وَءَاتِ ذَا ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلْمِسْكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا 26
Translations
And give the relative his right, and [also] the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully.
Transliteration
Wa aati dhal-qurbaa haqqahu wal-miskina wabna as-sabili wa la tubazzir tabzira
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands giving the rights of relatives, the poor, and travelers, while strictly forbidding wasteful spending. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this verse establishes a balance between fulfilling family obligations and supporting vulnerable members of society, while condemning extravagance as a sin that contradicts Islamic values of prudence and stewardship. The prohibition of 'tabzir' (wasteful squandering) applies to all spending, whether on lawful or unlawful things, making financial responsibility a core Islamic principle.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Isra, which details the commandments and ethical guidelines revealed during the Meccan period. It comes within a sequence of divine commands addressing social responsibility and proper conduct, forming part of the foundational moral teachings that would govern Islamic society. The context emphasizes personal virtue and social duty as interconnected obligations.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Tirmidhi 3895). Additionally, the Prophet forbade wasteful spending, stating: 'Whoever is merciful, even to the creatures on earth, God will be merciful to him on the Day of Judgment' (Sunan Abu Dawud 4726), highlighting compassion paired with prudent resource management.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true wealth lies not in abundance but in wise and compassionate distribution—fulfilling our obligations to family and society while avoiding wasteful excess. In today's consumer-driven world, it reminds believers that every resource is a trust from Allah, demanding both generosity toward others and accountability in our own spending.
Related Ayahs
رَّبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِى نُفُوسِكُمْ ۚ إِن تَكُونُوا۟ صَـٰلِحِينَ فَإِنَّهُۥ كَانَ لِلْأَوَّٰبِينَ غَفُورًا
Your Lord is most knowing of what is within yourselves. If you should be righteous [in intention] - then indeed He is ever, to the often returning [to Him], Forgiving.
وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ ٱلضُّرُّ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَجَّىٰكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ كَفُورًا
And when adversity touches you at sea, lost are [all] those you invoke except for Him. But when He delivers you to the land, you turn away [from Him]. And ever is man ungrateful.
قُل لَّئِنِ ٱجْتَمَعَتِ ٱلْإِنسُ وَٱلْجِنُّ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتُوا۟ بِمِثْلِ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِۦ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا
Say, "If mankind and the jinn gathered in order to produce the like of this Qur’ān, they could not produce the like of it, even if they were to each other assistants."
وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلنَّفْسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۗ وَمَن قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِۦ سُلْطَـٰنًا فَلَا يُسْرِف فِّى ٱلْقَتْلِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مَنصُورًا
And do not kill the soul [i.e., person] which Allāh has forbidden, except by right. And whoever is killed unjustly - We have given his heir authority, but let him not exceed limits in [the matter of] taking life. Indeed, he has been supported [by the law].