Surah 107 · Meccan · 7 Verses

الماعون

SURAH AL-MA'UN

Small Kindnesses

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بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يُكَذِّبُ بِٱلدِّينِ

Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense?

فَذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يَدُعُّ ٱلْيَتِيمَ

For that is the one who drives away the orphan

وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ

And does not encourage the feeding of the poor.

فَوَيْلٌۭ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ

So woe to those who pray

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ

[But] who are heedless of their prayer²⁰⁰⁰ -

[2000] i.e., the hypocrites who are unconcerned if they miss prayers when no one sees them. ↩

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَآءُونَ

Those who make show [of their deeds]

وَيَمْنَعُونَ ٱلْمَاعُونَ

And withhold [simple] assistance.

About This Surah

Surah Al-Ma'un identifies denial of judgment through social and devotional behavior: pushing away the orphan, failing to encourage feeding the poor, careless prayer performed for display and withholding small acts of help. Its compact argument refuses any separation between ritual appearance, sincere attention and practical mercy toward vulnerable neighbors.

The surah asks whether the reader has seen the person who denies judgment. Its answer is behavioral. Such a person repels the orphan and does not encourage feeding the poor.

The warning then turns to people who pray yet are heedless of their prayer, perform to be seen and withhold ordinary assistance. The text does not condemn prayer; it condemns prayer emptied of attention, sincerity and social consequence.

“Small kindnesses” or useful aid extend the chapter into daily neighborly life. Grand declarations do not excuse withholding basic help.

The sequence makes religious accountability visible at the point where vulnerable people, worship and ordinary generosity meet. It should prompt self-examination rather than provide a label for harassing others.

Core Themes

Care for orphans tests religious truth
Feeding the poor is a communal concern
Prayer can be corrupted by display
Small acts of help carry moral weight

Structure

Verses 1-3: denial shown in treatment of the vulnerable — 1-3

This section follows denial shown in treatment of the vulnerable across verses 1-3. Read it within Al-Ma'un’s complete sequence; the passage does not independently create a private ruling, diagnosis, prediction, punishment power, fixed ritual, or guaranteed worldly outcome.

Verses 4-7: heedless display and withheld assistance — 4-7

This section follows heedless display and withheld assistance across verses 4-7. Read it within Al-Ma'un’s complete sequence; the passage does not independently create a private ruling, diagnosis, prediction, punishment power, fixed ritual, or guaranteed worldly outcome.

Reading Guide

Context-focused reading step 1

Let the surah define denial through the actions it names. Keep this boundary visible: Do not use the warning to declare named worshippers unbelievers. Compare the passage with the complete surah before drawing a contemporary, legal, medical, scientific, or devotional conclusion.

Context-focused reading step 2

Hold prayer and social mercy together. Keep this boundary visible: Do not treat poverty relief as optional decoration. Compare the passage with the complete surah before drawing a contemporary, legal, medical, scientific, or devotional conclusion.

Key Passages

The orphan and poor — 1-3

Verses 1-3 address the orphan and poor. Their placement in Al-Ma'un supplies the immediate context; this overview identifies the movement without turning it into a stand-alone legal ruling, clinical diagnosis, current-event prediction, private enforcement authority, fixed recitation formula, or guaranteed worldly result.

Prayer, display and small help — 4-7

Verses 4-7 address prayer, display and small help. Their placement in Al-Ma'un supplies the immediate context; this overview identifies the movement without turning it into a stand-alone legal ruling, clinical diagnosis, current-event prediction, private enforcement authority, fixed recitation formula, or guaranteed worldly result.

Recitation Note

This editorial draft does not prescribe an exclusive time, repetition count, guaranteed protection, healing, provision or other worldly result for reciting Surah Al-Ma'un. Add a devotional-practice note only after the exact hadith collection, canonical numbering, grading and claim wording have been checked and registered.