Al-Qur'an Surah At-Tawbah Verse 34

Mufti Taqi Usmani

O you who believe, many of the rabbis and the monks do eat up the wealth of the people by false means and prevent (them) from the way of Allah. As for those who accumulate gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, give them the ‘good’ news of a painful punishment,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

O believers! Indeed, many rabbis and monks consume people’s wealth wrongfully and hinder ˹others˺ from the Way of Allah. Give good news of a painful torment to those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah’s cause.

Ruwwad Translation Center

O you who believe, there are many rabbis and monks who consume people’s wealth unlawfully and prevent people from Allah’s way. Those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, give them tidings of a painful punishment.

A. J. Arberry

O believers, many of the rabbis and monks indeed consume the goods of the people in vanity and bar from God's way. Those who treasure up gold and silver, and do not expend them in the way of God -- give them the good tidings of a painful chastisement,

Abdul Haleem

Believers, many rabbis and monks wrongfully consume people’s possessions and turn people away from God’s path. [Prophet], tell those who hoard gold and silver instead of giving in God’s cause that they will have a grievous punishment:

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

O Ye who believe! verily many of the priests and the monks devour the substances of men in falsehood and hinder People from the way of Allah. And those who treasure up gold and silver and expend them not in the way of Allah -announce thou unto them a torment afflictive.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

O ye who believe! there are indeed many among the priests and anchorites, who in Falsehood devour the substance of men and hinder (them) from the way of Allah. And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah; announce unto them a most grievous penalty-

Abul Ala Maududi

Believers! Many of the rabbis and monks wrongfully devour mankind's possessions and hinder people from the Way of Allah. And there are those who amass gold and silver and do not spend it in the Way of Allah. Announce to them the tidings of a painful chastisement

Ahmed Ali

O believers, many rabbis and priests devour the possessions of others wrongfully, and keep men away from the path of God. To those who accumulate gold and silver, and do not spend in the way of God, announce the news of painful punishment.

Ahmed Raza Khan

O People who Believe! Indeed many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks unjustly devour people's wealth and prevent from Allah’s way; and those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah’s way – so them give the glad tidings of a painful punishment.

Ali Quli Qarai

O you who have faith! Indeed many of the scribes and monks wrongfully eat up the people’s wealth, and bar [them] from the way of Allah. Those who treasure up gold and silver, and do not spend it in the way of Allah, inform them of a painful punishment

Ali Ünal

O you who believe! Many among the rabbis and monks do indeed consume the wealth of people in legally invalid, wrongful ways (such as changing the Book’s commandments in return for worldly benefit, bribery, and using religion as a means of worldly gain) and bar them from God’s way. Those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in God’s cause (to exalt His cause and help the poor and needy): give them (O Messenger) the glad tidings of a painful punishment.

Amatul Rahman Omar

O you who believe! many of the learned men (of the Jews) and the (Christian) monks wrongfully appropriate the belongings of the people and turn (the people) away from, and themselves forsake the path of Allâh. Give the news of woeful punishment to them and to those who treasure gold and silver and do not spend it in the cause of Allâh.

English Literal

You, you those who believed that many of the religious scholars , and the monks eat (E) the people`s properties/wealths by the falsehood, and prevent/obstruct from God`s way/path , and those who accumulate/herd the gold and the silver and do not spend it in God`s way/path , so announce good news to them with a painful torture.

Faridul Haque

O People who Believe! Indeed many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks unjustly devour people´s wealth and prevent from Allah’s way; and those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah’s way - so them give the glad tidings of a painful punishment.

Hamid S. Aziz

O you who believe! Verily, many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks devour the wealth of mankind openly, and turn away folk from the way of Allah; but those who store up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings of grievous doom!

Hilali & Khan

O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks who devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the Way of Allah (i.e. Allah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism). And those who hoard up gold and silver [Al-Kanz: the money, the Zakat of which has not been paid], and spend it not in the Way of Allah, -announce unto them a painful torment.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He it is Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religions, though the polytheists are averse.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

O you who believe! most surely many of the doctors of law and the monks eat away the property of men falsely, and turn (them) from Allah's way; and (as for) those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah's way, announce to them a painful chastisement,

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

O ye who believe! Lo! many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks devour the wealth of mankind wantonly and debar (men) from the way of Allah. They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom,

Muhammad Sarwar

Believers, many rabbis and monks consume other people's property by false means and create obstacles in the way of God. Those who horde gold and silver and do not spend (anything out of it) for the cause of God, should know that their recompense will be a painful torment

Qaribullah & Darwish

Believers, many are the rabbis and monks who in falsehood defraud people of their possessions and bar people from the Path of Allah. Give glad tidings of a painful punishment to those who treasure gold and silver and do not spend it in the Way of Allah.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the Ahbar (rabbis) and the Ruhban (monks) who devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the way of Allah. And those who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah, announce unto them a painful torment.

