Mann fi al-Ṣadaqah · Reproach After Giving

The story

When the Prophet ﷺ gave to Quraysh after Ḥunayn (to soften their hearts to Islam), some Companions complained. The Prophet ﷺ gathered the Anṣār and reassured them with words that did not remind them of what they had previously given for Islam; he reminded them only of what Allah did for them. He modeled the opposite of mann: gratitude up, not reproach down.

Why it's named first

Allah named this disease in al-Baqarah: 'Do not nullify your charities by reproach and harm' (Q 2:264). The Money believer who gives generously can ruin the gift with one sentence later: 'remember when I helped you,' 'you owe me,' 'after all I did for you.' The verse names this as nullifying (yubṭil). The gift is voided.

In the Qur'an

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُبْطِلُوا۟ صَدَقَـٰتِكُم بِٱلْمَنِّ وَٱلْأَذَىٰ كَٱلَّذِى يُنفِقُ مَالَهُۥ رِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۖ فَمَثَلُهُۥ كَمَثَلِ صَفْوَانٍ عَلَيْهِ تُرَابٌ فَأَصَابَهُۥ وَابِلٌ فَتَرَكَهُۥ صَلْدًا ۖ لَّا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ مِّمَّا كَسَبُوا۟ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ

“O you who have believed, do not invalidate your charities with reminders [of it] or injury as does one who spends his wealth [only] to be seen by the people and does not believe in Allāh and the Last Day. His example is like that of a [large] smooth stone upon which is dust and is hit by a downpour that leaves it bare. They are unable [to keep] anything of what they have earned. And Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people.”

2:264Listen Read 2:264 with tafsir

Svenska: Troende! Beröva inte era gåvor deras värde genom [tal om] frikostighet eller genom [ord] som sårar, som den som ger av vad han äger för att ses [och berömmas] av människor och som inte tror på Gud och den Yttersta dagen. Han kan liknas vid en berggrund täckt av [ett tunt lager] jord; ett slagregn faller och sköljer bort allt inpå nakna berget. [Sådana människor] uppnår ingenting med det som de har åstadkommit. Gud leder inte dem som förnekar sanningen.

In the Sunnah

«ثَلَاثَةٌ لَا يَنْظُرُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ... وَالْمَنَّانُ». 'Three Allah will not look at on the Day of Resurrection... and the one who reminds his recipient of his gift.' (Muslim 106)

The cure

Give and forget. When you give a gift, a loan, a favor, immediately forget the amount. Never reference it. Never mention it. Train your tongue so the gift never returns to its lips. The cure is silence after generosity.

What is at stake

The verse named the consequence: the ṣadaqah becomes void. The reward is erased. The recipient is humiliated. The Day will reveal the gift was for show, not for Allah.