Join over 4 million Quran learners from more than 180 countries
Ayah
Word by Word
لَن
Never
تَنَالُواْ
will you attain
ٱلۡبِرَّ
[the] righteousness
حَتَّىٰ
until
تُنفِقُواْ
you spend
مِمَّا
from what
تُحِبُّونَۚ
you love
وَمَا
And whatever
تُنفِقُواْ
you spend
مِن
of
شَيۡءٖ
a thing
فَإِنَّ
then indeed
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
بِهِۦ
of it
عَلِيمٞ
(is) All-Knowing
لَن
Never
تَنَالُواْ
will you attain
ٱلۡبِرَّ
[the] righteousness
حَتَّىٰ
until
تُنفِقُواْ
you spend
مِمَّا
from what
تُحِبُّونَۚ
you love
وَمَا
And whatever
تُنفِقُواْ
you spend
مِن
of
شَيۡءٖ
a thing
فَإِنَّ
then indeed
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
بِهِۦ
of it
عَلِيمٞ
(is) All-Knowing
Translation
Never will you attain the good [reward]1 until you spend [in the way of Allāh] from that which you love. And whatever you spend - indeed, Allāh is Knowing of it.
Footnotes
1 - Another meaning is "You will never attain righteousness."
Tafsir
You will not attain piety, that is, the reward for it, which is the Paradise, until you expend, [until] you give voluntary alms, of what you love, of your wealth; and whatever thing you expend, God knows of it, and He will requite it accordingly.
"Allah Does Not Guide People Who Disbelieve After they Believed, Unless They Repent
Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn Abbas said,
""A man from the Ansar embraced Islam, but later reverted and joined the polytheists. He later on became sorry and sent his people to, `Ask the Messenger of Allah for me, if I can repent.'
Then,
كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُواْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ
(How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief) until,
فَإِنَّ الله غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
(Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful), (3:86-89) was revealed and his people sent word to him and he re-embraced Islam.""
This is the wording recorded by An-Nasa'i, Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban.
Al-Hakim said, ""Its chain is Sahih and they did not record it.""
Allah's statement,
كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُواْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ وَشَهِدُواْ أَنَّ الرَّسُولَ حَقٌّ وَجَاءهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ
How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and after they bore witness that the Messenger is true and after clear proofs came to them!
means, the proofs and evidences were established, testifying to the truth of what the Messenger was sent with. The truth was thus explained to them, but they reverted to the darkness of polytheism. Therefore, how can such people deserve guidance after they willingly leapt into utter blindness!
This is why Allah said,
وَاللّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
And Allah guides not the people who are wrongdoers.
He then said,
أُوْلَـيِكَ جَزَاوُهُمْ أَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةَ اللّهِ وَالْمَليِكَةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ
They are those whose recompense is that on them (rests) the curse of Allah, of the angels and of all mankind.
Allah curses them and His creation also curses them.
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا
They will abide therein,
in the curse.
لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ
Neither will their torment be lightened nor will it be delayed or postponed.
for, the torment will not be lessened, not even for an hour.
After that, Allah said,
إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُواْ مِن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُواْ فَإِنَّ الله غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Except for those who repent after that and do righteous deeds. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
This Ayah indicates Allah's kindness, graciousness, compassion, mercy and favor on His creatures when they repent to Him, for He forgives them in this case.
Neither Repentance of the Disbeliever Upon Death, Nor His Ransoming Himself on the Day of Resurrection Shall be Accepted
Allah says;
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ ثُمَّ ازْدَادُواْ كُفْرًا لَّن تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُمْ وَأُوْلَـيِكَ هُمُ الضَّألُّونَ
Verily, those who disbelieved after their belief and then went on increasing in their disbelief never will their repentance be accepted.
Allah threatens and warns those who revert to disbelief after they believed and who thereafter insist on disbelief until death. He states that in this case, no repentance shall be accepted from them upon their death.
Similarly, Allah said,
وَلَيْسَتِ التَّوْبَةُ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّيَـتِ حَتَّى إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ
And of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil deeds until death faces one of them. (4:18)
This is why Allah said,
لَّن تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُمْ وَأُوْلَـيِكَ هُمُ الضَّألُّونَ
never will their repentance be accepted. And they are those who went astray.
to those who abandon the path of truth for the path of wickedness.
Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar recorded that Ibn Abbas said that;
some people embraced Islam, reverted to disbelief, became Muslims again, then reverted from Islam.
They sent their people inquiring about this matter and they asked the Messenger of Allah. On that, this Ayah was revealed,
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ ثُمَّ ازْدَادُواْ كُفْرًا لَّن تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُمْ
(Verily, those who disbelieved after their belief and then went on increasing in their disbelief never will their repentance be accepted).
The chain of narration is satisfactory.
Thereafter, Allah said
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِم مِّلْءُ الارْضِ ذَهَبًا وَلَوِ افْتَدَى بِهِ
Verily, those who disbelieved, and died while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth full of gold will not be accepted from anyone of them even if they offered it as a ransom.
Those who die while disbelievers, shall have no good deed ever accepted from them, even if they spent the earth's fill of gold in what was perceived to be an act of obedience.
The Prophet was asked about Abdullah bin Jud`an, who used to be generous to guests, helpful to the indebted and who gave food (to the poor); will all that benefit him?
The Prophet said,
لَاا إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَقُلْ يَوْمًا مِنَ الدَّهْرِ رَبِّ اغْفِر لِي خَطِييَتِي يَوْمَ الدِّين
No, for not even one day during his life did he pronounce, `O my Lord! Forgive my sins on the Day of Judgment.
