سُوْرَةُ الْحَدِيْدِ
Surah Al-Hadid (57) — Ayah 10
وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تُنفِقُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَٰثُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا يَسْتَوِى مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ ٱلْفَتْحِ وَقَـٰتَلَ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدُ وَقَـٰتَلُوا۟ ۚ وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ﴿10﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And what is the matter with you that you spend not in the Cause of Allâh? And to Allâh belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth. Not equal among you are those who spent and fought before the conquering (of Makkah, with those among you who did so later). Such are higher in degree than those who spent and fought afterwards. But to all Allâh has promised the best (reward). And Allâh is All-Aware of what you do.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَا
wamā
And what
لَكُمْ
lakum
(is) for you
أَلَّا
allā
that not
تُنفِقُوا۟
tunfiqū
you spend
فِى
fī
in
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَلِلَّهِ
walillahi
while for Allah
مِيرَٰثُ
mīrāthu
(is the) heritage
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
(of) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
لَا
lā
Not
يَسْتَوِى
yastawī
are equal
مِنكُم
minkum
among you
مَّنْ
man
(those) who
أَنفَقَ
anfaqa
spent
مِن
min
before
قَبْلِ
qabli
before
ٱلْفَتْحِ
l-fatḥi
the victory
وَقَـٰتَلَ ۚ
waqātala
and fought
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
ulāika
Those
أَعْظَمُ
aʿẓamu
(are) greater
دَرَجَةًۭ
darajatan
(in) degree
مِّنَ
mina
than
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
أَنفَقُوا۟
anfaqū
spent
مِنۢ
min
afterwards
بَعْدُ
baʿdu
afterwards
وَقَـٰتَلُوا۟ ۚ
waqātalū
and fought
وَكُلًّۭا
wakullan
But to all
وَعَدَ
waʿada
Allah has promised
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah has promised
ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ
l-ḥus'nā
the best
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
بِمَا
bimā
of what
تَعْمَلُونَ
taʿmalūna
you do
خَبِيرٌۭ
khabīrun
(is) All-Aware
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.
10-1. By "victory," according to most commentators, is meant the conquest of Makkah. Some have understood the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah as the clear victory and have taken it to be the intended meaning. In any case, before the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah or the conquest of Makkah, Muslims were fewer in number and strength, and their financial condition was also very weak. In such circumstances, spending in the way of Allah and participating in jihad were both extremely difficult and required great courage, whereas after the conquest of Makkah, this situation changed. Muslims continued to increase in strength and number, and their financial condition also became much better than before. In this, Allah Almighty has stated regarding the Muslims of both periods that they cannot be equal in reward. -2. Because the spending and jihad of the former ones both took place in extremely difficult circumstances. From this, it is understood that people of virtue and determination should be given precedence over others. That is why, according to Ahl al-Sunnah, in honor and virtue, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq ؓ is the most preeminent, because he is the first believer, the first to spend, and the first to strive. That is why the Messenger of Allah ﷺ put al-Siddiq al-Akbar ؓ forward for prayer during his own life and presence, and on this basis, the believers (the Companions) gave him precedence in the right to the caliphate. ؓ and رضوا عنہ. -3. In this, it has been clarified that although there is a difference in honor and virtue among the Companions, the difference in ranks does not mean that the Companions who became Muslim later were, in terms of faith and character, completely inferior, as some people, regarding Muawiyah, his father Abu Sufyan, and some other such great Companions, utter nonsense or call them "Tulaqa" and thereby belittle and insult them. The Prophet ﷺ has said regarding all the Companions ؓ: "لا تسبوا اصحابي" (Do not revile my Companions). By the One in whose hand is my soul, if any one of you were to spend gold equal to Mount Uhud in the way of Allah, it would not equal even a mudd, or even half a mudd, spent by my Companion.
