۞ 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 عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا مَآ أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ قُلْتَ لَآ أَجِدُ مَآ أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ تَوَلَّوا۟ وَّأَعْيُنُهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ ٱلدَّمْعِ حَزَنًا أَلَّا يَجِدُوا۟ مَا يُنفِقُونَ
Nor [is there blame] upon those who, when they came to you for you to take them along, you said, "I can find nothing upon which to carry you." They turned back while their eyes overflowed with tears out of grief that they could not find something to spend [for the cause of Allāh].
فَرِحَ ٱلْمُخَلَّفُونَ بِمَقْعَدِهِمْ خِلَـٰفَ رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَرِهُوٓا۟ أَن يُجَـٰهِدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَالُوا۟ لَا تَنفِرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْحَرِّ ۗ قُلْ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ أَشَدُّ حَرًّا ۚ لَّوْ كَانُوا۟ يَفْقَهُونَ
Those who remained behind rejoiced in their staying [at home] after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allāh and disliked to strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allāh and said, "Do not go forth in the heat." Say, "The fire of Hell is more intense in heat" - if they would but understand.
وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مُنَـٰفِقُونَ ۖ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ۖ مَرَدُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنِّفَاقِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُمْ ۖ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ ۚ سَنُعَذِّبُهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ عَظِيمٍ
And among those around you of the bedouins are hypocrites, and [also] from the people of Madīnah. They have persisted in hypocrisy. You, [O Muḥammad], do not know them, [but] We know them. We will punish them twice [in this world]; then they will be returned to a great punishment.
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَلْمِزُكَ فِى ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ فَإِنْ أُعْطُوا۟ مِنْهَا رَضُوا۟ وَإِن لَّمْ يُعْطَوْا۟ مِنْهَآ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْخَطُونَ
And among them are some who criticize you concerning the [distribution of] charities. If they are given from them, they approve; but if they are not given from them, at once they become angry.