Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 195

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Spend in the way of Allah and do not put yourselves into destruction, and do good. Of course, Allah loves those who do good.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Spend in the cause of Allah and do not let your own hands throw you into destruction ˹by withholding˺. And do good, for Allah certainly loves the good-doers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Spend in the way of Allah and do not throw yourselves into destruction, and do good, for Allah loves those who do good.

A. J. Arberry

And expend in the way of God; and cast not yourselves by your own hands into destruction, but be good-doers; God loves the good-doers.

Abdul Haleem

Spend in God’s cause: do not contribute to your destruction with your own hands, but do good, for God loves those who do good.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And expend in the way of Allah, and cast not yourselves with your hands into perdition, and do well. verily Allah loveth the well- doers,

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction; but do good; for Allah loveth those who do good.

Abul Ala Maududi

Spend your wealth in the Way of Allah and do not cast yourselves into ruin with your own hands. Do all things gracefully, for Allah loves those who do all things with excellence

Ahmed Ali

Spend in the way of God, and do not seek destruction at your own hands. So do good for God loves those who do good.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And spend your wealth in Allah's cause, and do not fall into ruin with your own hands; and be virtuous; undoubtedly the righteous are the beloved of Allah.

Ali Quli Qarai

Spend in the way of Allah, and do not cast yourselves with your own hands into destruction; and be virtuous. Indeed Allah loves the virtuous.

Ali Ünal

(Just retaliation, as well as war or other defensive measures to maintain your existence, are not possible without expense. So) spend in God’s cause (out of whatever you have) and do not ruin yourselves by your own hands (by refraining from spending. Whatever you do,) do it in the best way in the awareness that God sees it. Surely God loves those who are devoted to doing good, aware that God is seeing them.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And spend in the cause of Allâh and do not cast yourselves into ruin with your own hands, and do good to others, and verily Allâh loves the doers of good to others.

English Literal

And spend in God`s way/sake and do not throw with your hands to the destruction , and do good, that God loves/likes the good doers.

Faridul Haque

And spend your wealth in Allah´s cause, and do not fall into ruin with your own hands; and be virtuous; undoubtedly the righteous are the beloved of Allah.

Hamid S. Aziz

Expend in alms in the cause of Allah and be not cast by your own hands into perdition; but do good, for Allah loves those who do good.

Hilali & Khan

And spend in the Cause of Allah (i.e. Jihad of all kinds, etc.) and do not throw yourselves into destruction (by not spending your wealth in the Cause of Allah), and do good. Truly, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun (the good-doers).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And spend in the way of Allah and cast not yourselves to perdition with your own hands and do good (to others). Surely Allah loves the doers of good.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And spend in the way of Allah and cast not yourselves to perdition with your own hands, and do good (to others); surely Allah loves the doers of good.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Spend your wealth for the cause of Allah, and be not cast by your own hands to ruin; and do good. Lo! Allah loveth the beneficent.

Muhammad Sarwar

Give money for the cause of God but do not push yourselves into perdition. Do good; God loves the people who do good deeds.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Spend in the way of Allah and do not cast into destruction with your own hands. Be gooddoers; Allah loves the gooddoers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And spend in the cause of Allah and do not throw yourselves into destruction, and do good. Truly, Allah loves Al-Muhsinin (those who do good).

Wahiduddin Khan

Spend for God's cause: do not cast yourselves into destruction by your own hands. Do good, God loves the doers of good.

Talal Itani

And spend in the cause of God, and do not throw yourselves with your own hands into ruin, and be charitable. God loves the charitable.

Tafsir jalalayn

And spend in the way of God, in obedience to Him, in holy struggle and the like; and cast not your own hands, yourselves (the b' of bi-aydkum `with your hands' is extra) into destruction, by withholding funds needed for the struggle or abandoning it altogether, because this will give your enemy the advantage over you; but be virtuous, by spending etc.; God loves the virtuous, that is, He rewards them.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Command to spend in the Cause of Allah

Allah says;

وَأَنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَلَا تُلْقُواْ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ

And spend in the cause of Allah and do not throw yourselves into destruction,

Al-Bukhari recorded that Hudhayfah said;

"It was revealed about spending."

