Al-Qur'an Surah Muhammad Verse 38

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Yes, you are such that you are called upon to spend in Allah’s way, but some of you withhold in miserliness- and he who withholds in miserliness withholds against himself- and Allah is the Need-Free, and you are the needy. And if you turn away, He will replace you by some other people, then they will not be like you.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Here you are, being invited to donate ˹a little˺ in the cause of Allah. Still some of you withhold. And whoever does so, it is only to their own loss. For Allah is the Self-Sufficient, whereas you stand in need ˹of Him˺. If you ˹still˺ turn away, He will replace you with another people. And they will not be like you.

Ruwwad Translation Center

O you who are being called to spend in Allah’s way; among you are some who greedily withhold, but whoever withholds, he in fact withholds against himself, for Allah is the Self-Sufficient, whereas you are in need [of Him]. If you turn away, He will replace you with another people, then they will not be like you.

A. J. Arberry

Ha, there you are; you are called upon to expend in God's way, and some of you are niggardly. Whoso is niggardly is niggardly only to his own soul. God is the All-sufficient; you are the needy ones. If you turn away, He will substitute another people instead of you, then they will not be your likes.

Abdul Haleem

though now you are called upon to give [a little] for the sake of God, some of you are grudging. Whoever is grudging is so only towards himself: God is the source of wealth and you are the needy ones. He will substitute other people for you if you turn away, and they will not be like you.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Behold! ye are those who are called to expend in the way of Allah, then there are of you some who are niggardly. And whosoever is niggardly is niggardly only to himself. And Allah is Self-sufficient, and ye are the needy. And if ye turn away, He will substitute for you another people, and then they will not be the likes of you.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Behold, ye are those invited to spend (of your substance) in the Way of Allah; But among you are some that are niggardly. But any who are niggardly are so at the expense of their own souls. But Allah is free of all wants, and it is ye that are needy. If ye turn back (from the Path), He will substitute in your stead another people; then they would not be like you!

Abul Ala Maududi

Behold, you are those who are called upon to spend in Allah's Way, but some of you are niggardly. Whoever is niggardly is in fact niggardly to himself. For Allah is All-Sufficient, whereas it is you who are in need of Him. If you turn away, He will replace you by a people other than you, and they will not be like you.

Ahmed Ali

Beware! You are called to spend in the way of God, yet some among you close their fists. But he who is niggardly is so for his own self: God is above need, and it is you who are needy. If you turn away then God will bring other people in your place who, moreover, will not be like you.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Yes, undoubtedly it is you who are being called, that you may spend in Allah’s way; so some among you act miserly; and whoever is miserly, is being a miser upon himself; and Allah is the Independent (Wealthy – Not requiring anything), whereas you all are needy; and if you renege, He will replace you with other people – and they will not be like you.

Ali Quli Qarai

Ah! There you are, being invited to spend in the way of Allah; yet among you there are those who are stingy; and whoever is stingy is stingy only to himself. Allah is the All-sufficient, and you are all-needy, and if you turn away He will replace you with another people, and they will not be like you.

Ali Ünal

You are surely those called upon to spend (of your wealth) in God’s cause; yet among you are some who are niggardly. But whoever is niggardly is niggardly only to the depriving of his own soul. God is the All-Wealthy and Self-Sufficient (absolutely independent of any need), and you are the poor (in need of Him). If you turn away (from true faith and piety), He will substitute in your stead another people; then they will not be like you.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Behold! you are those who are called upon to spend in the cause of Allâh. Yet some of you are niggardly. (Remember that) whoever is niggardly is niggardly only against his own self. Otherwise Allâh is Self-sufficient (having no needs) and it is you who are the needy ones. And if you turn back (from the truth), He will replace you with another people and they will not (behave) like you.

English Literal

Here you are those (who) are being called to spend in God`s way/path , so from you who is stingy/ miser; and who is stingy/miser so but (he) is stingy/miser on (against) himself, and God (is) the rich, and you are the poor/needy/deprived , and if you turn away He exchanges/replaces a nation other than you, then they do not be similar/alike to you 375

Faridul Haque

Yes, undoubtedly it is you who are being called, that you may spend in Allah’s way; so some among you act miserly; and whoever is miserly, is being a miser upon himself; and Allah is the Independent (Wealthy - Not requiring anything), whereas you all are needy; and if you renege, He will replace you with other people - and they will not be like you.

