The Forerunners, and the Charity That Purifies

Allah (swt) says in verse 100, which is a wonderful verse:

Wa-l-sābiqūna al-awwalūna mina al-muhājirīna wa-l-anṣār: the forerunners, the pioneers among the Muhājirīn and the Anṣār, who are always foremost wherever there is good — the first to accept Islam, the first to aid the Prophet (peace be upon him) — and all who followed them in excellence, those who came after but followed them in goodness: Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Allah. That a man should be content with Allah, and Allah content with him — Allah has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, in which they shall abide for ever; and that is the ultimate victory, the ultimate success.

Then Allah says in verse 103 — and these are several separate directions given to the Prophet (peace be upon him):

Khudh min amwālihim ṣadaqah: take the charity from their wealth. Tuṭahhiruhum — and here the benefit is given; here the benefit of charity is stated — tuṭahhiruhum wa-tuzakkīhim bihā, that it may purify them and make them clean. Wa-ṣalli ʿalayhim: and make duʿāʾ for them.

From this something may be drawn: that whenever a man gives a charity — when one is collecting for a cause, whether for a masjid or for relief work or whatever it may be, and someone gives — it is well to make a duʿāʾ for him, for it appears to be a time of acceptance. When charity is given it seems to be a time of acceptance; hence the Prophet (peace be upon him) is told: pray for them, make duʿāʾ for them. Inna ṣalātaka sakanun lahum: your prayer for them will be a contentment and a comfort to them also. Wa-llāhu samīʿun ʿalīm.

The believers are then told: continue in your work.

Quli iʿmalū fa-sa-yarā Allāhu ʿamalakum wa-rasūluhu wa-l-muʾminūn. Everyone, in truth, is being told: continue in your work; Allah will look upon the deeds you do, as will His Messenger and the believers; and in the end you must be returned to the Knower of all the unseen and the seen, and He will tell you — He will inform you — of what you used to do. That is in verse 105.