"And He found you dependent," meaning: poor, "so He made you self-sufficient."
Muhammad said: It has been narrated from Ibn Abbas regarding His saying: "so He made you self-sufficient," meaning: He made you content with the provision He gave you, referring to the richness of the soul. It is also said: A man is 'aala (dependent) if he becomes poor, and he is 'aala if his dependents become numerous.
﴿ووجدك عائلا﴾ أَي فَقِيرا: ﴿فأغنى﴾
قَالَ مُحَمَّد: جَاءَ عَنِ ابْن عَبَّاس فِي قَوْله: ﴿فأغنى﴾ أَيْ: فَرَضَّاكَ بِمَا أَعْطَاكَ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ ذَهَبَ إِلَى غِنَى النَّفْسِ. وَيُقَالُ: عَالَ الرَّجُلُ إِذَا افْتَقَرَ، وأعال إِذْ كثر عِيَاله.
