ءَامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَأَنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا جَعَلَكُم مُّسْتَخْلَفِينَ فِيهِ ۖ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَأَنفَقُوا۟ لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ 7
Translations
Believe in Allāh and His Messenger and spend out of that in which He has made you successive inheritors. For those who have believed among you and spent, there will be a great reward.
Transliteration
Āminū billāhi wa rasūlih wa anfiqū mimmā jaʿalakum mustakhlafīn fīh. Falladhīna āmanū minkum wa anfaqū lahum ajrun kabīr.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the believers to have faith in Allah and His Messenger while spending from the wealth that Allah has made them trustees over (not true owners), as all provisions ultimately belong to Allah. Ibn Kathir notes that this emphasizes both spiritual commitment (īmān) and practical demonstration through charity (infāq), with the promise that those who believe and spend will receive a great reward. The concept of being 'mustakhlafīn' (vicegerents/trustees) reminds believers of their accountability before Allah for how they utilize His blessings.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Hadid is a Medinan surah revealed in the later period of the Prophet's life, focusing on faith, charity, and preparation for the afterlife. This particular ayah addresses the early Muslim community's obligation to support the Islamic state and those in need through zakāh and voluntary charity, especially during the period when Muslims faced economic challenges and warfare.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said: 'The best charity is when you give while you are in good health and hope to live' (Sahih Bukhari 1419). Also relevant: 'Wealth and children are adornments of this worldly life, but the everlasting good deeds are far better' (Quran 18:46), emphasizing the temporary nature of material wealth.
Themes
Key Lesson
Wealth is a test and trust from Allah—believers are not true owners but stewards who will be accountable for how they use their resources. True faith must be accompanied by concrete action through spending and charity, which brings both spiritual elevation and divine reward in this life and the next.
Related Ayahs
وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تُنفِقُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَٰثُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا يَسْتَوِى مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ ٱلْفَتْحِ وَقَـٰتَلَ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدُ وَقَـٰتَلُوا۟ ۚ وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
And why do you not spend in the cause of Allāh while to Allāh belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquest [of Makkah] and fought [and those who did so after it]. Those are greater in degree than they who spent afterwards and fought. But to all Allāh has promised the best [reward]. And Allāh, of what you do, is Aware.
ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحْىِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۚ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
Know that Allāh gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. We have made clear to you the signs; perhaps you will understand.
مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَآ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ
No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being - indeed that, for Allāh, is easy -
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا وَإِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِى ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا ٱلنُّبُوَّةَ وَٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ۖ فَمِنْهُم مُّهْتَدٍ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ
And We have already sent Noah and Abraham and placed in their descendants prophethood and scripture; and among them is he who is guided, but many of them are defiantly disobedient.