The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قُلْ
أَنفِقُواْ
طَوْعًا أَوْ
كَرْهًا لَّن
يُتَقَبَّلَ
مِنكُمْ ...
9: 53. Say:
"Spend (for the cause) willingly or unwillingly: not from you will it be accepted:
C1314. The Hypocrites, who secretly plotted against Islam, might sometimes (and they did) make a show of making some contribution to the Cause in order to keep up their pretence.
Their contributions were not acceptable, whether they seemed to give willingly or unwillingly, because rebellion and disobedience were in their hearts. Three reasons are specifically given for their rejection, in the next verse:
1. they did not believe;
2. their prayers were not earnest, but for mere show: and
3. in reality their hearts were not behind the contributions which they offered.
Nothing is acceptable to Allah which does not proceed from a pure and sincere heart.
...إِنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ ﴿٥٣﴾
for ye are indeed a people rebellious and wicked."
وَمَا
مَنَعَهُمْ
أَن تُقْبَلَ
مِنْهُمْ
نَفَقَاتُهُمْ
إِلاَّ أَنَّهُمْ
كَفَرُواْ
بِاللّهِ
وَبِرَسُولِهِ...
9: 54. The only reasons why their contributions are not accepted are:
- that they reject Allah and His Messenger;
...وَلاَ يَأْتُونَ الصَّلاَةَ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ كُسَالَى...
- that they come to prayer without earnestness;
...وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ كَارِهُونَ ﴿٥٤﴾
- and that they offer contributions unwillingly.
فَلاَ
تُعْجِبْكَ
أَمْوَالُهُمْ
وَلاَ أَوْلاَدُهُمْ...
9: 55. Let not their wealth nor their (following in) sons dazzle thee:
C1315. If they appeared to be prosperous, with their purses and their quivers full (metaphorically), they were not to be envied. In reality their wealth and their sons might themselves be a snare: Cf. 8:28.
On this particular occasion this was proved to the hilt. The wealth of the Pagans filled them with pride, darkened their understanding, and led to their destruction. Their sons and followers adopted the Faith which their fathers had fought against, much to the chagrin of the fathers, whose spiritual death was even worse than their discomfiture in this world.
...إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا...
in reality Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in this life
C1316. Cf. 3:176-178.
...وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَافِرُونَ ﴿٥٥﴾
and that their souls may perish in their (very) denial of Allah.
وَيَحْلِفُونَ
بِاللّهِ إِنَّهُمْ
لَمِنكُمْ...
9 : 56. They swear by Allah that they are indeed of you;
...وَمَا هُم مِّنكُمْ وَلَـكِنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ يَفْرَقُونَ ﴿٥٦﴾
but they are not of you; yet they are afraid (to appear in their true colors).
لَوْ
يَجِدُونَ
مَلْجَأً أَوْ
مَغَارَاتٍ
أَوْ مُدَّخَلاً
لَّوَلَّوْاْ
إِلَيْهِ وَهُمْ
يَجْمَحُونَ ﴿٥٧﴾
9: 57. If they could find a place to flee to, or caves, or a place of concealment, they would turn straightway thereto, with an obstinate rush.
C1317. Jamaha: to be ungovernable, to run like a runaway horse, to rush madly and obstinately.
Other versions:
9: 53
Asad Say: “You may spend [anything], willingly or unwillingly, [pretending that you do it for the sake of God:] it shall never be accepted from you [note 76] – for, verily, you are people bent on iniquity!”
Yusuf Ali Say: "Spend (for the cause) willingly or unwillingly: not from you will it be accepted: for ye are indeed a people rebellious and wicked."
Pickthall Say: Pay (your contribution), willingly or unwillingly, it will not be accepted from you. Lo! ye were ever froward folk.
Transliteration Qul anfiqu_ tau'an au karhal lay yutaqabbala minkum, innakum kuntum qauman fa_siqin(a).
