3. Sura al-Imran

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلاَ يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ بِمَا آتَاهُمُ اللّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ ...

3: 180. And let not those who covetously withhold of the gifts which Allah hath given them of His Grace,

C483. The gifts are of all kinds:

- material gifts, such as wealth, property, strength of limbs, etc., or

- intangible gifts, such as influence, birth in a given set, intellect, skill, insight, etc., or

- spiritual gifts of the highest kind.

The spending of all these things (apart from what is necessary for ourselves) for those who need them, is charity, and purifies our own character.

The withholding of them (apart from our needs) is similarly greed and selfishness, and is strongly condemned.

...هُوَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ ...

think that it is good for them:

... بَلْ هُوَ شَرٌّ لَّهُمْ سَيُطَوَّقُونَ مَا بَخِلُواْ بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ...

nay, it will be the worse for them: soon shall the things which they covetously withheld be tied to their necks like a twisted collar, on the Day of Judgment.

C484. By an apt metaphor the miser is told that his wealth or the other gifts which he hoarded will cling round his neck and do him no good. He will wish he could get rid of them, but he will not be able to do so.

According to the Biblical phrase in another connection they will hang like a millstone round his neck (Matt. 18:6).

The metaphor here is fuller. He hugged his wealth or his gifts about him. They will become like a heavy collar, the badge of slavery, round his neck. They will be tied tight and twisted, and they will give him pain and anguish instead of pleasure.

Cf. also 17:13.

...وَلِلّهِ مِيرَاثُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ ...

To Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth;

C485. Another metaphor is now introduced. Material wealth or property is only called ours during our short life here.

So all gifts are ours in trust only; they ultimately revert to Allah, to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens or on earth. (R).

... وَاللّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ﴿١٨٠﴾

and Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do.

Other versions:

3: 180

Asad And they should not think – they who niggardly cling to all that God has granted them out of his bounty – that this is good for them; nay, it is bad for them [note 138].

Yusuf Ali And let not those who covetously withhold of the gifts which Allah hath given them of His Grace think that it is good for them: nay it will be the worse for them: soon shall the things which they covetously withheld be tied to their necks like a twisted collar on the Day of Judgment. To Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do.

Pickthall And let not those who hoard up that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty think that it is better for them. Nay, it is worse for them. That which they hoard will be their collar on the Day of Resurrection. Allah's is the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Informed of what ye do.

Transliteration Wa la_ yahsabannal lazina yabkhalu_na bima_ a_ta_humulla_hu min fadlihi huwa khairal lahum, bal huwa syarrul lahum, sayutawwaqu_na ma_ bakhilu_ bihi yaumal qiya_mah(ti), wa lilla_hi mira_sus sama_wa_ti wal ard(i), walla_hu bima_ ta'malu_na khabir(un).

[ Asad’s note 138 - ……………………a materialism based on a lack of belief in anything that transcends the practical problems of life.]

[ Ali’s notes : 483 The gifts are of all kinds: material gifts, such as wealth, property, strength of limbs, etc., or intangible gifts, such as influence, birth in a given set, intellect, skill, insight, etc., or spiritual gifts of the highest kind. The spending of all these things (apart from what is necessary for ourselves) for those who need them, is charity, and purifies our own character. The withholding of them (apart from our needs) is similarly greed and selfishness, and is strongly condemned. (3.180)

484 By an apt metaphor the miser is told that his wealth or the other gifts which he hoarded will cling round his neck and do him no good. He will wish he could get rid of them, but he will not be able to do so. According to the Biblical phrase in another connection they will hang like a millstone round his neck (Matt. xviii. 6). The metaphor here is fuller. He hugged his wealth or his gifts about him. They will become like a heavy collar, the badge of slavery, round his neck. They will be tied tight and twisted, and they will give him pain and anguish instead of pleasure. Cf. also xvii. 13. (3.180)

485 Another metaphor is now introduced. Material wealth or property is only called ours during our short life here. So all gifts are ours in trust only; they ultimately revert to Allah, to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens or on earth. (3.180)]