Al-Qur'an Surah At-Taghabun Verse 16

Mufti Taqi Usmani

So, observe taqwā (total obedience to Allah in awe of Him) as far as you can, and listen and obey, and spend (in Allah’s way), it being good for you. And those who are saved from the greed of their hearts are the successful.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

So be mindful of Allah to the best of your ability, hear and obey, and spend in charity—that will be best for you. And whoever is saved from the selfishness of their own souls, it is they who are ˹truly˺ successful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

So fear Allah as much as you can, listen and obey, and spend in charity; that is better for your souls. Whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul, it is they who are successful.

A. J. Arberry

So fear God as far as you are able, and give ear, and obey, and expend well for yourselves. And whosoever is guarded against the avarice of his own soul, those -- they are the prosperers.

Abdul Haleem

be mindful of God as much as you can; hear and obey; be charitable- it is for your own good. Those who are saved from their own meanness will be the prosperous ones:

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Wherefore fear Allah as much as ye are able, and hearken and obey, and expend, for the benefit of your souls. And whosoever is protected from niggardliness of his soul - those! they are the blissful.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So fear Allah as much as ye can; listen and obey and spend in charity for the benefit of your own soul and those saved from the covetousness of their own souls,- they are the ones that achieve prosperity.

Abul Ala Maududi

So hold Allah in awe as much as you can, and listen and obey, and be charitable. This is for your own good. And whoever remains safe from his own greediness, it is such that will prosper.

Ahmed Ali

So fear God as much as you can, and listen and obey, and spend in charity for your own good. He who is saved from his own avarice will be successful.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Therefore fear Allah as much as possible, and heed the commands, and obey, and spend in Allah’s cause, for your own good; and whoever is rescued from the greed of his own soul – is they who will be successful.

Ali Quli Qarai

So be wary of Allah, as much as you can, and listen and obey, and spend [in the way of Allah]; that is better for yourselves. Those who are saved from their own greed—it is they who are the felicitous.

Ali Ünal

Keep, then, from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety as far as you can, and listen attentively and submit (to His commands), and obey Him, and spend (in His cause and for the needy) as it is to the betterment of your souls. Whoever is guarded against the avarice of his soul, those are they who are truly prosperous.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Therefore do your duty towards Allâh to the best of your ability, and listen to Him and Obey Him, and go on spending in (His cause). (If you do so) it will be best for your ownselves. For only those who are rid of covetousness of their souls shall be really successful in every way.

English Literal

So fear and obey God, as long as you were able, and hear/listen and obey and spend goodness for yourselves, and who is protected (against) his self`s miserliness/stinginess (who tamed his self`s love towards accumulating money etc.), so those, they are the successful/winners.

Faridul Haque

Therefore fear Allah as much as possible, and heed the commands, and obey, and spend in Allah’s cause, for your own good; and whoever is rescued from the greed of his own soul – is they who will be successful.

Hamid S. Aziz

Therefore, keep your duty to Allah as much as you can, and hear and obey and spend, it is better for your souls; and whoever is saved from the greediness of his soul, these it is that are the successful.

Hilali & Khan

So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can; listen and obey; and spend in charity, that is better for yourselves. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, then they are the successful ones.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

The Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Mighty, the Wise.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Therefore be careful of (your duty to) Allah as much as you can, and hear and obey and spend, it is better for your souls; and whoever is saved from the greediness of his soul, these it is that are the successful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

So keep your duty to Allah as best ye can, and listen, and obey, and spend; that is better for your souls. And whoso is saved from his own greed, such are the successful.

Muhammad Sarwar

Have as much fear of God as best as you can. Listen to the Messenger, obey him, and spend for your own sake good things for the cause of God. Those who control their greed will have everlasting happiness.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Therefore fear Allah as much as you can, and listen, obey, and spend well for yourselves. And whosoever is saved from the greed of his own soul; those are the winners.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

So have Taqwa of Allah as much as you can; listen and obey, and spend in charity; that is better for yourselves. And whosoever is saved from his own greed, then they are the successful ones.

Wahiduddin Khan

so be mindful of God as best as you can; and listen, and obey; and spend in charity: it is for your own good. Those who guard themselves against their own greed will surely prosper:

Talal Itani

So be conscious of God as much as you can, and listen, and obey, and give for your own good. He who is protected from his stinginess—these are the prosperous.

Tafsir jalalayn

So fear God as far as you can -- this abrogates His saying; Fear God as He should be feared [Q. 3;102] -- and listen, to what you have been enjoined to, listening disposed to accept, and obey and expend, in obedience [to Him]; that is better for your souls (khayran li-anfusikum is the predicate of an implied yakun, `[that] is', and the response to the imperative). And whoever is shielded from the avarice of his own soul, such are the successful, the winners.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ

So have Taqwa of Allah as much as you can;

meaning, as much as you are able and can bear or endure.

The Two Sahihs recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِذَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ فَايْتُوا مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَمَا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْهُ فَاجْتَنِبُوه

When I command you to do something, do as much as you can of it, and whatever I forbid for you, then avoid it.

Allah's statement,

وَاسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا

listen and obey,

means, obey what Allah and His Messenger command you to do and do not stray from it to the right or left. Do not utter a statement or make a decision before Allah and His Messenger issue a statement or decision. Do not ignore what you were ordered to do, nor commit what you were forbidden from doing.
Encouraging Charity

Allah the Exalted said,

وَأَنفِقُوا خَيْرًا لاَِّنفُسِكُمْ

and spend in charity; that is better for yourselves.

meaning, give from what Allah has granted you to your relatives, the poor, the needy and the weak. Be kind to Allah's creatures, just as Allah was and still is kind with you. This will be better for you in this life and the Hereafter. Otherwise, if you do not do it, it will be worse for you in this life and the Hereafter.

Allah said;

وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلَيِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ



And whosoever is saved from his own greed, then they are the successful ones.

This was explained with a similar Ayah in Surah Al-Hashr, where we also mentioned the relevant Hadiths. Therefore, we do not need to repeat them here, all praise and gratitude is due to Allah.

Allah the Exalted said