سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 273
لِلْفُقَرَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أُحْصِرُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ضَرْبًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَحْسَبُهُمُ ٱلْجَاهِلُ أَغْنِيَآءَ مِنَ ٱلتَّعَفُّفِ تَعْرِفُهُم بِسِيمَـٰهُمْ لَا يَسْـَٔلُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ إِلْحَافًا ۗ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٌ ﴿273﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
(Charity is) for Fuqarâ (the poor), who in Allâh’s Cause are restricted (from travel), and cannot move about in the land (for trade or work). The one who knows them not, thinks that they are rich because of their modesty. You may know them by their mark, they do not beg of people at all. And whatever you spend in good, surely, Allâh knows it well.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لِلْفُقَرَآءِ
lil'fuqarāi
For the poor
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
أُحْصِرُوا۟
uḥ'ṣirū
are wrapped up
فِى
fī
in
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
لَا
lā
not
يَسْتَطِيعُونَ
yastaṭīʿūna
they are able
ضَرْبًۭا
ḍarban
(to) move about
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
يَحْسَبُهُمُ
yaḥsabuhumu
Think (about) them
ٱلْجَاهِلُ
l-jāhilu
the ignorant one
أَغْنِيَآءَ
aghniyāa
(that they are) self-sufficient
مِنَ
mina
(because) of
ٱلتَّعَفُّفِ
l-taʿafufi
(their) restraint
تَعْرِفُهُم
taʿrifuhum
you recognize them
بِسِيمَـٰهُمْ
bisīmāhum
by their mark
لَا
lā
Not
يَسْـَٔلُونَ
yasalūna
(do) they ask
ٱلنَّاسَ
l-nāsa
the people
إِلْحَافًۭا ۗ
il'ḥāfan
with importunity
وَمَا
wamā
And whatever
تُنفِقُوا۟
tunfiqū
you spend
مِنْ
min
of
خَيْرٍۢ
khayrin
good
فَإِنَّ
fa-inna
then indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
بِهِۦ
bihi
of it
عَلِيمٌ
ʿalīmun
(is) All-Knower
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
273. These charities are for those needy who have been constrained in the way of Allah [389] and cannot move about in the land (to earn their livelihood). An ignorant person thinks them to be free from want because they do not beg. You can recognize them by their appearance; they do not persistently beg from people [390]. Whatever wealth you spend, surely Allah knows it well.
[389] That is, those people who have devoted themselves to the knowledge of religion—whether they are learning or teaching it—or have dedicated themselves to other matters and are needy, such as the Ashab al-Suffah in the time of the Prophet, or those who are engaged in jihad, or on the care of their families and children, and similar other people—charity should be spent on them.
[390] Incidentally, from this verse, the virtue of refraining from asking (begging) is understood. In this regard, here are a few Prophetic hadiths:
Refraining from Asking:
1. Abu Sa'id Khudriؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: "Whoever refrains from asking, Allah will protect him, and whoever seeks to be independent, Allah will make him independent, and whoever strives to be patient, Allah will grant him patience. And no one has been given a blessing better and more expansive than patience." [بخاري كتاب الزكوٰة، باب الاستعفاف عن المسئلة]
2. Hazrat Abu Hurairahؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: "By Him in Whose hand is my soul! If a person takes his rope and brings a bundle of wood on his back, that is better for him than going to someone and asking him, whether he gives or refuses." [بخاري۔ حواله ايضاً]
3. Hazrat Abdullah bin Umarؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: "The beggar who always asks from people will come on the Day of Resurrection in such a state that there will not be a piece of flesh on his face." [بخاري، كتاب الزكوٰة باب من سأل الناس تكثرا]
The Greatness of Labor and the Prophet’sﷺ Method of Training:
4. Hazrat Abdullah bin Umarؓ says that the Messenger of Allahﷺ was giving a sermon to the people from the pulpit about charity and refraining from begging. The Prophetﷺ said: "The upper hand is better than the lower hand. The upper hand is the one that gives, and the lower hand is the one that asks." [ابو داؤد، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب ما تجوز فيه المسئلة]
5. Hazrat Abu Hurairahؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: "Whoever asks people to increase his wealth is asking for burning coals. Now, it is up to him whether he takes less or gathers more." [مسلم، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب النهي عن المسئلة]
The Legitimacy of Auction:
