Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (60) Surah: At-Tawbah
۞ إِنَّمَا ٱلصَّدَقَٰتُ لِلۡفُقَرَآءِ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱلۡعَٰمِلِينَ عَلَيۡهَا وَٱلۡمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَفِي ٱلرِّقَابِ وَٱلۡغَٰرِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِۖ فَرِيضَةٗ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٞ
(60) [2138]˹The prescribed˺ Alms are but for the destitutes, the needy[2139], those who work on them[2140], the heart-attracted[2141], by way of ˹freeing˺ necks[2142], the ˹deeply˺ indebted[2143], in the path of Allah[2144] and the stranded[2145]; an obligation ordained by Allah—Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
[2138] The One Who divides the zakah is God Almighty Himself. This explanation in a way addresses the accusation of the ignorant hypocrites who insinuated that the Messenger (ﷺ) was not fair (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Rāzī). Please note that the finer details of those who deserve the money fall beyond the scope of this translation. The explanations given here are only meant to clear the meaning.
[2139] al-Fuqarā’ and al-Masākīn are, respectively, the destitutes who have nothing at all and the needy who hardly have anything at all (cf. al-Muyassar, Tafsīr al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah). Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The needy ˹al-miskīn˺ is not who goes about ˹begging from˺ people and will be satisfied by a morsel or two or a palm date or two. But the needy is he who cannot find enough to suffice him, he does not appear to people as in need of charity, and he would not go about asking people” (al-Bukhārī: 1479, Muslim: 1039).
[2140] al-ʿĀmilīna ʿalayhā are those who are put in charge of collecting and distributing the zakah (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ṭaḥāwī, Aḥkām al-Qur’ān, 1/365, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr).
[2141] al-Mu’allafah Qulūbuhum (lit. those whose hearts are bonded) are those whose hearts are attracted and softened towards Faith (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr).
[2142] Fī al-riqāb, is to use the money to emancipate slaves from bondage (cf. al-Muyassar, Tafsīr al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah). Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever frees a Muslim ˹slave˺ neck, Allah will free for every part ˹of the body of the freed˺ a ˹matching˺ part of his from the Fire; even the private parts for the private parts” (al-Bukhārī: 6715, Muslim: 1509).
[2143] al-Ghārimīn are those who fall into debt for a cause which is neither sinful nor from excess and who cannot pay off their debtors (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[2144] Fī sabīl Allāh to help those who fight in the path of Allah to carry out their mission (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, al-Saʿdī).
[2145] Ibn al-sabīl (lit. the son of the road) is the traveller who finds himself stranded in a place with no means to provide for himself (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[2139] al-Fuqarā’ and al-Masākīn are, respectively, the destitutes who have nothing at all and the needy who hardly have anything at all (cf. al-Muyassar, Tafsīr al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah). Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The needy ˹al-miskīn˺ is not who goes about ˹begging from˺ people and will be satisfied by a morsel or two or a palm date or two. But the needy is he who cannot find enough to suffice him, he does not appear to people as in need of charity, and he would not go about asking people” (al-Bukhārī: 1479, Muslim: 1039).
[2140] al-ʿĀmilīna ʿalayhā are those who are put in charge of collecting and distributing the zakah (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ṭaḥāwī, Aḥkām al-Qur’ān, 1/365, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr).
[2141] al-Mu’allafah Qulūbuhum (lit. those whose hearts are bonded) are those whose hearts are attracted and softened towards Faith (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr).
[2142] Fī al-riqāb, is to use the money to emancipate slaves from bondage (cf. al-Muyassar, Tafsīr al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah). Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever frees a Muslim ˹slave˺ neck, Allah will free for every part ˹of the body of the freed˺ a ˹matching˺ part of his from the Fire; even the private parts for the private parts” (al-Bukhārī: 6715, Muslim: 1509).
[2143] al-Ghārimīn are those who fall into debt for a cause which is neither sinful nor from excess and who cannot pay off their debtors (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[2144] Fī sabīl Allāh to help those who fight in the path of Allah to carry out their mission (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, al-Saʿdī).
[2145] Ibn al-sabīl (lit. the son of the road) is the traveller who finds himself stranded in a place with no means to provide for himself (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (60) 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.