"And do not favor [to] acquire more" (Wa-la tamnun tastakthir). The interpretation of al-Dahhak ibn Muzahim is: It is a gift you give in order to be gifted something better in return. Hammad ibn Salamah said: In the recitation of Ubayy [ibn Ka'b], it is: ((Wa-la tamnun an tastakthira)) [And do not favor by seeking to acquire more], and that is the interpretation of it according to the reading of those who recite it with the nominative case (al-raf').
Muhammad said: It is said that He addressed the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with this specifically, because Allah (Exalted is His Majesty) disciplined him with the most noble of manners and the most sublime of character traits. There is no sin upon a human being to give a gift while hoping for something greater than it in return.
Yahya said: Al-Hasan used to recite it: ((tastakthir)) with a stop (waqf). He said: There is a rearrangement (taqdim wa-ta'khir) in it; it means: Do not consider your own deed to be much so that you would then favor [the people] with it upon Us.
﴿وَلَا تمنن تستكثر﴾ تَفْسِيرُ الضَّحَّاكِ بْنِ مُزَاحِمٍ: هِيَ الْهَدِيَّةُ تُهْدِيهَا لَيُهَدَى إِلَيْكَ خيرٌ مِنْهَا. قَالَ حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ: وَهِيَ فِي قِرَاءَةِ أُبي: ((وَلا تَمْنُنْ أَنْ تَسْتَكْثِرَ)) وَذَلِكَ تَفْسِيرُهَا عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ مَنْ قَرَأَهَا بِالرَّفْعِ.
قَالَ محمدٌ: قِيلَ: إِنَّهُ خَاطَبَ بِهَذَا النَّبي ﷺ خَاصَّةً؛ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ ﷿ أدَّبه بِأَشْرَفِ الْآدَابِ، وأسْنى الْأَخْلاقِ وَلَيْسَ عَلَى الْإِنْسَانِ إثْمٌ أَنْ يُهْدِي هَدِيَّةً يَرْجُو بِهَا مَا هُوَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهَا.
قَالَ يَحْيَى: وَكَانَ الْحَسَنُ يَقْرَؤُهَا: ((تستكثرْ)) مَوْقُوفَةٌ، قَالَ: وَفِيهَا تَقْدِيمٌ وَتَأْخِيرٌ يَقُولُ: لَا تَسْتَكْثِرْ عَمَلَكَ فَتَمُنَّ عَلَيْنَا.
