۞ يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ خُذُوا۟ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ 31
Translations
O children of Adam, take your adornment [i.e., wear your clothing] at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.
Transliteration
Ya bani Adam khudhu zinatakum inda kulli masjid wa kulu washrabu wa la tusrifuh. Innahu la yuhibbu al-musrifin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the children of Adam to wear their adornment (clean and appropriate clothing) when entering places of worship and permits them to eat and drink, while strictly forbidding extravagance and wastefulness. Ibn Kathir explains that 'zinah' (adornment) refers to proper clothing, and the prohibition of 'israf' (extravagance) applies to all aspects of life, teaching moderation and gratitude as core Islamic values. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this ayah balances spiritual devotion with permissible worldly enjoyment, rejecting both ascetic extremism and hedonistic excess.
Revelation Context
This ayah addresses a broader Meccan theme concerning proper conduct and etiquette in religious practice. It responds to the pre-Islamic Arabian practice of some groups performing tawaf (circumambulation) naked, claiming ritual purity, which Islam firmly rejected. The surah continues Allah's guidance to humanity (Bani Adam) regarding moral and social conduct, establishing balanced principles for Muslim life.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Indeed, Allah loves to see the traces of His blessing upon His servant' (Tirmidhi), reinforcing the encouragement to wear clean adornment. Additionally, the hadith 'Moderation is half of life' relates to the prohibition of israf (extravagance) mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
Muslims are encouraged to present themselves respectfully and cleanly in worship while enjoying life's permissible blessings, but must always practice moderation and avoid wastefulness. This teaches that Islam embraces a middle path—neither rejecting the world ascetically nor indulging excessively—fostering both spiritual devotion and dignified living.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ وَبَـٰطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
Indeed, those [worshippers] - destroyed is that in which they are [engaged], and worthless is whatever they were doing."
وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يَظْلِمُونَ
And those whose scales are light - they are the ones who will lose themselves for what injustice they were doing toward Our verses.
وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِ فِرْعَوْنَ أَتَذَرُ مُوسَىٰ وَقَوْمَهُۥ لِيُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَيَذَرَكَ وَءَالِهَتَكَ ۚ قَالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَنَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ وَإِنَّا فَوْقَهُمْ قَـٰهِرُونَ
And the eminent among the people of Pharaoh said, "Will you leave Moses and his people to cause corruption in the land and abandon you and your gods?" [Pharaoh] said, "We will kill their sons and keep their women alive; and indeed, we are subjugators over them."
إِنَّ وَلِـِّۧىَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى نَزَّلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ۖ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
Indeed, my protector is Allāh, who has sent down the Book; and He is an ally to the righteous.