Similarly, if the disbeliever gave the earth's full of gold as ransom, it will not be accepted from him.
Allah said,
وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ وَلَا تَنفَعُهَا شَفَـعَةٌ
nor shall compensation be accepted from him, nor shall intercession be of use to him. (2:123)
and,
لااَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خِلَـلٌ
on which there will be neither mutual bargaining nor befriending. (14:31)
and,
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ مَّا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لِيَفْتَدُواْ بِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
Verily, those who disbelieve, if they had all that is in the earth, and as much again therewith to ransom themselves thereby from the torment on the Day of Resurrection, it would never be accepted of them, and theirs would be a painful torment. (5:36)
This is why Allah said here,
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِم مِّلْءُ الارْضِ ذَهَبًا وَلَوِ افْتَدَى بِهِ
Verily, those who disbelieved, and died while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth full of gold will not be accepted from anyone of them if they offered it as a ransom.
The implication of this Ayah is that the disbeliever shall never avoid the torment of Allah, even if he spent the earth's fill of gold, or if he ransoms himself with the earth's fill of gold, - all of its mountains, hills, sand, dust, valleys, forests, land and sea.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah said,
يُوْتَى بِالرَّجُلِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ يَا ابْنَ ادَمَ كَيْفَ وَجَدْتَ مَنْزِلَكَ
A man from among the people of Paradise will be brought and Allah will ask him, ""O son of Adam! How did you find your dwelling?""
فَيَقُولُ أَيْ رَبِّ خَيْرَ مَنْزِلٍ
He will say, ""O Lord, it is the best dwelling.""
فَيَقُولُ سَلْ وَتَمَنَّ
Allah will say, ""Ask and wish.""
فَيَقُولُ مَا أَسْأَلُ وَلَا أَتَمَنَّى إِلاَّ أَنْ تَرُدَّنِي إِلَى الدُّنْيَا فَأُقْتَلَ فِي سَبِيلِكَ عَشْرَ مِرَارٍ
The man will say, ""I only ask and wish that You send me back to the world so that I am killed ten times in Your cause,""
لِمَا يَرَى مِنْ فَضْلِ الشَّهَادَةِ
because of the honor of martyrdom he would experience.
وَيُوْتَى بِالرَّجُلِ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ يَا ابْنَ ادَمَ كَيْفَ وَجَدْتَ مَنْزِلَكَ
A man from among the people of the Fire will be brought, and Allah will say to him, ""O son of Adam! How do you find your dwelling?""
فَيَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ شَرَّ مَنْزِلٍ
He will say, ""It is the worst dwelling, O Lord.""
فَيَقُولُ لَهُ تَفْتَدِي مِنِّي بِطِلَعِ الاَْرْضِ ذَهَبًا
Allah will ask him, ""Would you ransom yourself from Me with the earth's fill of gold?""
فَيَقُولُ أَيْ رَبِّ نَعَمْ
He will say, ""Yes, O Lord.""
فَيَقُولُ كَذَبْتَ قَدْ سَأَلْتُكَ أَقَلَّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَيْسَرَ فَلَمْ تَفْعَلْ
Allah will say, ""You have lied. I asked you to do what is less and easier than that, but you did not do it,""
فَيُرَدُّ إِلَى النَّار
and he will be sent back to the Fire.
This is why Allah said,
أُوْلَـيِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّاصِرِينَ
For them is a painful torment and they will have no helpers.
for they shall not have anyone who will save them from the torment of Allah or rescue them from His painful punishment.
Al-Birr is Spending from the Best of One's Wealth
Allah says,
لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ
By no means shall you attain Al-Birr, unless you spend of that which you love; and whatever of good you spend, Allah knows it well.
In his Tafsir, Waki reported, that `Amr bin Maymun said that
لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ
(By no means shall you attain Al-Birr),
is in reference to attaining Paradise.
Imam Ahmad reported that Anas bin Malik said,
""Abu Talhah had more property than any other among the Ansar in Al-Madinah, and the most beloved of his property to him was Bayruha' garden, which was in front of the (Messenger's) Masjid. Sometimes, Allah's Messenger used to go to the garden and drink its fresh water."" Anas added, ""When these verses were revealed,
لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ
(By no means shall you attain Al-Birr unless You spend of that which you love), Abu Talhah said,
`O Allah's Messenger! Allah says,
لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ
(By no means shall you attain Al-Birr, unless you spend of that which you love). No doubt, Bayruha' garden is the most beloved of all my property to me. So I want to give it in charity in Allah's cause, and I expect its reward and compensation from Allah. O Allah's Messenger! Spend it where Allah makes you think is feasible.'
On that, Allah's Messenger said,
بَخٍ بَخٍ ذَاكَ مَالٌ رَابِحٌ ذَاكَ مَالٌ رَابِحٌ وَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ وَأَنَا أَرَى أَنْ تَجْعَلَهَا فِي الاَْقْرَبِين
Well-done! It is profitable property, it is profitable property. I have heard what you have said, and I think it would be proper if you gave it to your kith and kin.
Abu Talhah said, `I will do so, O Allah's Messenger.'
Then Abu Talhah distributed that garden among his relatives and cousins.""
This Hadith was recorded in the Two Sahihs.
They also recorded that Umar said,
""O Messenger of Allah! I never gained possession of a piece of property more precious to me than my share in Khyber. Therefore, what do you command me to do with it""
The Prophet said,
حَبِّسِ الاَْصْلَ وَسَبِّلِ الثَّمَرَة
Retain the land to give its fruits in Allah's cause."
