سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 34
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلْأَحْبَارِ وَٱلرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَٰلَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ﴿34﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks who devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the Way of Allâh (i.e. Allâh’s religion of Islâmic Monotheism). And those who hoard up gold and silver [Al-Kanz: the money, the Zakât of which has not been paid] and spend them not in the Way of Allâh, announce unto them a painful torment.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you who believe
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
O you who believe
ءَامَنُوٓا۟
āmanū
O you who believe
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
كَثِيرًۭا
kathīran
many
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْأَحْبَارِ
l-aḥbāri
the rabbis
وَٱلرُّهْبَانِ
wal-ruh'bāni
and the monks
لَيَأْكُلُونَ
layakulūna
surely eat
أَمْوَٰلَ
amwāla
(the) wealth
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) the people
بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ
bil-bāṭili
in falsehood
وَيَصُدُّونَ
wayaṣuddūna
and hinder
عَن
ʿan
from
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ ۗ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
And those who
يَكْنِزُونَ
yaknizūna
hoard
ٱلذَّهَبَ
l-dhahaba
the gold
وَٱلْفِضَّةَ
wal-fiḍata
and the silver
وَلَا
walā
and (do) not
يُنفِقُونَهَا
yunfiqūnahā
spend it
فِى
fī
in
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
فَبَشِّرْهُم
fabashir'hum
[so] give them tidings
بِعَذَابٍ
biʿadhābin
of a punishment
أَلِيمٍۢ
alīmin
painful
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.
O you who believe! Many of the Jewish scholars and dervishes consume people’s wealth unjustly and hinder (them) from the way of Allah [34]. And those who hoard gold and silver [35] and do not spend it in the way of Allah—give them tidings (O Prophet) of a painful punishment.
[34]
The Forbidden Consumption of the People of the Book:
Their unlawful practices were that they declared usury to be permissible. Especially, they considered taking interest from non-Jews as a virtuous act. Also, the wealth of non-Jews, whether acquired by lawful or unlawful means, was considered lawful and pure in their eyes. They would give false verdicts in exchange for bribes. They sold certificates of salvation. They would consume the price of forbidden things, such as by melting fat and selling it. Whether it was a wedding or a mourning ceremony, they would take their share and offerings. And these very actions of theirs indirectly became a cause of hindrance in the religion of Allah.
[35]
The Meaning of Hoarding Wealth:
Are the addressees of this phrase only the People of the Book, or does it include Muslims as well? There was also a difference of opinion among the noble Companions ؓ regarding this. For example, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar ؓ believed that wealth from which zakat has been paid is no longer considered hoarded wealth, whereas Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari and Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas ؓ were opposed to hoarding wealth, as is evident from the following hadiths:
1. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar ؓ says that this verse was revealed at a time when the obligation of zakat had not yet been revealed. Then, when zakat was made obligatory, Allah purified the wealth through zakat. [بخاري۔ كتاب الزكوٰة۔ باب ما اُدِّي زكوٰته فليس بكنز]
2. Ahnaf bin Qais says: I was sitting among a group of the Quraysh. Suddenly, a man came whose hair was rough, his clothes were coarse and worn, and his appearance was simple. He greeted us and then said, "Give them the glad tidings that a stone will be heated in the fire of Hell and placed on their chest, and it will be placed on the upper bone of their shoulder, which will pierce through the nipple of the chest, and in this way, the stone will keep rolling." After saying this, he turned his back and sat down by a tree. I said to him, "I think your words have displeased these people." He replied, "These people are foolish. My close friend told me." I asked, "Who is your close friend?" He said, "The Messenger of Allah, who else?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Abu Dharr! Do you see Mount Uhud?" I replied, "Yes." He said, "I do not wish to have gold equal to Mount Uhud with me. If I had it, I would spend all of it in the way of Allah except for three dinars." And these people are foolish who accumulate wealth, and by Allah, I will neither ask them anything of the world nor of religion until I meet Allah." [بخاري۔ كتاب الزكوٰة۔ باب ما ادي زكوٰته فليس بكنز]
3.
The Position of Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari:
Zaid bin Wahb says: I saw Abu Dharr Ghifari in Rabdha (a place near Madinah), so I asked, "How did you end up here in the wilderness?" He said, "We were in the land of Sham. There was a dispute between me and Muawiyah (the governor of Sham). I recited this verse: ﴿وَالَّذِيْنَ يَكْنِزُوْنَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنْفِقُوْنَهَا فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ ۙ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ اَلِيْمٍ﴾ So Amir Muawiyah said that this verse is not about Muslims (if they continue to pay zakat), but rather about the People of the Book, whereas I said that this verse is general and is common between them and us." [حواله ايضاً]
[34]
The Forbidden Consumption of the People of the Book:
Their unlawful practices were that they declared usury to be permissible. Especially, they considered taking interest from non-Jews as a virtuous act. Also, the wealth of non-Jews, whether acquired by lawful or unlawful means, was considered lawful and pure in their eyes. They would give false verdicts in exchange for bribes. They sold certificates of salvation. They would consume the price of forbidden things, such as by melting fat and selling it. Whether it was a wedding or a mourning ceremony, they would take their share and offerings. And these very actions of theirs indirectly became a cause of hindrance in the religion of Allah.
[35]
The Meaning of Hoarding Wealth:
Are the addressees of this phrase only the People of the Book, or does it include Muslims as well? There was also a difference of opinion among the noble Companions ؓ regarding this. For example, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar ؓ believed that wealth from which zakat has been paid is no longer considered hoarded wealth, whereas Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari and Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas ؓ were opposed to hoarding wealth, as is evident from the following hadiths:
1. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar ؓ says that this verse was revealed at a time when the obligation of zakat had not yet been revealed. Then, when zakat was made obligatory, Allah purified the wealth through zakat. [بخاري۔ كتاب الزكوٰة۔ باب ما اُدِّي زكوٰته فليس بكنز]
2. Ahnaf bin Qais says: I was sitting among a group of the Quraysh. Suddenly, a man came whose hair was rough, his clothes were coarse and worn, and his appearance was simple. He greeted us and then said, "Give them the glad tidings that a stone will be heated in the fire of Hell and placed on their chest, and it will be placed on the upper bone of their shoulder, which will pierce through the nipple of the chest, and in this way, the stone will keep rolling." After saying this, he turned his back and sat down by a tree. I said to him, "I think your words have displeased these people." He replied, "These people are foolish. My close friend told me." I asked, "Who is your close friend?" He said, "The Messenger of Allah, who else?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Abu Dharr! Do you see Mount Uhud?" I replied, "Yes." He said, "I do not wish to have gold equal to Mount Uhud with me. If I had it, I would spend all of it in the way of Allah except for three dinars." And these people are foolish who accumulate wealth, and by Allah, I will neither ask them anything of the world nor of religion until I meet Allah." [بخاري۔ كتاب الزكوٰة۔ باب ما ادي زكوٰته فليس بكنز]
3.
The Position of Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari:
Zaid bin Wahb says: I saw Abu Dharr Ghifari in Rabdha (a place near Madinah), so I asked, "How did you end up here in the wilderness?" He said, "We were in the land of Sham. There was a dispute between me and Muawiyah (the governor of Sham). I recited this verse: ﴿وَالَّذِيْنَ يَكْنِزُوْنَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنْفِقُوْنَهَا فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ ۙ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ اَلِيْمٍ﴾ So Amir Muawiyah said that this verse is not about Muslims (if they continue to pay zakat), but rather about the People of the Book, whereas I said that this verse is general and is common between them and us." [حواله ايضاً]
