سُوْرَةُ مُحَمَّدٍ
Surah Muhammad (47) — Ayah 36
إِنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ ۚ وَإِن تُؤْمِنُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ يُؤْتِكُمْ أُجُورَكُمْ وَلَا يَسْـَٔلْكُمْ أَمْوَٰلَكُمْ ﴿36﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
The life of this world is but play and pastime; but if you believe (in the Oneness of Allâh - Islâmic Monotheism), and fear Allâh, and avoid evil, He will grant you your wages, and will not ask you your wealth.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ
l-ḥayatu
the life
ٱلدُّنْيَا
l-dun'yā
(of) the world
لَعِبٌۭ
laʿibun
(is) play
وَلَهْوٌۭ ۚ
walahwun
and amusement
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
تُؤْمِنُوا۟
tu'minū
you believe
وَتَتَّقُوا۟
watattaqū
and fear (Allah)
يُؤْتِكُمْ
yu'tikum
He will give you
أُجُورَكُمْ
ujūrakum
your rewards
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَسْـَٔلْكُمْ
yasalkum
will ask you
أَمْوَٰلَكُمْ
amwālakum
(for) your wealth
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 36) ➊ { اِنَّمَا الْحَيٰوةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَّ لَهْوٌ …:} For its details, see the commentary of Surah Al-Ankabut, verse (64). The greatest thing that prevents from jihad is the love of worldly life, its wealth and its allurements, because in jihad one has to sacrifice both life and wealth. Therefore, Allah Almighty said that in comparison to the Hereafter, the reality of this world is nothing more than a few days of play and amusement. Do not, by being entangled in its love, refrain from sacrificing your life and wealth in the way of Allah, and be certain that if you adopt faith and piety—which includes offering your life and wealth—then Allah Almighty will give you your rewards in full and will not demand all your wealth from you, but will be content with only a small portion of it. For example, after a year, one-fortieth of wealth, one-twentieth or one-tenth of crops, one-fifth of spoils after war, and on other occasions, a portion of wealth as needed. But if you insist on disbelief and stubbornness instead of faith and piety, then He will, through His striving servants, seize all your wealth from you. According to the demand of faith and piety, the small portion that you have spent, He will give you its full reward in this world and the Hereafter. Shah Abdul Qadir writes: “Allah Almighty granted the conquest of lands, Muslims had to spend wealth for only a few days, so whatever they spent, they received a hundredfold in return. That is why (in several places in the Noble Qur’an) it is said: Give a loan to Allah.”
➋ { وَ لَا يَسْـَٔلْكُمْ اَمْوَالَكُمْ:} “And He will not ask you for your wealth” means that He will not ask you for all your wealth. Yes, He certainly invites you to spend a portion of your wealth. There are several indications of this meaning in these verses, one of which is the addition of {’’ أَمْوَالٌ‘‘} to the pronoun {’’كُمْ‘‘}. Obviously, “your wealth” includes all the wealth that you own. The second indication is {’’ يُؤْتِكُمْ اُجُوْرَكُمْ ‘‘}, because it means that He will give you your rewards in full. So just as {’’ اُجُوْرَكُمْ ‘‘} refers to full rewards, similarly {’’ اَمْوَالَكُمْ ‘‘} refers to all wealth. The third indication is the word {’’ فَيُحْفِكُمْ ‘‘} in the verse following this one, which shows that Allah Almighty does not want {’’إِحْفَاءٌ‘‘} from His servants, meaning He does not want all of it. Due to all these indications, the clear meaning of {’’ لَا يَسْـَٔلْكُمْ اَمْوَالَكُمْ ‘‘} is that He will not ask you for all your wealth.
➋ { وَ لَا يَسْـَٔلْكُمْ اَمْوَالَكُمْ:} “And He will not ask you for your wealth” means that He will not ask you for all your wealth. Yes, He certainly invites you to spend a portion of your wealth. There are several indications of this meaning in these verses, one of which is the addition of {’’ أَمْوَالٌ‘‘} to the pronoun {’’كُمْ‘‘}. Obviously, “your wealth” includes all the wealth that you own. The second indication is {’’ يُؤْتِكُمْ اُجُوْرَكُمْ ‘‘}, because it means that He will give you your rewards in full. So just as {’’ اُجُوْرَكُمْ ‘‘} refers to full rewards, similarly {’’ اَمْوَالَكُمْ ‘‘} refers to all wealth. The third indication is the word {’’ فَيُحْفِكُمْ ‘‘} in the verse following this one, which shows that Allah Almighty does not want {’’إِحْفَاءٌ‘‘} from His servants, meaning He does not want all of it. Due to all these indications, the clear meaning of {’’ لَا يَسْـَٔلْكُمْ اَمْوَالَكُمْ ‘‘} is that He will not ask you for all your wealth.
