Allāh—the Most High— said:

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَاتَّقَىٰ ‎﴿٥﴾‏ وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ ‎﴿٦﴾‏ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ

“As for him who gives and keeps his duty to Allāh and fears Him, and believes in Al-Ḥusná, we will make smooth for him the path of ease (goodness).”
(Al-Layl, 92:5-7)

These āyāt have completely encompassed happiness itself, and are inclusive of all the means towards its attainment. There are three matters mentioned here:

1. Enacting Allāh’s commands
2. Abstaining from His prohibitions
3. Attesting to the truth as related by Allāh and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

These three matters represent the entire religion.

• The word “gives” refers to giving everything that Allāh has ordered whether it be in the form of verbal statements, physical actions, or intentions (to enact deeds of righteousness for His sake alone).
• While “keeps his duty to Allāh and fears Him” refers to abstaining from every single prohibition including disbelief, rebelliousness, perpetual sinning, and disobedience.
• “And believes in Al-Ḥusná” as in the reward which Allāh and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) informed us regarding. This is inclusive of attesting to the truth of Allāh’s oneness, its incumbent rights (that He is worshipped alone and no partners are ascribed to HIm) and the reward (Paradise) prepared for its people.

As for the one able to adhere to all three of these matters, Allāh “will make smooth for him the path of ease (goodness)” such that he finds ease and comfort in all his circumstances and affairs. The antithetical state is then mentioned (in the following ayāt):

وَأَمَّا مَن بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَىٰ ‎﴿٨﴾‏ وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ ‎﴿٩﴾‏ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ

“But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient, and gives the lie to Al-Ḥusná, we will make smooth for him the path for evil.”
(Al-Layl, 92:8-10)

“But he who is a greedy miser” that is, abandons all of Allāh’s commands. Note here that this āyah does not specifically pertain to financial spending alone.

• Rather, “greedy, miser” refers to prevention in a general sense, such that outright refusal to fulfil the verbal, physical and monetary obligations levied exemplify the greediness and miserliness being referenced in this āyah.
• “And thinks himself self-sufficient” that is, he arrogantly perceives himself above needing anything from his Lord which breeds a sense of arrogance within him and boldness to perpetrate Allāh’s prohibitions.
• “And gives the lie to Al-Ḥusná” that is, disbelieves in the testification of ‘there is nothing worshipped in truth except for Allāh’, shirking the rights of this testification, and refusing to believe in the reward promised to those who firmly bear witness to it, and the punishment for those who have chosen to abandon it.

“We will make smooth for him the path for evil” such that he finds hardship and difficulty in every one of his circumstances and in all situations he finds himself, encompassing the affairs of this worldly life and that of the hereafter.

Source: Fawāʾid Qurʾāniyyah: 63-4
Translated by: Riyāḍ al-Kanadī