Surah Al-Isra 17:27
سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ · Meccan · Verse 27 of 111
إِنَّ ٱلْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوٓا۟ إِخْوَٰنَ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ لِرَبِّهِۦ كَفُورًۭا
Translation
those who squander are the brothers of Satan, and Satan is most ungrateful to his Lord-
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This verse delivers a powerful warning about how we use the blessings Allah bestows upon us, particularly wealth. It addresses anyone who squanders their resources, firmly outlining the spiritual consequence of such actions. Allah, in His perfect wisdom, is speaking to guide us away from a destructive path.
Understanding "Tabdhir"
The verse opens with "إِنَّ ٱلْمُبَذِّرِينَ" (Indeed, the extravagant ones). The Arabic word *tabdhir* (تبذير) refers to spending money in ways that are inappropriate, wasteful, or excessive, even if the amount is small. As al-Zamakhshari explains, it means "spending money in what is not appropriate." Ibn Ashur further clarifies that it is "spending money in ways Allah did not command, and it is a form of ingratitude for Allah's blessing of wealth." The repetition of the root in "تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًۭا" (do not squander in extravagance) serves to emphasize this prohibition, making the warning even stronger. Historically, as noted by Ibn Ashur and al-Zamakhshari, pre-Islamic Arabs would waste their wealth in boasts and displays of pride, a behavior the Quran explicitly condemns.
Brotherhood with Shaytan
The verse then pronounces a stark judgment: "كَانُوٓا۟ إِخْوَٰنَ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينِ" (they were brothers of the devils). The word "إخْوَٰن" (ikhwan), meaning "brothers," here signifies a deep resemblance, companionship, and alignment with the devils in their actions and character. Al-Razi explains that this brotherhood means "resembling them in this ugly act." Ibn Ashur highlights that "brother" can also denote one who is inseparable from a particular trait, like saying "a brother of knowledge" for someone who is consistently learned. The use of "كَانُوٓا۟" (kanu), a past tense verb meaning "they were" or "they used to be," emphasizes that this "brotherhood" is not a fleeting resemblance but a deeply rooted, established quality in those who persistently squander. Their actions become so aligned with Shaytan's temptations that they become his close companions and followers in evil.
Shaytan's Ingratitude
The verse concludes with "وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ لِرَبِّهِۦ كَفُورًۭا" (And Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord). The word "كَفُورًۭا" (kafura) is an intensive form, meaning intensely ungrateful, denying blessings, or even disbelieving. Shaytan, who was given abilities by Allah, uses them only in rebellion and to mislead others, thus showing extreme ingratitude for his Lord's grace. This connection profoundly amplifies the warning against *tabdhir*. As al-Jalalayn points out, just as Shaytan is intensely ungrateful for Allah's blessings, so too is his "brother," the extravagant spender, ungrateful for the wealth Allah has bestowed upon them. Ibn Ashur describes this as a "qiyas al-musawah," an analogy of equality: since the wasteful person is a brother to Shaytan, and Shaytan is ungrateful, it follows that the wasteful person is also ungrateful. This wording reveals that wasting resources is not merely a financial mistake, but a profound act of ingratitude towards the Giver of all provisions, leading one down a path resembling the ultimate rebel, Shaytan.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jalalayn, al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Isra 17:27 is discussed in 14 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Isra 17:27 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.