Quran Universe
9:121

وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ نَفَقَةٗ صَغِيرَةٗ وَلَا كَبِيرَةٗ وَلَا يَقۡطَعُونَ وَادِيًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُمۡ لِيَجۡزِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ أَحۡسَنَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

Wala yunfiqoona nafaqatan sagheeratan wala kabeeratan wala yaqtaAAoona wadiyan illa kutiba lahum liyajziyahumu Allahu ahsana ma kanoo yaAAmaloona

Nor do they spend an expenditure, small or large, or cross a valley but that it is registered for them that Allah may reward them for the best of what they were doing.

Word by word
  1. وَلَاAnd not
  2. يُنفِقُونَthey spend
  3. نَفَقَةٗany spending
  4. صَغِيرَةٗsmall
  5. وَلَاand not
  6. كَبِيرَةٗbig
  7. وَلَاand not
  8. يَقۡطَعُونَthey cross
  9. وَادِيًاa valley
  10. إِلَّاbut
  11. كُتِبَis recorded
  12. لَهُمۡfor them
  13. لِيَجۡزِيَهُمُthat Allah may reward them
  14. ٱللَّهُthat Allah may reward them
  15. أَحۡسَنَthe best
  16. مَا(of) what
  17. كَانُواْthey used (to)
  18. يَعۡمَلُونَdo
At-Tawbah · 9:121Madinah

Small or large, every coin and valley is written.

Uthman's camels and the ordinary traveler

What gets recorded
a small giftwritten
a large giftwritten
a valley crossedwritten
repaid with
the bestof what they did
How it is repaid
deed for deedexactly what I gave
by the bestof what they used to do

When the Prophet ﷺ urged spending on the army of hardship for Tabuk, Uthman bin Affan pledged a hundred camels, then a hundred more, then a hundred more. The verse also counts the small contribution. Qatadah said: the farther people go from their families for Allah, the nearer they are to Him.

You are not Uthman. Your gift is ten dollars and a Saturday morning driving boxes to the food bank. Small or large, the verse says it is written. And Allah repays by the best thing you did, not the average.

Only big sacrifices really count with Allah.

Every small or large effort is written, and repaid by my best.

Try this

Give something small today for a good cause and trust that it is recorded.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Neither do they spend any contribution – small or great – nor cross a valley, but is written to their credit that Allah may recompense them with the best of what they used to do (121)

Allah said next,

وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ

(Neither do they spend), in reference to the fighters in Allah's cause,

نَفَقَةً صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً

(any contribution – small or great –), with regards to its amount,

وَلَا يَقْطَعُونَ وَادِيًا

(nor cross a valley), while marching towards the enemy,

إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُمْ

(but is written to their credit), for these actions that they take [and which are under their control],

لِيَجْزِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

(that Allah may recompense them with the best of what they used to do.)

Certainly, the Leader of the faithful, 'Uthman bin 'Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, acquired a tremendous share of the virtues mentioned in this honorable Ayah. He spent large amounts and tremendous wealth on this battle (Tabuk).

Abdullah, the son of Imam Ahmad recorded that 'Abdur-Rahman bin Khabbab As-Sulami said; "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave a speech in which he encouraged spending on the army of distress (for Tabuk).

Uthman bin 'Affan, may Allah be pleased with him said; 'I will give one hundred camels with their saddles and supplies.' Then he ﷺ exhorted them some more. So 'Uthman said; 'I will give one hundred more camels with their saddles and supplies.' Then ﷺ he descended one step of the Minbar and exhorted them some more. So 'Uthman bin 'Affan said; 'I will give one hundred more camels with their saddles and supplies.' Then I saw Allah's Messenger ﷺ with his hand moving like this - and 'Abdus-Samad's [one of the narrators] hand went out like one in amazement - he ﷺ said,

مَا عَلَى عُثْمَانَ مَا عَمِلَ بَعْدَ هَذَا

(It does not matter what 'Uthman does after.)

It is also recorded in the Musnad that 'Abdur-Rahman bin Samurah said, "'Uthman brought a thousand Dinars in his garment so that the Prophet ﷺ could prepare supplies for the army of distress. 'Uthman poured the money on the Prophet's lap, and the Prophet ﷺ started turning it around with his hand and declaring repeatedly,

مَا ضَرَّ ابْنَ عَفَّانٍ مَا عَمِلَ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ

(The son of 'Affān (i.e., 'Uthmān) will never be harmed by anything he does after today.)" Qatadah commented on Allah's statement,

وَلَا يَقْطَعُونَ وَادِيًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُمْ

(nor cross a valley, but is written to their credit),

"The farther any people march forth away from their families in the cause of Allah, the nearer they will be to Allah."