Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Hadid Verse 10

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And what is wrong with you that you should not spend in the way of Allah, while to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Those who spent before the Conquest (of Makkah) and fought are not at par (with others). Those are much greater in rank than those who spent later and fought, though Allah has promised the good (reward) for each. Allah is well aware of what you do.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And why should you not spend in the cause of Allah, while Allah is the ˹sole˺ inheritor of the heavens and the earth? Those of you who donated and fought before the victory ˹over Mecca˺ are unparalleled. They are far greater in rank than those who donated and fought afterwards.[[ Prior to the victory over Mecca, Muslims were outnumbered and perceived as weak. Once Mecca surrendered to the Muslims, many tribes either accepted Islam or made peace agreements with the Muslim victors. Therefore, the believers who donated and strived at the time of hardship and weakness deserve more rewards than those who did so at the time of ease and prominence. ]] Yet Allah has promised each a fine reward. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Why is it that you do not spend in the cause of Allah, when Allah alone will inherit the heavens and earth? Those of you who spent and fought before the conquest [of Mecca and those who did not] are not equal. They are much greater in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. Yet Allah has promised each a fine reward, and Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

A. J. Arberry

How is it with you, that you expend not in the way of God, and to God belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Not equal is he among you who spent, and who fought before the victory; those are mightier in rank than they who spent and fought afterwards; and unto each God has promised the reward most fair; and God is aware of the things you do.

Abdul Haleem

Why should you not give for God’s cause when God alone will inherit what is in the heavens and earth? Those who gave and fought before the triumph are not like others: they are greater in rank than those who gave and fought afterwards. But God has promised a good reward to all of them: God is fully aware of all that you do.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And what aileth you that ye expend not in the way of Allah, when Allah's shall be the inheritance of the heavens and the earth! Those among you who expended and fought before the victory shall not be held equal They are mightier in rank than those who expended and fought afterwards; Unto each hath Allah promised good; and Allah is of whatsoever ye work Aware.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And what cause have ye why ye should not spend in the cause of Allah?- For to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth. Not equal among you are those who spent (freely) and fought, before the Victory, (with those who did so later). Those are higher in rank than those who spent (freely) and fought afterwards. But to all has Allah promised a goodly (reward). And Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do.

Abul Ala Maududi

How is it that you do not expend in the Way of Allah when to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Those who spent their wealth and took part in fighting before the Victory cannot be equated (with those who spent their wealth and took part in fighting afterwards). They are higher in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. But to each Allah has promised a good reward. Allah is well aware of all that you do.

Ahmed Ali

What has come upon you that you do not spend in the way of God, when the heritage of the heavens and the earth belongs to God? Those of you who spent before the victory and fought, are not equal (to those who did not). They are higher in position than those who spent after (the victory) and fought. To each one God has made the promise of excellence, for God is aware of all you do.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And what is the matter with you that you should not spend in Allah’s cause, whereas Allah is the Inheritor of all that is in the heavens and in the earth? Those among you who spent and fought before the conquest of Mecca are not equal to others; they are greater in rank than those who spent and fought after the conquest; and Allah has promised Paradise to all of them; and Allah well knows what you do.

Ali Quli Qarai

Why should you not spend in the way of Allah, when to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Those of you who spent [their means] and fought before the victory are not equal [to others]. They are greater in rank than those who have spent and fought afterwards. Yet Allah has promised the best reward to each and Allah is well aware of what you do.

Ali Ünal

What is the matter with you that you do not spend in God’s cause, when God’s is the inheritance of the heavens and the earth. Not equal among you are those who spend before the victory comes and fight (for God’s sake, and those who do not): they are greater in rank than those who spend after the victory comes and fight later. However to all God has promised what is the best (Paradise). God is fully aware of all that you do.

Amatul Rahman Omar

What is wrong with you that you do not spend in the way of Allâh, for all that the heavens and the earth contain shall finally revert to Allâh. Those of you who spent and fought (in the cause of Allâh) before the Victory (of Hudaibiyah) cannot be equal (to those who joined the ranks later). They are higher in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards (after the truth had gained ground). Yet Allâh has promised a good reward to them all. Allâh is Well-Aware of what you do.

English Literal

And why not for you (is it) that you do not spend in God`s way/path ? And to God (are) the skies`/space`s and the earth`s/Planet Earth`s inheritance, (it did) not become equal/alike, from you who spent from before the opening/victory and fought , those are a step/degree/stage greater than those who spent from after (the opening/victory) and they fought , and (to) each, God promised the best/goodness , and God (is) with what you make/do, expert/experienced.

