سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 219
۞ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ ۖ قُلْ فِيهِمَآ إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَـٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَآ أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا ۗ وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلِ ٱلْعَفْوَ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿219﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: "In them is a great sin, and (some) benefit for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they ought to spend. Say: "That which is beyond your needs." Thus Allâh makes clear to you His Laws in order that you may give thought."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ
yasalūnaka
They ask you
عَنِ
ʿani
about
ٱلْخَمْرِ
l-khamri
[the] intoxicants
وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ ۖ
wal-maysiri
and [the] games of chance
قُلْ
qul
Say
فِيهِمَآ
fīhimā
In both of them
إِثْمٌۭ
ith'mun
(is) a sin
كَبِيرٌۭ
kabīrun
great
وَمَنَـٰفِعُ
wamanāfiʿu
and (some) benefits
لِلنَّاسِ
lilnnāsi
for [the] people
وَإِثْمُهُمَآ
wa-ith'muhumā
But sin of both of them
أَكْبَرُ
akbaru
(is) greater
مِن
min
than
نَّفْعِهِمَا ۗ
nafʿihimā
(the) benefit of (the) two
وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ
wayasalūnaka
And they ask you
مَاذَا
mādhā
what
يُنفِقُونَ
yunfiqūna
they (should) spend
قُلِ
quli
Say
ٱلْعَفْوَ ۗ
l-ʿafwa
The surplus
كَذَٰلِكَ
kadhālika
Thus
يُبَيِّنُ
yubayyinu
makes clear
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
لَكُمُ
lakumu
to you
ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ
l-āyāti
[the] Verses
لَعَلَّكُمْ
laʿallakum
so that you may
تَتَفَكَّرُونَ
tatafakkarūna
ponder
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
219. 1 This sin is in terms of religion. 219. 2 The benefits are related to the world, for example, with alcohol, there is temporary alertness and readiness in the body, and in some minds, sharpness increases, sexual power is enhanced, for which its use is common. In this way, its buying and selling is a profitable business. In gambling too, sometimes a person wins and gets some wealth. But these benefits are insignificant compared to the harms that come to a person's intellect and his religion from them. That is why it is said that their sin is much greater than their benefit. In this way, in this verse, alcohol and gambling have not been declared haram, but the groundwork has been laid for them. From this verse, a very important point is also known that everything, no matter how bad, has some benefits. And people, by mentioning some benefits, deceive themselves. What should be seen is the comparison of benefits and harms, especially in terms of religion, faith, morals, and character. If from a religious point of view, the harms and evils are greater, then for the sake of a few worldly benefits, it will not be declared permissible. 219. 3 In this sense, this is a moral instruction, or this command was given at the beginning of Islam, which after the obligation of zakat, is no longer necessary to act upon, though it is certainly preferable (Fath al-Qadeer), whatever is easy and convenient and does not weigh heavily on the heart. Islam has certainly greatly encouraged spending (in charity), but it has kept this moderation in view: firstly, it has ordered to give priority to the care and needs of those under your guardianship, and secondly, it has also forbidden spending in such a way that tomorrow you or your important family members may have to extend your hand in need before others.
