Tafsir Ishraq al-Ma'ani
Quran Translation & Commentary by Syed Iqbal ZaheerBuy from Amazon
Quran Translation Word for Word by Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh
Introduction | Wiki
1. Al-Fatihah
2. Al-Baqarah
3. Al-Imran
4. Al-Nisa
5. Al-Maidah
6. Al-Anam
7. Al-Araf
8. Al-Anfal
9. Al-Taubah
10. Yunus
11. Hud
12. Yusuf
13. Al-Rad
14. Ibrahim
15. Al-Hijr
16. Al-Nahl
17. Bani Israil
18. Al-Kahf
19. Maryam
20. Ta-Ha
21. Al-Anbiya
22. Al-Hajj
23. Al-Muminun
24. An-Nur
25. Al-Furqan
26. Ash-Shuara
27. An-Naml
28. Al-Qasas
29. Al-Ankabut
30. Ar-Rum
31. Luqman
32. As-Sajdah
33. Al-Ahzab
34. Saba
35. Fatir
36. Yasin
37. As-Saffat
38. Saad
39. Az-Zumar
40. Al-Mumin
41. Ha-Meem-As-Sajdah
42. AShura
43. Az-Zukhruf
44. Ad-Dukhan
45. Al-Jathiyah
46. Al-Ahqaf
47. Muhammad
48. Al-Fath
49. Al-Hujurat
50. Al-Qaf
51. Adh-Dhariyat
52. At-Tur
53. An-Najm
54. Al-Qamar
55. Al-Rahman
56. Al-Waqiah
57. Al-Hadid
58. Al-Mujadalah
59. Al-Hashr
60. Al-Mumtahinah
61. As-Saff
62. Al-Jumuah
63. Al-Munafiqun
64. Al-Taghabun
65. At-Talaq
66. At-Tahrim
67. Al-Mulk
68. Al-Qalam
69. Al-Haqqah
70. Al-Maarij
71. Nuh
72. Al-Jinn
73. Al-Muzzammil
74. Al-Muddhththir
75. Al-Qiyamah
76. Ad-Dahr
77. Al-Mursalat
78. An-Naba
79. An-Naziat
80. Abas
81. At-Takwir
82. Al-Infitar
83. At-Tatfif
84. Al-Inshiqaq
85. Al-Buruj
86. At-Tariq
87. Al-Ala
88. Al-Ghashiyah
89. Al-Fajr
90. Al-Balad
91. Ash-Shams
92. Al-Lail
93. Ad-Duha
94. Al-Inshirah
95. At-Tin
96. Al-Alaq
97. Al-Qadr
98. Al-Bayyinah
99. Az-Zilzal
100. Al-Adiyat
101. Al-Qariah
102. At-Takathur
103. Al-Asr
104. Al-Humazah
105. Al-Fil
106. Al-Quraish
107. Al-Maun
108. Al-Kauthar
109. Al-Kafirun
110. An-Nasr
111. Al-Lahab
112. Al-Ikhlas
113. Al-Falaq
114. An-Nas
یٰۤاَیُّهَا O you الَّذِیْنَ who اٰمَنُوْۤا believe[d]! اَنْفِقُوْا Spend مِنْ from طَیِّبٰتِ (the) good things مَا that كَسَبْتُمْ you have earned وَ مِمَّاۤ and whatever اَخْرَجْنَا We brought forth لَكُمْ for you مِّنَ from الْاَرْضِ ۪ the earth وَ لَا And (do) not تَیَمَّمُوا aim at الْخَبِیْثَ the bad مِنْهُ of it تُنْفِقُوْنَ you spend وَ لَسْتُمْ while you (would) not بِاٰخِذِیْهِ take it اِلَّاۤ except اَنْ [that] تُغْمِضُوْا (with) close(d) eyes فِیْهِ ؕ [in it] وَ اعْلَمُوْۤا and know اَنَّ that اللّٰهَ Allah غَنِیٌّ (is) Self-Sufficient حَمِیْدٌ Praiseworthy اَلشَّیْطٰنُ The Shaitaan یَعِدُكُمُ promises you الْفَقْرَ [the] poverty وَ یَاْمُرُكُمْ and orders you بِالْفَحْشَآءِ ۚ to immorality وَ اللّٰهُ while Allah یَعِدُكُمْ promises you مَّغْفِرَةً forgiveness مِّنْهُ from Him وَ فَضْلًا ؕ and bounty وَ اللّٰهُ And Allah وَاسِعٌ (is) All-Encompassing عَلِیْمٌۖۙ All-Knowing یُّؤْتِی He grants الْحِكْمَةَ [the] wisdom مَنْ (to) whom یَّشَآءُ ۚ He wills وَ مَنْ and whoever یُّؤْتَ is granted الْحِكْمَةَ [the] wisdom فَقَدْ then certainly اُوْتِیَ he is granted خَیْرًا