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Sequence of Verses
In the previous verse (91), it was said that charity from disbelievers and deniers was not acceptable with Allah. In this verse, believers have been told about acceptable charity and the etiquette governing it.
Commentary
Let us first understand what بِرّ. : birr means and what it really signifies so that the whole sense of the verse becomes clear in our minds.
The literal and real meaning of the word birr is the perfect fulfillment of someone's rights. It is also used in the sense of charity, performance of good deeds and nice conduct. The word: barr and barr بار is used for a person who fulfills, fully and totally, all rights due on him. The expression وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَتِي (good to my mother - 19:32) and وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَيْهِ (good to his father and mother - 19:14) has been used in the Qur'an in this very sense. It has been used there as a personal attribute of prophets who fulfilled the rights of their parents fully and perfectly.
Theplural form of this very word برّ : barr is ابرار : abrar which has been used frequently in the Qur'an. It has been said:
إِنَّ الْأَبْرَارَ يَشْرَبُونَ مِن كَأْسٍ كَانَ مِزَاجُهَا كَافُورًا ﴿5﴾
Surely the righteous shall drink of a cup the mixture of which is camphor - 76:5.
Again at another place it is said:
إِنَّ الْأَبْرَارَ لَفِي نَعِيمٍ ﴿22﴾ عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ يَنظُرُونَ ﴿23﴾
Surely the righteous shall be in bliss, upon furnished thrones
gazing 83:22, 23.
Yet again there is:
وَإِنَّ الْفُجَّارَ لَفِي جَحِيمٍ ﴿14﴾
And surely, the sinners shall be in hell ablaze - 82:14.
The last verse above also tells us that the antonym of بِرّ :birr is فجور :fujur (disobedience, sinfulness).
In al-Adab al-Mufrad of Imam al- Bukhari (رح) and in Ibn Majah and Musnad of Ahmad, it has been reported from Sayydna Abu Bakr ؓ that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: 'Stick to speaking the truth because truth is a companion of بِرّ : birr (righteousness) and both these are in Paradise; and abstain from lying because that is a companion of fujur (sin) and both these are in Hell.'
The verse 177 of Surah al-Baqarah (2) says:
لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ Righteousness is not that you turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteousness is that one believes in Allah and the last Day... 2:177.
After giving a list of good deeds in this verse, all of them have been classed as بِرّ birr (righteousness). The subject verse also tells us that, of the wide range of righteous deeds, the most preferred form of righteousness is to spend the most cherished things in the way of Allah. The verse further tells us 'you can never claim to have righteousness unless you spend out of what you hold dear.' Thus the meaning is that the perfect fulfillment of the rights of Allah Almighty and a total - self-unburdening from it cannot come to pass unless we spend in the way of Allah what we hold dear to our hearts. This very perfect fulfillment of due rights has also been translated as 'perfect good' or 'excellence in doing good' or 'the great merit'. To sum up, the sense here is that entering the ranks of the 'abrar' (the righteous) depends on sacrificing in the way of Allah that which one holds dear.
The enthusiastic obedience of ha-bah
The noble Companions ؓ ، who were the first addressees of the Qur'anic injunctions and the direct disciples of the Holy Prophet ﷺ really loved to carry out the injunctions of the Qur'an in letter and spirit. When this verse was revealed, each one of them surveyed as to what they loved most out of what they had. Consequently, requests started coming before the Holy Prophet ﷺ that these be spent in the way of Allah. Sayyidna Abu Talhah ؓ was the richest person among the انصار Ansar (the helping residents) of Madinah. He was the owner of a fruit farm located right across the mosque of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . It had a well called بیر حاء Bi'r Ha'. Now, in place of this farm, there is, in front of Bab al-Majidi, a building known as Istifa Manzil where pilgrims to Madinah stay. But, in a corner north-east from it, this Bi'r Ha' still exhists by the same name.l The Holy Prophet ﷺ used to visit this farm once in a while and drink water drawn from Bi'r Ha'. He liked the water from this well. This farm belonging to Sayyidna Talhah ؓ was very precious, fertile, and the dearest of all that he owned. After the revelation of this verse, he presented himself before the Holy Prophet ﷺ and said: 'I hold Bi'r Ha' the dearest of all that I own. I wish to 'spend' it in the way of Allah. I request you to use it for whatever purpose you like.' He ﷺ said: 'That farm is a high-yield property. I think it is appropriate that you distribute it among your kith and kin.' Sayyidna Abu Talhah ؓ ، accepting the suggestion made by the Holy Prophet ﷺ distributed it among his relatives and cousins (al-Bukhri and Muslim). This hadith also tells us that charity is not restricted to spending on the poor and the needy, but it is equally charitable and meritorious to give it to one's own family and relatives.
1. This building and.well have now been demolished due to the extension of the Mosque. (Translator)
Sayyidna Zayd ibn Haritha ؓ came with a horse and said that he loved it more than anything else he owned and that he wanted to 'spend' it in the way of Allah. The Holy Prophet ﷺ accepted it. But, after having taken it from him, he gave it to his son Sayyidna Usamah ؓ . Zayd ibn Haritha was somewhat disappointed about that thinking that his charity has found its way back into his own home. But, the Holy Prophet ﷺ comforted him by saying: 'Allah Almighty has accepted this charity of yours'. (Tafsir Mazhari vide Ibn Jarir, and others)
Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ also, had a bond-maid he liked most. He freed her for the sake of Allah.
Similarly, Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar ؓ had a bond-maid he loved. He freed her in the name of Allah.
