darkness of the night, one dirham in the brightness of the day, one dirham secretly, and one dirham openly. [Therefore] this verse was revealed, and the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Which one of you has given charity in this way?" The people refrained [from answering]. So the Prophet repeated the question, and this time Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) stood up and said: "I did, O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)!" Then the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) recited the verse: فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ [They shall have their reward from their Lord].

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Secret charity extinguishes the wrath of the Lord.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ [They shall have their reward from their Lord] — that is, their reward is with their Lord.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ لا خَوْفٌ عَلَیْهِمْ وَ لا هُمْ یَحْزَنُونَ [nor shall they have fear, nor shall they grieve] — [meaning] they will not fear punishment and death and will not grieve; that is, they will be in such a state in the Hereafter.