Transliteration:( Lan tanaalul birra hattaa tunfiqoo mimmaa tuhibboon; wa maa tunfiqoo min shai'in fa innal laaha bihee 'Aleem )
"You shall never attain [203] righteousness until you spend your favourite [204] things (in the path of Allah). And whatever you spend, is known to Allah [205]."
The word “good” (birr) here refers to piety, obedience to Allah, and ultimately Paradise.
“Attain” means to gain priority or access to these blessings.
True righteousness is not reached by words alone, but through self-sacrificing action.
Several points emerge from the command to “spend”:
One should not give all of one’s wealth, but rather a part of it — hence the use of “from what”.
The word “what” indicates that one should spend from all categories of wealth, not just selected items.
Spend not only on obligatory charity (zakat) but also on optional (nafl) acts of giving.
Spend what you love the most.
Example: Hazrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz used to give sugar in charity because he loved it.
When asked why, he would recite this verse and explain that true giving means offering what is dearest.
The acceptance of charity depends on sincerity, not its amount.
Whether done openly or in secret, with intention or without, Allah is fully aware.
Therefore, one must spend with a pure heart and sincere niyyah (intention), especially when giving one’s favourite possessions.
92. By no means shall you attain Al-Birr, unless you spend of that which you love; and whatever of good you spend, Allah knows it well.
In his Tafsir, Waki` reported, that `Amr bin Maymun said that
(By no means shall you attain Al-Birr) is in reference to attaining Paradise.
Imam Ahmad reported that Anas bin Malik said, “Abu Talhah had more property than any other among the Ansar in Al-Madinah, and the most beloved of his property to him was Bayruha’ garden, which was in front of the (Messenger’s) Masjid. Sometimes, Allah’s Messenger used to go to the garden and drink its fresh water.” Anas added, “When these verses were revealed,
(By no means shall you attain Al-Birr unless You spend of that which you love,)
Abu Talhah said, `O Allah’s Messenger! Allah says,
(By no means shall you attain Al-Birr, unless you spend of that which you love;) No doubt, Bayruha’ garden is the most beloved of all my property to me. So I want to give it in charity in Allah’s cause, and I expect its reward and compensation from Allah. O Allah’s Messenger! Spend it where Allah makes you think is feasible. ‘ On that, Allah’s Messenger said,
(Well-done! It is profitable property, it is profitable property. I have heard what you have said, and I think it would be proper if you gave it to your kith and kin.)
Abu Talhah said, `I will do so, O Allah’s Messenger.’ Then Abu Talhah distributed that garden among his relatives and cousins.”
This Hadith was recorded in the Two Sahihs. They also recorded that `Umar said, “O Messenger of Allah! I never gained possession of a piece of property more precious to me than my share in Khaybar. Therefore, what do you command me to do with it” The Prophet said,
(Retain the land to give its fruits in Allah’s cause.)
(3:92) You shall not attain righteousness until you spend out of what you love (in the way of Allah).[75] Allah knows whatever you spend.
75. The purpose of this verse is to remove the misconception of the Jews concerning ‘righteousness’. The Jews had inherited an elaborate legal code which had accumulated as a result of the casuistry and hair-splitting legalism of their jurists. Their notion of ‘righteousness’ consisted of outward, formal conformity to that code and they evaluated all day-to-day actions, especially the trivial ones, in terms of conformity to that code. Narrow-mindedness, greed, covetousness, meanness, concealment of the Truth and readiness to barter with it lay beneath this veneer of formal piety. They were, nevertheless, considered pious in the minds of the people; Jewish public opinion condoned their conduct because it conformed to its concept of ‘righteousness’.
In order to remove this misconception they are told that the things they considered fundamental to righteous conduct are of little consequence. The real spirit of righteousness consists in the love of God – a love which makes man value the good pleasure of God above all worldly acquisitions. If the love of anything seizes a man’s mind to such an extent that he is unable to sacrifice it for the sake of the love of God, then that thing has virtually become an idol, and until he smashes it the door to righteousness will remain closed to him. If a man lacks this spirit, then his excessively formal and legalistic approach in religious matters can be considered no more than glossy paint over a piece of hollow, worm-eaten wood. It may be possible to deceive human beings by the sheer lustre of the outer paint, but not God.
[138]- Another meaning is "You will never attain righteousness."
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