Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nisa Verse 38

Mufti Taqi Usmani

and (for) those who spend their wealth only to show people, and do not believe in Allah and the Last Day. Anyone for whom Satan is companion, evil he is as a companion.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Likewise for those who spend their wealth to show off and do not believe in Allah or the Last Day. And whoever takes Satan as an associate—what an evil associate they have!

Ruwwad Translation Center

And [also] those who spend their wealth to show off to people, but do not believe in Allah or the Last Day. Whoever takes Satan as an associate has indeed taken an evil associate.

A. J. Arberry

and such as expend of their substance to show off to men, and believe not in God and the Last Day. Whosoever has Satan for a comrade, an evil comrade is he.

Abdul Haleem

[Nor does He like those] who spend their wealth to show off, who do not believe in Him or the Last Day. Whoever has Satan as his companion has an evil companion!

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And those who expend of their substance for show of men, and believe not in Allah nor in the Last Day; and whosoever hath for him Satan as a companion, a vile companion hath he!

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Not those who spend of their substance, to be seen of men, but have no faith in Allah and the Last Day; If any take the Evil One for their intimate, what a dreadful intimate he is!

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah does not love those who spend out of their wealth to make a show of it to people when they believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. And he who has taken Satan for a companion has indeed taken for himself a very bad companion.

Ahmed Ali

Those who spend of their wealth to show off and do not believe in God and the Last Day, take Satan as companion, and how evil a companion (have they)!

Ahmed Raza Khan

And those who spend their wealth in order for people to see, and do not accept faith in Allah nor the Last Day; and whoever has Satan (the devil) as a companion – so what an evil companion is he!

Ali Quli Qarai

And those who spend their wealth to be seen by people, and believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. As for him who has Satan for his companion—an evil companion is he!

Ali Ünal

And (likewise) those who spend their wealth (in charity or other good cause) to make a show of it to people (so as to be praised by them) when they believe neither in God nor in the Last Day: Whoever has Satan for a comrade, how evil a comrade he is!

Amatul Rahman Omar

As well as for those who spend their wealth for public show and do not believe in Allâh and the Last Day. And whoso has satan for his companion (let him bear in mind that) an evil companion he is.

English Literal

Those who spend their properties/wealths showing off/pretending/appearing (to) the people, and do not believe with God, and nor with the Day the Last/Resurrection Day, and who the devil is for him a companion , so he was/is a bad/evil companion.

Faridul Haque

And those who spend their wealth in order for people to see, and do not accept faith in Allah nor the Last Day; and whoever has Satan (the devil) as a companion - so what an evil companion is he!

Hamid S. Aziz

Verily, Allah would not wrong by the weight of an atom; and if it´s a good work, He will double it and bring from Himself a mighty reward.

Hilali & Khan

And (also) those who spend of their substance to be seen of men, and believe not in Allah and the Last Day [they are the friends of Shaitan (Satan)], and whoever takes Shaitan (Satan) as an intimate; then what a dreadful intimate he has!

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Who are niggardly and bid people to be niggardly and hide that which Allah has given them out of his grace. And We have prepared for the disbelievers an abasing chastisement --

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And those who spend their property (in alms) to be seen of the people and do not believe in Allah nor in the last day; and as for him whose associate is the Shaitan, an evil associate is he!

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And (also) those who spend their wealth in order to be seen of men, and believe not in Allah nor the Last Day. Whoso taketh Satan for a comrade, a bad comrade hath he.

Muhammad Sarwar

those who spend their property out of a desire to show off and not because of their belief in God and the Day of Judgment, and (lastly) those who choose Satan for a friend; what an evil friend!

Qaribullah & Darwish

And those who spend their wealth to showoff to people and neither believe in Allah nor in the Last Day. Whosoever has satan for a companion, he is an evil companion.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And (also) those who spend of their wealth to be seen of men, and believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whoever takes Shaytan as an intimate; then what a dreadful intimate he has!

Wahiduddin Khan

And [God does not like] those who spend their wealth for the sake of ostentation, who do not believe in God or the Last Day. Whoever has Satan as his companion has an evil companion.

Talal Itani

And those who spend their money to be seen by people, and believe neither in God nor in the Last Day. Whoever has Satan as a companion—what an evil companion.

Tafsir jalalayn

And those (wa'lladhna, a supplement to the previous alladhna, `those') who expend of their substance to show off to people, to be seen of them, and believe not in God and the Last Day, the likes of the hypocrites and the Meccans. Whoever has Satan for a comrade, for a companion, whose command he follows, as these do, then an evil comrade has he.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَالَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ رِيَـاء النَّاسِ

And (also) those who spend of their wealth to be seen of men,

Allah first mentions the punished misers who do not spend, then He mentions those who spend to show off to gain the reputation that they are generous, not for the Face of Allah.

A Hadith states that;

the first three persons on whom the fire will feed are a scholar, a fighter and a spender who shows off with their actions. For instance,

يَقُولُ صَاحِبُ الْمَالِ مَا تَرَكْتُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ تُحِبُّ أَنْ يُنْفَقَ فِيهِ إِلاَّ أَنْفَقْتُ فِي سَبِيلِكَ فَيَقُولُ اللهُ كَذَبْتَ إِنَّمَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ يُقَالَ جَوَادٌ فَقَدْدِقيل

The wealthy will say, "I did not leave any area that You like to be spent on, but I spent on it in Your cause."

Allah will say, "You lie, you only did that so that it is said, `He is generous.' And it was said..."

meaning you acquired your reward in the life, and this is indeed what you sought with your action.

This is why Allah said,

وَلَا يُوْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الاخِرِ

and believe not in Allah and the Last Day,

meaning, it is Shaytan who lured them to commit this evil action, instead of performing the good deed as it should be performed. Shaytan encouraged, excited and lured them by making the evil appear good.

وَمَن يَكُنِ الشَّيْطَانُ لَهُ قَرِينًا فَسَاء قِرِينًا



And whoever takes Shaytan as an intimate; then what a dreadful intimate he has!

Allah then said