he who gives his wealth to purify himself offering it as a means of self purification before God exalted be He by making this payment for the sake of God exalted be He and not for show or the sake of reputation so that he or the offering stands purified in the sight of God. This verse was revealed regarding the truthful one al-siddīq Abū Bakr may God be pleased with him when he purchased Bilāl the Ethiopian who was being tortured on account of his faith and then freed him whereat the disbelievers said ‘He only did this in return for a favour which he must have owed him’ and so the following was revealed
