Transliteration:( Yas'aloonaka 'anilkhamri walmaisiri qul feehimaaa ismun kabeerunw wa manaafi'u linnaasi wa ismuhumaa akbaru min naf'ihimaa; wa yas'aloonaka maaza yunfiqoona qulil-'afwa; kazaalika yubaiyinul laahu lakumul-aayaati la'allakum tatafakkaroon )
219. They ask you about wine and gambling [516]. Say: "In them is a great sin [517], and some benefits for people, but their sin is greater than their benefit [518]." And they ask you what they should spend. Say: "Whatever is saved [519] beyond your needs." Thus, Allah makes clear to you the verses (of revelation) that you might ponder.
The word “MAISAR” refers to gambling, which involves gaining wealth from someone else’s loss.
🔹 Any form of gambling, where the outcome is based on chance, is forbidden, including modern games of chance and speculative trading.
🔹 Activities like card games, chess, or other games of chance also fall into this category, as they are considered forms of gambling and therefore prohibited.
While wine and gambling may bring some temporary benefits (as the disbelievers used to earn profit from them), their harm far outweighs any benefit.
🔹 In this verse, the sin of these activities is clearly emphasized as greater than any worldly gain.
🔹 The verse was revealed after alcohol was declared forbidden, highlighting that the initial permissibility was later abrogated due to the greater harm it caused.
This verse conveys two points:
The revelation came after alcohol was prohibited, and its consumption was then viewed as a major sin.
Initially, these actions might have seemed like minor sins, but the continuous harm they cause makes them major sins.
In response to the question about spending, the verse instructs to spend what is surplus beyond your needs.
🔹 If this command refers to Zakaat, it is abrogated by the specific rules for Zakaat elsewhere.
🔹 However, if the command refers to voluntary charity (Sadaqah), then this remains valid, and spending beyond one’s needs is an act of reward.
The tafsir of Surah Baqarah verse 218 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Baqarah ayat 217 which provides the complete commentary from verse 217 through 218.
(2:219) They ask you about wine and games of chance. Say: “In both these there is great evil, even though there is some benefit for people, but their evil is greater than their benefit.”[235]
They ask: “What should we spend in the Way of Allah?” Say: “Whatever you can spare.” In this way Allah clearly expounds His injunctions to you that you may reflect upon them,
235. This is the first injunction concerning intoxicating drinks and gambling, and here the matter has been left merely as an expression of disapproval. This was a preliminary step designed to prepare the minds of people for the acceptance of their prohibition. The injunction prohibiting the performance of Prayer when in a state of intoxication came later, and ultimately alcohol, gambling and the like were categorically prohibited see (Surah An-Nisa, ayat 43) and (Surah Al-Maidah, ayat 90).
[80]- The word "khamr" (wine) includes all intoxicants. The final prohibition is given in 5:90-91.
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