Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 215

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They ask you as to what they should spend. Say: “Whatever good you spend should be for parents, kinsmen, orphans, the needy and the wayfarer; and whatever good you do, Allah is all-aware of it.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They ask you ˹O Prophet in˺ what ˹way˺ they should donate. Say, “Whatever donations you give are for parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, and ˹needy˺ travellers. Whatever good you do is certainly well known to Allah.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

They ask you what they should spend. Say, “Whatever good you spend should be for parents, relatives, orphans and the needy, and the wayfarer; and whatever good you do, Allah is All-Knowing of it.”

A. J. Arberry

They will question thee concerning what they should expend. Say: 'Whatsoever good you expend is for parents and kinsmen, orphans, the needy, and the traveller; and whatever good you may do, God has knowledge of it.'

Abdul Haleem

They ask you [Prophet] what they should give. Say, ‘Whatever you give should be for parents, close relatives, orphans, the needy, and travellers. God is well aware of whatever good you do.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

They ask thee regarding whatsoever they shall expend. Say thou: whatsoever ye expend of wealth, let it be for the parents and kindred and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and whatever good ye do, verily Allah is the Knower thereof.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They ask thee what they should spend (In charity). Say; Whatever ye spend that is good, is for parents and kindred and orphans and those in want and for wayfarers. And whatever ye do that is good, -Allah knoweth it well.

Abul Ala Maududi

The people ask, "What should we spend?" Tell them, "Whatever you spend, spend for your parents, your relatives, orphans, the needy and the wayfarer; and whatever good you do, Allah has knowledge of it.

Ahmed Ali

They ask you of what they should give in charity. Tell them: "What you can spare of your wealth as should benefit the parents, the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the wayfarers, for God is not unaware of the good deeds that you do."

Ahmed Raza Khan

They ask you what they should spend; say, “Whatever you spend for good, is for parents and near relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveller”; and whatever good you do, indeed Allah knows it.

Ali Quli Qarai

They ask you as to what they should spend. Say, ‘Let whatever wealth you spend be for the parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, and the traveller.’ Allah indeed knows whatever good you do.

Ali Ünal

They ask you what they will spend (to provide sustenance for the needy). Say: "Whatever you spend of your wealth is for (your) parents and the near relatives, and the (needy) orphans, the destitute, and the wayfarer. Whatever good you do, surely God has full knowledge of it.

Amatul Rahman Omar

They question you as to what they should spend (to seek the pleasure of Allâh). Say, `Whatever of good and abundant wealth you spend, should be for parents and near of kin, and the orphans and the needy, and the wayfarer. And whatever good you do, surely Allâh knows it fully well.´

English Literal

They ask/question you what (should) they spend, say: "What you spend from goodness/wealth , so to the parents, and the nearest/closest, and the orphans , and the poorest of poor/poor oppressed, and the traveler/stranded traveler, and what you make/do from goodness , so then God (is) with it knowledgeable."

Faridul Haque

They ask you what they should spend; say, "Whatever you spend for good, is for parents and near relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveller"; and whatever good you do, indeed Allah knows it.

Hamid S. Aziz

They will ask you what they are to expend in alms: say, "Whatsoever good you expend it should be for parents and kinsmen, and the orphan and the poor, and the son of the road (wayfarers); and whatsoever good you do, verily, of it Allah is Aware."

Hilali & Khan

They ask you (O Muhammad SAW) what they should spend. Say: Whatever you spend of good must be for parents and kindred and orphans and Al-Masakin (the poor) and the wayfarers, and whatever you do of good deeds, truly, Allah knows it well.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

They ask thee as to what they should spend. Say: Whatever wealth you spend, it is for the parents and the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer. And whatever good you do, Allah surely is Knower of it.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

They ask you as to what they should spend. Say: Whatever wealth you spend, it is for the parents and the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, and whatever good you do, Allah surely knows it.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

They ask thee, (O Muhammad), what they shall spend. Say: that which ye spend for good (must go) to parents and near kindred and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer. And whatsoever good ye do, lo! Allah is Aware of it.

Muhammad Sarwar

They ask you what to spend for the cause of God. (Muhammad) tell them that whatever you spend, give it to your parents, the orphans, the destitute, and those who may be in urgent need of money whilst on a journey. Whatever good you do, God certainly is Aware of it.

Qaribullah & Darwish

They will question you about what they should spend (in charity). Say: 'Whatever good you spend is for (your) parents, kinsmen, orphans, the needy, and the destitute traveler. Allah is Aware of whatever good you do'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

They ask you (O Muhammad) what they should spend. Say: "Whatever you spend of good must be for parents and kindred and orphans and Al-Masakin (the poor) and the wayfarer, and whatever you do of good deeds, truly, Allah knows it well."

Wahiduddin Khan

They will ask you what they should spend on others. Say, "Whatever you give should be for parents, close relatives, orphans, the needy, and travellers. God is well aware of whatever good you do."

Talal Itani

They ask you what they should give. Say, “Whatever charity you give is for the parents, and the relatives, and the orphans, and the poor, and the wayfarer. Whatever good you do, God is aware of it.

Tafsir jalalayn

They will ask you, O Muhammad (s), about what they should expend. This was the question posed by `Amr b. al-Jamh. He was a wealthy elderly man and went to ask the Prophet (s) what and for whom he should expend; Say, to them; `Whatever you expend of good (min khayrin, `of good', is an explication of m, `whatever', covering small and large amounts, and denotes one half of the question represented by the expender; God responds with regard to the one receiving the expenditure, this pertaining to the other half of the question, in the following) it is for parents and kinsmen, orphans, the needy, and the traveller, that is, they are the most deserving of it; and whatever good you may do, by way of expending or otherwise, God has knowledge of it', and will requite it accordingly.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Who deserves the Nafaqah (Spending or Charity)

Allah says;

يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ

They ask you (O Muhammad) what they should spend.

Muqatil bin Hayyan said that;

this Ayah was revealed about the voluntary charity.

Ibn Abbas and Mujahid have stated that the Ayah means,

`They ask you (O Muhammad) how they should spend.'

So, Allah explained it for them, saying;

قُلْ مَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالَاقْرَبِينَ وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ

Say;"Whatever you spend of good must be for parents and kindred and orphans and Al-Masakin and the wayfarer,"

meaning, spend it on these categories or areas.

Similarly, a Hadith states that;

those who deserve one's generosity the most, are;

أُمَّكَ وَأَبَاكَ وَأُخْتَكَ وَأَخَاكَ ثُمَّ أَدْنَاكَ أَدْنَاك

Your mother, father, sister, brother, the closest and then the farthest (relatives).

Maymun bin Mihran once recited this Ayah and commented,

"These are the areas of spending. Allah did not mention among them the drums, pipe, wooden pictures, or the curtains that cover the walls."

Next, Allah said;

وَمَا تَفْعَلُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ


and whatever you do of good deeds, truly, Allah knows it well.

meaning, whatever you perform of good works, Allah knows them and He will reward you for them in the best manner, no one will be dealt with unjustly, even the weight of an atom