Faridul Haque

And what is the matter with you that you should not spend in Allah’s cause, whereas Allah is the Inheritor of all that is in the heavens and in the earth? Those among you who spent and fought before the conquest of Mecca are not equal to others; they are greater in rank than those who spent and fought after the conquest; and Allah has promised Paradise to all of them; and Allah well knows what you do.

Hamid S. Aziz

And what reason have you that you should not spend in Allah´s way? For Allah´s is the inheritance of the heavens and the earth. Not alike among you are those who spent and fought before the victory (and those who did not): they are more exalted in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. But to all has Allah promised good; and Allah is Aware of what you do.

Hilali & Khan

And what is the matter with you that you spend not in the Cause of Allah? And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth. Not equal among you are those who spent and fought before the conquering (of Makkah) (with those among you who did so later). Such are higher in degree than those who spent and fought afterwards. But to all, Allah has promised the best (reward). And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He it is Who sends down clear messages to His servant, that he may bring you forth from darkness into light. And surely Allah is Kind, Merciful to you.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And what reason have you that you should not spend in Allah's way? And Allah's is the inheritance of the heavens and the earth, not alike among you are those who spent before the victory and fought (and those who did not): they are more exalted in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards; and Allah has promised good to all; and Allah is Aware of what you do.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And what aileth you that ye spend not in the way of Allah when unto Allah belongeth the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Those who spent and fought before the victory are not upon a level (with the rest of you). Such are greater in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. Unto each hath Allah promised good. And Allah is Informed of what ye do.

Muhammad Sarwar

Why do you not spend for the cause of God when to Him belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Those who spend for the cause of God and fight before victory will have higher positions than those who spend for the cause of God and fight after victory. However, to both parties God has promised good rewards. God is Well Aware of what you do.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And why is it that you do not spend in the Way of Allah, when the inheritance of the heavens and earth belong to Allah alone? Those who spent before the victory and took part in the fighting are mightier in rank and are not equal to those who spent and fought thereafter. Yet, Allah has promised each a fine reward, and Allah is Aware of what you do.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And what is the matter with you that you spend not in the cause of Allah And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth. Not equal among you are those who spent and fought before the conquering. Such are higher in degree than those who spent and fought afterwards. But to all Allah has promised the best. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

Wahiduddin Khan

Why should you not spend for the cause of God, when God alone holds the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Those of you who spent and fought before the victory will be higher in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. Yet God has promised you all a good reward. He is aware of all that you do.

Talal Itani

And why is it that you do not spend in the cause of God, when to God belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who contributed before the conquest, and fought. Those are higher in rank than those who contributed afterwards, and fought. But God promises both a good reward. God is Well Experienced in what you do.

Tafsir jalalayn

And why should you, after having embraced faith, not (all; the nn of an [an-l] has been assimilated here with the lm of l) expend in the way of God when to God belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth, with all that they comprise, so that He will [eventually] receive all your wealth but without the reward for having expended [of it for His cause], as opposed to if you had expended and had hence been rewarded. Not equal [to the rest of you] are those of you who expended and fought before the victory, at Mecca. Such are greater in rank than those who expended and fought afterwards. Yet to each, of the two groups (a variant reading [for wa-kullan, `yet to each'] has nominative wa-kullun as a subject) God has promised the best reward, Paradise. And God is Aware of what you do, and will requite you for it [accordingly].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلاَّ تُنفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَاثُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضِ

And what is the matter with you that you spend not in the cause of Allah And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth.

means, spend and do not fear poverty or scarcity. Surely, He in Whose cause you spent is the King and Owner of the heavens and earth and has perfect control over their every affair, including their treasuries. He is the Owner of the Throne, with all the might that it contains, and He is the One Who said,

وَمَأ أَنفَقْتُمْ مِّن شَىْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ

And whatsoever you spend of anything, He will replace it. And He is the best of providers. (34;39),

and,

مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ وَمَا عِندَ اللَّهِ بَاقٍ

whatever is with you, will be exhausted, and whatever is with Allah will remain. (16;96)

Therefore, those who trust in and depend on Allah will spend, and they will not fear poverty or destitution coming to them from the Owner of the Throne. They know that Allah will surely compensate them for whatever they spend.
The Virtues of spending and fighting before the Conquest of Makkah

Allah's statement,

لَاا يَسْتَوِي مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ

Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquering and fought.

meaning those who did not fight and spend before the Conquest are not equal to those who spent and fought.

Before Makkah was conquered, things were difficult for Muslims and only the righteous ones embraced Islam. After Makkah was conquered, Islam spread tremendously throughout the known world and people embraced the religion of Allah en masse.

