سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْزَابِ
Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 19
أَشِحَّةً عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ ٱلْخَوْفُ رَأَيْتَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ تَدُورُ أَعْيُنُهُمْ كَٱلَّذِى يُغْشَىٰ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۖ فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ ٱلْخَوْفُ سَلَقُوكُم بِأَلْسِنَةٍ حِدَادٍ أَشِحَّةً عَلَى ٱلْخَيْرِ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ فَأَحْبَطَ ٱللَّهُ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرًا ﴿19﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Being miserly towards you (as regards help and aid in Allâh’s Cause). Then when fear comes, you will see them looking to you, their eyes revolving like (those of) one over whom hovers death; but when the fear departs, they will smite you with sharp tongues, miserly towards (spending anything in any) good (and only covetous of booty and wealth). Such have not believed. Therefore Allâh makes their deeds fruitless and that is ever easy for Allâh.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَشِحَّةً
ashiḥḥatan
Miserly
عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ
ʿalaykum
towards you
فَإِذَا
fa-idhā
But when
جَآءَ
jāa
comes
ٱلْخَوْفُ
l-khawfu
the fear
رَأَيْتَهُمْ
ra-aytahum
you see them
يَنظُرُونَ
yanẓurūna
looking
إِلَيْكَ
ilayka
at you
تَدُورُ
tadūru
revolving
أَعْيُنُهُمْ
aʿyunuhum
their eyes
كَٱلَّذِى
ka-alladhī
like one who
يُغْشَىٰ
yugh'shā
faints
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
faints
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلْمَوْتِ ۖ
l-mawti
[the] death
فَإِذَا
fa-idhā
But when
ذَهَبَ
dhahaba
departs
ٱلْخَوْفُ
l-khawfu
the fear
سَلَقُوكُم
salaqūkum
they smite you
بِأَلْسِنَةٍ
bi-alsinatin
with tongues
حِدَادٍ
ḥidādin
sharp
أَشِحَّةً
ashiḥḥatan
miserly
عَلَى
ʿalā
towards
ٱلْخَيْرِ ۚ
l-khayri
the good
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
ulāika
Those
لَمْ
lam
not
يُؤْمِنُوا۟
yu'minū
they have believed
فَأَحْبَطَ
fa-aḥbaṭa
so Allah made worthless
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
so Allah made worthless
أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ ۚ
aʿmālahum
their deeds
وَكَانَ
wakāna
And is
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
that
عَلَى
ʿalā
for
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
يَسِيرًۭا
yasīran
easy
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.
{ اَشِحَّةً عَلَيْكُمْ فَاِذَا جَآءَ الْخَوْفُ … : ’’ اَشِحَّةً ‘‘ ’’شَحِيْحٌ‘‘} is the plural of {’’اَلشُّحُّ‘‘}, the combination of intense greed and miserliness is called {’’اَلشُّحُّ‘‘}. {’’ حِدَادٍ ‘‘} is the plural of {’’حَدِيْدٌ‘‘}, meaning sharp. {’’ سَلَقُوْكُمْ ‘‘ ’’سَلَقَ يَسْلُقُ‘‘} (n) {’’سَلَقَهُ بِالسَّوْطِ‘‘} means he beat him so much with a whip that he stripped off the skin. {’’سَلَقَ اللَّحْمَ عَنِ الْعَظْمِ‘‘} means he stripped the flesh from the bone. When someone says something very harsh to another, it is said: {’’سَلَقَهُ بِالْكَلَامِ۔‘‘ ’’ الْخَيْرِ ‘‘} refers to war booty. Maulana Muhammad Junagadhi (may Allah have mercy on him) has rendered the Urdu translation of Tafsir Ibn Kathir at this place in a very delightful manner, he writes: "These are very miserly people, neither will you receive any help from them, nor do they have any sympathy for you in their hearts, nor are they happy about your share in the war booty. At the time of fear, the courage of these cowards flies away, their eyes become like buttermilk, they start looking with hopeless gazes, but when the fear is gone, they start wagging their tongues at length and begin to make exaggerated claims, boasting of bravery and manliness, and pounce upon the war booty in an unseemly manner. They start clamoring, 'Give us, give us, we are your companions, we have rendered military services, we have a share,' and at the time of battle, they do not even show their faces, staying ahead of those who flee and behind those who fight. Who could be a more worthless person than one in whom both these faults are combined? Deceit, bad character, foul language in times of peace, and cowardice, trickery, and effeminacy in times of battle. During battle, they separate themselves like menstruating women, and when it comes to taking wealth, they bray like donkeys. Allah says, the fact is that their hearts have been devoid of faith from the very beginning, therefore their deeds are also wasted. This is easy for Allah."