In short, the gist of the verse under reference is that the complete fulfillment of the rights of Allah, the perfect good and excellence in doing good can be achieved only when a person spends something out of his dearest belongings in the way of Allah. Worthy of our attention and retention are some of the following aspects highlighted in this verse:
The word birr in this verses is inclusive of all charity, obligatory, or voluntary:
1. First of all, this verse motivates spending in the way of Allah. Some commentators take this to mean obligatory charity such as zakah while others take this to be voluntary (Nafl: supererogatory) charity. But, according to a consensus of respected researchers in the field, it has been established that its sense is general and includes both obligatory and voluntary charities. Then there are the recorded actions of the noble Companions, as cited above, which bear witness that these charitable initiatives taken by them were voluntary.
Therefore, the sense of the verse is that you give in the way of Allah whatever it may be, the obligatory zakah or the voluntary charity, but that perfect excellence and merit will blossom out from them only-when you spend in the way of Allah what you like and love. Not, that you pick out the spare, the useless or worthless things as if you were trying to get rid of the burden of charity and as if it was some sort of punitive_ tax on you. This subject has been taken up more clearly in an-other verse of the Qur'an which is as follows:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنفِقُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا كَسَبْتُمْ وَمِمَّا أَخْرَجْنَا لَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ ۖ وَلَا تَيَمَّمُوا الْخَبِيثَ مِنْهُ تُنفِقُونَ وَلَسْتُم بِآخِذِيهِ إِلَّا أَن تُغْمِضُوا فِيهِ
0 those who believe, spend of the the good things you have earned and of what We have brought forth for you from the earth and do not opt for a bad thing spending only from there while you are not going to accept it at all unless you close your eyes to it... - 2:267.
So, the outcome is that picking out the bad and the useless to give in charity is unacceptable; contrary to that is the acceptable charity which earns full merit and which is nothing but what is spent out of one's dear belongings.
Moderation in charity:
2. The second ruling comes out of the hint made in the word t:,. (from what) in the verse. That is, the purpose is not to spend away everything one likes and loves en masse in the way of Allah. Instead, the purpose is to spend whatever has to be spent from the good things. Spending in this way will bring the full reward of charity.
In charity, what counts is sincerity:
3. The third ruling is that spending the cherished is not tied to spending something of high value. Instead, by spending what one likes and holds dear, no matter how small it may be in quantity or cost, one would still become deserving of this 'birr' or righteousness. Hasan al-Basri (رح) says, 'Whoever spends sincerely for the good pleasure of Allah, even if that be a single date-fruit alone, that too is good enough to make one deserving of the great merit and perfect righteousness promised in the verse.'
Alternative for those who have nothing to spend:
4. On the outside, it appears from the verse that poor people who do not have much to spend will remain deprived of the great good and righteousness mentioned here. It is because it has been said in the verse that this great good cannot be achieved without spending one's cherished belonging while the poor and the needy just do not have anything through which they could reach the station of righteousness. But, a little deliberation would show that the verse does not mean that those who wish to have the great good and the great merit cannot achieve that by any means other than that of spending out of their cherished possessions. Contrary to that, the fact is that this great good can be achieved by some other means as well, such as, ` Ibadah, Dhikr, Tilawah of the Qur'an and abundance of nawafil. Therefore, the poor and the needy can also become the recipients of this great good through other means as it has been clearly explained in Hadith narrations.
What is meant by things you love?
5. This is the fifth question. Another verse of the Qur'an tells us that something liked and loved means that the thing is working for him and that he needs it, not that it be spare and useless. The Holy Qur'an says: وَيُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ مِسْكِينًا 'which means that "the favoured servants of Allah feed the poor although they need it themselves." (76:08) Similarly, in yet another verse, this subject has been further clarified as follows: وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ They (the favoured servants of Allah) prefer others over their ownselves even though they themselves are in need. (59:09)
Spending the extra and the spare too is not devoid of merit:
6. The sixth ruling given in this verse is that entry into the fold of perfect good, great merit and ranks of the righteous depends on spending one's cherished possessions in the way of Allah. But, it does not necessarily follow that there is just no merit in store for one who does spend out of what is extra to his needs. On the contrary, as it is said towards the end of the verse:`) وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ that is, And whatsoever you spend, Allah is fully aware of it,' the sense of the text in the verse is that while the achievement of the perfect good and entry into the ranks of the righteous, no doubt, depends on spending cherished possessions specially; however, no charity is devoid of merit irrespective of whether one spends the cherished or the extra. But, what is certainly undesirable and prohibited is getting into the habit of always picking out the extra and the bad to spend in the way of Allah. But, a person who not only spends good things he likes in charity but also gives away things which are extra to his needs; e.g., left-over food or used clothing, defective utensils or articles in use, does commit no sin by including these in his acts of charity. He would definitely earn a re-ward for those too. As far as spending of cherished possessions is concerned, he would thereupon achieve the great good and find his entry into the ranks of the righteous as well.
Also stated in this last sentence of the verse is that Allah is fully aware of the real quality of what man spends and knows whether or not it is dear to him, and if he is spending it for the good pleasure of Allah, or for pretense and publicity. The mere verbal claim by some-body that he is spending what he cherishes in the way of Allah is not enough for this purpose. Keeping vigil over him is the One, the all-Knowing, the all-Aware who is cognizant of the secrets of the heart - He is watching and knows what is the true worth of the spending in His way.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Tafsir Surat Ali-'Imran: 92
Kalian sekali-kali tidak akan sampai kepada kebajikan (yang sempurna) sebelum kalian menginfakkan sebagian harta yang kalian cintai. Dan apa saja yang kalian infakkan, maka sesungguhnya Allah mengetahuinya.
