سُوْرَةُ يٰسٓ
Surah Yaseen (36) — Ayah 47
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَنُطْعِمُ مَن لَّوْ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ أَطْعَمَهُۥٓ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿47﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when it is said to them: "Spend of that with which Allâh has provided you," those who disbelieve say to those who believe: "Shall we feed those whom, if Allâh willed, He (Himself) would have fed? You are only in a plain error."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
قِيلَ
qīla
it is said
لَهُمْ
lahum
to them
أَنفِقُوا۟
anfiqū
Spend
مِمَّا
mimmā
from what
رَزَقَكُمُ
razaqakumu
(has) provided you
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
قَالَ
qāla
Said
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
لِلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
ءَامَنُوٓا۟
āmanū
believed
أَنُطْعِمُ
anuṭ'ʿimu
Should we feed
مَن
man
whom
لَّوْ
law
if
يَشَآءُ
yashāu
Allah willed
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah willed
أَطْعَمَهُۥٓ
aṭʿamahu
He would have fed him
إِنْ
in
Not
أَنتُمْ
antum
(are) you
إِلَّا
illā
except
فِى
fī
in
ضَلَـٰلٍۢ
ḍalālin
an error
مُّبِينٍۢ
mubīnin
clear
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 47) ➊ {وَ اِذَا قِيْلَ لَهُمْ اَنْفِقُوْا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللّٰهُ … :} That is, when it is said to them that from what Allah has given you, fulfill the rights of the poor and needy, they reply that if Allah had willed, He Himself would have given to these poor and needy. Since it is not Allah’s will to give them, why should we give them? You Muslims are clearly in error that you want to feed those whom Allah does not want to feed.
➋ This statement of the polytheists is merely obstinacy, because they themselves well knew that helping the poor is a very good deed. As for the excuse of Allah’s will, it is only to hide their own miserliness, otherwise Allah has made this world for the very purpose of testing; both poverty and wealth are trials, the trial of the poor is with patience and the trial of the rich is by spending in the way of Allah. These people take refuge in Allah’s will only as long as they themselves are the wrongdoers. When someone else is the wrongdoer and their own rights are being violated, they never take refuge in Allah’s will. For example, if a robber snatches their wealth, or someone kills their man, they will never remain silent by saying that Allah willed it, so it is fine.
➌ From this it is known that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not only invite the disbelievers and polytheists to monotheism and prophethood, but also commanded prayer, zakat, and other good deeds, as is mentioned in the hadith of Heraclius, where Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): “What does he command you?” So Abu Sufyan replied: [ يَأْمُرُنَا بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَالصِّلَةِ وَالْعَفَافِ ] “He commands us to pray, give zakat, maintain family ties, and be chaste.” [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب : «قل یا أھل الکتاب تعالوا… » : ۴۵۵۳ ]
➋ This statement of the polytheists is merely obstinacy, because they themselves well knew that helping the poor is a very good deed. As for the excuse of Allah’s will, it is only to hide their own miserliness, otherwise Allah has made this world for the very purpose of testing; both poverty and wealth are trials, the trial of the poor is with patience and the trial of the rich is by spending in the way of Allah. These people take refuge in Allah’s will only as long as they themselves are the wrongdoers. When someone else is the wrongdoer and their own rights are being violated, they never take refuge in Allah’s will. For example, if a robber snatches their wealth, or someone kills their man, they will never remain silent by saying that Allah willed it, so it is fine.
➌ From this it is known that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not only invite the disbelievers and polytheists to monotheism and prophethood, but also commanded prayer, zakat, and other good deeds, as is mentioned in the hadith of Heraclius, where Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): “What does he command you?” So Abu Sufyan replied: [ يَأْمُرُنَا بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَالصِّلَةِ وَالْعَفَافِ ] “He commands us to pray, give zakat, maintain family ties, and be chaste.” [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب : «قل یا أھل الکتاب تعالوا… » : ۴۵۵۳ ]
