Transliteration:( Laisa 'alaika hudaahum wa laakinnal laaha yahdee mai yashaaa'; wa maa tunfiqoo min khairin fali anfusikum; wa maa tunfiqoona illab tighaaa'a wajhil laah; wa maa tunfiqoo min khairiny yuwaffa ilaikum wa antum laa tuzlamoon )
"(O Holy Prophet) To guide them is not your responsibility [715], but Allah guides whom He pleases [716]. And whatever good you spend is for yourselves [717]. And it is not proper for you to spend except to seek the pleasure [718] of Allah, and whatever good thing you spend will be fully repaid to you. And you will not be dealt with unjustly [719]."
Allah makes it clear:
O My Beloved Prophet, you are not responsible for ensuring their guidance, nor will you be held accountable for their refusal to accept faith.
From this, we learn a profound truth:
Our acceptance of faith does not elevate the status of the Holy Prophet ﷺ — his rank is already divinely established.
Similarly, disbelief of others does not diminish his noble position in any way.
🔸 Analogy: Just like the sun’s brightness does not depend on someone acknowledging it, the Prophet's ﷺ status remains glorious regardless of others' belief or denial.
This part emphasizes that true guidance is received solely by the Will of Allah, not merely by love or closeness.
Although Allah loves all His creation, that universal love does not guarantee faith.
If love alone were enough, idol-worshippers would have all been guided — yet Allah still provided them with sustenance and even sent prophets to them.
🔸 Thus:
Allah’s general love as Creator is different from the specific gift of guidance, which is granted only to those He wills.
From this part of the verse, two important points emerge:
Always spend from the best of your wealth, as highlighted by the phrase “from that which is good.”
Never treat the needy as inferior or burdened by your favor — remember, whatever you give is actually for your own benefit, both spiritually and eternally.
It must be remembered that charity, even if given in the name of saints, is ultimately done to seek the pleasure of Allah.
The reward, however, can be dedicated to saints or loved ones.
Example: Hazrat Sa’ad (RA) once opened a well and said:
“Its reward will go to the Mother of Sa’ad.”
Such charity is valid, as long as intention is sincere and directed toward Allah.
Allah assures us that there will be no reduction in the reward of your good deeds.
You will receive your full reward without any injustice.
In fact, this verse does not negate increase, it only affirms no decrease.
🔸 Allah says elsewhere:
“The example of those who spend…” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:261) — indicating multiplication of reward.
Thus, there is no contradiction — Allah may give much more than what is earned, purely out of His generosity.
The tafsir of Surah Baqarah verse 271 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Baqarah ayat 270 which provides the complete commentary from verse 270 through 271.
(2:272) You are not responsible for setting these people on the Right Way; Allah sets on the Right Way whomsoever He wills. Whatever wealth you spend in charity is to your own benefit for you spend merely to please Allah. So, whatever you spend in charity will be repaid to you in full and you shall not be wronged.[313]
313. In the beginning Muslims tended to hesitate in helping either their non-Muslim relatives or other non-Muslims who were in need. They thought that helping Muslims only constituted ‘spending in the way of Allah’. This verse rejects this attitude. The purpose of this verse is to point out that Muslims are not responsible for forcing true guidance down the throats of people; conveying the message of Truth to people absolves them of the obligation incumbent upon them. It is, then, for God either to favour the recipients of the message with true perception or not. In addition Muslims should not shrink from helping their relatives in the affairs of the world on the ground that they are not following the true guidance; they will he rewarded by God for whatever help they render to needy persons for the sake of God.
[109]- i.e., wealth, property, resources, time, effort, etc.
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