قُلْ أَنفِقُوا۟ طَوْعًا أَوْ كَرْهًا لَّن يُتَقَبَّلَ مِنكُمْ ۖ إِنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ قَوْمًا فَـٰسِقِينَ 53
Translations
Say, "Spend willingly or unwillingly; never will it be accepted from you. Indeed, you have been a defiantly disobedient people."
Transliteration
Qul anfiqoo tawʿan aw karhan lan yutaqabbala minkum inna kuntum qawman fasiqeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet to tell the hypocrites and those with diseased hearts that whether they spend their wealth willingly or unwillingly, it will never be accepted from them because of their disobedience and rejection of faith. Ibn Kathir explains this refers specifically to the hypocrites (munafiqun) of Madinah who pretended to be Muslims while harboring disbelief, and their spending is rejected because their hearts are not sincere toward Allah. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that acceptance of deeds depends on sincere intention and true belief, not merely outward actions.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the context of Surah At-Tawbah, which addresses the hypocrites and those who failed to participate in the Tabuk expedition. The surah criticizes the hypocrites' conditional faith and their refusal to spend in the way of Allah, establishing that their acts of worship and charity are fundamentally rejected due to their internal corruption and apostasy.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Indeed, Allah does not look at your bodies or your wealth, but rather He looks at your hearts and your deeds' (Sahih Muslim 2564). Also relevant: 'The most beloved deeds to Allah are those done with sincerity, even if they are small' (reported in various collections regarding intention in deeds).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that material offerings and good works are meaningless without sincere faith and obedience to Allah; we must examine the state of our hearts and ensure our intentions are pure, for Allah judges not what is apparent but what lies within.
Related Ayahs
عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَنكَ لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَتَعْلَمَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ
Allāh has pardoned you, [O Muḥammad, but] why did you give them permission [to remain behind]? [You should not have] until it was evident to you who were truthful and you knew [who were] the liars.
وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًۢا بَيْنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَلَيَحْلِفُنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلَّا ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ
And [there are] those [hypocrites] who took for themselves a mosque for causing harm and disbelief and division among the believers and as a station for whoever had warred against Allāh and His Messenger before. And they will surely swear, "We intended only the best." And Allāh testifies that indeed they are liars.
وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِۦ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِۦ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيرًا
And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.
فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ إِذَا هُمْ يَنكُثُونَ
But when We removed from them the affliction, at once they broke their word.