In this verse and the next one the word is about the manner of alms-giving, and that Allah is aware of our charities: ``And whatever you spend in charity, and whatever vow you vow, Allah knows it.'' That is to say; be it lawful or unlawful, little or much, with injury or without, God knows all, and the oppressors will have no helper. The Arabic `ZÄLIMIN - OPPRESSORS', alludes to those stingy persons who have through their niggardliness amassed a lot of wealth, and spend it not in the way of Allah except for show and pretence. These will have no helper, and even their charity is of no help to them - neither in this life nor in the life to come. This verse also implies that VOW is a lawful act from the Islamic point of view.