THE PARABLE of those who spend their possessions for the sake of God is that of a grain out of which grow seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains: for God grants manifold increase unto whom He wills; and God is infinite, all-knowing. 261 Those who spend their property for the cause of God and do not make the recipient feel obliged or insulted shall receive their reward from God. They will have no fear nor will they be grieved. 262 ۞ A kind word and forbearance is better than that charity which is followed up by insult or injury. Allah is Self-Sufficient and Forbearing. 263 O ye who believe! cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury,- like those who spend their substance to be seen of men, but believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. They are in parable like a hard, barren rock, on which is a little soil: on it falls heavy rain, which leaves it (Just) a bare stone. They will be able to do nothing with aught they have earned. And Allah guideth not those who reject faith. 264 But those who give away their wealth with a desire to please Allah and to reassure themselves are like a garden on a hillside, if heavy rain strikes it, it yields up twice its normal crop, and if heavy rain does not strike it, then light rain. Allah is the Seer of what you do. 265 (What do you think of the case) of one of you who wishes to have a garden of palm-trees and grapes with water flowing therein and producing all kinds of fruits, especially if he is well advanced in age and has weak children who need support, and then a hurricane with fire in it strikes the garden and burns it to the ground? This is how God explains to you His evidence so that you may think. 266