﴿ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ﴾

(to the kindred his due) his due of respect and upholding the ties of kinship.

﴿وَالْمَسَـكِينُ﴾

(and to Al-Miskin) the one who has nothing to spend on his needs, or he has something but it is not enough.

﴿وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ﴾

(and to the wayfarer.) the traveler who is in need of money and other things during his journey.

﴿ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ﴾

(That is best for those who seek Allah's Face;) meaning; to look upon Him on the Day of Resurrection, which is the ultimate aim.

﴿وَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ﴾

(and it is they who will be successful.) means, in this world and the Hereafter. Then Allah says:

﴿وَمَآ ءَاتَيْتُمْ مِّن رِّباً لِّيَرْبُوَاْ فِى أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ فَلاَ يَرْبُواْ عِندَ اللَّهِ﴾

(And that which you give in Riba, in order that it may increase from other people's property, has no increase with Allah;) This means, that which is given as a gift to others in the hope that they will give back more than they were given. There is no reward for this with Allah. This is how this Ayah was interpreted by Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, `Ikrimah, Muhammad bin Ka`b and Ash-Sha`bi. Allah says:

﴿وَمَآ ءاتَيْتُمْ مِّن زَكَوةٍ تُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُضْعِفُونَ﴾

(but that which you give in Zakah seeking Allah's Face, then those they shall have manifold increase.) Those are the ones for whom Allah will multiply the reward. It was reported in the Sahih:

«وَمَا تَصَدَّقَ أَحَدٌ بِعَدْلِ تَمْرَةٍ مِنْ كَسْبٍ طَيِّبٍ إِلَّا أَخَذَهَا الرَّحْمَنُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَيُرَبِّيهَا لِصَاحِبِهَا، كَمَا يُرَبِّي أَحَدُكُمْ فَلُوَّهُ أَوْ فَصِيلَهُ حَتَّى تَصِيرَ التَّمْرَةُ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ أُحُد»

(No person gives in charity the equivalent of a date which was earned in a lawful manner, but the Most Merciful takes it in His Right Hand and takes care of it for its owner, just as any one of you takes care of his foal or young camel, until the date becomes the size of Mount Uhud.)