وَأَنفِقُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تُلْقُوا۟ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى ٱلتَّهْلُكَةِ ۛ وَأَحْسِنُوٓا۟ ۛ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ 195
Translations
And spend in the way of Allāh and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining]. And do good; indeed, Allāh loves the doers of good.
Transliteration
Wa-anfiqoo fee sabeelis-Allahi wa laa tulqoo bi-aydeekum ila-at-tahlukah wa-ahsinoo inna-Allaha yuhibbu-al-muhsineen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands believers to spend their wealth in the way of Allah while warning against self-destruction through stinginess or recklessness, and emphasizes doing good deeds with excellence. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that 'throwing oneself into destruction' (al-tahlukah) refers to withholding wealth from righteous causes, which leads to spiritual ruin, while the command to 'do good' (ihsan) encompasses all aspects of spending and action with sincerity and perfection. The ayah balances financial obligation with wisdom, encouraging neither excessive waste nor miserly hoarding in the path of Allah.
Revelation Context
Revealed in the Medinan period within the context of Surah Al-Baqarah's discussion of obligations toward faith and community. This ayah appears in the section addressing charity and financial responsibility, likely in the early-to-mid Medinan period when the Muslim community was establishing financial norms and principles of mutual support.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best charity is that given when one is in need yet still gives' (related to themes of spending despite difficulty). Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari: 'The best charity is that which is given when one is in straitened circumstances,' emphasizing the virtue of spending in Allah's way.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should balance generosity with wisdom—neither hoarding wealth selfishly nor spending recklessly—recognizing that investing in Allah's cause is an investment in one's own spiritual well-being, not a loss. The pursuit of excellence (ihsan) in all our actions, including charitable giving, is fundamental to pleasing Allah and building a just community.
Related Ayahs
وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ لَيْسَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ لَيْسَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ ۚ فَٱللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
The Jews say, "The Christians have nothing [true] to stand on," and the Christians say, "The Jews have nothing to stand on," although they [both] recite the Scripture. Thus do those who know not [i.e., the polytheists] speak the same as their words. But Allāh will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.
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."
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ كِتَـٰبَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
And when a messenger from Allāh came to them confirming that which was with them, a party of those who had been given the Scripture threw the Scripture of Allāh [i.e., the Torah] behind their backs as if they did not know [what it contained].
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى ظُلَلٍ مِّنَ ٱلْغَمَامِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ ۚ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ ٱلْأُمُورُ
Do they await but that Allāh should come to them in covers of clouds and the angels [as well] and the matter is [then] decided? And to Allāh [all] matters are returned.