إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتْلُونَ كِتَـٰبَ ٱللَّهِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنفَقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً يَرْجُونَ تِجَـٰرَةً لَّن تَبُورَ 29
Translations
Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allāh and establish prayer and spend [in His cause] out of what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, [can] expect a transaction [i.e., profit] that will never perish -
Transliteration
Inna alladhina yatlūna kitāba Allāhi wa-aqāmū al-salāta wa-anfaqū mimmā razaqnāhum sirran wa-'alāniyatan yarjūna tijāratan lan tabūr
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes those who engage in continuous recitation and study of the Qur'an, establish prayer, and give charity both secretly and openly—all of whom have hope in a transaction (trade) with Allah that will never fail or bring loss. Ibn Kathir explains that these believers are investing their deeds in the path of Allah with certainty of divine reward, while Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that the secrecy and openness of their spending reflects sincere intention and absence of hypocrisy. The 'transaction that will never fail' (tijārah lan tabūr) refers to the eternal reward of Paradise, in contrast to worldly commerce which may bring loss.
Revelation Context
Surah Fatir is a Meccan surah revealed during a period when Muslims faced persecution and economic hardship. This ayah is thematically situated within the surah's broader discussion of divine providence and the characteristics of the righteous, encouraging believers to maintain their religious practices and charitable giving despite worldly difficulties, with assurance that their deeds are an investment in eternal gains.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best charity is that given when one is in need' (Tirmidhi). Also related is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet encouraged the constant recitation of the Qur'an: 'The best among you is the one who learns the Qur'an and teaches it.'
Themes
Key Lesson
True believers view their deeds of worship and charity not as burdensome obligations but as profitable transactions with Allah, ensuring their spiritual investments yield eternal dividends. This perspective transforms religious practice from duty into hopeful engagement with the Divine, motivating consistent piety regardless of worldly circumstances.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ شُرَكَآءَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَرُونِى مَاذَا خَلَقُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ أَمْ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمْ كِتَـٰبًا فَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَتٍ مِّنْهُ ۚ بَلْ إِن يَعِدُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًا إِلَّا غُرُورًا
Say, "Have you considered your 'partners' whom you invoke besides Allāh? Show me what they have created from the earth, or have they partnership [with Him] in the heavens? Or have We given them a book so they are [standing] on evidence therefrom? [No], rather, the wrongdoers do not promise each other except delusion."
إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ وَيَأْتِ بِخَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ
If He wills, He can do away with you and bring forth a new creation.
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ أَنتُمُ ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ
O mankind, you are those in need of Allāh, while Allāh is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
وَأَقْسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ لَئِن جَآءَهُمْ نَذِيرٌ لَّيَكُونُنَّ أَهْدَىٰ مِنْ إِحْدَى ٱلْأُمَمِ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ نَذِيرٌ مَّا زَادَهُمْ إِلَّا نُفُورًا
And they swore by Allāh their strongest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than [any] one of the [previous] nations. But when a warner came to them, it did not increase them except in aversion