Hamid S. Aziz

Behold! You are those who are called upon to spend in Allah´s way, but among you are those who are niggardly (or hoard), and whoever is niggardly is niggardly against his own soul; and Allah is the Rich (Self-sufficient) and you are the poor (having need of Him), and if you turn back He will bring in your place another people, and they will not be like you.

Hilali & Khan

Behold! You are those who are called to spend in the Cause of Allah, yet among you are some who are niggardly. And whoever is niggardly, it is only at the expense of his ownself. But Allah is Rich (Free of all wants), and you (mankind) are poor. And if you turn away (from Islam and the obedience of Allah), He will exchange you for some other people, and they will not be your likes.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

If He should ask you for it and press you, you will be niggardly, and He will bring forth your malice.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Behold! you are those who are called upon to spend in Allah's way, but among you are those who are niggardly, and whoever is niggardly is niggardly against his own soul; and Allah is Self-sufficient and you have need (of Him), and if you turn back He will bring in your place another people, then they will not be like you.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! ye are those who are called to spend in the way of Allah, yet among you there are some who hoard. And as for him who hoardeth, he hoardeth only from his soul. And Allah is the Rich, and ye are the poor. And if ye turn away He will exchange you for some other folk, and they will not be the likes of you.

Muhammad Sarwar

It is you who are asked to spend for the cause of God, but some of you behave in a niggardly way. Whoever behaves miserly does so against his own soul. God is Self-sufficient and you are poor. If you were to turn away from Him, He would just replace you with another people, who will not be like you.

Qaribullah & Darwish

There you are! You are called upon to spend in the Way of Allah. Some of you are mean; yet whoever is mean is mean only to his own soul. Allah is theRich and you are the poor. If you turn away, He will replace you with another nation, and they will not be like you.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Here you are now invited to spend in Allah's cause; but among you are those who withhold (stingily). And whoever acts stingily is but stingy toward himself. For Allah is indeed free of needs, while you are the needy. And if you turn away, He will replace you with other people; then they will not be like you.

Wahiduddin Khan

Behold! You are those who are called upon to spend for God's cause, but among you are those who are niggardly, and whoever stints does so against his own self. Indeed, God is self-sufficient, but you stand in need [of Him], and if you turn back, He will bring in your place another people, who will not be like you.

Talal Itani

Here you are, being called to spend in the cause of God. Among you are those who withhold; but whoever withholds is withholding against his own soul. God is the Rich, while you are the needy. And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people, and they will not be like you.

Tafsir jalalayn

Lo! there you are, O, those who are being called to expend in the way of God, that which has been prescribed for you; yet among you there are those who are niggardly; and whoever is niggardly is niggardly only to his own soul (one may say bakhila `alayhi or [bakhila] `anhu [to mean, `he was niggardly to someone']). For God is the Independent One, [without need] of your expending; while you are the needy, of Him. And if you turn away, from obedience to Him, He will replace you with another people, that is to say, He will bring them in your place, and they will not be the likes of you, in turning away from obedience to Him, but [they will be] obedient to Him, Mighty and Majestic [is He]. Medinese; it was revealed on the return from al-Hudaybiyya; it consists of 29 verses.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

هَاأَنتُمْ هَوُلَااء تُدْعَوْنَ لِتُنفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

فَمِنكُم مَّن

Here you are now invited to spend in Allah's cause; but among you are those who withhold (stingily).

meaning, they refuse to spend.

Allah continues,

يَبْخَلُ وَمَن يَبْخَلْ فَإِنَّمَا يَبْخَلُ عَن نَّفْسِهِ

And whoever acts stingily is but stingy toward himself.

meaning, he only reduces his own rewards, and the bad outcome of that will come back to him.

وَاللَّهُ الْغَنِيُّ

For Allah is indeed Al-Ghani,

Allah is in need of nothing else, whereas everything is ever in need of Him.

Thus, Allah says,

وَأَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَاء

while you are the needy.

meaning, specifically of Him.

The description of Allah as Al-Ghani (in no need) is a necessary description of Allah; on the other hand, the description of the creation as Faqr (needy) is a necessary description for them that they cannot avoid.

Allah then says,

وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْا

And if you turn away,

which means, if you turn away from obeying Him and adhering to His Laws.

يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوا أَمْثَالَكُمْ




He will replace you with other people; then they will not be like you.

meaning, rather, they will be people who will listen to Him and obey His commands.

This concludes the Tafsir of Surah Muhammad. And Allah is worthy of all praise and gratitude