At-Tawba 9:54 · The Repentance · Arabic, translation, recitation

Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"The only thing that prevents what they give from being accepted is the fact that they defy God and His Messenger, perform the prayer only lazily, and give only grudgingly."

Pickthall (classic)+

"And naught preventeth that their contributions should be accepted from them save that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His messenger, and they come not to worship save as idlers, and pay not (their contribution) save reluctantly."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"The only reasons why their contributions are not accepted are: that they reject Allah and His Messenger; that they come to prayer without earnestness; and that they offer contributions unwillingly."

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

قُلْ

(Say), O Muhammad to them,

هَلْ تَرَبَّصُونَ بِنَآ

(Do you wait for us), anything,

إِلاَ إِحْدَى الْحُسْنَيَيْنِ

(except one of the two best things), martyrdom or victory over you, according to the meaning given by Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, and others.

وَنَحْنُ نَتَرَبَّصُ بِكُمْ

(while we await for you), that this will touch you,

أَن يُصِيبَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِعَذَابٍ مِّنْ عِندِهِ أَوْ بِأَيْدِينَا

(either that Allah will afflict you with a punishment from Himself or at our hands), either capture or killing,

فَتَرَبَّصُواْ إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ مُّتَرَبِّصُونَ

(So wait, we too are waiting with you.) Allah said next,

قُلْ أَنفِقُواْ طَوْعاً أَوْ كَرْهاً

(Say: Spend willingly or unwillingly), for whatever you spend either way,

لَّن يُتَقَبَّلَ مِنكُمْ إِنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ قَوْماً فَـسِقِينَ

(it will not be accepted from you. Verily, you are ever a people who are rebellious.) Allah mentions the reason behind not accepting their charity from them,

إِلاَ أَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِ

(except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger. ) and the deeds are accepted if they are preceded with faith,

وَلاَ يَأْتُونَ الصَّلَوةَ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ كُسَالَى

(and that they came not to the Salah except in a lazy state.) Therefore, they neither have good intention nor eagerness to perform the acts of faith,

وَمَا مَنَعَهُمْ أَن تُقْبَلَ مِنْهُمْ نَفَقَـتُهُمْ إِلاَ أَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِ وَلاَ يَأْتُونَ الصَّلَوةَ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ كُسَالَى وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ كَـرِهُونَ

(And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger, and that they came not to the Salah (the prayer) except in a lazy state, and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly.) The Truthful, to whom the Truth was revealed, Muhammad, peace be upon him, said that Allah does not stop giving rewards until you (believers) stop performing good deeds, and that Allah is Tayyib Good and Pure and only accepts what is Tayyib. This is why Allah does not accept charity or good deeds from the people described in these Ayat, because He only accepts it from those who have Taqwa.

Ослушание лицемеров заключается в том, что они отказываются уверовать в Аллаха и Его посланника, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует. Правая вера - обязательное условие для принятия любых благодеяний, однако лицемеры лишены ее, и поэтому их деяния не считаются праведными. Когда они собираются совершить намаз, они встают на него лениво. Намаз представляется им настолько обременительным, что они готовы вовсе не совершать его. Когда же они раздают милостыню, они не делают этого от всей души. Разъяснив это, Аллах упрекнул каждого, кто поступает так, как поступают лицемеры, и возвестил, что верующие должны отличаться от них, совершать намаз бодро и энергично, поклоняясь Аллаху душой и телом, и раздавать пожертвования от всей души, надеясь получить вознаграждение только от Него.

Commentary

Mentioned in the previous verses were bad morals and bad deeds of the hypocrites. The same subject continues in the verses quoted above. As for the statement in verse 55 -- where it has been declared that the wealth and children of hypocrites should not be taken as a blessing for them as these are, in fact, a form of punishment from Allah -- it has a reason. Is it not that love for and engrossment in worldly life becomes a punishment right here in this world? One starts with desires to acquire worldly wealth, then goes through a series of hard work to establish the necessary channels, day in and day out, sacrificing sleep, comfort and family life. After that, if one succeeds, come the concerns of increasing and retaining it - a round the clock punishment indeed. A serious loss or sickness could become unwelcome cans of worries, and if one happens to get everything one wants, the vicious circle continues either through apprehensions of decreasing wealth or cravings of increasing it further. There is just no respite anytime.

Finally, these things go out of one's hands. This may happen at the time of death, or much earlier. Whenever it does, despair takes over. What is this, if not punishment? Man surrounds himself with articles of comfort and calls it comfort. Real comfort, the peace and comfort of the heart is something man has yet to find. But, in the meantime, man has to rely on material means and things for satisfaction, not realizing that these agents will keep snatching away his share of peace in this world and will also become the prelude to the punishment in the world to come.

Can Sadaqah be given to a disbeliever?

The last two verses show that the hypocrites used to receive a share from properties available as Sadaqat (plural of Sadaqah, meaning a donation through which one seeks reward with Allah Ta` ala, usually referred to as alms or charity). But, when they did not get these as they wished, they became angry and started accusing and cursing. If, at this place, Sadaqat are taken in their general sense - which includes all Sadaqat, necessary (wajib) and voluntary (nafl) - then, there is no problem, because non-Muslims can be given out of the voluntary Sadaqat. This is permissible on the basis of the consensus of Muslim Ummah and stands proved from Sunnah. However, even if Sadaqat at this place mean what is obligatory, like Zakah and ` Ushr, then, we should remember that the hypocrites were given a share from it on the basis that they claimed to be Muslims. Since they claimed to believe in all the necessary articles of faith and their kufr was hidden in their hearts, with no conclusive proof in their apparent claims they were treated as Muslims to the extent of this worldly life and Allah Ta` ala had, in His wisdom, given the orders that the hypocrites should be treated as Muslims. (Bayan a1-Qur'an)

Signs of Hypocrites and Warning for Muslims

In verse 54, two signs of hypocrites have been given: (1) they come to the Sa ل ah lazily and listlessly, and (2) that they spend in the way of Allah unwillingly.

Muslims have been warned here that sloth in Salah and being sour at heart while spending in the way of Allah, that is, Zakah and Sadaqah, are signs of nifaq (hypocrisy). All Muslims should make conscious effort to stay safe from these signs.