Ayat 92
Waki' di dalam kitab tafsirnya meriwayatkan dari Syarik, dari Abu Ishaq, dari Amr ibnu Maimun sehubungan dengan firman-Nya: “Kalian sekali-kali tidak akan sampai kepada kebajikan yang sempurna.” (Ali Imran: 92) Yang dimaksud dengan al-birr (kebajikan yang sempurna) adalah surga.
Imam Ahmad mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami Rauh, telah menceritakan kepada kami Malik, dari Ishaq, dari Abdullah ibnu Abu Talhah yang pernah mendengar dari Anas ibnu Malik, bahwa Abu Talhah adalah seorang Anshar yang paling banyak memiliki harta di Madinah, dan tersebutlah bahwa harta yang paling dicintainya adalah Bairuha (sebuah kebun kurma) yang letaknya berhadapan dengan Masjid Nabawi.
Nabi ﷺ sering memasuki kebun itu dan meminum airnya yang segar lagi tawar. Sahabat Anas melanjutkan kisahnya, bahwa setelah diturunkan firman-Nya yang mengatakan: “Kalian sekali-kali tidak akan sampai kepada kebajikan yang sempurna sebelum kalian menginfakkan sebagian harta yang kalian cintai.” (Ali Imran: 92) Lalu Abu Talhah berkata, "Wahai Rasulullah, sesungguhnya Allah ﷻ telah berfirman: 'Kalian sekali-kali tidak sampai kepada kebajikan (yang sempurna) sebelum kalian menginfakkan sebagian harta yang kalian cintai' (Ali Imran: 92), dan sesungguhnya hartaku yang paling aku cintai adalah kebun Bairuha ini, dan sekarang Bairuha aku sedekahkan agar aku dapat mencapai kebajikan melaluinya dan sebagai simpananku di sisi Allah ﷻ. Maka aku mohon sudilah engkau, wahai Rasulullah, memanfaatkannya menurut apa yang ditunjukkan oleh Allah kepadamu." Maka Nabi ﷺ menjawab melalui sabdanya: “Wah, wah, itu harta yang menguntungkan, itu harta yang menguntungkan; dan aku telah mendengarnya, tetapi aku berpendapat sebaiknya kamu memberikannya kepada kaum kerabatmu.” Abu Talhah menjawab, "Akan aku lakukan sekarang, wahai Rasulullah." Lalu Abu Talhah membagi-bagikannya kepada kaum kerabatnya dan anak-anak pamannya.
Hadits ini juga diketengahkan oleh Imam Al-Bukhari dan Imam Muslim.
Di dalam kitab Shahihain disebutkan: bahwa sahabat Umar mengatakan, "Wahai Rasulullah, aku belum pernah memperoleh harta yang paling aku cintai dari semua harta yang ada padaku selain bagianku dari ghanimah Khaibar. Apakah yang harus aku lakukan terhadapnya menurutmu?" Maka Rasulullah ﷺ menjawab: “Tahanlah pokoknya dan sedekahkanlah (di jalan Allah) buah (hasil)nya.”
Al-Hafidzh Abu Bakar Al-Bazzar mengatakan, telah menceritakan kepada kami Abul Khattab (yaitu Ziyad ibnu Yahya Al-Hassani), telah menceritakan kepada kami Yazid ibnu Harun, telah menceritakan kepada kami Muhammad ibnu Amr, dari Abu Amr ibnu Hammas, dari Hamzah ibnu Abdullah ibnu Umar yang menceritakan bahwa telah sampai kepadanya ayat berikut, yaitu firman-Nya: “Kalian sekali-kali tidak akan sampai kepada kebajikan (yang sempurna) sebelum kalian menginfakkan sebagian harta yang kalian cintai.” (Ali Imran: 92) Maka ia teringat kepada pemberian Allah yang paling ia cintai, yaitu seorang budak wanita Romawi. Aku (Ibnu Umar) berkata, "Dia merdeka demi karena Allah. Seandainya aku menarik kembali sesuatu yang telah kujadikan sebagai amal taqarrub kepada Allah, niscaya aku akan menikahinya.”
Pada ayat sebelumnya dijelaskan bahwa orang yang meninggal dalam kekufuran, maka sebesar apa pun harta dan infak yang mereka keluarkan, tidak akan bisa dijadikan tebusan agar mereka bebas dari azab Allah. Pada ayat ini dijelaskan tentang harta dan infak yang bermanfaat hendaknya harta yang dicintai, karena kamu tidak akan memperoleh kebajikan yang paling utama dan sempurna sebelum kamu menginfakkan, dengan cara yang baik dan tujuan yang benar, sebagian harta yang kamu cintai, yang paling bagus dari apa yang kamu miliki. Dan apa pun yang kamu infakkan, tentang hal itu sungguh, Allah Maha Mengetahui niat dan tujuan kamu berinfak, apakah karena ingin dipuji atau dilihat orang (riya'), ingin dipuji orang yang mendengar (sum'ah), atau semata-mata karena Allah. Jika infak dilaksanakan hanya karena Allah maka Allah akan membalasnya dengan kebaikan di dunia maupun akhirat.
Setelah ayat sebelumnya Allah menjelaskan harta dan infak yang bermanfaat, maka pada ayat ini Allah menjelaskan makanan yang halal atau haram bagi Bani Israil. Semua makanan itu pada dasarnya halal bagi Bani Israil sebagaimana halal juga bagi selain mereka, kecuali makanan yang diharamkan oleh Israil (Yakub) atas dirinya sendiri sebelum Taurat diturunkan dalam rangka meraih kebajikan dan mendekatkan diri kepada Allah. Makanan tersebut adalah daging dan susu unta. Ada satu riwayat menyebutkan bahwa Nabi Yakub pernah sakit dan bernazar kalau Allah memberinya kesembuhan, maka dia tidak akan makan daging unta dan tidak minum susunya, meskipun kedua makanan tersebut sangat disukainya. Pengharaman Nabi Yakub atas kedua jenis makanan tersebut lalu diikuti oleh keturunannya.
