Al-Maa'un — Almsgiving
سُورَةُ المَاعُونِ
Verses
7
Revealed
17th
Period
Makkan
Juz
30
Surah Al-Ma'un asks a probing question: have you seen the one who denies the Recompense — the Day of Judgment? It then reveals what that denial looks like in practice. It is not merely an abstract belief; it shows up in how a person treats the most vulnerable. The denier drives away the orphan and feels no urge to feed the poor. Disbelief in accountability and hardness toward the needy are shown to be two faces of the same condition.
The second half turns the spotlight onto worship itself, with a startling woe aimed at certain people who pray. The problem is not that they pray, but that they are heedless of their prayer, perform it to be seen, and withhold even small kindnesses from others. The surah delivers a sobering warning: religion that does not soften the heart toward people, and worship emptied of sincerity, is hollow.
Denying the RecompenseNeglect of the orphan & poorHeedless, show-off prayerWithholding small kindnesses
Before you begin
Start with sincerity — ask Allah to make this easy for you and to let what you learn benefit you. A short dua to begin with:
رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
Rabbi zidni ‘ilma — “My Lord, increase me in knowledge.” (Qur'an 20:114)
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Core message
The surah opens with a question — have you seen the one who denies ad-din, the Day of Recompense? It then shows that denial in action: such a person yadu''ul-yatim (harshly repels the orphan) and feels no concern to encourage feeding the poor. Belief in the Hereafter and compassion for the weak are bound together; reject one and the other withers.
1
أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يُكَذِّبُ بِٱلدِّينِ
Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense?
2–3
فَذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يَدُعُّ ٱلْيَتِيمَ•وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ
For that is the one who drives away the orphan And does not encourage the feeding of the poor.
Memory hook — the question, then two victims
Start with the opening question: ara'aytal-ladhi yukadhdhibu bid-din? — “Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense?” Then picture two neglected people the denier wrongs: the yatim (orphan), whom he pushes away, and the miskin (poor person), whom he won't even urge others to feed. One question, two abandoned figures — orphan and poor.
What is ad-din here?
The word ad-din in verse 1 is generally understood as the Day of Recompense — the final reckoning — rather than “religion” in the broad sense. The surah's point is that someone who genuinely expects to answer for their deeds would never treat the orphan and the poor with such coldness.
Section 1 — Denying the Recompense (vv. 1–3)
أَرَءَيْتَ
ara'ayta
Have you seen / considered
v.1 — an arresting question that opens the surah
يُكَذِّبُ
yukadhdhibu
Denies / rejects as false
v.1 — denial of the final reckoning
بِٱلدِّينِ
bid-din
The Recompense / the Day of Judgment
v.1 — the accountability being denied
يَدُعُّ
yadu''u
Drives away / harshly repels
v.2 — how the denier treats the orphan
ٱلْيَتِيمَ
al-yatim
The orphan
v.2 — the vulnerable one pushed aside
يَحُضُّ
yahuddu
Urges / encourages
v.3 — which he fails to do for feeding the poor
ٱلْمِسْكِينِ
al-miskin
The poor / needy person
v.3 — the one left unfed and unaided
Section 2 — Heedless worshippers (vv. 4–7)
فَوَيْلٌۭ
fa-waylun
So woe
v.4 — the surah's pivot to a severe warning
لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ
lil-musallin
To those who pray
v.4 — the surprising target of the warning
سَاهُونَ
sahun
Heedless / neglectful
v.5 — careless and inattentive toward their prayer
يُرَآءُونَ
yura'un
They make a show / act to be seen
v.6 — praying for the eyes of others
وَيَمْنَعُونَ
wa yamna'un
And they withhold
v.7 — refusing even small help
ٱلْمَاعُونَ
al-ma'un
Small kindnesses / everyday assistance
v.7 — the surah's namesake; minor useful things people share
A short surah with a sharp turn
Al-Ma'un is seven verses and pivots clearly at the midpoint, from the denier of the Recompense to the heedless worshipper. It is short enough for a single rak'ah, and its two halves reward being recited with that shift of focus in mind.
Full surah — single rak'ah
Verses 1–7 · the complete two-part argument in one unit
The whole surah is easily recited in a single rak'ah. Let verses 1–3 build the portrait of the denier before the fa-waylun at verse 4 turns the warning toward the worshippers.
The opening question ara'ayta sets a tone of direct address — recite it as an invitation to reflect, not just narrate.
Verses 5–7 list three failings in quick succession; a steady pace keeps each one distinct so the cumulative weight of heedless, show-off, ungenerous worship is felt.
Natural stopping points
v.3
wa la yahuddu 'ala ta'amil-miskin — end of the first half. A pause here marks the shift before the surah turns its warning toward those who pray.
v.5
alladhina hum 'an salatihim sahun — a strong mid-section stop. The description of heedless prayer is a complete and sobering thought.
v.7
wa yamna'unal-ma'un — the final verse. The image of withholding even the smallest kindness is the surah's pointed close before ruku'.