Similarly He said;

أُوْلَيِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أَنفَقُوا مِن بَعْدُ وَقَاتَلُوا وَكُلًّ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى

Such are higher in degree than those who spent and fought afterwards. But to all Allah has promised the best (reward).

The majority considers the Conquest here to be the conquest of Makkah.

Ash-Sha`bi and several others said that the Ayah refers to the treaty at Al-Hudaybiyyah. There is proof for this opinion found in a Hadith from Anas, collected by Imam Ahmad. Anas said,

"Khalid bin Al-Walid and Abdur-Rahman bin Awf had a dispute. Khalid said to Abdur-Rahman, You boast about days (battles) that you participated in before us.'

When the news of this statement reached the Prophet he said,

دَعُوا لِي أَصْحَابِي فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ أَوْ مِثْلَ الْجِبَالِ ذَهَبًا مَا بَلَغْتُمْ أَعْمَالَهُم


Do not bother my Companions, for by He in Whose Hand is my soul! If you spend an amount of gold equal to (Mount) Uhud, (or equal to the mountains), you will not reach the level of their actions."

It is a known fact that Khalid bin Al-Walid, whom the Prophet addressed this statement to, embraced Islam during the period between the treaty of Al-Hudaybiyyah and the conquering of Makkah.

The dispute between Khalid and Abdur-Rahman occurred because of the battle of Bani Jadhimah. The Prophet sent Khalid bin Al-Walid to them after the conquest of Makkah, and they said, "Saba'na," instead of saying, "Aslamna" (we embraced Islam). So Khalid ordered their execution and the execution of their prisoners (of war); Abdur-Rahman bin Awf and Abdullah bin Umar opposed him. This is the reason behind the dispute that occurred between Khalid and Abdur-Rahman. But in the Sahih, the Messenger of Allah said,

لَاا تَسُبُّوا أَصْحَابِي فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ أَنْفَقَ أَحَدُكُمْ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا مَا بَلَغَ مُدَّ أَحَدِهِمْ وَلَاا نَصِيفَه


None should revile my Companions, for by He in Whose Hand is my soul! If one of you were to spend as much gold as Uhud, it would not reach the level of them equal to an amount as much as one Mudd of one of them or half of it.

Allah said,

وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى

But to all Allah has promised the best (reward).

meaning, those who spent before and after the conquest of Makkah; they all will gain a reward for their good deeds, even though some of them vary in rank and earn a better reward than others as Allah said,

لااَّ يَسْتَوِى الْقَـعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ وَالْمُجَـهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَـهِدِينَ بِأَمْوَلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ عَلَى الْقَـعِدِينَ دَرَجَةً وَكُـلاًّ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَـهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَـعِدِينَ أَجْراً عَظِيماً

Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home), except those who are disabled, and those who strive hard and fight in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has preferred in grades those who strive hard and fight with their wealth and their lives above those who sit (at home). Unto each, Allah has promised good, but Allah has preferred by a great reward those who strive hard and fight, above those who sit (at home). (4;95)

There is a Hadith in the Sahih that states,

الْمُوْمِنُ الْقَوِيُّ خَيْرٌ وَأَحَبُّ إِلَى اللهِ مِنَ الْمُوْمِنِ الضَّعِيفِ وَفِي كُلَ خَيْر

The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer; both have goodness in them.

The Prophet ended his statement this way to draw attention to the second type of believer, so that their own qualities are not forgotten in the midst of preferring the former type. In this way, the latter is not dismissed as being degraded in the Hadith. Therefore, the Prophet ended his statement by praising the second type -- the weak believers -- after giving preference to the first type.

Allah said;

وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ



And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

meaning, since Allah is perfectly aware of all things, He made distinctions between the rewards of the believers who spent and fought before the Conquest and those who spent and fought afterwards. Surely, Allah does this by His knowledge of the intention of the former type and their perfect sincerity to Him, all the while spending in times of hardship, poverty and dire straits.

This is found in the Hadith,

سَبَقَ دِرْهَمٌ مِايَةَ أَلْف

Spending one Dirham is preceded over a hundred thousand.

There is no doubt that the people of faith consider Abu Bakr As-Siddiq to be the person who has the best share according to the meaning of this Ayah. He was the chief of those who implemented it, among all followers of all Prophets. He spent all of his wealth seeking the Face of Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored. He did it voluntarily too, not to repay a debt or a favor that anyone from mankind had on him. May Allah be pleased with him.
The Encouragement to make a Handsome Loan in the Cause of Allah

Allah said