Setelah Taurat diturunkan ada beberapa makanan yang diharamkan bagi mereka sebagai hukuman atas pelanggaran yang mereka lakukan (Lihat: Surah an-Nisa''/4: 160 dan al-Ana'm/6: 146), tetapi kaum Yahudi membuat kebohongan dengan mengatakan bahwa ada makanan yang diharamkan Allah untuk mereka sebelum Kitab Taurat diturunkan. Oleh karena itu Allah menjawab, Katakanlah, wahai Nabi Muhammad, jika kamu berkata demikian, maka bawalah Taurat lalu bacalah, dan tunjukkan kepada kami keterangan Taurat tentang pengharaman makanan itu jika kamu orang-orang yang benar. Ternyata tidak seorang pun di antara mereka mampu menunjukkkan ayat Taurat yang mendukung kebohongan mereka.
Seseorang tidak akan mencapai tingkat kebajikan di sisi Allah, sebelum ia dengan ikhlas menafkahkan harta yang dicintainya di jalan Allah. Yang dimaksud dengan harta yang dicintai adalah harta yang kita cintai. Ayat ini erat hubungannya dengan firman Allah.
Wahai orang-orang yang beriman! Infakkanlah sebagian dari hasil usahamu yang baik-baik ? (al-Baqarah/2:267).
Setelah ayat ini diturunkan, para sahabat Nabi berlomba-lomba berbuat kebaikan. Di antaranya, Abu thalhah al-Anshari, seorang hartawan di kalangan Ansar datang kepada Nabi ﷺ memberikan sebidang kebun kurma yang sangat dicintainya untuk dinafkahkan di jalan Allah.
Pemberian itu diterima oleh Nabi dengan baik dan memuji keikhlasannya. Rasulullah menasihatkan agar harta itu dinafkahkan kepada karib kerabatnya, maka thalhah membagi-bagikannya kepada karib kerabatnya. Dengan demikian ia mendapat pahala sedekah dan pahala mempererat hubungan silaturrahmi dengan keluarganya. Setelah itu datang pula Umar bin al-Khaththab menyerahkan sebidang kebunnya yang ada di Khaibar, Nabi ﷺ menyuruh pula agar kebun itu tetap dipelihara, hanya hasil dari kebun itu merupakan wakaf dari Umar.
Setelah panjang lebar dibicarakan perbedaan antara kufur dan kaum beriman, dan dibicarakan pula tentang orang yang kufur sesudah iman, dari hal orang yang tobat sungguh-sungguh dan memperbaiki, orang yang sama sekali tidak mau mengenal iman, bahkan sampai mati tetap dalam kufur, sekarang di-tunjukkanlah bekas dan bukti iman yang sejati, yaitu
“Sekali-kali tidaklah kamu akan mencapai kebaikan, sebelum kamu mendermakan sebagian dari harta yang kamu sayangi."
(pangkal ayat 92)
Menyebut iman adalah mudah, tetapi mencapai hasil iman yang mulia adalah suatu ujian hati yang berat. Orang belum akan mencapai kebaikan (birr) atau hidup yang baik atau jiwa yang baik, kalau dia belum sanggup mendermakan barang yang paling dicintainya.
Dalam surah al-Baqarah dahulu (ayat 176) telah diterangkan bahwa kebaikan bukanlah semata-mata buat menghadapkan muka ke Timur ataupun ke Barat, tetapi antara syarat-syarat untuk menjadi orang baik adalah sudi mengeluarkan harta benda, padahal kita cinta kepadanya. Di dalam surah al-Baqarah juga, ayat 267 dipimpinkan lagi, jangan sampai memberikan derma apa pun kepada orang lain, yang jika misalnya engkau sendiri yang me-nerimanya, engkau akan memicingkan mata, hanya karena terpaksa saja. Sekarang dijelaskanlah bahwa kebaikan tidak akan tercapai kalau belum sanggup mendermakan apa yang paling dicintai. Kalau martabat ini telah tercapai, baru boleh diakui bahwa dia seorang baik yang telah mencapai kebaikan.
Kemudian, datanglah sambungan ayat,
“Dan apa jua pun dari sesuatu yang kamu dermakan itu, sesungguhnya Allah mengetahui"
(ujung ayat 92)
Bernilai maupun tidak, derma dan pengorbanan yang kamu keluarkan, barang yang sangat engkau cintaikah atau barang yang telah bosan engkau memakainya, barang mahalkah atau murah, ikhlaskah atau riya, mungkin orang lain tidak tahu apa maksudnya, tetapi Allah tetap mengetahuinya.
Setelah ayat ini turun, bukan main besar pengaruhnya kepada sahabat-sahabat Nabi dan selanjutnya menjadi pendidikan batin yang mendalam sekali di hati Muslim yang hendak mempertinggi mutu imannya. Seorang sahabat Nabi dari kaum Anshar bernama Abu Thalhah mempunyai kekayaan satu-satunya yang amat dibanggakannya, yaitu sebuah kebun bernama Bairuhaa' tidak berapa jauh dari Masjid Madinah. Nabi ﷺ kerap kali singgah ke kebun itu meminum airnya yang sejuk. Nama Abu Thalhah amat terkenal karena kebunnya yang subur itu. Akan tetapi, setelah ayat ini turun, menyelinaplah pengaruhnya ke dalam hati Abu Thalhah. Dia terus menemui Nabi ﷺ dan berkata, “Aku ingin mengamalkan wahyu Ilahi itu, ya Rasulullah! Kekayaan yang paling aku cintai sehingga tidak ada yang lain lagi adalah kebun yang di Bairuhaa'. Terimalah dia sebagai sedekahku, ya Rasulullah, dan Rasulullah aku kuasakan menyerahkannya kepada siapa yang patut menerimanya."
