Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (34) Surah: At-Tawbah
۞ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِنَّ كَثِيرٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡأَحۡبَارِ وَٱلرُّهۡبَانِ لَيَأۡكُلُونَ أَمۡوَٰلَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلۡبَٰطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكۡنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلۡفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرۡهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٖ
(34) [2079]You who Believe, many of the rabbis and monks devour people’s money in falsehood and turn ˹others˺ away from the path of Allah. [2080]Those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend them in the cause of Allah give them ˹Muhammad˺ the tidings of a painful Punishment.
[2079] This exposes the immorality of many among those whose followers take as ‘Lords’ others besides Allah, by following their laws instead of God’s laws; they are no more than greedy money-grubbers (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr, Tafsīr al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah).
[2080] This is a timely moralizing parenthesis directed mainly at the Believers to encourage them to spend out of their money (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, al-Rāzī, al-Shinqīṭī, Aḍwā’ al-Bayān). Financial resources were much needed at that time to build the Muslim state, especially as this aya came down in the aftermath of the Tabuk Expedition, also known as the Expedition of Undersupply (al-ʿusrah), a condition which is clearly described in the coming ayas as the sura unfolds (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
“Let not those who are miserly with what Allah has ˹bountifully˺ bestowed on them from His Grace think that this is better for them. Nay, but it is evil for them; they will be collared ˹around their necks˺ with what they withheld on the Day of Judgement…” (3: 180). Abū Dharr al-Ghifārī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “They are the worst losers by the Lord of the Kaʿbah!” I said: “My dearest Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)! Who are they?” He said: “They are the wealthiest. Except the one who does like this, and this, and this – ˹gesturing open-handed spending˺ from his front, back, right and left – but few are these really. No owner of camels, cows and sheep who does not give out their due zakah, except them coming on the Day of Judgement as big and fat as they have ever been, butting him with their horns and trampling him with their hooves. When the last of them has finished doing so, the first comes around to do the same to him ˹again˺, until the Judgement of ˹all˺ people has finished” (al-Bukhārī: 6638, Muslim: 990); Thawbān (رضي الله عنه) narrated: “When the aya that came down regarding gold and silver was revealed, people wondered: “So what type of money shall we take?” ʿUmar ˹(رضي الله عنه)˺ said: “I shall seek knowledge of this matter for you!” He then sped his camel, while I followed him, until he caught up with the Prophet (ﷺ). He said: “Messenger of Allah, what type of money shall we take?” He (ﷺ) replied: “Let one of you take a thankful heart, a tongue which mentions ˹Allah all the time˺ and a Believing wife who helps him over matters of the Hereafter” (al-Tirmidhī: 3094, Ibn Mājah: 1856).
[2080] This is a timely moralizing parenthesis directed mainly at the Believers to encourage them to spend out of their money (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, al-Rāzī, al-Shinqīṭī, Aḍwā’ al-Bayān). Financial resources were much needed at that time to build the Muslim state, especially as this aya came down in the aftermath of the Tabuk Expedition, also known as the Expedition of Undersupply (al-ʿusrah), a condition which is clearly described in the coming ayas as the sura unfolds (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
“Let not those who are miserly with what Allah has ˹bountifully˺ bestowed on them from His Grace think that this is better for them. Nay, but it is evil for them; they will be collared ˹around their necks˺ with what they withheld on the Day of Judgement…” (3: 180). Abū Dharr al-Ghifārī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “They are the worst losers by the Lord of the Kaʿbah!” I said: “My dearest Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)! Who are they?” He said: “They are the wealthiest. Except the one who does like this, and this, and this – ˹gesturing open-handed spending˺ from his front, back, right and left – but few are these really. No owner of camels, cows and sheep who does not give out their due zakah, except them coming on the Day of Judgement as big and fat as they have ever been, butting him with their horns and trampling him with their hooves. When the last of them has finished doing so, the first comes around to do the same to him ˹again˺, until the Judgement of ˹all˺ people has finished” (al-Bukhārī: 6638, Muslim: 990); Thawbān (رضي الله عنه) narrated: “When the aya that came down regarding gold and silver was revealed, people wondered: “So what type of money shall we take?” ʿUmar ˹(رضي الله عنه)˺ said: “I shall seek knowledge of this matter for you!” He then sped his camel, while I followed him, until he caught up with the Prophet (ﷺ). He said: “Messenger of Allah, what type of money shall we take?” He (ﷺ) replied: “Let one of you take a thankful heart, a tongue which mentions ˹Allah all the time˺ and a Believing wife who helps him over matters of the Hereafter” (al-Tirmidhī: 3094, Ibn Mājah: 1856).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (34) Surah: At-Tawbah
Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings of the Noble Qur’an into English - in progress - translated by Dr. Walid Bleihesh Al-Omari.