[[ Asad’s note 76 – I.e., “if shall never be acceptable to God”: an allusion to the readiness on the part of many hypocrites to contribute financially to “good causes”, ostensibly for the sake of moral consideration but, in reality, “only to be seen and praised by men” (cf. 2: 264 and 4:38).
[[ Ali’s note - 1314 The Hypocrites, who secretly plotted against Islam, might sometimes (and they did) make a show of making some contribution to the Cause in order to keep up their pretence. Their contributions were not acceptable, whether they seemed to give willingly or unwillingly, because rebellion and disobedience were in their hearts. Three reasons are specifically given for their rejection, in the next verse: (1) they did not believe; (2) their prayers were not earnest, but for mere show: and (3) in reality their hearts were not behind the contributions which they offered. Nothing is acceptable to Allah which does not proceed from a pure and sincere heart. (9.53) ]]
9: 54
Yusuf Ali The only reasons why their contributions are not accepted are: that they reject Allah and His apostle; that they come to prayer without earnestness; and that they offer contributions unwillingly.
Pickthall And naught preventeth that their contributions should be accepted from them save that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His messenger, and they come not to worship save as idlers, and pay not (their contribution) save reluctantly.
Transliteration Wa ma_ mana'ahum an tuqbala minhum nafaqa_tuhum illa_ annahum kafaru_ billa_hi wa bi rasu_lihi wa la_ ya'tu_nas sala_ta illa_ wa hum kusa_la_ wa la_ yunfiqu_na illa_ wa hum ka_rihu_n(a).
9:55
Asad Let not, then, their worldly goods or [the happiness which they may derive from] their children excite thy admiration: God but wants to chastise them by these means in this worldly life, and [to cause] their souls to depart while they are [still] denying the truth.
Yusuf Ali Let not their wealth nor their (following in) sons dazzle thee: in reality Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in this life and that their souls may perish in their (very) denial of Allah.
Pickthall So let not their riches nor their children please thee (O Muhammad). Allah thereby intendeth but to punish them in the life of the world and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers
Transliteration Fala_ tu'jibka amwa_luhum wa la_ aula_duhum, innama_ yuridulla_hu liyu'azzibahum biha_ fil haya_tid dunya_ wa tazhaqa anfusuhum wa hum ka_firu_n(a).
[[ Ali’s notes - 1315 If they appeared to be prosperous, with their purses and their quivers full (metaphorically), they were not to be envied. In reality their wealth and their sons might themselves be a snare: Cf. viii. 28. On this particular occasion this was proved to the hilt. The wealth of the Pagans filled them with pride, darkened their understanding, and led to their destruction. Their sons and followers adopted the Faith which their fathers had fought against, much to the chagrin of the fathers, whose spiritual death was even worse than their discomfiture in this world. (9.55)
1316 Cf. iii. 176-178. (9.55) ]]
9: 56
Yusuf Ali They swear by Allah that they are indeed of you; but they are not of you; yet they are afraid (to appear in their true colors).
Pickthall And they swear by Allah that they are in truth of you, when they are not of you, but they are folk who are afraid.
Transliteration Wa yahlifu_na billa_hi innahum laminkum, wa ma_ hum minkum wa la_kinnahum qaumuy yafraqu_n(a).
9: 57
Asad If they could but find a place of refuge, or any cavern, or a crevice [in the earth], they would turn towards it in headlong haste [note80].
Yusuf Ali If they could find a place to flee to or caves or a place of concealment they would turn straightway thereto with an obstinate rush.
Pickthall Had they but found a refuge, or caverns, or a place to enter, they surely had resorted thither swift as runaways.
Transliteration Lau uajidu_na malja'an au maga_ra_tin au muddakhalal lawallau ilaihi wa hum yajmahu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 80 – Thus the Quran shows that the innermost cause of all hypocrisy is fear – fear of a moral commitment and, at the same time, fear of an open breach with one’s social environment. In their overriding, immoral desire for social conformity, “the hypocrites seek to deceive God – the while it is He who causes them to be deceived [by themselves]”……………]]