(Those who spend their wealth by night and day, by stealth and openly…) [2:274].
Abu Ibrahim Isma'il ibn Ibrahim al-Nasrabadhi informed us> 'Amr ibn Nujayd> Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Khalil> Hisham ibn 'Ammar> Muhammad ibn Shu'ayb> Ibn Mahdi> Yazid ibn 'Abd Allah> 'Arib> his father> his grandfather> the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, who said: “This verse (Those who spend their wealth by night and day, by stealth and openly, verily their reward is with their Lord) was revealed about the owners of horses”. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, also said: “The devils will not bewitch anyone who has in his house a noble horse”. This is also the opinion of Abu Umamah, Abu'l-Darda', Makhul, al-Awza'i and Rabah ibn Zayd. They said: “This refers to those who tie their horses for the sake of Allah, they spend on them by night and day, secretly and in the open. The verse was revealed about those who do not keep horses for pride or as a guarantee for debts which are deemed impossible to pay back”.
Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Tha'labi informed us> al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Dinawari> 'Umar ibn Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah al-Nahrawani> 'Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Mahrawayh al-Qazwini> 'Ali ibn Dawud al-Qantari> 'Abd Allah ibn Salih> Abu Shurayh> Qays ibn al-Hajjaj> Hanash ibn 'Abd Allah al-San'ani that Ibn 'Abbas said concerning the verse (Those who spend their wealth by night and day, by stealth and openly…): “This refers to the fodder given to horses”.
The correctness of this is evidenced by the report which narrated to us> Abu Ishaq al-Muqri'> Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn 'Abdus> Abu'l-'Abbas 'Abd Allah ibn Ya'qub al-Kirmani> Muhammad ibn Zakariyya al-Kirmani> Waki'> 'Abd al-Hamid ibn Bahram> Shahr ibn Hawshab> Asma' bint Yazid who reported that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: “Whoever ties a horse for the sake of Allah, and spends on it seeking nothing but the pleasure of Allah, that horse's satiety and hunger, drink and thirst, urine and dung will all be in his balance of good deeds on the Day of Judgement”.
Abu Ishaq also informed us> Abu 'Amr al-Furati> Abu Musa 'Imran ibn Musa> Sa'id ibn 'Uthman al-Jazari> Faris ibn 'Umar> Salih ibn Muhammad> Sulayman ibn 'Amr> 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Yazid> Makhul> Jabir who reported that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: “The one who spends on his horse for the sake of Allah is like the one who extends his hand to give in charity”.
Abu Hamid Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Katib informed us> Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Shadhan al-Razi> 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Hatim> Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj> Zayd ibn al-Hubab> Raja' ibn Abi Salamah> Sulayman ibn Musa al-Dimashqi> 'Ajlan ibn Sahl al-Bahili who said: “I heard Abu Umamah al-Bahili say: 'Whoever ties a horse waiting to use it for the sake of Allah, and not out of ostentation or seeking fame, is among (Those who spend their wealth by night and day, by stealth and openly)' ”.
There is another opinion regarding the occasion of this verse. Abu Bakr al-Tamimi informed us> Abu Ahmad ibn Hayyan> Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Malik al-Dabbi> Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Jurjani> 'Abd al-Raziq> 'Abd al-Wahab ibn Mujahid> his father> Ibn 'Abbas who said regarding the saying of Allah, exalted is He, (who spend their wealth by night and day, by stealth and openly): “This verse was revealed about 'Ali ibn Abi Talib who had four silver coins. He spent one coin at night, one coin during the day, one coin in secret and one in the open”.
Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Katib informed us> Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Shadhan> 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Hatim> Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj> Yahya ibn Yaman> 'Abd al-Wahhab ibn Mujahid> his father who said: “'Ali ibn Abi Talib had four silver coins. He spent one coin at night, one coin during the day, one coin in secret and one in the open, and so the verse (Those who spend their wealth by night and day, by stealth and openly) was revealed”.
Said al-Kalbi: “This verse was revealed about 'Ali ibn Abi Talib who owned just four silver coins. He spent one coin at night, one coin during the day, one coin in secret and one in the open. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said to him: 'What has motivated you to do this?' 'Ali said: 'My motivation is to make Allah grant me what He has promised me'. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: 'Verily, you have got it!' As a response Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou