Muslim99Muslim99
← Tafsir library

2. Al-Baqara

The Cow · Medinan · 286 ayahs

سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ

Reading Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Qur'an by Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies

Ayahs 271–280 of 286

271

إِن تُبْدُوا۟ ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِىَ ۖ وَإِن تُخْفُوهَا وَتُؤْتُوهَا ٱلْفُقَرَآءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۚ وَيُكَفِّرُ عَنكُم مِّن سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌۭ

If you disclose your charitable expenditures, they are good; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, it is better for you, and He will remove from you some of your misdeeds [thereby]. And Allah, with what you do, is [fully] Acquainted.

If you openly declare what you spend in charity, it is a good act. But if you keep it secret and give it to the poor in private, this is better as it indicates sincerity. Charity that is given sincerely becomes the means of sins being covered up and forgiven. Allah knows what you do and nothing from your circumstances is hidden from Him.

Al-Baqara 2:271Listen in Qur'an →
272

۞ لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَىٰهُمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍۢ فَلِأَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍۢ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ

Not upon you, [O Muhammad], is [responsibility for] their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills. And whatever good you [believers] spend is for yourselves, and you do not spend except seeking the countenance of Allah. And whatever you spend of good - it will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.

O Prophet, you are not responsible for making them believe in the truth and submitting to it: your duty is to guide them to the truth and explain it to them. It is only Allah Who can bring them to the truth; and He guides whomever He wishes. The benefit of any good you spend comes back to you; Allah is in no need of it. So, let your spending be only for Allah’s sake: true believers spend only for Allah’s pleasure. You will receive the full reward for any good you spend, no matter how little, because Allah does not wrong anyone.

Al-Baqara 2:272Listen in Qur'an →
273

لِلْفُقَرَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أُحْصِرُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ضَرْبًۭا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَحْسَبُهُمُ ٱلْجَاهِلُ أَغْنِيَآءَ مِنَ ٱلتَّعَفُّفِ تَعْرِفُهُم بِسِيمَٰهُمْ لَا يَسْـَٔلُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ إِلْحَافًۭا ۗ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍۢ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٌ

[Charity is] for the poor who have been restricted for the cause of Allah, unable to move about in the land. An ignorant [person] would think them self-sufficient because of their restraint, but you will know them by their [characteristic] sign. They do not ask people persistently [or at all]. And whatever you spend of good - indeed, Allah is Knowing of it.

You should spend on those poor people who, because they are busy striving in Allah’s path, are unable to travel to earn a living. Due to their not asking, a person that is unaware will think that they are not in need. However, the person who knows will recognise them by the signs that are apparent on their body and clothing. They are unlike other poor persons who beg persistently. Allah knows of any good or wealth you spend and He will give you a great reward for it.

Al-Baqara 2:273Listen in Qur'an →
274

ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَٰلَهُم بِٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ سِرًّۭا وَعَلَانِيَةًۭ فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

Those who spend their wealth [in Allah 's way] by night and by day, secretly and publicly - they will have their reward with their Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.

Those who spend their wealth for Allah’s sake at night and during the day, secretly and openly, without showing off or looking for fame, will have their reward from their Lord on the Day of Resurrection. As a favour and blessing from Allah, they will have no fear of what the future holds, nor any sadness over what they missed out on in the world.

Al-Baqara 2:274Listen in Qur'an →
275

ٱلَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ ٱلَّذِى يَتَخَبَّطُهُ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ مِنَ ٱلْمَسِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ ۗ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ ۚ فَمَن جَآءَهُۥ مَوْعِظَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ فَٱنتَهَىٰ فَلَهُۥ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ

Those who consume interest cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity. That is because they say, "Trade is [just] like interest." But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have what is past, and his affair rests with Allah. But whoever returns to [dealing in interest or usury] - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.

Those who take interest will rise from their graves on the Day of Resurrection like a person who is afflicted by Satan: they will stand up from their graves and then fall like a person who is epileptic. This is because they made usury permissible and made no distinction between usury and that which Allah has permitted in terms of profit earned through sales transactions. They claimed, ‘Sale is like usury’, meaning that both are lawful since both lead to an increase in wealth. Allah refutes their comparison and explains that He has permitted sale because of the general and specific benefit it contains, and He has prohibited usury because it is oppressive and abusive of people’s wealth. The person who stops taking usury, and repents from his sin, after receiving Allah’s instruction prohibiting it and warning him against it, may keep the usury that he received in the past, without any sin. Then, whatever he does from then on, Allah will judge it. Whoever returns to taking usury after knowing of the prohibition deserves to enter the fire of Hell and to remain there eternally. The reference to remaining in the fire of Hell eternally in relation to those that believe in Allah’s Oneness is an indication of a long period of time; for only disbelievers will actually remain eternally in the fire of Hell.

Al-Baqara 2:275Listen in Qur'an →
276

يَمْحَقُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ وَيُرْبِى ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ أَثِيمٍ

Allah destroys interest and gives increase for charities. And Allah does not like every sinning disbeliever.

Allah wipes out usury either by actually destroying it or by removing His blessing. Yet He increases charity and makes it grow by multiplying its reward by ten times up to seven hundred times or even more, and blesses those that give charity from their wealth. Allah does not love a stubborn disbeliever who considers the prohibited as lawful and persists in sins.

Al-Baqara 2:276Listen in Qur'an →
277

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds and establish prayer and give zakah will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.

Those who have faith in Allah, follow His Messenger, do good actions, fulfil their prayers in a complete manner and give Zakat to those deserving it, they shall receive their reward from their Lord and shall not have any fear for their future nor any grief over anything they missed in the worldly life.

Al-Baqara 2:277Listen in Qur'an →
278

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَذَرُوا۟ مَا بَقِىَ مِنَ ٱلرِّبَوٰٓا۟ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

O you who have believed, fear Allah and give up what remains [due to you] of interest, if you should be believers.

O you who have faith in Allah and follow His Messenger, fear Allah by fulfilling His instructions and avoiding His prohibitions, and do not demand any usury owed to you that remains with people, if you truly have faith in Allah and in His prohibitions.

Al-Baqara 2:278Listen in Qur'an →
279

فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا۟ فَأْذَنُوا۟ بِحَرْبٍۢ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۖ وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَٰلِكُمْ لَا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ

And if you do not, then be informed of a war [against you] from Allah and His Messenger. But if you repent, you may have your principal - [thus] you do no wrong, nor are you wronged.

If you do not obey the sacred law, then be aware and certain of war with Allah and His Messenger. If you repent to Allah and leave usury, then you can keep the initial amount that you had given as a loan from your capital, in a manner that does not wrong anyone by taking more than your initial capital and does not wrong you by making you receive less than it.

Al-Baqara 2:279Listen in Qur'an →
280

وَإِن كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍۢ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَىٰ مَيْسَرَةٍۢ ۚ وَأَن تَصَدَّقُوا۟ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

And if someone is in hardship, then [let there be] postponement until [a time of] ease. But if you give [from your right as] charity, then it is better for you, if you only knew.

If the person from whom you demand your debt is in hard times and is unable to repay the debt, then refrain from asking until he is able to obtain money and then pay the debt. And to give charity to him by not demanding the debt or giving up a part of it is better for you, if you knew its worth in the sight of Allah.

Al-Baqara 2:280Listen in Qur'an →

Commentary: Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Qur'an by Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.