6. Hazrat Anasؓ says that an Ansari came to the Prophet and asked for something. The Prophetﷺ asked him, "Do you have anything in your house?" He replied, "Yes, a mat and a bowl." The Prophetﷺ said, "Bring both of them to me." He brought them, and the Prophetﷺ took them in his hand and said, "Who will buy these two things?" A man said, "I will take them for one dirham." The Prophetﷺ said, "Who will give more than one dirham?" He repeated this two or three times, then a man said, "I will buy them for two dirhams." The Prophetﷺ took the two dirhams and gave the items to that man. Then the Prophetﷺ gave one dirham to the Ansari and said, "Buy food for your family with this," and with the other dirham, "Buy an axe and bring it to me." When he brought the axe, the Prophetﷺ fixed a wooden handle in it with his blessed hand, then said, "Go, cut wood from the forest, bring it here, and sell it. Come back to me after fifteen days." In fifteen days, the man earned ten dirhams. He bought some clothes with a few dirhams and food with a few, and became well-off. After fifteen days, the Prophetﷺ said, "This is better for you than that on the Day of Resurrection there should be a bad mark on your face because of begging." [نسائي، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب فضل من لايسئل الناس شيأ]
The Greatness of Labor and the Prophet’sﷺ Method of Purification of the Self:
Now see, a person whose household possessions are just a mat and a bowl—can there be any doubt about his neediness? But since he was not disabled, rather strong and able to earn, the Prophetﷺ did not give him anything but suggested another way. Then, by teaching him self-respect, he explained the greatness and importance of lawful earning and hard work, through which he became well-off in a few days. This was the Prophet’s method of training and purification of the self.
7. Hazrat Thawbanؓ says that the Messenger of Allahﷺ said to me, "Who will guarantee me that he will never ask anything from anyone, and I will guarantee him Paradise?" Thawbanؓ says, "I said, 'I guarantee it.'" So after that, he never asked anything from anyone. [نسائي، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب فضل من لا يسئل الناس شيأ]
8. On the day of Arafah, a man was asking from people. Hazrat Aliؓ heard and said to him, "On this day and in this place, you ask from others besides Allah?" Then he beat him with a whip. [احمد بحواله مشكوٰة باب من لايحل له المسئله فصل ثالث]
9. On the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Messenger of Allahﷺ was distributing charity among the people. Two men came to the Prophet and asked for charity. They themselves say that the Prophetﷺ looked up at us, then lowered his gaze. The Prophetﷺ saw us strong and able-bodied and said, "If you wish, I will give you, but there is no share in charity for the rich and the strong who can earn." [ابو داؤد، نسائي، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب مسئلة القوي المكتسب]
10. Once, the Prophetﷺ was distributing charity. A man came and asked for charity, so the Prophetﷺ said to him, "Regarding the distribution of charity, Allah was not pleased with the command of a Prophet or anyone else, but He Himself divided it into eight categories. Now, if you are counted among them, I will give you." [حواله ايضاً]
For Whom is Asking Permissible:
11. Hazrat Qabisah bin Mukhariqؓ says that I became a guarantor for a person. Then I came to the Messenger of Allahﷺ and asked about it. The Prophetﷺ said, "Stay here until charity comes to us, then we will do something for you." Then addressing me, he said, "Qabisah! It is not permissible for anyone to ask except for three people: one who becomes a guarantor and the guarantee falls upon him for which he is not able—he may ask to the extent of his guarantee, then stop; second, one who is struck by a calamity that destroys all his wealth—he may ask to the extent that he can stand on his feet; and third, one who is overtaken by hunger to the extent that three trustworthy people from his tribe testify that so-and-so is afflicted by hunger—he may ask until his need is removed. Then the Prophetﷺ said: O Qabisah, apart from these three types of people, it is forbidden for anyone else to ask, and whoever eats by asking is eating what is unlawful." [مسلم، كتاب الزكوٰة باب من لايحل له المسئله]
12. Auf bin Malik Ashja'iؓ says that we were seven or eight people with the Messenger of Allahﷺ. The Prophetﷺ said, "Worship Allah, do not associate anything with Him, perform the five prayers, and obey Allah." And he said one thing quietly: "Do not ask anything from people." Then I saw some of those people that if their whip fell from their camel, they would not ask anyone to hand it to them. [كتاب الزكوٰة باب النهي عن المسئلة]
Hakim bin Hizam Not Even Accepting Government Stipend:
13. Hakim bin Hizam says that I asked the Messenger of Allahﷺ for something, and he gave it to me. Then I asked again, and he gave it to me. Then he said, "O Hakim! This wealth of the world is attractive in appearance and sweet in taste, but whoever takes it with contentment, it will be blessed for him, and whoever takes it with greed and eagerness, there is no blessing in it. Its example is like one who eats but is never satisfied. And the upper (giving) hand is better than the lower (receiving) hand." Hakim said, "O Messenger of Allah! By Him Who sent you as a true Prophet, I will never ask anything from anyone until I die." (And his condition remained such that) Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqؓ would call him to give him his annual stipend, but he would refuse to take it. Hazrat Umarؓ also called him during his caliphate to give him a stipend, but he refused. Hazrat Umarؓ said to those present, "O people! Bear witness that I am giving Hakim his right which Allah has set in the spoils of war, and he does not take it." In short, he honored the pledge made to the Messenger of Allahﷺ so much that throughout his life, not only did he refrain from asking, but he did not accept anything from anyone. [بخاري، كتاب الوصايا، باب تاويل قول اللّٰه تعالىٰ من بعد وصيه توصون بها اودين]
[389] That is, those people who have devoted themselves to the knowledge of religion—whether they are learning or teaching it—or have dedicated themselves to other matters and are needy, such as the Ashab al-Suffah in the time of the Prophet, or those who are engaged in jihad, or on the care of their families and children, and similar other people—charity should be spent on them.
[390] Incidentally, from this verse, the virtue of refraining from asking (begging) is understood. In this regard, here are a few Prophetic hadiths:
Refraining from Asking:
1. Abu Sa'id Khudriؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: "Whoever refrains from asking, Allah will protect him, and whoever seeks to be independent, Allah will make him independent, and whoever strives to be patient, Allah will grant him patience. And no one has been given a blessing better and more expansive than patience." [بخاري كتاب الزكوٰة، باب الاستعفاف عن المسئلة]
2. Hazrat Abu Hurairahؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: "By Him in Whose hand is my soul! If a person takes his rope and brings a bundle of wood on his back, that is better for him than going to someone and asking him, whether he gives or refuses." [بخاري۔ حواله ايضاً]
3. Hazrat Abdullah bin Umarؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: "The beggar who always asks from people will come on the Day of Resurrection in such a state that there will not be a piece of flesh on his face." [بخاري، كتاب الزكوٰة باب من سأل الناس تكثرا]
The Greatness of Labor and the Prophet’sﷺ Method of Training:
4. Hazrat Abdullah bin Umarؓ says that the Messenger of Allahﷺ was giving a sermon to the people from the pulpit about charity and refraining from begging. The Prophetﷺ said: "The upper hand is better than the lower hand. The upper hand is the one that gives, and the lower hand is the one that asks." [ابو داؤد، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب ما تجوز فيه المسئلة]
5. Hazrat Abu Hurairahؓ says that the Prophetﷺ said: "Whoever asks people to increase his wealth is asking for burning coals. Now, it is up to him whether he takes less or gathers more." [مسلم، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب النهي عن المسئلة]
The Legitimacy of Auction:
6. Hazrat Anasؓ says that an Ansari came to the Prophet and asked for something. The Prophetﷺ asked him, "Do you have anything in your house?" He replied, "Yes, a mat and a bowl." The Prophetﷺ said, "Bring both of them to me." He brought them, and the Prophetﷺ took them in his hand and said, "Who will buy these two things?" A man said, "I will take them for one dirham." The Prophetﷺ said, "Who will give more than one dirham?" He repeated this two or three times, then a man said, "I will buy them for two dirhams." The Prophetﷺ took the two dirhams and gave the items to that man. Then the Prophetﷺ gave one dirham to the Ansari and said, "Buy food for your family with this," and with the other dirham, "Buy an axe and bring it to me." When he brought the axe, the Prophetﷺ fixed a wooden handle in it with his blessed hand, then said, "Go, cut wood from the forest, bring it here, and sell it. Come back to me after fifteen days." In fifteen days, the man earned ten dirhams. He bought some clothes with a few dirhams and food with a few, and became well-off. After fifteen days, the Prophetﷺ said, "This is better for you than that on the Day of Resurrection there should be a bad mark on your face because of begging." [نسائي، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب فضل من لايسئل الناس شيأ]
The Greatness of Labor and the Prophet’sﷺ Method of Purification of the Self:
Now see, a person whose household possessions are just a mat and a bowl—can there be any doubt about his neediness? But since he was not disabled, rather strong and able to earn, the Prophetﷺ did not give him anything but suggested another way. Then, by teaching him self-respect, he explained the greatness and importance of lawful earning and hard work, through which he became well-off in a few days. This was the Prophet’s method of training and purification of the self.
7. Hazrat Thawbanؓ says that the Messenger of Allahﷺ said to me, "Who will guarantee me that he will never ask anything from anyone, and I will guarantee him Paradise?" Thawbanؓ says, "I said, 'I guarantee it.'" So after that, he never asked anything from anyone. [نسائي، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب فضل من لا يسئل الناس شيأ]
8. On the day of Arafah, a man was asking from people. Hazrat Aliؓ heard and said to him, "On this day and in this place, you ask from others besides Allah?" Then he beat him with a whip. [احمد بحواله مشكوٰة باب من لايحل له المسئله فصل ثالث]
9. On the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Messenger of Allahﷺ was distributing charity among the people. Two men came to the Prophet and asked for charity. They themselves say that the Prophetﷺ looked up at us, then lowered his gaze. The Prophetﷺ saw us strong and able-bodied and said, "If you wish, I will give you, but there is no share in charity for the rich and the strong who can earn." [ابو داؤد، نسائي، كتاب الزكوٰة، باب مسئلة القوي المكتسب]
10. Once, the Prophetﷺ was distributing charity. A man came and asked for charity, so the Prophetﷺ said to him, "Regarding the distribution of charity, Allah was not pleased with the command of a Prophet or anyone else, but He Himself divided it into eight categories. Now, if you are counted among them, I will give you." [حواله ايضاً]
For Whom is Asking Permissible:
11. Hazrat Qabisah bin Mukhariqؓ says that I became a guarantor for a person. Then I came to the Messenger of Allahﷺ and asked about it. The Prophetﷺ said, "Stay here until charity comes to us, then we will do something for you." Then addressing me, he said, "Qabisah! It is not permissible for anyone to ask except for three people: one who becomes a guarantor and the guarantee falls upon him for which he is not able—he may ask to the extent of his guarantee, then stop; second, one who is struck by a calamity that destroys all his wealth—he may ask to the extent that he can stand on his feet; and third, one who is overtaken by hunger to the extent that three trustworthy people from his tribe testify that so-and-so is afflicted by hunger—he may ask until his need is removed. Then the Prophetﷺ said: O Qabisah, apart from these three types of people, it is forbidden for anyone else to ask, and whoever eats by asking is eating what is unlawful." [مسلم، كتاب الزكوٰة باب من لايحل له المسئله]
12. Auf bin Malik Ashja'iؓ says that we were seven or eight people with the Messenger of Allahﷺ. The Prophetﷺ said, "Worship Allah, do not associate anything with Him, perform the five prayers, and obey Allah." And he said one thing quietly: "Do not ask anything from people." Then I saw some of those people that if their whip fell from their camel, they would not ask anyone to hand it to them. [كتاب الزكوٰة باب النهي عن المسئلة]
Hakim bin Hizam Not Even Accepting Government Stipend:
13. Hakim bin Hizam says that I asked the Messenger of Allahﷺ for something, and he gave it to me. Then I asked again, and he gave it to me. Then he said, "O Hakim! This wealth of the world is attractive in appearance and sweet in taste, but whoever takes it with contentment, it will be blessed for him, and whoever takes it with greed and eagerness, there is no blessing in it. Its example is like one who eats but is never satisfied. And the upper (giving) hand is better than the lower (receiving) hand." Hakim said, "O Messenger of Allah! By Him Who sent you as a true Prophet, I will never ask anything from anyone until I die." (And his condition remained such that) Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqؓ would call him to give him his annual stipend, but he would refuse to take it. Hazrat Umarؓ also called him during his caliphate to give him a stipend, but he refused. Hazrat Umarؓ said to those present, "O people! Bear witness that I am giving Hakim his right which Allah has set in the spoils of war, and he does not take it." In short, he honored the pledge made to the Messenger of Allahﷺ so much that throughout his life, not only did he refrain from asking, but he did not accept anything from anyone. [بخاري، كتاب الوصايا، باب تاويل قول اللّٰه تعالىٰ من بعد وصيه توصون بها اودين]
