لَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ﴾
1. Description of the First Group: The Believers
Ibn Kathīr explains that Allah begins the surah by describing the people who benefit from the Qur’an — those who have taqwā (piety). Their first quality is:
2. “They believe in the unseen” (يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ)
Ibn Kathīr cites:
a. Ibn ‘Abbās
He said “al-ghayb” means:
- Allah
- The Angels
- The Books
- The Messengers
- The Hereafter
- Paradise and Hellfire
Everything Allah has informed about but is not visible to the human eye.
b. Mujāhid, Qatādah, and others
They said:
- Belief in Allah
- Belief in the Last Day
This includes belief in:
- the pre-decrees of Allah (qadar)
- resurrection
- accountability
- the unseen realities of the next world
c. The linguistic point
Ibn Kathīr notes the word ghayb covers everything beyond human perception, including what the Prophet ﷺ told us, what is in previous scriptures, and matters of the unseen realm.
d. Why belief in the unseen comes first
Ibn Kathīr explains:
- True faith begins in the heart.
- You cannot perform righteous action unless the unseen realities are genuinely accepted.
3. “They establish prayer” (يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ)
Ibn Kathīr emphasizes that “establish” does NOT only mean to perform the prayer.
It means:
- pray with its conditions
- proper intention
- correct times
- bowing, prostration
- outward form
- inner humility (khushū‘)
He cites early scholars (Mujāhid, Al-Ḍaḥḥāk, and others) who said:
“Iqāmah of ṣalāh requires completing the rukū‘, sujūd, recitation, and concentration.”
He notes that Allah frequently pairs faith with prayer, because prayer is the greatest physical act of worship and the clearest sign of belief.
4. “And from what We have provided them, they spend” (وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ)
Ibn Kathīr lists the many forms of spending:
a. Obligatory spending
- Zakat
- Obligations toward dependents
- Support of relatives
- Helping the needy
- Spending in the path of Allah
b. Voluntary spending
- Charity
- Gifts
- All righteous causes
Ibn Kathīr emphasizes that the wording “from what We provided them” is important:
c. Wealth belongs to Allah
Allah reminds the believer:
- wealth is His gift
- believers are merely entrusted with it
- spending from it is a sign of gratitude
This prevents arrogance and encourages generosity.
5. Why these three qualities appear together
Ibn Kathīr points out that the verse mentions:
- Belief in the heart
- Prayer of the body
- Charity of wealth
These represent the three essential dimensions of faith:
- inner belief
- bodily action
- giving from wealth
Thus, Allah is defining the complete believer whose faith manifests inwardly and outwardly.
6. The connection to the qualities of “al-muttaqūn”
Ibn Kathīr stresses that these qualities describe the people of taqwā mentioned in verse 2:
“This Book — no doubt — is guidance for the muttaqūn.”
He says:
- Anyone who has these qualities will benefit from the Qur’an.
- Those lacking them will not benefit from its guidance.
7. Narrations Ibn Kathīr mentions
He brings narrations from:
- Ibn ‘Abbās
- Mujāhid
- Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr
- Qatādah
- Al-Suddī
- Abū al-‘Āliyah
All affirm:
- belief in the unseen includes belief in Allah and His revelation
- prayer means proper performance
- spending includes zakah and all kinds of charity
8. Spiritual meaning
Ibn Kathīr emphasizes:
- True believers combine correct belief, sound worship, and beneficial behavior.
- These are the foundations of righteousness in Islam.
He notes that prayer connects the believer with Allah, while charity benefits His creation — thus completing the two sides of faith.
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