سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 268
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱلْفَقْرَ وَيَأْمُرُكُم بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغْفِرَةً مِّنْهُ وَفَضْلًا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿268﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Shaitân (Satan) threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahshâ (evil deeds, illegal sexual intercourse, sins); whereas Allâh promises you Forgiveness from Himself and Bounty, and Allâh is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ
al-shayṭānu
The Shaitaan
يَعِدُكُمُ
yaʿidukumu
promises you
ٱلْفَقْرَ
l-faqra
[the] poverty
وَيَأْمُرُكُم
wayamurukum
and orders you
بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ ۖ
bil-faḥshāi
to immorality
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
while Allah
يَعِدُكُم
yaʿidukum
promises you
مَّغْفِرَةًۭ
maghfiratan
forgiveness
مِّنْهُ
min'hu
from Him
وَفَضْلًۭا ۗ
wafaḍlan
and bounty
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
وَٰسِعٌ
wāsiʿun
(is) All-Encompassing
عَلِيمٌۭ
ʿalīmun
All-Knowing
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 268) ➊ { اَلْفَحْشَآءُ : } Any statement or action that contains a great evil. (Raghib) For example, adultery, the act of the people of Lot, etc. Here, a very disgraceful level of miserliness is meant.
➋ In the previous verse, encouragement was given to spend good wealth, and now here, caution is being advised against the whisperings of Satan. (Razi)
➌ { اَلشَّيْطٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ الْفَقْرَ :} That is, Satan keeps creating doubts and whisperings in the human heart that if you spend in good deeds, you will become poor, and {”فَحْشَاءُ“} that is, he encourages and incites disgraceful miserliness. From { ”فَحْشَاءُ“ }, acts of shamelessness and immorality can also be meant, that Satan encourages spending wealth in them, but in contrast, Allah’s promise is that charity and alms will be an expiation for your sins, you will receive many times more reward for it, and there will be blessing in your wealth. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Every day when the servants wake up in the morning, two angels descend. One of them prays, ‘O Allah! Give a replacement to the one who spends,’ and the other curses, ‘O Allah! Destroy the wealth of the one who withholds.’” [بخاري، الزكاة، باب قول الله تعالٰي : « فأما من أعطي…» : ۱۴۴۲، عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَا نَقَصَتْ صَدَقَةٌ مِنْ مَّالٍ ] “Charity does not decrease wealth in the least.” [مسلم، البروالصلۃ، باب استحباب العفو والتواضع : ۲۵۸۸، عن أبی ہریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ]
➋ In the previous verse, encouragement was given to spend good wealth, and now here, caution is being advised against the whisperings of Satan. (Razi)
➌ { اَلشَّيْطٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ الْفَقْرَ :} That is, Satan keeps creating doubts and whisperings in the human heart that if you spend in good deeds, you will become poor, and {”فَحْشَاءُ“} that is, he encourages and incites disgraceful miserliness. From { ”فَحْشَاءُ“ }, acts of shamelessness and immorality can also be meant, that Satan encourages spending wealth in them, but in contrast, Allah’s promise is that charity and alms will be an expiation for your sins, you will receive many times more reward for it, and there will be blessing in your wealth. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Every day when the servants wake up in the morning, two angels descend. One of them prays, ‘O Allah! Give a replacement to the one who spends,’ and the other curses, ‘O Allah! Destroy the wealth of the one who withholds.’” [بخاري، الزكاة، باب قول الله تعالٰي : « فأما من أعطي…» : ۱۴۴۲، عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَا نَقَصَتْ صَدَقَةٌ مِنْ مَّالٍ ] “Charity does not decrease wealth in the least.” [مسلم، البروالصلۃ، باب استحباب العفو والتواضع : ۲۵۸۸، عن أبی ہریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ]
