۞ أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ ٱلْحَآجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَجَـٰهَدَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ لَا يَسْتَوُۥنَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ 19
Translations
Have you made the providing of water for the pilgrim and the maintenance of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām equal to [the deeds of] one who believes in Allāh and the Last Day and strives in the cause of Allāh? They are not equal in the sight of Allāh. And Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.
Transliteration
Aja'altum siqayata al-hajji wa'imarata al-masjidi al-harami kamman amana billahi wa al-yawmi al-akhiri wa jahada fi sabilillah. La yastawun 'inda Allah. Wa Allah la yahdi al-qawma al-zalimin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rejects the false equivalence made by the Quraysh who believed that providing water to pilgrims (siqayah) and maintaining the Sacred Mosque were acts comparable to true faith in Allah and striving in His cause. The verse emphatically states these external works cannot equal sincere belief, righteous action, and jihad fi sabilillah, and that such people who make this false comparison will never be equal in Allah's sight. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this addresses the pre-Islamic pride of the Quraysh in their custodianship of the Kaaba, teaching that noble lineage and ritualistic duties without genuine faith hold no spiritual value.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah At-Tawbah's condemnation of the hypocrites and those who claimed faith without substance, specifically addressing the Quraysh's false sense of spiritual superiority based on their role as guardians of the Sacred Mosque and providers of water to pilgrims. The broader context of the surah deals with those who made excuses for not participating in Tabuk expedition and those whose faith was incomplete or insincere.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of deeds is belief in Allah and His Messenger, and the worst of deeds is associating partners with Allah' (reported in various forms in Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari emphasizes that actions are judged by intentions, highlighting that external actions without sincere internal faith are worthless.
Themes
Key Lesson
True spiritual worth comes not from family status, ritual maintenance, or charitable acts done with proud hearts, but from sincere belief in Allah, accountability in the afterlife, and genuine struggle in Allah's cause. Muslims are reminded that external religious activities hold value only when rooted in authentic faith and righteous intention, and that no amount of worldly accomplishment can replace a sincere, believing heart.
Related Ayahs
وَلَا تُصَلِّ عَلَىٰٓ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُم مَّاتَ أَبَدًا وَلَا تَقُمْ عَلَىٰ قَبْرِهِۦٓ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ
And do not pray [the funeral prayer, O Muḥammad], over any of them who has died - ever - or stand at his grave. Indeed, they disbelieved in Allāh and His Messenger and died while they were defiantly disobedient.
فَإِن رَّجَعَكَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَىٰ طَآئِفَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ فَٱسْتَـْٔذَنُوكَ لِلْخُرُوجِ فَقُل لَّن تَخْرُجُوا۟ مَعِىَ أَبَدًا وَلَن تُقَـٰتِلُوا۟ مَعِىَ عَدُوًّا ۖ إِنَّكُمْ رَضِيتُم بِٱلْقُعُودِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ فَٱقْعُدُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلْخَـٰلِفِينَ
If Allāh should return you to a faction of them [after the expedition] and then they ask your permission to go out [to battle], say, "You will not go out with me, ever, and you will never fight with me an enemy. Indeed, you were satisfied with sitting [at home] the first time, so sit [now] with those who stay behind."
خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ إِنَّ صَلَوٰتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَّهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Take, [O Muḥammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [Allāh's blessings] upon them. Indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
۞ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ عَـٰهَدَ ٱللَّهَ لَئِنْ ءَاتَىٰنَا مِن فَضْلِهِۦ لَنَصَّدَّقَنَّ وَلَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
And among them are those who made a covenant with Allāh, [saying], "If He should give us from His bounty, we will surely spend in charity, and we will surely be among the righteous."