هَـٰٓأَنتُمْ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ تُدْعَوْنَ لِتُنفِقُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَمِنكُم مَّن يَبْخَلُ ۖ وَمَن يَبْخَلْ فَإِنَّمَا يَبْخَلُ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْغَنِىُّ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ ۚ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوٓا۟ أَمْثَـٰلَكُم 38
Translations
Here you are - those invited to spend in the cause of Allāh - but among you are those who withhold [out of greed]. And whoever withholds only withholds [benefit] from himself; and Allāh is the Free of need, while you are the needy. And if you turn away [i.e., refuse], He will replace you with another people; then they will not be the likes of you.
Transliteration
Haa antum haa'ulaaa' tudAAwauna litunfiqoo fee sabeel illaah faminkum man yabkhal wa man yabkhal fa'innama yabkhalu AAn nafsih wa allaah al-ghanniyyu wa antum al-fuqaraaa wa in tatawallaw yastabdil qawman ghayrakum thumma laa yakoonoo amthaalakum
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the believers who are called upon to spend in the way of Allah, stating that those who refuse to do so only harm themselves, as Allah is completely Self-Sufficient and has no need of their wealth, whereas humanity depends entirely on Him. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the ayah emphasizes that stinginess in spending for the cause of Islam reflects ingratitude and spiritual poverty, and warns that if believers turn away from this obligation, Allah will replace them with people who will obey His command and be more faithful—those who will not hesitate in their devotion.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Muhammad (a Medinan surah) and addresses the early Muslim community regarding their obligations in jihad and supporting the Islamic cause financially. The context reflects the struggles of the early Muslims in Medina, where resources were needed for defense and the propagation of Islam, making this a call to prioritize religious duty over material attachment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best charity is that given when one is in need yet still gives' (related in various hadith collections). Additionally, in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, the Prophet emphasized: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family,' which relates to the broader Islamic virtue of generosity and fulfilling obligations.
Themes
Key Lesson
Refusing to contribute to the cause of Allah harms only oneself, as our wealth ultimately comes from the Divine and does not diminish His infinite wealth—true generosity is recognizing our absolute dependence on Allah and responding with gratitude through material sacrifice. Modern believers should reflect that hoarding resources from Islamic obligations reflects spiritual poverty, and that Allah's promise to replace the disobedient serves as a timeless reminder that communities prosper through obedience and sacrifice for their faith.