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By Dr. Emdad Khan
Surah AlInsaan, Verse 76:8
وَيُطْعِمُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ مِسْكِينًۭا وَيَتِيمًۭا وَأَسِيرًا ٨
and give food—despite their desire for it—to the poor, the orphan, and the captive,
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Verse 76:9
إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ ٱللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمْ جَزَآءًۭ وَلَا شُكُورًا ٩
˹saying to themselves, ˺ “We feed you only for the sake of Allah, seeking neither reward nor thanks from you.
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Surah Al-Insaan, Verses 8 and 9, encourage us to reflect on three groups of people mentioned in verse 8: the needy, orphans, and prisoners.
In verse 9, we are reminded that our actions should be for the sake of Allah (SWT), without expecting anything in return—not even a thank you. In our time, we can care for the needy and orphans, and also visit detention centers to see how many youths are held there, often unseen by society. We can offer financial help for their security or legal fees.
Our intention should always be to please Allah (SWT), without expecting any reward or recognition. While there may be instances when publicity is necessary, we should still ask ourselves: what is my true intention?
With Salaam and Regards