سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 177
۞ لَّيْسَ ٱلْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَءَاتَى ٱلْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ ذَوِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَـٰهَدُوا۟ ۖ وَٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ فِى ٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَحِينَ ٱلْبَأْسِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ ﴿177﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
It is not Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, and each and every act of obedience to Allâh, etc.) that you turn your faces towards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Al-Birr is (the quality of) the one who believes in Allâh, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to Al-Masâkîn (the poor), and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set slaves free, performs As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât ), and gives the Zakât, and who fulfil their covenant when they make it, and who are patient in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting (during the battles). Such are the people of the truth and they are Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - See V.2:2).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ لَّيْسَ
laysa
It is not
ٱلْبِرَّ
l-bira
[the] righteousness
أَن
an
that
تُوَلُّوا۟
tuwallū
you turn
وُجُوهَكُمْ
wujūhakum
your faces
قِبَلَ
qibala
towards
ٱلْمَشْرِقِ
l-mashriqi
the east
وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ
wal-maghribi
and the west
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
[and] but
ٱلْبِرَّ
l-bira
the righteous[ness]
مَنْ
man
(is he) who
ءَامَنَ
āmana
believes
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
in Allah
وَٱلْيَوْمِ
wal-yawmi
and the Day
ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ
l-ākhiri
[the] Last
وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ
wal-malāikati
and the Angels
وَٱلْكِتَـٰبِ
wal-kitābi
and the Book
وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ
wal-nabiyīna
and the Prophets
وَءَاتَى
waātā
and gives
ٱلْمَالَ
l-māla
the wealth
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
in
حُبِّهِۦ
ḥubbihi
spite of his love (for it)
ذَوِى
dhawī
(to) those
ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ
l-qur'bā
(of) the near relatives
وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ
wal-yatāmā
and the orphans
وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينَ
wal-masākīna
and the needy
وَٱبْنَ
wa-ib'na
and (of)
ٱلسَّبِيلِ
l-sabīli
the wayfarer
وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ
wal-sāilīna
and those who ask
وَفِى
wafī
and in
ٱلرِّقَابِ
l-riqābi
freeing the necks (slaves)
وَأَقَامَ
wa-aqāma
and (who) establish
ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ
l-ṣalata
the prayer
وَءَاتَى
waātā
and give
ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ
l-zakata
the zakah
وَٱلْمُوفُونَ
wal-mūfūna
and those who fulfill
بِعَهْدِهِمْ
biʿahdihim
their covenant
إِذَا
idhā
when
عَـٰهَدُوا۟ ۖ
ʿāhadū
they make it
وَٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
wal-ṣābirīna
and those who are patient
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْبَأْسَآءِ
l-basāi
[the] suffering
وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ
wal-ḍarāi
and [the] hardship
وَحِينَ
waḥīna
and (the) time
ٱلْبَأْسِ ۗ
l-basi
(of) [the] stress
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
ulāika
Those
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(are) the ones who
صَدَقُوا۟ ۖ
ṣadaqū
are true
وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
wa-ulāika
and those
هُمُ
humu
[they]
ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ
l-mutaqūna
(are) the righteous
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.
(Ayah 177) ➊ When Muslims were first commanded to face Bayt al-Maqdis and then the Ka'bah, this was difficult for some of the People of the Book and some Muslims. Allah Almighty has explained its wisdom in this verse: the real purpose is obedience to Allah, compliance with His commands, turning in the direction He orders, and acting upon the command He gives. This is true righteousness, piety, and perfect faith. As for the restriction of facing either east or west, there is no virtue in it unless it is due to Allah's command. (Ibn Kathir)
➋ {وَ لٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّمَنْ اٰمَنَ :} In this, before { ”مَنْ“ }, { ”بِرُّ“ } is omitted, meaning the real righteousness is the righteousness of that person.
➌ This verse encompasses all types of righteousness and includes all fundamental beliefs, actions, and morals. Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned this verse under [کِتَابُ الْاِیْمَانِ] in [بَابُ اُمُوْرِ الْإِیْمَانِ] (Qabl H: 9) that faith is not just the name of beliefs, but actions are also a part of faith.
➍ First, despite the love of wealth, it mentions giving it to close relatives and other deserving people, then mentions establishing prayer and giving zakat. From this, it is understood that only zakat is not obligatory on a Muslim's wealth so that after giving zakat, a person is free for the whole year; rather, spending wealth on the needy at the time of need is also obligatory, such as the maintenance of parents and other needy relatives, spending on guests, needy neighbors, mujahideen, and others mentioned in the verse. They are mentioned before zakat because people are generally negligent about this.
➎ An orphan is one whose father has died and who has not yet reached puberty. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: [لاَ یُتْمَ بَعْدَ احْتِلاَمٍ] [أبوداوٗد، الوصایا، باب ما جاء متی ینقطع الیتم : ۲۸۷۳، عن علی رضی اللہ عنہ] "There is no orphanhood after puberty." For details about the remaining deserving people, see Surah Tawbah (60).
➏ {وَ الْمُوْفُوْنَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ… :} All the word forms related to those who do good mentioned here and before are, in terms of syntax, in the nominative case, whereas {’’ الصّٰبِرِيْنَ ‘‘} is in the accusative case. The commentators have explained its wisdom as being due to praise and specification, meaning it is the object of { ”اَمْدَحُ“ } or { ”اَخُصُّ“ }, so it is translated as "and especially those who (are patient) in hardship." {”الْبَاْسَآءِ“} refers to poverty, hunger, and hardship; { ”الضَّرَّآءِ“ } refers to distress, especially illness; and { ”اَلْبَأْسِ“ } refers to war. In these three conditions, patience is extremely difficult, which is why they are specifically mentioned.
➋ {وَ لٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّمَنْ اٰمَنَ :} In this, before { ”مَنْ“ }, { ”بِرُّ“ } is omitted, meaning the real righteousness is the righteousness of that person.
➌ This verse encompasses all types of righteousness and includes all fundamental beliefs, actions, and morals. Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned this verse under [کِتَابُ الْاِیْمَانِ] in [بَابُ اُمُوْرِ الْإِیْمَانِ] (Qabl H: 9) that faith is not just the name of beliefs, but actions are also a part of faith.
➍ First, despite the love of wealth, it mentions giving it to close relatives and other deserving people, then mentions establishing prayer and giving zakat. From this, it is understood that only zakat is not obligatory on a Muslim's wealth so that after giving zakat, a person is free for the whole year; rather, spending wealth on the needy at the time of need is also obligatory, such as the maintenance of parents and other needy relatives, spending on guests, needy neighbors, mujahideen, and others mentioned in the verse. They are mentioned before zakat because people are generally negligent about this.
➎ An orphan is one whose father has died and who has not yet reached puberty. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: [لاَ یُتْمَ بَعْدَ احْتِلاَمٍ] [أبوداوٗد، الوصایا، باب ما جاء متی ینقطع الیتم : ۲۸۷۳، عن علی رضی اللہ عنہ] "There is no orphanhood after puberty." For details about the remaining deserving people, see Surah Tawbah (60).
➏ {وَ الْمُوْفُوْنَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ… :} All the word forms related to those who do good mentioned here and before are, in terms of syntax, in the nominative case, whereas {’’ الصّٰبِرِيْنَ ‘‘} is in the accusative case. The commentators have explained its wisdom as being due to praise and specification, meaning it is the object of { ”اَمْدَحُ“ } or { ”اَخُصُّ“ }, so it is translated as "and especially those who (are patient) in hardship." {”الْبَاْسَآءِ“} refers to poverty, hunger, and hardship; { ”الضَّرَّآءِ“ } refers to distress, especially illness; and { ”اَلْبَأْسِ“ } refers to war. In these three conditions, patience is extremely difficult, which is why they are specifically mentioned.
