فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ (11) وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ (12)
(Yet he did not make his way through the steep course. And what may let you know what the steep course is? ...Al-Balad 90: 11⧉ 12⧉ '
The word 'aqabah means 'hill, high place or a steep road'. It also refers to a 'low area of land between two hills or mountains, that is, a valley'. 'Aqabah helps a man in saving himself when pursued by an enemy by ascending the summit of the mountain, or in escaping by descending into the valley. Here the word 'aqabah refers to obedience and devotion. Just as it saves man from an enemy, righteous deeds save man from the punishment of the Hereafter. The righteous deeds are as follows:
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ ([ It is ] freeing of the neck of a slave...Al-Balad 90:13 ⧉). This is a great devotional act [ and carries a great reward because ] it moulds a man's life.
أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ (or giving food in a day of hunger...Al-Balad 90:14 ⧉).
Although it is an act of great reward to feed any hungry person, it carries even a greater reward to feed certain people, as follows:
يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ (15) أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ (16)
(to an orphan near of kin, or to a needy person lying in dust....Al-Balad 90: 15⧉ 16⧉
If an orphaned family member is given food to eat, its reward is twofold, for satisfying the hunger of a hungry person and for maintaining family ties and fulfilling his rights.
فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ (in a day of hunger...Al-Balad 90:14 ⧉). It means that feeding him in a day when he is hungry will attract more reward. If an orphan is not a close relative or family member, but he is so poor as to be wallowing in dust, spending on him will yield a greater reward. The poorer the person is, the greater will be the reward for the spender.