Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Isra Verse 100

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Say, “If you were to own the treasures of my Lord’s blessing, you would certainly hold them back, lest it should be spent. Man is so niggardly.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Say ˹to them, O  Prophet˺, “Even if you were to possess the ˹infinite˺ treasuries of my Lord’s mercy, then you would certainly withhold ˹them˺, fearing they would run out—for humankind is ever stingy!”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Say, “If you were to own the treasuries of my Lord’s mercy, you would surely hold them back for fear of spending, for man is ever miserly.”

A. J. Arberry

Say: 'If you possessed the treasuries of my Lord's mercy, yet would you hold back for fear of expending; and man is ever niggardly.'

Abdul Haleem

Say, ‘If you possessed the very stores of my Lord’s bounty, you would hold them back in your fear of spending: man is ever grudging.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Say thou: if it were ye who owned the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, ye would surely refrain for fear of expending; and man is ever miserly.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Say; "If ye had control of the Treasures of the Mercy of my Lord, behold, ye would keep them back, for fear of spending them; for man is (every) niggardly!"

Abul Ala Maududi

Tell them, (O Prophet): "Even if you owned the treasures of my Lord's Mercy you would have held them back for fear of spending them." Man is indeed ever niggardly.

Ahmed Ali

Say: "Even if you owned the stores of the mercy of my Lord, you would have held them back for fear of spending them, for man is niggardly."

Ahmed Raza Khan

Proclaim, “If you owned the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, you would hoard them too for fear that they may get spent; and man is a big miser.”

Ali Quli Qarai

Say, ‘Even if you possessed the treasuries of my Lord’s mercy, you would withhold them for the fear of being spent, and man is very niggardly.’

Ali Ünal

Say: "If you possessed the treasures of my Lord’s Mercy, still you would surely hold them back for fear of spending (in God’s cause and as subsistence for the needy)." Indeed human is ever grudging.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Say, `Even if you possessed all the treasures of the mercy and blessings of my Lord yet you would hold (them) back for fear of depleting, for a human being is very niggardly indeed.´

English Literal

Say: "If you own/possess my Lord`s safes/storages (of) mercy, then you would have held/seized (E) fear (of) the spending/expenditure (poverty), and the human was/is miserly/stingy."

Faridul Haque

Proclaim, "If you owned the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, you would hoard them too for fear that they may get spent; and man is a big miser."

Hamid S. Aziz

Say, "If you did control the treasuries of the mercy of my Lord, then you would hold them back for fear of spending; for man is ever niggardly!"

Hilali & Khan

Say (to the disbelievers): "If you possessed the treasure of the Mercy of my Lord (wealth, money, provision, etc.), then you would surely hold back (from spending) for fear of (being exhausted), and man is ever miserly!"

Maulana Mohammad Ali

See they not that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, is able to create the like of them? And He has appointed for them a term, whereof there is no doubt. But the wrongdoers consent to naught but denying.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Say: If you control the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, then you would withhold (them) from fear of spending, and man is niggardly.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Say (unto them): If ye possessed the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, ye would surely hold them back for fear of spending, for man was ever grudging.

Muhammad Sarwar

Say, "Had you owned the treasures of the Mercy of my Lord, you would have locked them up for fear of spending them. The human being has always been stingy.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Say: 'If you possessed the treasuries of my Lord's Mercy, you would hold them back for fear of spending and mankind is ever grudging!

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Say: "If you possessed the treasure of the mercy of my Lord, then you would surely hold back for fear of spending, and man is ever miserly!"

Wahiduddin Khan

Say, "Even if you possessed the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, you would surely hold them back for fear of spending. Man is indeed niggardly!"

Talal Itani

Say, “If you possessed the treasuries of my Lord’s mercy, you would have withheld them for fear of spending.” The human being has always been stingy.

Tafsir jalalayn

Say, to them; `If you possessed the treasuries of my Lord's mercy, [those treasuries] of provision and rain, you would surely withhold [them], [you would] stint, for fear of spending, fearing that they would be depleted if [one] spent [from them] and [that] you would then become impoverished; and man is ever niggardly'.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Holding back is Part of Man's Nature

Allah says to His Messenger;

قُل لَّوْ أَنتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَايِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّي إِذًا لاََّمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ الاِنفَاقِ

Say;"If you possessed the treasure of the mercy of my Lord, then you would surely hold back for fear of spending,

"Tell them, O Muhammad, even if you had authority over the treasures of Allah, you would refrain from spending for fear of exhausting it."

Ibn Abbas and Qatadah said,

"This means for fear of poverty,"

lest it run out, despite the fact that it can never be exhausted or come to an end. This is because it is part of your nature.

So Allah says;

وَكَانَ الانسَانُ قَتُورًا



and man is ever miserly.

Ibn Abbas and Qatadah said;

"(This means) stingy and holding back."

Allah says;

أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُلْكِ فَإِذاً لاَّ يُوْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيراً


Or have they a share in the dominion Then in that case they would not give mankind even a Naqira. (4;53),

meaning that even if they had a share in the authority of Allah, they would not have given anything to anyone, not even the amount of a Naqira (speck on the back of a date stone).

Allah describes man as he really is, except for those whom Allah helps and guides. Miserliness, discontent and impatience are human characteristics, as Allah says;

إِنَّ الاِنسَـنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعاً

إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعاً

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعاً

إِلاَّ الْمُصَلِّينَ

Verily, man was created very impatient; irritable when evil touches him; and stingy when good touches him. Except those who are devoted to Salah (prayers). (70;19-22)

And there are many other such references in the Qur'an. This is an indication of the generosity and kindness of Allah.

In the Two Sahihs it says;

يَدُ اللهِ مَلَْى لَا يَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ سَحَّاءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْفَقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَغِضْ مَا فِي يَمِينِه

Allah's Hand is full and never decreases because of His giving night and day. Do you not see how much He has given since He created the heavens and the earth, yet that which is in His right hand never decreases.