The reason for the revelation of this verse: Some of the Prophet’s Companions had passed away before alcohol was prohibited. So, a group of Companions asked the Prophet (saws): “O Messenger of Allah, what about those of us who had passed away but used to drink alcohol and partake in gambling?” So they felt pity for them and assumed that they were deficient due to having committed these acts. Thus, this verse was revealed.

(… لَيْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ) (There is not upon those who believe and do righteousness …): i.e., at the time when the prohibition had not been revealed yet. Look at the precision of the Holy Quran. Belief is not mentioned except that doing righteous deeds are mentioned with it, as the latter is an expression of the former.

 (… جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا طَعِمُوا… ) (…blame concerning what they have eaten): Here, the drinking of alcohol is expressed as eating. Another example of this type of usage can be observed in the following verse, where drinking water is expressed as eating:

 فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طَالُوتُ بِالْجُنُودِ قَالَ إِنَّ اللّهَ مُبْتَلِيكُم بِنَهَرٍ فَمَن شَرِبَ مِنْهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي وَمَن لَّمْ يَطْعَمْهُ فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي 

(When Thalut marched forth with his army, he said “Verily, Allah will test you with a river. So whoever drinks (his fill) from it is not with me, and whoever does not eat (taste) it, is definitely with me) (Al-Baqara: 249)

(… إِذَا مَا اتَّقَوا وَّآمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ… ) (…if they [now] fear Allah and believe and do righteous deeds …): The requirements for a person to enter Paradise are having Taqwa (Fear of Allah), Iman (Faith) and doing righteous deeds.

(… ثُمَّ اتَّقَوا وَّآمَنُوا… ) (…and then fear Allah and believe …): This is the second time having Taqwa and Iman is mentioned in this verse. This time, it refers to the period after the revelation of this verse containing the harsh prohibition of alcohol and gambling. Every time a verse is revealed, their faith increases. An increase in faith is demonstrated when a person carries out every command which contains a legal ruling from Allah (swt). When a person refrains from everything prohibited, it shows that there is a renewal of the faith, because the Prophet (saws) had said:

“Faith has over seventy branches or over sixty branches, the most excellent of which is the declaration that there is no god but Allah, and the lowest of which is the removal of what is harmful from the path”[1]

As we can see, removing something that is harmful from the path where people pass-by is one of the branches of Faith.

(… ثُمَّ اتَّقَوا وَّأَحْسَنُوا… ) (…and then fear Allah and do good; …): This is the third time that Fearing Allah is mentioned here, but this time, followed by Ihsan (doing good). There are two meanings of Ihsan. The first is to do more in addition to what Allah (swt) has made obligatory on us. For example, Allah (swt) has made it obligatory on us to pray four raka’ah (cycles), so if we do extra supererogatory prayers other than them, then this is Ihsan. Allah (swt) has made it obligatory on us to pay the Zakah (Obligatory alms), so when pay more than what we are supposed to give, this is Ihsan. Allah (swt) has made it obligatory on us to fast in the month of Ramadan, also adding on by fasting on Mondays and Thursdays is Ihsan. As Allah (swt) says in the Quran:

 إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ (15) آخِذِينَ مَا آتَاهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ مُحْسِنِينَ (16) كَانُوا قَلِيلًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ (17) وَبِالْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ (18) وَفِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ لِّلسَّائِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ

(Indeed, the righteous will be amid Gardens and springs, (15) Receiving what their Lord will grant them. Before this (reward) they were truly Muhsinin (good-doers): (16) they used to sleep only little in the night, (17) and pray for forgiveness before dawn. (18) And in their wealth there was a rightful share for the beggar and the poor.) (Adh-Dhariyat: 15-19)

The deeds mentioned in these verses are not obligatory, but rather, extras in addition to them. They are considered part of Ihsan, as the ones who practice them are describes as good doers. The second meaning of Ihsan (doing good) as defined by the Prophet (saws) is: 

“That you worship Allah as if you see Him. And if you are unable to (feel that you) see Him, know that He sees you”[2]

Divine observance is on-going all the time, on every single movement and action which is carried out and on those who perform them too. We have to pay attention to ‘that He sees you’, so do not make Allah (swt) the least important of those who look at what you are doing. Thus, you should not commit acts of disobedience. Since you know Allah (swt) watches everything you do, you should not, for example, be fasting but at the same time hurt others with your tongue. You should also not be someone who performs his prayers but at the same time backbites others, and not one who constantly fasts but at the same time likes to sow dissension between people. 

 (  وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ … ) (…and Allah loves the doers of good): Allah (swt) loves Ihsan in all acts and He loves the good doers, those who are aware of Allah’s observance of them and do more than what is obligatory upon them, due to their passion for carrying out duties.      In this verse, Taqwa (fearing Allah ) is mentioned three times, twice with Faith and once with Ihsan, indicating that there are different levels of Taqwa. When Ali (may Allah honour his face) was asked to describe Taqwa (fearing Allah), he said: 

“Fearing The Magnificent, carrying out (the commands found in) the revelation, being contented with the little and preparation for the day of departure”

If we were to look at these four descriptions, we will realize that they embody everything connected to Islam. ‘Carrying out the revelation’ means carrying out the commands found in the Holy Quran, and the Quran tells us to follow all that the Messenger (saws) brought, as seen in this verse:

 وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا

(Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it. And whatever he forbids you from, leave it) (Al-Hashr: 7)

‘Fearing The Magnificent’ means fearing Allah (swt). When a person fears Allah (swt) he will not fear anyone other than Him, as he knows that no others can benefit, harm, give, stop, lower, raise, honour or debase, except Him (swt); in His Hands are the reigns of everything, and He is All-Powerful over everything, without any exceptions.      Therefore, the Quran emphasizes the importance of Faith, Taqwa and Ihsan, as the meanings in them will encircle a human being and give him security. When a person seeks Allah to love him, he must look at what Allah (swt) loves, so that he will be loved. Allah (swt) says: 

 إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

(Verily, Allah loves the Muttaqin (the pious) (At-Tawba: 4)

 إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ

(Verily, Allah love the Tawwabin (those who repent) and He loves the Mutathohhirin (those who purify themselves)) (Al-Baqara: 222)

[1] Sahih Muslim: Book of Faith, Chapter of The Branches of Faith, Hadith No. 35.

[2] Sahih al-Bukhari: Book of faith, Chapter of Jibril’s questions to the Prophet (saws) about Iman, Islam and Ihsan, Hadith No. 50.