Wahiduddin Khan

Believers, many religious scholars and monks wrongfully appropriate people's possessions and turn people away from God's path! Tell those who hoard gold and silver instead of giving in God's cause that they will have a painful punishment:

Talal Itani

O you who believe! Many of the rabbis and priests consume people's wealth illicitly, and hinder from God’s path. Those who hoard gold and silver, and do not spend them in God’s cause, inform them of a painful punishment.

Tafsir jalalayn

O you who believe, many of the rabbis and monks indeed consume, take, people's goods by false means, as in the case of bribes [paid] for judgements, and bar, people, from the way of God, [from] His religion. And those who (wa'lladhna is the subject) hoard up gold and silver, and do not expend them, these treasure- hoards, in the way of God, that is, they do not pay from it what is due to Him by way of alms and charity -- give them tidings, inform them, of a painful chastisement.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Warning against Corrupt Scholars and Misguided Worshippers

Allah says;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الَاحْبَارِ وَالرُّهْبَانِ

O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the Ahbar (rabbis) and the Ruhban (monks) who,

As-Suddi said that;

the Ahbar are Jewish rabbis, while the Ruhban are Christian monks.

This statement is true, for Ahbar are Jewish rabbis, just as Allah said,

لَوْلَا يَنْهَـهُمُ الرَّبَّـنِيُّونَ وَالاٌّحْبَارُ عَن قَوْلِهِمُ الاِثْمَ وَأَكْلِهِمُ السُّحْتَ

Why do not the Ahbar (rabbis) and the religious learned men forbid them from uttering sinful words and eating unlawful things. (5;63)

The Ruhban are Christian monks or worshippers, while the `Qissisun' are their scholars.

Allah said in another Ayah,

ذلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَاناً

This is because among them, there are Qissisin and Ruhban... (5;82)

This Ayah warns against corrupt scholars and misguided worshippers.

Sufyan bin Uyaynah said,

"Those among our scholars who become corrupt are similar to the Jews, while those among our worshippers who become misguided are like Christians."

An authentic Hadith declares,

لَتَرْكَبُنَّ سُنَنَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ حَذْوَ القُذَّةِ بِالْقُذَّة

You will follow the ways of those who were before you, step by step.

They asked, "Jews and Christians?"

He said,
فَمَن
(Who else)!

In another narration, they asked, "Persia and Rome?"

He said,

فَمَنِ النَّاسِ إِلاَّ هَوُلَاءِ



And who else if it was not them?

These texts warn against imitating them in action and statement, for they, as Allah stated,

لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ

devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the way of Allah.

They sell the religion in return for worldly gains, using their positions and status among people to illegally devour their property.

For instance, the Jews were respected by the people of Jahiliyyah and collected gifts, taxes and presents from them.

When Allah sent His Messenger, the Jews persisted in their misguidance, disbelief and rebellion, hoping to keep their status and position. However, Allah extinguished all this and took it away from them with the light of Prophethood and instead gave them disgrace and degradation, and they incurred the anger of Allah, the Exalted.

Allah said next,

وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ

and hinder (them) from the way of Allah.

Therefore, they illegally devour people's property and hinder them from following the truth.

They also confuse truth with falsehood and pretend before their ignorant followers that they call to righteousness.

The true reality is that they call to the Fire and will not find any helpers on the Day of Resurrection.
Torment of Those Who hoard Gold and Silver

Allah said,

وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ



And those who hoard (Kanz) gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah, announce unto them a painful torment.

This is the third category of leaders, for people rely on their scholars, worshippers and the wealthy among them. When these categories of people become corrupt, the society in general becomes corrupt.

Ibn Al-Mubarak once said,

"What corrupted the religion, except kings and wicked Ahbar and Ruhban."

As for Kanz, it refers to the wealth on which Zakah has not been paid, according to Malik, who narrated this from Abdullah bin Dinar from Ibn Umar that.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Az-Zuhri said that Khalid bin Aslam said that Abdullah bin Umar said,

"This was before Zakah was ordained. When Zakah was ordained, Allah made it a cleanser for wealth."

Umar bin Abdul-`Aziz and Irak bin Malik said that this Ayah was abrogated by Allah's statement,

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً

Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth. (9;103)

There are many Hadiths that admonish hoarding gold and silver. We will mention here some of these Hadiths.

Abdur-Razzaq recorded a Hadith from Ali about Allah's statement,
وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّة
(And those who hoard up gold and silver...) Ali said that the Prophet said,

تَبًّا لِلذَّهَبٍ تَبًّا لِلْفِضَّة

Woe to gold! Woe to silver.

He repeated this statement thrice, and this Hadith was hard on the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, who said, "What type of wealth should we use!"

Umar said, "I will find out for you," and he asked, "O Allah's Messenger! Your statement was hard for your Companions. They asked, `What wealth should we use?"'

The Prophet answered,

لِسَانًا ذَاكِرًا وَقَلْبًا شَاكِرًا وَزَوْجَةً تُعِينُ أَحَدَكُمْ عَلَى دِينِه

A remembering tongue, an appreciative heart and a wife that helps one of you implement his religion.

Allah's statement,

يَوْمَ يُحْمَى عَلَيْهَا فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَى بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ هَـذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لَانفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُواْ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