good كَثِیْرًا ؕ abundant وَ مَا And none یَذَّكَّرُ remembers اِلَّاۤ except اُولُوا those الْاَلْبَابِ (of) understanding 2. Al-Baqarah Page 46 وَ مَاۤ And whatever اَنْفَقْتُمْ you spend مِّنْ (out) of نَّفَقَةٍ (your) expenditures اَوْ or نَذَرْتُمْ you vow مِّنْ of نَّذْرٍ vow(s) فَاِنَّ then indeed اللّٰهَ Allah یَعْلَمُهٗ ؕ knows it وَ مَا and not لِلظّٰلِمِیْنَ for the wrongdoers مِنْ any اَنْصَارٍ helpers اِنْ If تُبْدُوا you disclose الصَّدَقٰتِ the charities فَنِعِمَّا then well هِیَ ۚ it (is) وَ اِنْ But if تُخْفُوْهَا you keep it secret وَ تُؤْتُوْهَا and give it الْفُقَرَآءَ (to) the poor فَهُوَ then it خَیْرٌ (is) better لَّكُمْ ؕ for you وَ یُكَفِّرُ And He will remove عَنْكُمْ from you مِّنْ [of] سَیِّاٰتِكُمْ ؕ your evil deeds وَ اللّٰهُ And Allah بِمَا with what تَعْمَلُوْنَ you do خَبِیْرٌ (is) All-Aware لَیْسَ Not عَلَیْكَ on you هُدٰىهُمْ (is) their guidance وَ لٰكِنَّ [and] but اللّٰهَ Allah یَهْدِیْ guides مَنْ whom یَّشَآءُ ؕ He wills وَ مَا And whatever تُنْفِقُوْا you spend مِنْ of خَیْرٍ good فَلِاَنْفُسِكُمْ ؕ then it is for yourself وَ مَا and not تُنْفِقُوْنَ you spend اِلَّا except ابْتِغَآءَ seeking وَجْهِ (the) face اللّٰهِ ؕ (of) Allah وَ مَا And whatever تُنْفِقُوْا you spend مِنْ of خَیْرٍ good یُّوَفَّ will be repaid in full اِلَیْكُمْ to you وَ اَنْتُمْ and you لَا (will) not تُظْلَمُوْنَ be wronged لِلْفُقَرَآءِ For the poor الَّذِیْنَ those who اُحْصِرُوْا are wrapped up فِیْ in سَبِیْلِ (the) way اللّٰهِ (of) Allah لَا not یَسْتَطِیْعُوْنَ they are able ضَرْبًا (to) move about فِی in الْاَرْضِ ؗ the earth یَحْسَبُهُمُ Think (about) them الْجَاهِلُ the ignorant one اَغْنِیَآءَ (that they are) self-sufficient مِنَ (because) of التَّعَفُّفِ ۚ (their) restraint تَعْرِفُهُمْ you recognize them بِسِیْمٰىهُمْ ۚ by their mark لَا Not یَسْـَٔلُوْنَ (do) they ask النَّاسَ the people اِلْحَافًا ؕ with importunity وَ مَا And whatever تُنْفِقُوْا you spend مِنْ of خَیْرٍ good فَاِنَّ then indeed اللّٰهَ Allah بِهٖ of it عَلِیْمٌ۠ (is) All-Knower
(2:267) Believers! Expend of the good things566 you have earned567 and of that which We bring out for you of the earth;568 and do not aim at the worthless of it, of (which) you expend while you will not accept it yourself,569 unless you closed an eye on it. And know that Allah is All sufficient, All laudable.570
(2:268) Satan promises you poverty and bids you unto parsimony,571 while Allah promises you His forgiveness and bounty.572 Allah is All embracing, All knowing
(2:269) He bestows Wisdom upon whomsoever He will, and whosoever is granted Wisdom,573 has been granted a great bounty. Yet none will receive admonition but men of understanding.
(2:270) And whatever expenditure you expend or whatever vow you vow,574 surely Allah knows about it. And the transgressors will have no helpers.
