سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 34
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلْأَحْبَارِ وَٱلرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَٰلَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ﴿34﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks who devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the Way of Allâh (i.e. Allâh’s religion of Islâmic Monotheism). And those who hoard up gold and silver [Al-Kanz: the money, the Zakât of which has not been paid] and spend them not in the Way of Allâh, announce unto them a painful torment.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you who believe
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
O you who believe
ءَامَنُوٓا۟
āmanū
O you who believe
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
كَثِيرًۭا
kathīran
many
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْأَحْبَارِ
l-aḥbāri
the rabbis
وَٱلرُّهْبَانِ
wal-ruh'bāni
and the monks
لَيَأْكُلُونَ
layakulūna
surely eat
أَمْوَٰلَ
amwāla
(the) wealth
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) the people
بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ
bil-bāṭili
in falsehood
وَيَصُدُّونَ
wayaṣuddūna
and hinder
عَن
ʿan
from
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ ۗ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
And those who
يَكْنِزُونَ
yaknizūna
hoard
ٱلذَّهَبَ
l-dhahaba
the gold
وَٱلْفِضَّةَ
wal-fiḍata
and the silver
وَلَا
walā
and (do) not
يُنفِقُونَهَا
yunfiqūnahā
spend it
فِى
fī
in
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
فَبَشِّرْهُم
fabashir'hum
[so] give them tidings
بِعَذَابٍ
biʿadhābin
of a punishment
أَلِيمٍۢ
alīmin
painful
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.
34. 1 Ahbar is the plural of Hibr; it refers to a person who has the ability to present things in a beautiful manner. A beautiful and embroidered garment is called Thawb Muhabbir. Here, it refers to the scholars of the Jews. Ruhban is the plural of Rahib, which is derived from Rahbana. By this, the scholars of the Christians are meant; according to some, it refers to the ascetics among the Christians. Both of these groups would alter and change the word of Allah and issue rulings according to people's desires, thus preventing people from the path of Allah. The saying of the Prophet ﷺ is the title of this chapter: "You will surely follow the ways of the previous nations."
34. 2 Abdullah bin Umar states that this is the command before the obligation of Zakat. After the command of Zakat was revealed, Allah made Zakat a means of purification for wealth. Therefore, the scholars say that wealth from which Zakat has been paid is not a treasure, and wealth from which Zakat has not been paid is Kanz (treasure), upon which this Quranic warning applies. Thus, in an authentic hadith it is stated: "Whoever does not pay the Zakat of his wealth, on the Day of Resurrection his wealth will be made into plates of fire, with which his sides, forehead, and back will be branded. This day will be of fifty thousand years, and this will continue until the people's judgments are completed. After that, he will be taken either to Paradise or to Hell." (Sahih Muslim) After the corrupt scholars and ascetics, the corrupt wealthy are next; all three groups are most responsible for the corruption of the masses.
34. 2 Abdullah bin Umar states that this is the command before the obligation of Zakat. After the command of Zakat was revealed, Allah made Zakat a means of purification for wealth. Therefore, the scholars say that wealth from which Zakat has been paid is not a treasure, and wealth from which Zakat has not been paid is Kanz (treasure), upon which this Quranic warning applies. Thus, in an authentic hadith it is stated: "Whoever does not pay the Zakat of his wealth, on the Day of Resurrection his wealth will be made into plates of fire, with which his sides, forehead, and back will be branded. This day will be of fifty thousand years, and this will continue until the people's judgments are completed. After that, he will be taken either to Paradise or to Hell." (Sahih Muslim) After the corrupt scholars and ascetics, the corrupt wealthy are next; all three groups are most responsible for the corruption of the masses.