Ibn Abu Hatim reported him saying similarly.

He then commented,

"Similar is reported from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ata, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Muqatil bin Hayyan."

Aslam Abu Imran said,

"A man from among the Ansar broke enemy (Byzantine) lines in Constantinople (Istanbul). Abu Ayub Al-Ansari was with us then. So some people said, `He is throwing himself to destruction.'

Abu Ayub said, `We know this Ayah (2;195) better, for it was revealed about us, the Companions of Allah's Messenger who participated in Jihad with him and aided and supported him.

When Islam became strong, we, the Ansar, met and said to each other, `Allah has honored us by being the Companions of His Prophet and in supporting him until Islam became victorious and its following increased.

We had before ignored the needs of our families, estates and children. Warfare has ceased, so let us go back to our families and children and attend to them.' So this Ayah was revealed about us;
وَأَنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَلَا تُلْقُواْ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ
(And spend in the cause of Allah and do not throw yourselves into destruction),

the destruction refers to staying with our families and estates and abandoning Jihad'."

This was recorded by Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i, Abd bin Humayd in his Tafsir, Ibn Abu Hatim, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Marduwyah, Al-Hafiz Abu Ya`la in his Musnad, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim.

At-Tirmidhi said; "Hasan, Sahih, Gharib."

Al-Hakim said, "It meets the criteria of the Two Sheikhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) but they did not record it."

Abu Dawud's version mentions that Aslam Abu Imran said,

"We were at (the siege of) Constantinople. Then, Uqbah bin Amr was leading the Egyptian forces, while the Syrian forces were led by Fadalah bin Ubayd. Later on, a huge column of Roman (Byzantine) soldiers departed the city, and we stood in lines against them.

A Muslim man raided the Roman lines until he broke through them and came back to us. The people shouted, `All praise is due to Allah! He is sending himself to certain demise.'

Abu Ayub said, `O people! You explain this Ayah the wrong way. It was revealed about us, the Ansar when Allah gave victory to His religion and its following increased. We said to each other, `It would be better for us now if we return to our estates and attend to them.' Then Allah revealed this Ayah (2;195)'."

Abu Bakr bin Aiyash reported that Abu Ishaq As-Subai`y related that;

a man said to Al-Bara bin Azib, "If I raided the enemy lines alone and they kill me, would I be throwing myself to certain demise?"

He said, "No. Allah said to His Messenger;
فَقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ لَا تُكَلَّفُ إِلاَّ نَفْسَكَ
(Then fight (O Muhammad) in the cause of Allah, you are not tasked (held responsible) except for yourself. (4;84)

That Ayah (2;195) is about (refraining from) spending."

Ibn Marduwyah reported this Hadith, as well as Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak who said; "It meets the criteria of the Two Sheikhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) but they did not record it."

Ath-Thawri and Qays bin Ar-Rabi related it from Al-Bara. but added;

لَا تُكَلَّفُ إِلاَّ نَفْسَكَ
(You are not tasked (held responsible) except for yourself. (4;84)

"Destruction refers to the man who sins and refrains from repenting, thus throwing himself to destruction."

Ibn Abbas said;
وَأَنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَلَا تُلْقُواْ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ
(And spend in the cause of Allah and do not throw yourselves into destruction),

"This is not about fighting. But about refraining from spending for the sake of Allah, in which case, one will be throwing his self into destruction."

The Ayah (2;195) includes the order to spend in Allah's cause, in the various areas and ways that involve obedience and drawing closer to Allah. It especially applies to spending in fighting the enemies and on what strengthens the Muslims against the enemy.

Allah states that those who refrain from spending in this regard will face utter and certain demise and destruction, meaning those who acquire this habit.

Allah commands that one should acquire Ihsan (excellence in the religion), as it is the highest part of the acts of obedience.

Allah said;

وَأَحْسِنُوَاْ إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ



and do good. Truly, Allah loves Al-Muhsinin(those who do good)