(2:271) If you disclose (your) charity, even so it is well. But if you conceal them and pass them on (secretly) to the destitute,575 then that would be better for you.576 He will acquit you of some of your sins.577 And Allah is Aware of what you do.
(2:272) Their guidance is not your responsibility (O Muhammad), but rather, it is Allah who guides whomsoever He will.578 Further, what you expend of wealth is for your own good, and (since) you expend not but seeking Allah's Pleasure.579 And, whatever you expend of wealth shall be returned to you and you shall not be wronged.580
(2:273) (Charity is) due to the destitute who are preoccupied in Allah's cause,581 who cannot travel in the land.582 The ignorant supposes them prosperous on account of their restraint.583 (But) You can recognize them by their look.584 They do not beg of men importunately.585 And (remember) whatever of wealth you expend, surely Allah is well Aware of it.
566. The connection with the previous verses should be obvious. First Allah (swt) exhorted to give in charity. Then He divided charity into two kinds: those which are followed by reminders and injury, and those that are not. Then He gave examples of both. Now He indicates what kind and quality of a thing it is that one should expend in His cause (Razi).
567. It is said that people hung bunches of dates in the Prophet's mosque meant for the people of Suffa who sometime totaled around four hundred and had no means of income. Once someone hanged a bunch of rotten dates. The Prophet disapproved of it and this verse was revealed (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Razi).
Basing their judgment on the word "kasabtum" ([what] you have earned), the jurists say that a man has the right to take what he wishes from the earnings of his sons. The Prophet has said in a hadith:
568. This includes everything that the earth produces, such as vegetables, fruits, minerals and precious metals such as diamonds, gold and silver (Qurtubi).
569. According to a hadith of `A'isha (ra) preserved in Musnad Ahmad, when the Prophet (saws) was sent dab-meat (a large lizard like desert animal) he did not eat of it, but he did not forbid others either. `A'isha says I suggested, "Why should we not give it away to the poor?" He replied: "Do not give them what you would not like to eat yourself" (Ibn Kathir). In fact, the Prophet has forbidden that rotten things be accepted in charity (Qurtubi).
The injunction, therefore, is to give the best in charity. The orders, nevertheless to the state officials is not to eye the best when they go around collecting zakah (Au.).
570. A hadith of the Prophet clarifies this issue. Preserved by Imam Ahmad and narrated by Ibn Mas`ud, it says:
571. Fahsha' in Arabic primarily refers to parsimony (Zamakhshari, Razi, Alusi). However, it is also applied to evil deeds as if a man of evil deeds is, in the figurative sense, parsimonious with good deeds (Shawkani).
The Prophet has been reported by `Abdullah (ibn Mas`ud) as having said:
Razi says: Satan first tries to incite one to spend the worst part of a thing. When one listens to him and acts according to his bidding, he increases his demand and questions him as to why he should spend at all. This is what is meant by: "Satan promises you poverty and bids you parsimony."
572. Accordingly, there is a hadith which says that:
573. The word "hikmah" of the original can carry different connotations depending upon the context in which it occurs. Hikmah is, as stated in Al Bahar al Muhit, the quality of placing things (and acts) in their right and proper places. It is something that can be mastered only by the Prophets. Accordingly, Allah used the word for Da`ud (saws) in the sense of Prophethood in verse 251 of this chapter when He said:
In the present context it stands for knowledge and understanding of the Qur'an Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, Mujahid, Abu al `Aliyyah. Other meanings close to this are also reported (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
Alusi adds: As for the report coming from Ibn `Abbas, which says that by the hikmah it is Prophethood that is meant, it might be that he was referring to the hadith that Bayhaqi has preserved through Abu Umamah al-Bahili in which the Prophet is reported to have said:
However, when we are asked to recite, it is not the verbal recitation alone that is meant, rather, its comprehension also and a life that agrees with its principles.
Alusi also presents several ahadith on the virtues of religious knowledge. One of them is in Bukhari. It says:
574. Islamically, vow (nadhr of the original) is to promise oneself that he will spend something in charity or carry out a good act (such as fast for so many days) if such and such of his wishes are fulfilled. So long as the wish itself is not unlawful, and the acts vowed are not unlawful, one is bound to fulfill such vows (Au.).
575. The sequence is as follows: First Allah divided charities into two kinds: those that are followed by reminders and injury, and those that are not. Then He gave an example of both. Subsequently, He specified what kind and quality of a thing it is that one may expend in His cause. Finally, He adds that charity can be sometimes concealed and sometimes given in open (Razi).
