ٱلَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبُخْلِ وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا 37
Translations
Who are stingy and enjoin upon [other] people stinginess and conceal what Allāh has given them of His bounty - and We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment -
Transliteration
Alladhīna yabkhaloona wa ya'muroona an-nāsa bil-bukhli wa yaktamoona mā ātāhum-ullāhu min fadlihi wa a'tadnā lil-kāfirīna 'adhāban muhīnā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns those who are miserly with their wealth, command others to be stingy, and conceal the blessings Allah has bestowed upon them. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, such behavior reflects ingratitude toward Allah's favors and hypocrisy, as these individuals suppress the truth about Allah's generosity while preventing others from understanding the obligation of charity. The ayah concludes with a stern warning that for the disbelievers (those who reject the command to spend in Allah's way), Allah has prepared a humiliating punishment.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan Surah An-Nisa, which extensively addresses social ethics and community responsibilities. It is situated within a passage discussing proper conduct regarding wealth and charity, reflecting the Islamic community's early emphasis on redistributing wealth and supporting those in need. The context suggests this was revealed to address attitudes of greed and miserliness that existed even among some believers.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) 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, 'Wealth and children are adornments of life, but the everlasting good deeds are better' (Quran 18:46), which complements the theme of not being attached to material possessions.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that hoarding wealth while discouraging others from charity contradicts Islamic values and invites divine punishment, encouraging us to recognize our blessings as trusts from Allah meant to benefit the community. Modern readers should examine whether they are genuinely grateful for their blessings by sharing them generously rather than hoarding wealth for selfish purposes.
Related Ayahs
وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِأَعْدَآئِكُمْ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ نَصِيرًا
And Allāh is most knowing of your enemies; and sufficient is Allāh as an ally, and sufficient is Allāh as a helper.
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوٓءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُۥ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ ٱللَّهَ يَجِدِ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allāh will find Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.
وَمَن يَكْسِبْ خَطِيٓـَٔةً أَوْ إِثْمًا ثُمَّ يَرْمِ بِهِۦ بَرِيٓـًٔا فَقَدِ ٱحْتَمَلَ بُهْتَـٰنًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا
But whoever earns an offense or a sin and then blames it on an innocent [person] has taken upon himself a slander and manifest sin.
فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ ءَامَنَ بِهِۦ وَمِنْهُم مَّن صَدَّ عَنْهُ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِجَهَنَّمَ سَعِيرًا
And some among them believed in it, and some among them were averse to it. And sufficient is Hell as a blaze.