Question

Assalamu Aleikum wa rahmatu lilahi

 In verse 148 of Surat Al Imran, I read the word:" Fa Aa taahumul laahu...". (with a two vowel count for the hamzah). In Surat al Hashr verse 2, I also read the word "Fa Ataahumul laahu..." (with a one vowel count for that hamzah).
Although these two words appear as if they are alike, what is their meaning? In other words what do they mean in their context?
May Allah give you barakah because your answers really help us understanding the wonderful sense of the Quran.
Wa salamu alaikum

Answer

Wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

This is an excellent question and these two past tense verbs, and  can be confused in pronunciation and in meaning.  It is important to understand the difference between the two.

In surah Aali ‘Imraan 148, Allah ta’aalaa states:  which can be explained in translation of the meaning as: So Allah gave them the reward of this world…..

Please note that there is  for the length of two vowel counts after the .  The word here with the two count medd after the  means “gave.”

In surah Al-Hashr 2, Allah the Exalted says:

, and the translation of the explanation of the meaning is: So [the decree of] Allah came upon them from where they had not expected. Here we see that the hamzah after the is pronounced with a fat-hah only and no lengthening, and the word here means “came.” 

The two words then are pronounced differently, with  having a lengthened hamzah () meaning “gave them” and without a lengthened hamzah and meaning “came to them” or "came upon them".

Baarak Allahu feekum. Wa assalaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.