Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs
(O ye who believe) in Muhammad (pbuh) and the Qur'an! (When ye hold conference) when you speak (with the messenger, offer an alms before your conference). This was revealed about those believers who were well off and used to speak to the Prophet (pbuh) more than the poor believers, so much so that they vexed both the Prophet (pbuh) and the poor believers. Allah, therefore, forbade them from doing so and commanded them to give alms to the poor, one silver coin for each word they would say to him, before they even spoke with the Prophet (pbuh). (That) almsgiving (is better) than holding back money (and purer for you) and purer for your hearts from sins; and it is also said this means: it is purer for the hearts of the poor in that it prevents their hearts from becoming hard. (But if ye cannot find (the wherewithal)) to give alms, O poor believers, then you can speak with the Prophet (pbuh) as much as you wish without being required to give alms (then lo! Allah is Forgiving) He forgives your sins, (Merciful) towards the one among you who dies repentant.
Tafsir Ibn 'Abbas, trans. Mokrane Guezzou
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