ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ 7
Translations
Those who do not give zakāh, and in the Hereafter they are disbelievers.
Transliteration
Al-ladhīna lā yu'tūn az-zakāta wa-hum bil-ākhirati hum kāfirūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to those who refuse to give zakah (obligatory charity) while simultaneously denying the Hereafter. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that the refusal to give zakah is often linked with disbelief in the Afterlife, as both stem from a lack of faith and spiritual consciousness. The ayah emphasizes that withholding zakah is not merely a financial transgression but reflects a fundamental rejection of Islamic belief and accountability before Allah.
Revelation Context
Surah Fussilat was revealed in Mecca during the early Islamic period when the polytheists of Mecca opposed the Prophet Muhammad and rejected fundamental Islamic concepts including belief in resurrection and the Day of Judgment. This ayah occurs within the broader context of the surah's discussion of those who turn away from divine guidance, and it addresses the spiritual disease of denial that manifests in both disbelief in the Afterlife and refusal to fulfill religious obligations like zakah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever Allah has given wealth to but does not pay its due zakah, on the Day of Resurrection his wealth will be made like a bald-headed serpent' (Sahih Bukhari 1405). Additionally, the Prophet stated: 'Wealth and children are adornments of this life, but everlasting good deeds are better' (Surah Al-Kahf 18:46, with contextual hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding zakah's importance).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true faith (Iman) must be reflected in concrete actions, particularly in fulfilling financial obligations to those in need through zakah. The verse reminds modern believers that withholding from the poor while denying the Day of Judgment reveals a deficiency in both spiritual conviction and moral character, urging us to examine our sincerity in both belief and practice.