576. Although the ruling will differ from case to case and situation to situation, generally speaking there is no difference in opinion among the scholars that it is preferable to disclose one's obligatory charity (fara'id) and conceal the non obligatory ones (tatawwu`). However, on the whole, it is better to conceal them all. A hadith of the Sahihayn confirms this. It says:
577. The words "some of your sins" has been added because all the sins cannot be forgiven because of a few charitable acts (Razi, Alusi).
578. (That is) you are "responsible only for conveying God's message to them, and not for their reaction to it" (Asad).
It is reported that the Prophet (saws), and following him his Companions, were averse to spending on the polytheists until Allah revealed this verse Sho`bah, Sa`id b. Jubayr, Ibn `Abbas (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
However, the permission is valid only for general charities. As for zakah funds, the scholars agree that non Muslims cannot be given from it (save in the hope of their acceptance of Islam, i.e. under the provision of ta'lif al qulub: Au.). As for the sinning Muslim, there is no difference in opinion that he may be given from the general charity funds so long as he is not one of those who disregards major obligations such as five time Prayers or Ramadan fasts (Qurtubi).
Thanwi adds: There is no contradiction between the hadith which says, in effect, ‘Let not your food be eaten but by the pious,' and this verse which says that non Muslims (who are obviously not pious) can be given in charity because the hadith is speaking of the kind of friends one might keep, and this verse of the needy.
Legal Points
1. It is prohibited to give any kind of charity to a non Muslim whose people are at war with Muslims (Kafir al Harbi) Ma`arif.
2. A non warring unbeliever may not be given from zakah or `ushur funds (Ma`arif).
3. They may be given from ordinary charitable funds (sadaqat) Ma`arif.
579. Thanwi makes a point: This verse, which combines the quest for reward and pursuit of Allah's Pleasure, shows that the two are not incompatible, as some ignorant people believe.
580. Hence the hadith in Bukhari and Muslim which reports the Prophet as having said:
The theme is obvious. The good effects of charity are never lost (Au.).
581. The verse shows that preference should be given to the affairs of the "next world" over efforts to earn livelihood, although there isn't any contradiction between the two (Thanwi).
It may also be noted here that those "engaged in Allah's cause" have been accorded such honor that Allah did not specifically say: "charity is due to them," rather, left out the words as understood (Au.).
582. The Prophet has said in a hadith of Bukhari:
Thanwi says: "In our own country those that are engaged in dissemination of knowledge are the most deserving of charity. As for the accusation that they are ill qualified for facing the economic realities of this life, the Qur'an itself has answered that it is their pre occupation with other things that has placed them in that situation."
Asad remarks: "I.e. those who have devoted themselves entirely to working in the cause of the Faith be it by spreading, elucidating or defending it physically or intellectually or to any of the selfless pursuits extolled in God's message, such as search for knowledge, work for the betterment of man's lot, and so forth; and, finally, those who, having suffered personal or material hurt in such pursuits, are henceforth unable to fend for themselves."
583. The word in the original is ta`affuf which has been interpreted as total abstention from asking, as Abu Sa`id al Khudri has reported.
584. (Nevertheless, the believer can recognize them because: Au.) the Prophet has said:
Imam Razi comments: However, it is not by the physical signs by which they can be recognized. Rather by spiritual signs. Just as it is not by physical signs that the jungle animals feel scared at the appearance of a lion, since many of them would not have had personal experience of its ferocity. So also, it is by the very spiritual quality that the personality of these people acquires its specific nature and by which they are recognized. This is what the word sima' is referring to."
Thanwi adds: "The verse shows that a man should not put up an appearance that will make him stand apart from the common people."
585. According to the majority of scholars, what is meant is that they do not beg at all, neither importunately nor otherwise (Shawkani).
Razi presents a subtle point. He asks: "When it has already been said of them that abstention from asking is their mark, what does it mean to say that they do not beg of men importunately?" Then he answers, "It is not their quality that is being described, rather of one who begs. He is being disciplined that he should not beg importunately. It is like two men entering in upon you, one of them virtuous and the other evil. You praise one saying, 'you possess such and such good qualities,’ and add, 'also, you are not evil,' by which you imply that the other man is evil."
The Prophet (saws) is reported to have said:
With regard to importunate begging, Abu Sa`id al Khudri says the Prophet said:
But there is no harm in seeking help if one is in distress, although undesirable. Nasa'i and Abu Da'ud have reported that a man from Banu Firas enquired the Prophet (saws):