Dengan amat gembira Rasulullah menerima sedekah itu dan menghargai tinggi iman Abu Thalhah. Lalu beliau menguasakan kepada Abu Thalhah membagikan harta yang amat dicintainya itu kepada keluarga yang dekat. Menurut riwayat hadits Muslim, harta itu telah diberikannya kepada Zaid bin Tsabit dan Ubay bin Ka'ab.
Demikian pula, bekas anak angkat Nabi ﷺ yang terkenal, Zaid bin Haritsah, datang kepada beliau membawa kuda tunggangannya yang amat dikasihinya yang diberinya nama Subul. Berkata dia kepada Nabi ﷺ, “Aku ingin mengamalkan ayat itu, ya Rasulullah! Inilah kuda tungganganku yang engkau tahu, adalah yang paling aku sayangi. Terimalah dia sebagai sedekahku dan sudilah Rasulullah memberikannya kepada yang patut me-nerimanya, moga-moga diterima Allah."
Kuda tunggangan yang tangkas itu diterima oleh Rasulullah sampai beliau melihat pada wajah Zaid membayangkan kesedihan berpisah dengan kuda itu. Terbuktilah, bahwa kuda itu benar-benar dicintainya. Akan tetapi, pimpinan Rasulullah memanglah pimpinan yang amat tinggi dan mulia serta bijaksana. Setelah kuda tunggangan itu terpautdi hadapan beliau, dia suruh orang menjemput Usamah, anak Zaid sendiri, yang dicintai Rasulullah pula seperti mencintai ayahnya. Setelah dia hadir, bersabdalah Rasulullah, “Kuda tunggangan yang cantik ini, telah diserahkan Zaid kepadaku, aku telah menerimanya dan berhak menyerahkannya kepada siapa yang kukehendaki. Sekarang kuda ini aku serahkan kepada Usamah."
Demikianlah bijaksana Rasul ﷺ Kebun yang amat dicintai oleh Abu Thalhah dise-dekahkannya dan dimintanya Nabi ﷺ menyerahkannya kepada siapa yang patut. Lalu beliau kuasakan Abu Thalhah menyerahkan kepada Zaid bin Tsabit dan Ubay bin Ka'ab. Kuda tunggangan Zaid bin Haritsah beliau serahkan kepada Usamah anak Zaid sehingga kedua barang yang dicintai itu tidak jauh dari yang memberikan.
Pada suatu hari, Rasul ﷺ, kedatangan seorang tamu di masjid, senja hari. Tamu itu ikut berjamaah Maghrib dan Isya. Setelah selesai shalat Isya, Rasulullah ﷺ bertanya, siapa di antara sahabat beliau yang sudi membawa tamu itu ke rumahnya. Abu Thalhah (bukan Abu Thalhah yang mendermakan kebun) menyanggupi, lalu membawa' tamu itu ke rumahnya. Setiba di rumah, terus diberitahukannya kepada istrinya. Dengan terus terang istrinya memberitahukan bahwa persediaan makanan malam yang ada hanyalah untuk Abu Thalhah saja. Akan tetapi, kedua suami istri itu, dalam kesanggupannya yang terbatas, ingin juga mengamalkan ayat, Lantaraalu. Mereka sediakan makanan itu dan Abu Thalhah mengajak tamunya yang terhormat itu makan bersama-sama. Istrinya sangat sibuk menyediakannya dan dia sendiri yang menambahkan makanan itu. Mulailah tamunya makan, dan istri Abu Thalhah terus sibuk mengambil tambahan makanan lagi. Tiba-tiba sebuah pelita yang ada di tangan istri Abu Thalhah padam, sedang api tiada ada. Ini telah diatur oleh kedua suami istri itu. Tamu meneruskan makan dan Abu Thalhah pun seperti orang makan pula, kedengaran mulutnya mengunyah-ngunyah, padahal dia tidak makan sebab hidangan seluruhnya diberikan kepada tamu. Istri Abu Thalhah pun tidak makan. Sampai waktu Shubuh suami istri itu tidak makan sebab makanan telah diberikan semua kepada tamu. Selesai makan, dipersilakannya tamu itu tidur.
Pada waktu Shubuh dibangunkannya tamu itu dan diajaknya shalat Shubuh ke masjid. Sesampai di masjid, bertemulah dia dengan Rasul ﷺ Tentu saja kejadian tadi malam tidak dibukakannya kepada beliau. Akan tetapi, Rasulullah ﷺ yang berkata, ‘Allah amat kagum melihat perbuatanmu menyelenggarakan tamumu tadi malam, wahai Abu Tbalhah." Inilah sebabnya turun ayat dalam surah al-Hasyr, ayat 9. “Mereka utamakan (mereka itu) di atas diri mereka sendiri, walaupun ada pada mereka kepapaan."
Sayyidina Umar bin Khaththab memesan seorang dayang yang manis ke negeri Persia. Namun, setelah dayang itu beliau terima, beliau terkenang akan ayat Lantaraalu. Langsung dayang itu beliau merdekakan.
