۞ أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ ٱلْحَآجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَجَـٰهَدَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ لَا يَسْتَوُۥنَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ 19
Translations
Have you made the providing of water for the pilgrim and the maintenance of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām equal to [the deeds of] one who believes in Allāh and the Last Day and strives in the cause of Allāh? They are not equal in the sight of Allāh. And Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.
Transliteration
Aja'altum siqayata al-hajji wa'imarata al-masjidi al-harami kamman amana billahi wa al-yawmi al-akhiri wa jahada fi sabilillah. La yastawun 'inda Allah. Wa Allah la yahdi al-qawma al-zalimin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rejects the false equivalence made by the Quraysh who believed that providing water to pilgrims (siqayah) and maintaining the Sacred Mosque were acts comparable to true faith in Allah and striving in His cause. The verse emphatically states these external works cannot equal sincere belief, righteous action, and jihad fi sabilillah, and that such people who make this false comparison will never be equal in Allah's sight. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this addresses the pre-Islamic pride of the Quraysh in their custodianship of the Kaaba, teaching that noble lineage and ritualistic duties without genuine faith hold no spiritual value.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah At-Tawbah's condemnation of the hypocrites and those who claimed faith without substance, specifically addressing the Quraysh's false sense of spiritual superiority based on their role as guardians of the Sacred Mosque and providers of water to pilgrims. The broader context of the surah deals with those who made excuses for not participating in Tabuk expedition and those whose faith was incomplete or insincere.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of deeds is belief in Allah and His Messenger, and the worst of deeds is associating partners with Allah' (reported in various forms in Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari emphasizes that actions are judged by intentions, highlighting that external actions without sincere internal faith are worthless.
Themes
Key Lesson
True spiritual worth comes not from family status, ritual maintenance, or charitable acts done with proud hearts, but from sincere belief in Allah, accountability in the afterlife, and genuine struggle in Allah's cause. Muslims are reminded that external religious activities hold value only when rooted in authentic faith and righteous intention, and that no amount of worldly accomplishment can replace a sincere, believing heart.
Related Ayahs
ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَنزَلَ جُنُودًا لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَعَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
Then Allāh sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers and sent down soldiers [i.e., angels] whom you did not see and punished those who disbelieved. And that is the recompense of the disbelievers.
وَأَذَٰنٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَوْمَ ٱلْحَجِّ ٱلْأَكْبَرِ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَرِىٓءٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ۙ وَرَسُولُهُۥ ۚ فَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِى ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
And [it is] an announcement from Allāh and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allāh is disassociated from the disbelievers, and [so is] His Messenger. So if you repent, that is best for you; but if you turn away - then know that you will not cause failure to Allāh. And give tidings to those who disbelieve of a painful punishment.
وَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ إِنَّهُمْ لَمِنكُمْ وَمَا هُم مِّنكُمْ وَلَـٰكِنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ يَفْرَقُونَ
And they swear by Allāh that they are from among you while they are not from among you; but they are a people who are afraid.
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَهَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَـٰهَدُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَآئِزُونَ
The ones who have believed, emigrated and striven in the cause of Allāh with their wealth and their lives are greater in rank in the sight of Allāh. And it is those who are the attainers [of success].