فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا ٱسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَٱسْمَعُوا۟ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ وَأَنفِقُوا۟ خَيْرًا لِّأَنفُسِكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ 16
Translations
So fear Allāh as much as you are able and listen and obey and spend [in the way of Allāh]; it is better for your selves. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful.
Transliteration
Fa-ttaqū Allāha mā istataʿtum wa-smaʿū wa-aṭīʿū wa-anfiqū khayran li-anfusikum wa-man yūqa shuḥḥa nafsih fa-ūlāʾika hum al-mufliḥūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands believers to fear Allah to the best of their ability, listen to His guidance, obey His commands, and spend in charity for their own benefit. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize that taqwa (God-consciousness) is the foundation of all obedience, and that generosity in spending (whether obligatory or voluntary charity) demonstrates freedom from the spiritual disease of greed. The ayah concludes that those who overcome the stinginess of their souls and give willingly are the truly successful ones, as success lies in spiritual elevation rather than material accumulation.
Revelation Context
Surah At-Taghabun is a Medinan chapter that addresses the Muslim community on themes of loss and gain in both worldly and spiritual contexts. This particular ayah appears near the end of the surah and serves as a practical directive to believers, summarizing key obligations (taqwa, obedience, charity) that distinguish the successful from the unsuccessful on the Day of Judgment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895), and 'Wealth and children are adornments of this life, but the everlasting good deeds are better' (Surah Al-Kahf 18:46), both emphasizing the superiority of character and charitable deeds over material attachment.
Themes
Key Lesson
True success is measured not by wealth accumulated but by one's willingness to spend in obedience to Allah and generosity toward others, reflecting a heart freed from greed and attachment to material possessions. Believers should strive to practice taqwa within their capacity and recognize that overcoming the ego's selfish desires is the path to lasting spiritual and material flourishing.