Putra beliau, Abdullah bin Umar, mempunyai pula seorang dayang (hamba sahaya) yang cantik didatangkan dari negeri Rum. Tergetar pula hatinya demi membaca ayat Lantaraalu, hamba sahaya yang cantik itu langsung beliau merdekakan. Memerdekakan budakyang dicintai adalah suatu pengorbanan. Bolehlah budak itu dimerdekakan dan kemerdekaannya itu menjadi maharnya, lalu dikawini. Namun, Abdullah bin Umar setelah memerdekakan budak cantik itu, terus menawarkannya menjadi istri maulanya, Naafi, Sedangkan Naafi, maula Abdullah bin Umar pun, bekas budak tawanan perang, beliau merdekakan budak cantik itu dan menganggap sebagai anak kandung. Namanya amat terkenal sebab hadits-hadits Nabi yang dirawikan dari Ibnu Umar selalu melalui Naafi.
Abdullah bin Umar ini juga. Suatu waktu beliau ditimpa sakit agak berat. Setelah beliau sembuh, beliau ingin benar memakan ikan. Ketika itu ikan amat sulit didapat. Disuruhnya orang mencari ke mana-mana, hingga dapat, lalu dibawa pulang dan dimasak, tinggal beliau akan memakannya saja. Beliau masih berbaring di tempat tidur. Tiba-tiba di kala beliau akan makan kedengaran di luar orang mengemis meminta makan. Beliau berkata kepada khadamnya, “Bungkus ikan itu dengan rotinya sekali dan berikan kepada orang yang meminta makanan itu!" Oleh si khadam ikan dan roti itu disembunyikannya ke belakang, lalu dibawa uang satu dirham kepada si pe-minta-minta itu. Baginya, pemberian satu dirham sudah sangat menggembirakan dan dengan muka girang dia pun keluar.
Si khadam kembali lagi membawa ikan dan roti tadi kepada Abdullah bin Umar dan menceritakan perbuatannya, bahwa roti dan ikan itu telah digantinya dengan dirham. Dengan marah Abdullah bin Umar menyuruh khadam itu menjemput orang tadi kembali dan menyerahkan ikan dan roti itu kepadanya. Dia berkata, “Aku mendengar Rasulullah ﷺ pernah berkata,
“Kalau ada orang yang sangat ingin akan sesuatu yang membuka selera, lalu dia tekan keinginannya itu, sehingga tidak dipentingkannya dirinya, akan diampuni Allah dosanya." (HR Ibnu Hibban, Abu Syaikh dari Naafi, dan Ibnu Umar dan ad-Daruquthni)
Menurut yang dinukilkan oleh Abi Thalib al-Makki dalam kitabnya, Qutul Quluub dan Imam Ghazali dalam al-Ihya', bahwa Umar bin Khaththab pernah menghadiahkan sebuah kepala kambing yang telah dimasak dengan enaknya kepada seorang sahabatnya. Sesampai di tangan orang yang diberi itu, merasalah dia bahwa sahabatnya si anu barangkah lebih ingin akan makanan yang enak itu, lalu dikirimkannya ke sana. Oleh sahabat itu dikirimkannya pula ke rumah sahabatnya yang lain, yang dirasanya mungkin lebih menginginkan sehingga kepala kambing itu pindah berpindah sampai tujuh buah rumah sehingga akhirnya rumah yang ketujuh memandang pula bahwa Umar bin Khaththab barangkali lebih menginginkan gulai yang enak ini. Tibalah kembali kepala kambing itu dengan tidak kurang suatu apa pun ke rumah Umar bin Khaththab.
Padahal, seketika Umar bin Khaththab mengirimkan kepala kambing itu, bukanlah karena dia tidak menyukai, melainkan karena seleranya sangat terbuka membauinya dan merasa tentu makanan yang enak seperti inilah yang patut diberikan kepada sahabat. Berpindahlah dari satu rumah ke rumah yang lain, sampai tujuh rumah, itu pun adalah karena semua amat ingin. Oleh karena amat ingin, teringatlah kawan. Akhirnya kembali ke rumah Umar.
Menurut kisah yang dikisahkan oleh ahli taﷺuf yang terkenal, Abu Hasan al-Anthaki, pada suatu hari berkumpullah lebih dari 30 orang ahli ketuhanan di satu desa di dekat Raiy (dekat Teheran sekarang) Hari telah malam, semuanya lapar, sedang roti hanya beberapa potong saja, tidak cukup buat makanan orang lebih dari 30 orang itu. Ada antara mereka mengambil roti yang sedikit itu dan memecahnya, lalu meletakkan di tengah-tengah, sedang lampu mereka padamkan. Setelah lampu padam kedengaran ada yang pergi mengambil roti itu berganti-ganti, cimpang-cimpung kedengaran mulut mereka makan. Yang telah selesai makan terus pergi tidur dan mengatakan kepada yang belum makan bahwa persediaan masih banyak. Akan tetapi, setelah hari siang, kelihatanlah bahwa roti itu tidak rusak, walaupun sepotong. Tidak seorang juga yang makan, hanya pura-pura makan, hanyalah menenggang kawan saja.
(Kamu sekali-kali tidak sampai kepada kebaktian) artinya pahalanya yaitu surga (sebelum kamu menafkahkan) menyedekahkan (sebagian dari apa yang kamu cintai) berupa harta bendamu (dan apa yang kamu nafkahkan dari sesuatu maka sesungguhnya Allah mengetahuinya) dan akan membalasnya. Ketika orang-orang Yahudi mengatakan kepada Nabi ﷺ, "Anda mengakui diri Anda dalam agama Ibrahim padahal ia tidak memakan daging unta dan susunya," turunlah ayat:.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
Belum tersedia. Dibutuhkan biaya untuk menambahkan tafsir ini.
