سُوْرَةُ يٰسٓ
Surah Yaseen (36) — Ayah 47
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَنُطْعِمُ مَن لَّوْ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ أَطْعَمَهُۥٓ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿47﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when it is said to them: "Spend of that with which Allâh has provided you," those who disbelieve say to those who believe: "Shall we feed those whom, if Allâh willed, He (Himself) would have fed? You are only in a plain error."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
قِيلَ
qīla
it is said
لَهُمْ
lahum
to them
أَنفِقُوا۟
anfiqū
Spend
مِمَّا
mimmā
from what
رَزَقَكُمُ
razaqakumu
(has) provided you
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
قَالَ
qāla
Said
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
لِلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
ءَامَنُوٓا۟
āmanū
believed
أَنُطْعِمُ
anuṭ'ʿimu
Should we feed
مَن
man
whom
لَّوْ
law
if
يَشَآءُ
yashāu
Allah willed
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah willed
أَطْعَمَهُۥٓ
aṭʿamahu
He would have fed him
إِنْ
in
Not
أَنتُمْ
antum
(are) you
إِلَّا
illā
except
فِى
fī
in
ضَلَـٰلٍۢ
ḍalālin
an error
مُّبِينٍۢ
mubīnin
clear
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.
47. 1. That is, give to the poor, needy, and those in need.
47. 2. That is, if Allah had willed, He would not have made them poor; however, by giving to them, why act against Allah’s will? That is, by saying, “Help the poor,” you are displaying a clear mistake. Their statement was correct that poverty and neediness are by Allah’s will, but making this a justification for turning away from Allah’s command is wrong. After all, the One who commands to help them is also Allah, so His pleasure is in helping the poor and needy. This is because will (مشیت) is one thing and pleasure (رضا) is another. Will relates to matters of creation, under which whatever happens, its wisdom and benefit is known only to Allah; and pleasure relates to matters of legislation, which we have been commanded to fulfill so that we may attain His pleasure.
47. 2. That is, if Allah had willed, He would not have made them poor; however, by giving to them, why act against Allah’s will? That is, by saying, “Help the poor,” you are displaying a clear mistake. Their statement was correct that poverty and neediness are by Allah’s will, but making this a justification for turning away from Allah’s command is wrong. After all, the One who commands to help them is also Allah, so His pleasure is in helping the poor and needy. This is because will (مشیت) is one thing and pleasure (رضا) is another. Will relates to matters of creation, under which whatever happens, its wisdom and benefit is known only to Allah; and pleasure relates to matters of legislation, which we have been commanded to fulfill so that we may attain His pleasure.
