َ فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُصَلِّينَ ﴿۴﴾ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ ﴿۵﴾ الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ ﴿۶﴾ وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ ﴿۷﴾

﴾4﴿ Fa wailul-lil musalleen
﴾5﴿ Allazeena hum 'an salaatihim saahoon
﴾6﴿ Allazeena hum yuraaa'oon
﴾7﴿ Wa yamna'oonal maa'oon

﴾4﴿ So woe to those who pray
﴾5﴿ Those who are heedless of their prayer
﴾6﴿ Those who show off (with their deeds)
﴾7﴿ And withhold useful things

[4] This answers an implied (hidden) question:
“They perform prayer, so why are they called deniers of the religion?”
The response is that their prayer itself leads to their destruction—it is not a means of praise or virtue for them.
[5] This passage explains the reason for "ويل" (destruction or woe) mentioned in the verse. The word "سَاهُونَ" (heedless) refers to various forms of negligence in prayer:
1. Completely abandoning prayer.
2. Delaying it from its earliest or preferred time—always procrastinating.
3. Being careless about its essential pillars and conditions.
4. Neglecting its true purpose and meaning—for example, reciting "إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين" (You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help) in prayer, but outside of prayer, seeking help from others instead of Allah.
Thus, the essence of this heedlessness is that such a person is ignorant and practically devoid of true prayer.
[6] This passage explains another reason for "ويل" (destruction or woe): The word "يُرَاءُونَ" refers to showing off (riyaa') in worship.
1. It can mean performing prayer only when in front of people but neglecting it when alone.
2. It can also mean praying longer when observed but rushing through it when unobserved.
3. Another interpretation is showing off in charity, which is also a characteristic of the hypocrites (munafiqoon).
Key Takeaway:
This verse describes the hypocrisy of a person who performs acts of worship to impress others rather than sincerely for Allah.
However, it is important to note:
One should not abandon obligatory acts (fard) out of fear of riyaa'; rather, they should correct their intention and continue their worship. If someone sincerely performs a good deed for Allah’s pleasure and later feels happy when people notice it, this is not riyaa'. Ibn Kathir narrates a hadith from Abu Layla supporting this view.
[7] This verse provides evidence of their hypocrisy (riyaa'):
If they even withhold "الماعون" (small acts of kindness), how could they possibly give charity for the sake of Allah? Instead, their charity is solely for show (riyaa').
Another Despicable Trait
This verse exposes another disgraceful characteristic of such people: they are merciless and greedy.
Meaning of "الْمَاعُونَ"
Qurtubi mentions twelve interpretations, but the term includes all of them because:
1. If derived from "معن", it refers to even the smallest things.
2. If derived from "عون", it refers to acts of assistance and support.
Thus, "الماعون" includes:
Fire, water, an axe, salt, a bucket, a drinking cup Any form of kindness, zakat (charity), calling to the truth, explaining the Quran The verse highlights their extreme miserliness, as they refuse to give even the most basic necessities to others.