Surah Ya-Sin 36:47
سُورَةُ يسٓ · Meccan · Verse 47 of 83
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَنُطْعِمُ مَن لَّوْ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ أَطْعَمَهُۥٓ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ
Translation
and when they are told, ‘Give to others out of what God has provided for you,’ the disbelievers say to the believers, ‘Why should we feed those that God could feed if He wanted? You must be deeply misguided.’
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
'And when it is said: Spend from what Allah has provided you, the disbelievers say to the believers: Shall we feed one whom, if Allah willed, He would feed?' al-Razi and Ibn Kathir expose the manoeuvre: they wield divine decree as an excuse for stinginess, 'God could feed the poor Himself, so why should I?', dressing a closed hand in the language of theology. Ask yourself: this is a trick my own heart still knows, using God's power as cover for my selfishness. 'It's their test,' 'God will provide,' 'not my responsibility.' The verse names it for what it is: piety recruited to justify withholding. Where am I quoting the divine will to excuse a generosity I simply don't want to give?
Grounded in classical tafsir: al-Razi, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Ashur.
Topics that discuss this verse
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