وَءَاتِ ذَا ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلْمِسْكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا 26
Translations
And give the relative his right, and [also] the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully.
Transliteration
Wa aati dhal-qurbaa haqqahu wal-miskina wabna as-sabili wa la tubazzir tabzira
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands giving the rights of relatives, the poor, and travelers, while strictly forbidding wasteful spending. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this verse establishes a balance between fulfilling family obligations and supporting vulnerable members of society, while condemning extravagance as a sin that contradicts Islamic values of prudence and stewardship. The prohibition of 'tabzir' (wasteful squandering) applies to all spending, whether on lawful or unlawful things, making financial responsibility a core Islamic principle.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Isra, which details the commandments and ethical guidelines revealed during the Meccan period. It comes within a sequence of divine commands addressing social responsibility and proper conduct, forming part of the foundational moral teachings that would govern Islamic society. The context emphasizes personal virtue and social duty as interconnected obligations.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Tirmidhi 3895). Additionally, the Prophet forbade wasteful spending, stating: 'Whoever is merciful, even to the creatures on earth, God will be merciful to him on the Day of Judgment' (Sunan Abu Dawud 4726), highlighting compassion paired with prudent resource management.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true wealth lies not in abundance but in wise and compassionate distribution—fulfilling our obligations to family and society while avoiding wasteful excess. In today's consumer-driven world, it reminds believers that every resource is a trust from Allah, demanding both generosity toward others and accountability in our own spending.
Related Ayahs
وَإِن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ إِلَّا نَحْنُ مُهْلِكُوهَا قَبْلَ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُوهَا عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا ۚ كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مَسْطُورًا
And there is no city but that We will destroy it before the Day of Resurrection or punish it with a severe punishment. That has ever been in the Register inscribed.
وَمَنْ أَرَادَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ وَسَعَىٰ لَهَا سَعْيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُورًا
But whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a believer - it is those whose effort is ever appreciated [by Allāh].
۞ وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ وَحَمَلْنَـٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَـٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ وَفَضَّلْنَـٰهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا
And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference.
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ وَٱجْعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَـٰنًا نَّصِيرًا
And say, "My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority."