سُوْرَةُ مُحَمَّدٍ
Surah Muhammad (47) — Ayah 38
هَـٰٓأَنتُمْ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ تُدْعَوْنَ لِتُنفِقُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَمِنكُم مَّن يَبْخَلُ ۖ وَمَن يَبْخَلْ فَإِنَّمَا يَبْخَلُ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْغَنِىُّ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ ۚ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوٓا۟ أَمْثَـٰلَكُم ﴿38﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Behold! You are those who are called to spend in the Cause of Allâh, yet among you are some who are niggardly. And whoever is niggardly, it is only at the expense of his ownself. But Allâh is Rich (Free of all needs), and you (mankind) are poor. And if you turn away (from Islâm and the obedience to Allâh), He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
هَـٰٓأَنتُمْ
hāantum
Here you are
هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ
hāulāi
these
تُدْعَوْنَ
tud'ʿawna
called
لِتُنفِقُوا۟
litunfiqū
to spend
فِى
fī
in
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
فَمِنكُم
faminkum
but among you
مَّن
man
(are some) who
يَبْخَلُ ۖ
yabkhalu
withhold
وَمَن
waman
and whoever
يَبْخَلْ
yabkhal
withholds
فَإِنَّمَا
fa-innamā
then only
يَبْخَلُ
yabkhalu
he withholds
عَن
ʿan
from
نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ
nafsihi
himself
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
But Allah
ٱلْغَنِىُّ
l-ghaniyu
(is) Free of need
وَأَنتُمُ
wa-antumu
while you
ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ ۚ
l-fuqarāu
(are) the needy
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
تَتَوَلَّوْا۟
tatawallaw
you turn away
يَسْتَبْدِلْ
yastabdil
He will replace you
قَوْمًا
qawman
(with) a people
غَيْرَكُمْ
ghayrakum
other than you
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
لَا
lā
not
يَكُونُوٓا۟
yakūnū
they will be
أَمْثَـٰلَكُم
amthālakum
(the) likes of you
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.
38. Listen! You are those who are invited to spend in the way of Allah [43], but among you, some become stingy. Yet whoever is stingy is only stingy towards himself. Allah is free of need, while you are the needy ones. And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people, and they will not be like you.
[43]
By "others" is meant the people of Persia:
If Allah commands you to spend in jihad or in other good deeds, it is for your own benefit, for in this world He will grant you its substitute, and in the Hereafter, for every one, you will receive a thousand. And if you are miserly and do not spend on the needs of jihad, you will suffer severe loss, and you will be humiliated and disgraced before the disbelievers. Furthermore, you will become disobedient to Allah. Allah has no need of your wealth for Himself. He is Self-Sufficient, and you are the needy ones. And if you act with miserliness in spending your lives and wealth, Allah will bring other people in your place who will not be miserly in spending their lives and wealth. Allah will, in any case, make His religion prevail; if it happens through your hands, consider it a blessing for yourselves. And by "other people" is meant the people of Persia. Thus, Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ said: I asked, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who are these people?" He did not reply. I asked the same question three times. At that time, Salman Farsi was sitting among us. The Prophet ﷺ placed his hand on him and said: "If faith were at Thurayya (the Pleiades), even then some men from these people would attain it." [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير۔ سورة جمعه]
The Glorious Religious Services of the People of Persia:
All praise is due to Allah, the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) made such unparalleled sacrifices in the cause of jihad that there was never a need to bring another nation in their place. However, the people of Persia, after entering Islam, demonstrated such a magnificent display of knowledge and faith and rendered such incomparable religious services that seeing them, everyone is compelled to admit that, without doubt, in exact accordance with the prophecy of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, these were the people who, when needed, could fill the place of the Arabs. The majority of renowned hadith scholars and leading jurists belong to this region.
[43]
By "others" is meant the people of Persia:
If Allah commands you to spend in jihad or in other good deeds, it is for your own benefit, for in this world He will grant you its substitute, and in the Hereafter, for every one, you will receive a thousand. And if you are miserly and do not spend on the needs of jihad, you will suffer severe loss, and you will be humiliated and disgraced before the disbelievers. Furthermore, you will become disobedient to Allah. Allah has no need of your wealth for Himself. He is Self-Sufficient, and you are the needy ones. And if you act with miserliness in spending your lives and wealth, Allah will bring other people in your place who will not be miserly in spending their lives and wealth. Allah will, in any case, make His religion prevail; if it happens through your hands, consider it a blessing for yourselves. And by "other people" is meant the people of Persia. Thus, Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ said: I asked, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who are these people?" He did not reply. I asked the same question three times. At that time, Salman Farsi was sitting among us. The Prophet ﷺ placed his hand on him and said: "If faith were at Thurayya (the Pleiades), even then some men from these people would attain it." [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير۔ سورة جمعه]
The Glorious Religious Services of the People of Persia:
All praise is due to Allah, the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) made such unparalleled sacrifices in the cause of jihad that there was never a need to bring another nation in their place. However, the people of Persia, after entering Islam, demonstrated such a magnificent display of knowledge and faith and rendered such incomparable religious services that seeing them, everyone is compelled to admit that, without doubt, in exact accordance with the prophecy of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, these were the people who, when needed, could fill the place of the Arabs. The majority of renowned hadith scholars and leading jurists belong to this region.
