Surah Al-Ma'idah — Ayah 12 (5:12)
۞ وَلَقَدۡ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِيثَٰقَ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ وَبَعَثۡنَا مِنۡهُمُ ٱثۡنَيۡ عَشَرَ نَقِيبٗاۖ وَقَالَ ٱللَّهُ إِنِّي مَعَكُمۡۖ لَئِنۡ أَقَمۡتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَيۡتُمُ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَءَامَنتُم بِرُسُلِي وَعَزَّرۡتُمُوهُمۡ وَأَقۡرَضۡتُمُ ٱللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنٗا لَّأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنكُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمۡ وَلَأُدۡخِلَنَّكُمۡ جَنَّٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُۚ فَمَن كَفَرَ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ مِنكُمۡ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ١٢
English translation (Saheeh International)
And Allāh had already taken a covenant from the Children of Israel, and We delegated from among them twelve leaders. And Allāh said, "I am with you. If you establish prayer and give zakāh and believe in My messengers and support them and loan Allāh a goodly loan,1 I will surely remove from you your misdeeds and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow. But whoever of you disbelieves after that has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way."
- - By spending in the cause of Allāh, seeking His reward.
Brief commentary
Allah had taken a firm promise from the Children of Israel, when He appointed over them twelve chiefs who were placed in authority over them. Allah said to the Israelites: I am with you- with my help and support if you establish the prayer in the complete manner, give Zakat from your wealth, accept all of my messengers without distinction, honour them, assist them and spend in good causes. If you do all of this, I will wipe out the sins you commit and I will enter you, on the Day of Judgement, into gardens with palaces overlooking flowing streams. Whoever disbelieves after making this promise has knowingly and deliberately deviated from the path of truth.