مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنۢبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِى كُلِّ سُنۢبُلَةٍ مِّا۟ئَةُ حَبَّةٍ وَٱللَّهُ يُضَٰعِفُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“The likeness of those who spend their wealth in Allah's way is as the likeness of a grain which groweth seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. Allah giveth increase manifold to whom He will. Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.” — M. M. Pickthall
Fahreddin er-Râzî12-13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to this exegete, Quranic verse 2:261 describes the reward of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah as multiplying, using a concrete simile like a grain producing one hundred ears; the amount of this increase is left unspecified because ambiguous expression is more effective than limited expression in encouragement. Furthermore, the discussion concerns whether the word 'qard' (loan) used for spending is literal or metaphorical, and what it is directed towards (jihad, all charitable paths, etc.).
وإنما أبهم تعالى ذلك لأن ذكر المبهم في باب الترغيب أقوى من ذكر المحدود
Kurtubî13. c.✓ Citation verified
Kurtubî states that the sevenfold reward given may vary according to the condition of the one giving charity; when the charity giver is righteous, their wealth is pure, and it is spent in the right place, the reward may increase even further. He also transmits that the reason for the revelation of the verse was the spending (infaq) of Uthman ibn Affan and Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf before the Tabuk expedition, and according to some scholars, Allah can give sevenfold or even more multiplication to whomever He wills.
وقالت طائفة من العلماء : بل هو إعلام بأن الله تعالى يضاعف لمن يشاء أكثر من سبعمائة ضعف قلت : وهذا القول أصح لحديث بن عمر المذكور أول الآية
İbn Kesîr14. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Ibn Kathir, different views have been transmitted regarding the promise of multiplication in the verse: Said ibn Jubayr interpreted it as obedience to Allah, while Makhul explained it as spending in the path of jihad (such as preparing horses, acquiring weapons, etc.). In a narration transmitted from Ibn Abbas, it is stated that jihad and pilgrimage increase a single dirham spent to seven hundred fold. Furthermore, it is stated that the multiplication of reward depends on the sincerity in the person's deeds.
قال سعيد بن جبير يعني في طاعة الله وقال مكحول يعني به الانفاق في الجهاد من رباط الخيل وإعداد السلاح وغير ذلك وقال شبيب بن بشر عن عكرمة عن ابن عباس الجهاد والحج يضعف الدرهم فيهما إلى سبع مئة ضعف
Beydâvî13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Baydawi, the simile in the verse describes how the charities of those who spend will multiply with great blessing in the way of Allah; just as a single grain produces seven ears with one hundred grains in each ear, the reward also multiplies. The attribution of the producing action to the grain is in the sense that it is a cause; in reality, it is Allah who produces. This multiplication is something Allah gives by His grace to whomever He wills, and it varies according to the sincerity and effort of the one who spends, which is why the rewards of deeds differ.
أسند الإنبات إلى الحبة لما كانت من الأسباب
Comparison
Common ground
All four exegetes agree that the seven hundred fold expression in the verse is not a real numerical limit, and that spending is greatly blessed in the sight of Allah. Additionally, a common emphasis is that the amount of reward is not fixed but can vary according to the sincerity, intention, and quality of the wealth spent by the one who gives charity.
Differences
While Razi approaches the matter from linguistic and rhetorical perspectives, discussing whether the word 'qard' is literal or metaphorical and the persuasive power of ambiguous expression, Kurtubî relies on reports of the reasons for revelation (Uthman ibn Affan, Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf) and variant readings to transmit that the multiplication can increase even further. Ibn Kathir uses a narration-based approach, transmitting how scholars like Said ibn Jubayr and Makhul interpreted spending in the context of obedience or jihad. Baydawi focuses on linguistic analysis (omission of the possessive, metaphorical attribution), explaining how the producing action is attributed not to Allah but to the cause (the grain). These differences reflect the impact of the exegetical method (juristic reasoning/narration-based) and the exegete's field of expertise (theology-rhetoric, jurisprudence, hadith).
Historical context
The early period exegete Ibn Kathir remained more attached to narration chains and interpretations of companions and successors, whereas in later periods exegetes like Razi and Baydawi increased the weight of linguistic analysis and rational deduction. Kurtubî combines these two approaches. The fundamental message—that spending is rewarded manifold—remained constant across all periods, while the interpretation method and points of emphasis diversified over time.
Modern connection
This comparative reading points to the importance of intention and sincerity over the quantity of charity and assistance; the power of an individual's support in transforming into social solidarity can be related to the genuineness of that support. In today's world as well, it can be considered that the sustainable impact of education, mutual aid, or service-oriented efforts stems not merely from material scale, but from the correctness of the work being done and the purity of its purpose.
AI analysis — not a fatwa or ruling, not yet reviewed by a scholar