وَمَآ أَنفَقْتُم مِّن نَّفَقَةٍ أَوْ نَذَرْتُم مِّن نَّذْرٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُهُۥ ۗ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ 270
Translations
And whatever you spend of expenditures or make of vows - indeed, Allāh knows of it. And for the wrongdoers there are no helpers.
Transliteration
Wa mā anfaqtum min nafaqatin aw nazartum min nazrin fa-inna Allāha ya'lamuh. Wa mā lil-ẓālimīna min anṣār.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah assures believers that Allah is fully aware of every charitable expenditure and vow made for His sake, whether public or hidden. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that Allah's knowledge encompasses all intentions and actions, and the latter part warns that wrongdoers will find no helpers or protectors on the Day of Judgment, connecting good deeds with divine justice.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Baqarah's discussion of charity and spending in the way of Allah. It follows verses addressing believers' obligations toward spending and fulfilling vows, reinforcing that sincere intentions matter and that Allah's justice ensures the wrongdoers will face consequences without aid.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Every action is by intention, and a person will be rewarded according to their intention' (Sahih Bukhari 1). Additionally, the hadith 'The best charity is that given when one is in need' (Tirmidhi) relates to the theme of spending and Allah's awareness of deeds.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that no good deed goes unnoticed by Allah regardless of whether others acknowledge it, and that sincere intention and righteous action are eternally recorded. It also serves as a powerful reminder that those who persist in wrongdoing will ultimately face divine justice without any refuge or assistance.
Related Ayahs
وَلِلَّهِ غَيْبُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُ ٱلْأَمْرُ كُلُّهُۥ فَٱعْبُدْهُ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَيْهِ ۚ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
And to Allāh belong the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth and to Him will be returned the matter, all of it, so worship Him and rely upon Him. And your Lord is not unaware of that which you do.
وَكُلُّ صَغِيرٍ وَكَبِيرٍ مُّسْتَطَرٌ
And every small and great [thing] is inscribed.
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُعْرَضُونَ لَا تَخْفَىٰ مِنكُمْ خَافِيَةٌ
That Day, you will be exhibited [for judgement]; not hidden among you is anything concealed.
يَعْتَذِرُونَ إِلَيْكُمْ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ قُل لَّا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكُمْ قَدْ نَبَّأَنَا ٱللَّهُ مِنْ أَخْبَارِكُمْ ۚ وَسَيَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُۥ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
They will make excuses to you when you have returned to them. Say, "Make no excuse - never will we believe you. Allāh has already informed us of your news [i.e., affair]. And Allāh will observe your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger; then you will be taken back to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and He will inform you of what you used to do."