And spend in the way of God; and cast not your own hands into destruction; but be virtuous; God loves the virtuous. The rich spend from their wealth. The worshipers spend through their lower selves by not holding back acts of worship and [religious] tasks. Those who have deep knowledge spend with their hearts by not holding back from His decrees. The lovers spend with their spirits by not holding back from His love. The rich spend from [material] blessings niʿam and the poor fuqarāÌ spend from aspirations himam. The rich spend by taking money from the purse. The poor fuqarāÌ spend by taking [concern for] the rich from the heart. Those who declare God's unity spend by removing [concern for] created things from their innermost selves. His words “and cast not your own hands into destruction” allude to holding back your hands from exertion for the one who holds back his hands and hoards anything for himself his hands throw him into destruction. It is said that it is to prefer your whims over [God's] good pleasure. It is also said and cast not your own hands into destruction means being heedless of Him by [your own] free choice. It is also said [it is] imagining that you can live without His kindness and His favor for even a moment. It is also said [it is] contentment in your state of lassitude and being veiled. It is also said [it is] holding the tongue back from perpetually seeking help in every breath. His words “But be virtuous God loves the virtuous muḥsinūn”: Virtuousness iḥsān is being kind with everyone but yourself. When you are virtuous with regard to your lower self it looks-to those with poor judgment-like you are harming it. But it is through [your lower self] that you bring about every misery and endure every calamity. Virtuousness is also leaving every last bit of your worldly concerns and devoting your- self to fulfilling the right of anyone whose affair is connected to you. Virtuousness is to worship Him without becoming inattentive and to wor- ship Him through the quality of witnessing.
