[2:195] And spend in the way of God; and cast not your own hands into destruction; but be virtuous; God loves the virtuous.
The spending of the rich is from their wealth. The spending of the worshippers is through their lower selves in not holding back acts of worship and tasks. The spending of those who know is through their hearts in not holding back from His decrees. The spending of the lovers is through their spirits in not holding back from His love.
The spending of the rich is from blessings (niʿam) and the spending of the poor is from aspirations (himam).
The spending of the rich is taking money from the purse. The spending of the poor is taking [concern for] the rich from the heart. The spending of those who declare God's unity is taking [concern for all] created things from the innermost self.
The allusion in His words, 'and cast not your own hands into destruction' is to the holding back of your hands from exertion, for the one who holds back his hands and hoards anything for himself, his hands throw him into destruction. It is said it is to prefer your whims to His good pleasure.
It is also said, 'and cast not your own hands into destruction' means being unmindful of Him through free choice.
It is also said [it is] imagining that you live without His kindness and His responsiveness for even a moment.
It is also said [it is] contentment in your state of lassitude and being veiled.
It is also said [it is] holding the tongue from perpetually seeking help in every breath.
His words, 'But be virtuous, God loves the virtuous (muḥsinūn)': Virtuousness (iḥsān) is that you are kind with everyone but yourself, for your virtuousness towards your lower self is in a form that the thinking of those with poor judgment consider acting badly towards it. But through it you bring about every misery and endure every calamity. Virtuousness is also leaving every last bit of your worldly concerns, and devoting yourself to fulfilling the right of any one whose affair is connected to you. Virtuousness is that you worship Him without being neglectful and that you worship Him through the quality of witnessing.