Transliteration:( Haaa antum haaa'ulaaa'i tud'awna litunfiqoo fee sabeelillaahi faminkum many yabkhalu wa many yabkhal fa innamaa yabkhalu 'an nafsih; wallaahu Ghaniyyu wa antumul fuqaraaa'; wa in tatawallaw yastabdil qawman ghairakum summa laa yakoonooo amsaalakum (section 4) )
"Ha! You are those who are called upon to spend [92] in the Way of Allah. Then, of you some are misers [93]. And whosoever is a miser, is only a miser to his soul. And Allah is Self-Sufficient, and all of you are needy. And if you [94] turn your face, He will substitute for you another nation, and they will not be like you [95]."
This refers to occasions where spending becomes obligatory, such as Zakaat and situations of Jihad where financial support is vital.
If sacrifice is called for, whether of wealth or life, a believer must respond sincerely and generously.
If someone refuses to spend, it brings no harm to Allah, who is entirely free from need.
Rather, the miser harms his own soul—both by losing barakah in this world and by facing severe consequences in the Hereafter, such as the Hadith describing his wealth turning into a serpent around his neck.
Everyone—whether a king or a beggar—is ultimately dependent on Allah.
Although the poor may be outwardly dependent on the rich, the entire creation remains dependent upon the Holy Prophet ﷺ in spiritual terms.
This verse does not contradict verses like “Allah and His Messenger have enriched them” (Surah At-Tawbah, 9:74), because the Prophet ﷺ is a means of Allah’s blessings, not independent of Him.
The phrase “another nation” refers, according to scholars, to the Ansaar of Madina, while “you” refers to the Quraish of Makkah who rejected Islam.
When they failed in supporting the cause, Allah chose a better people to carry His religion.
This shows that Islam does not depend on individuals—rather, individuals are honored when chosen to serve Islam.
If one turns away, Allah will replace them with others who are sincere and devoted.
The tafsir of Surah Muhammad verse 38 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Muhammad ayat 36 which provides the complete commentary from verse 36 through 38.
(47:38) Behold, you are those who are called upon to spend in Allah’s Way, but some of you are niggardly. Whoever is niggardly is in fact niggardly to himself. For Allah is All-Sufficient, whereas it is you who are in need of Him. If you turn away, He will replace you by a people other than you, and they will not be like you.
There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.
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