وَلَا تَأْكُلُوٓا۟ أَمْوَٰلَكُم بَيْنَكُم بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ وَتُدْلُوا۟ بِهَآ إِلَى ٱلْحُكَّامِ لِتَأْكُلُوا۟ فَرِيقًا مِّنْ أَمْوَٰلِ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْإِثْمِ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ 188
Translations
And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful].
Transliteration
Wa la ta'kulu amwalakum baynakum bil-batili wa tudlu biha ila al-hukkami li-ta'kulu fariqan min amwali an-nasi bil-ithmi wa antum ta'lamun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah prohibits consuming one another's wealth through false and illegal means, and specifically forbids presenting false claims to judges in order to wrongfully seize people's wealth while knowing it is sinful. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this verse targets both the corrupt parties in disputes and those who knowingly participate in injustice, stressing the moral culpability of those who act with full knowledge of the wrongdoing.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of a series of ethical guidelines revealed in Surah Al-Baqarah (a Medinan surah) addressing social and economic morality in the early Muslim community. It addresses the practical realities of disputes and commerce in Medina, where false testimony and fraudulent claims to judges were occurring among the believers, necessitating clear divine guidance on financial honesty and integrity in legal proceedings.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever bears false witness does not depart from this place [the mosque] until he has incurred the wrath of Allah.' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1454). Additionally, the Prophet stated: 'I am but a human judge, and it may be that some of you have more eloquent arguments than others in presenting your cases... whoever I judge in his favor from the wealth of his Muslim brother, let him not take it' (Sahih Bukhari 2457).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that knowingly defrauding others through false claims or dishonest dealings, especially in legal matters, is a grave sin that cannot be concealed from Allah who sees our intentions. Modern believers must uphold absolute honesty in business, contracts, and all disputes, recognizing that material gain obtained through deception incurs divine displeasure regardless of legal victory.
Related Ayahs
وَقُلْنَا يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And We said, "O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat therefrom in [ease and] abundance from wherever you will. But do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers."
۞ أَتَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?
قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَآ إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
They said, "Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise."
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ يَرَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ إِذْ يَرَوْنَ ٱلْعَذَابَ أَنَّ ٱلْقُوَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعَذَابِ
And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allāh as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allāh. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allāh. And if only they who have wronged would consider [that] when they see the punishment, [they will be certain] that all power belongs to Allāh and that Allāh is severe in punishment.