Quran Universe
31:4

ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ هُمۡ يُوقِنُونَ

Allatheena yuqeemoona alssalata wayutoona alzzakata wahum bialakhirati hum yooqinoona

Who establish prayer and give zakah, and they, of the Hereafter, are certain [in faith].

Word by word
  1. ٱلَّذِينَThose who
  2. يُقِيمُونَestablish
  3. ٱلصَّلَوٰةَthe prayer
  4. وَيُؤۡتُونَand give
  5. ٱلزَّكَوٰةَzakah
  6. وَهُمand they
  7. بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِin the Hereafter
  8. هُمۡ[they]
  9. يُوقِنُونَbelieve firmly
Luqman · 31:4Makkah

Prayer, giving, and certainty about what comes next.

Three marks of the people who do good

What the Muhsinin do
establish prayeron time, done properly
give zakahto those who deserve it
certain of the Hereafterseek reward from Allah
Where the reward is sought
thanks from peoplelikes, praise, credit
reward from Allahcertain it is coming

Ibn Kathir describes them: they pray the obligatory prayers properly and on time, then add more. They pay zakah to those who deserve it. They are certain of the Hereafter, so they do not look for thanks from people.

Payday comes and the money is already spoken for. Rent, bills, the car. Giving first feels like a stretch. So does stopping for prayer during a busy afternoon. Certainty about tomorrow is what makes both feel possible.

I will give and pray more once life calms down.

Being sure of what comes after is what makes prayer and giving feel natural now.

Try this

Pray your next prayer within ten minutes of its time starting.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 31:1)

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

الم - تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْحَكِيمِ - هُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِلْمُحْسِنِينَ - الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ بِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ - أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

(1. Alif Lam Mim.)(2. These are Ayat of the Wise Book.)(3. A guide and a mercy for the Muhsinin.)(4. Those who perform the Salah and give Zakah and they have faith in the Hereafter with certainty.)(5. Such are on guidance from their Lord, and such are the successful.)

At the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah we discussed the letters such as those that appear at the beginning of this Surah. Allah has made the Qur'an a guidance and healing and a mercy for the Muhsinin, who are those who do good deeds in accordance with the Shari'ah. They establish the obligatory prayers in the proper manner and at the correct times, and follow that with regular, optional and supererogatory prayers; they pay the Zakah to those who deserve it; they uphold the ties of kinship with their relatives; they have certain faith that there will be rewards and punishments in the Hereafter, and they seek the reward with Allah; they do not show off or seek a reward or thanks from other people. Whoever does this is one of those of whom Allah says:

أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ 

(Such are on guidance from their Lord,) meaning, they follow His guidance with clear understanding.

وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

(and such are the successful.) in this world and in the Hereafter.