Surah Al-Maun – Hassan Saleh

Al-Maun (Al-Ma'un, "Alms Giving", more literally "small kindnesses") is the 107th surah of the Quran, in Juz' Amma. Meccan in the standard classification, it has 7 verses and is the 17th surah in the traditional order of revelation, after At-Takathur. It opens with a question: "Have you seen the one who denies the Judgement?" (107:1).

The surah answers it: it is the one who harshly repels the orphan and does not urge the feeding of the poor (107:2-3). It then turns to worshippers: "Woe to those who pray, who are heedless of their prayer, who make show of their deeds and withhold small kindnesses" (107:4-7).

Because these verses describe people who pray for show, some commentators held that they, or even the whole surah, were revealed in Medina, where hypocrisy appeared. The word al-ma'un denotes everyday help: Ibn Mas'ud said that in the Prophet's time they understood it as lending a bucket or a cooking pot (Abu Dawud, graded hasan).

The surah thus ties faith in the Hereafter to sincerity in worship and generosity towards others.