Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)

2. “Verily believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts quake, and when His Signs are recited to them, it increases them in faith, and in their Lord (alone) do they trust.”

3. “Those who keep up prayer, and spend (benevolently) out of what We have provided them.”

The true believers are those who are in owe of Allah (s.w.t) because of His glorification and veneration. That is, when the speech is delivered upon Allah's justice, retribution, and power, they dread, and when the speech is about His bounties, kindnesses, graces, and rewards, they feel peace in themselves; as the Qur'an says:

“... now surely by Allah's remembrance are the hearts set at rest.” (Surah Ar-Ra'd, No. 13, verse 28).

Thus, there is no contrast between these two verses, because fear relates to the remembrance of Allah's retribution and peace, but peace and rest relates to the remembrance of Allah's forgiveness and kindness.

Moreover, whenever a believer remembers the Divine bounties and forgiveness of Allah, he obtains a favorable opinion and he rests, but when he remembers his own sins, he becomes inconvenient and anxious. The verse says:

“Verily believers are only those who, when Allah is mention, their hearts quake...”

The Arabic term /wajila/ means ‘to fear, apprehend’ which is accompanied with sadness.

Then the verse continues saying:

“...and when His Signs are recited to them, it increases them in faith...”

In that circumstance, their faith and their certainty will be increased.

“...and in their Lord (alone) do they trust.”

Such people trust in Allah in any conditions and they rely on Him for the affairs of their lives.

Again, believers are those who establish prayer (which is the manifestation of the relation with Allah) and spend in charity and benevolently out of what Allah has given them as their sustenance.

The phrase ‘they keep up prayer’ mentioned in the verse, instead of saying ‘they recite prayer’, points to this fact that not only they themselves keep up prayer but also they behave so that this firm relation with Allah will be kept always and everywhere. Here is the verse:

“Those who keep up prayer, and spend (benevolently) out of what We have provided them.”