سُوْرَةُ اِبْرَاهِيْمَ
Surah Ibrahim (14) — Ayah 31
قُل لِّعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِىَ يَوْمٌ لَّا بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خِلَـٰلٌ ﴿31﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) to ‘Ibâdî (My slaves) who have believed, that they should perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât ), and spend in charity out of the sustenance We have given them, secretly and openly, before the coming of a Day on which there will be neither mutual bargaining nor befriending.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُل
qul
Say
لِّعِبَادِىَ
liʿibādiya
to My slaves
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
يُقِيمُوا۟
yuqīmū
(to) establish
ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ
l-ṣalata
the prayers
وَيُنفِقُوا۟
wayunfiqū
and (to) spend
مِمَّا
mimmā
from what
رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ
razaqnāhum
We have provided them
سِرًّۭا
sirran
secretly
وَعَلَانِيَةًۭ
waʿalāniyatan
and publicly
مِّن
min
before
قَبْلِ
qabli
before
أَن
an
[that]
يَأْتِىَ
yatiya
comes
يَوْمٌۭ
yawmun
a Day
لَّا
lā
not
بَيْعٌۭ
bayʿun
any trade
فِيهِ
fīhi
in it
وَلَا
walā
and not
خِلَـٰلٌ
khilālun
any friendship
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah31) ➊ {قُلْ لِّعِبَادِيَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا :} All humans are servants of Allah, but Allah’s saying {’’عِبَادِيْ‘‘} (My servants) is a great honor, as He said: «{ سُبْحٰنَ الَّذِيْۤ اَسْرٰى بِعَبْدِهٖ لَيْلًا }» [ بنی إسرائیل : ۱ ] “Glory be to Him who took His servant by night.” Allah Almighty commanded His Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) to say to those people who have two qualities: first, that they are only My servants, not anyone else’s, who keep names like Abdullah, Abdur Rahman, and similar, not Abdul Hussain, Abdul Nabi, Peeran Ditta, Ghaus Bakhsh, etc., and who, in word and deed, worship and serve only Me, not anyone else; and the second quality is that they have believed.
➋ {يُقِيْمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَ يُنْفِقُوْا …:} Both these verbs are in the jussive form due to the implied imperative “lam amr.” The meaning of “iqamah” is to make straight, i.e., to perform the prayer correctly; this includes regularity, performing it on time, fulfilling all its pillars properly, and performing it with humility. Every type of servitude is included in prayer to some extent: facing the qiblah is related to Hajj, standing, bowing, prostration, and sitting on the knees are different forms of expressing servitude and slavery; abstaining from eating and drinking during prayer is related to fasting; leaving business and coming to prayer is not possible for one who is not even willing to spend anything in the way of Allah; and there are many other things that are found only in prayer, not in any other act of worship. In the Qur’an, prayer and zakat or spending are often mentioned together, because connection with Allah and fulfillment of people’s rights cannot be achieved without both.
➌ { مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰهُمْ سِرًّا وَّ عَلَانِيَةً :} Two points must be noted here. First is the word {’’مِنْ‘‘}, that whatever Allah has given us—life, wealth, children, strength, knowledge, honor, in short, countless things—He has not demanded us to spend all of it, because He knows our weakness, which He mentioned in Surah Muhammad, verses (36, 37). The second word is {’’رَزَقْنَا‘‘}, that whatever you spend, you must spend from what We have given you; if you think this way, there will be no stinginess in your heart, but if you consider everything as your own, it will be very difficult to spend. {’’ سِرًّا ‘‘} means secretly, so that it is free from showing off, and {’’ عَلَانِيَةً ‘‘} means openly, so that others may be encouraged, or if it is obligatory zakat, then give it openly, because giving it secretly may lead to the suspicion of not paying zakat.
➍ {مِّنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ يَّاْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لَّا بَيْعٌ فِيْهِ وَ لَا خِلٰلٌ : ’’ خِلٰلٌ ‘‘} This is a verbal noun from the form “mufa‘alah,” meaning heartfelt friendship; what is meant is the Day of Resurrection, when good deeds cannot be bought, nor will anyone’s friendship or love be of any use to save from Allah’s punishment. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “That is, good deeds are not sold, and no one gives concession out of friendship.” (Muwadhih) Allah Almighty has said elsewhere: «{ اَلْاَخِلَّآءُ يَوْمَىِٕذٍۭ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ اِلَّا الْمُتَّقِيْنَ }» [ الزخرف : ۶۷ ] “All close friends on that Day will be enemies to one another, except the righteous.”
➋ {يُقِيْمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَ يُنْفِقُوْا …:} Both these verbs are in the jussive form due to the implied imperative “lam amr.” The meaning of “iqamah” is to make straight, i.e., to perform the prayer correctly; this includes regularity, performing it on time, fulfilling all its pillars properly, and performing it with humility. Every type of servitude is included in prayer to some extent: facing the qiblah is related to Hajj, standing, bowing, prostration, and sitting on the knees are different forms of expressing servitude and slavery; abstaining from eating and drinking during prayer is related to fasting; leaving business and coming to prayer is not possible for one who is not even willing to spend anything in the way of Allah; and there are many other things that are found only in prayer, not in any other act of worship. In the Qur’an, prayer and zakat or spending are often mentioned together, because connection with Allah and fulfillment of people’s rights cannot be achieved without both.
➌ { مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰهُمْ سِرًّا وَّ عَلَانِيَةً :} Two points must be noted here. First is the word {’’مِنْ‘‘}, that whatever Allah has given us—life, wealth, children, strength, knowledge, honor, in short, countless things—He has not demanded us to spend all of it, because He knows our weakness, which He mentioned in Surah Muhammad, verses (36, 37). The second word is {’’رَزَقْنَا‘‘}, that whatever you spend, you must spend from what We have given you; if you think this way, there will be no stinginess in your heart, but if you consider everything as your own, it will be very difficult to spend. {’’ سِرًّا ‘‘} means secretly, so that it is free from showing off, and {’’ عَلَانِيَةً ‘‘} means openly, so that others may be encouraged, or if it is obligatory zakat, then give it openly, because giving it secretly may lead to the suspicion of not paying zakat.
➍ {مِّنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ يَّاْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لَّا بَيْعٌ فِيْهِ وَ لَا خِلٰلٌ : ’’ خِلٰلٌ ‘‘} This is a verbal noun from the form “mufa‘alah,” meaning heartfelt friendship; what is meant is the Day of Resurrection, when good deeds cannot be bought, nor will anyone’s friendship or love be of any use to save from Allah’s punishment. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “That is, good deeds are not sold, and no one gives concession out of friendship.” (Muwadhih) Allah Almighty has said elsewhere: «{ اَلْاَخِلَّآءُ يَوْمَىِٕذٍۭ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ اِلَّا الْمُتَّقِيْنَ }» [ الزخرف : ۶۷ ] “All close friends on that Day will be enemies to one another, except the righteous.”
