Towards Understanding the Quran
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Surah At-Tawbah 9:98-99   Chapters ↕   Word for Word
Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-16 [2], 17-24 [3], 25-29 [4], 30-37 [5], 38-42 [6], 43-59 [7], 60-66 [8], 67-72 [9], 73-80 [10], 81-89 [11], 90-99 [12], 100-110 [13], 111-118 [14], 119-122 [15], 123-129 [16]
وَ مِنَAnd amongالْاَعْرَابِthe bedouinsمَنْ(is he) whoیَّتَّخِذُtakesمَاwhatیُنْفِقُhe spendsمَغْرَمًا(as) a lossوَّ یَتَرَبَّصُand he awaitsبِكُمُfor youالدَّوَآىِٕرَ ؕthe turns (of misfortune)عَلَیْهِمْUpon themدَآىِٕرَةُ(will be) the turnالسَّوْءِ ؕ(of) the evilوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahسَمِیْعٌ(is) All-Hearerعَلِیْمٌ All-Knower وَ مِنَBut amongالْاَعْرَابِthe bedouinsمَنْ(is he) whoیُّؤْمِنُbelievesبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ الْیَوْمِand the Dayالْاٰخِرِthe Lastوَ یَتَّخِذُand takesمَاwhatیُنْفِقُhe spendsقُرُبٰتٍ(as) means of nearnessعِنْدَwithاللّٰهِAllahوَ صَلَوٰتِand blessingsالرَّسُوْلِ ؕ(of) the MessengerاَلَاۤBeholdاِنَّهَاIndeed, itقُرْبَةٌ(is) a means of nearnessلَّهُمْ ؕfor themسَیُدْخِلُهُمُAllah will admit themاللّٰهُAllah will admit themفِیْtoرَحْمَتِهٖ ؕHis MercyاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahغَفُوْرٌ(is) Oft-Forgivingرَّحِیْمٌ۠Most Merciful

Translation

[9:98] And among the bedouin Arabs there are such as regard whatever they spend (in the Way of Allah) as a fine96 and wait for some misfortune to befall you. May ill fortune befall them! Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

[9:99] And among the bedouin Arabs are those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and regard their spending (in the Way of Allah) as a means of drawing near to Allah and of deserving the prayers of the Messenger. Indeed, this shall be a means of drawing near to Allah. Allah will surely admit them to His mercy. Allah is All-Forgiving, Ever Merciful.

Commentary

96. This means that they regarded the payment of Zakat dues as a fine and the expenditure on hospitality, an Islamic duty, a penalty. Likewise, if they had to make any contributions towards Jihad, they did so to show that they were loyal to the Islamic state and not because they wanted to please Allah by giving sincere monetary help for His cause.