Tafseer of The Cow · Al-Baqara · 2:272
Not upon you, [O Muhammad], is [responsibility for] their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills. And whatever good you [believers] spend is for yourselves, and you do not spend except seeking the countenance of Allah. And whatever you spend of good - it will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of His statement, Mighty and Exalted is He: لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَمَا تُنْفِقُونَ إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ اللَّهِ وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ (2:272) (It is not upon you to guide them, but Allah guides whom He wills. And whatever good you spend, it is for yourselves; and you spend only in pursuit of the Face of Allah. And whatever good you spend, it will be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged. (2:272))
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, means thereby: it is not upon you, O Muḥammad ﷺ, to guide the polytheists (mushrikīn) to Islam, such that you would withhold from them the voluntary alms (ṣadaqat al-taṭawwuʿ) and give them nothing of it, on account of the need they have for it, so that they would enter into Islam. Rather, it is Allah who guides whom He wills of His creatures to Islam and enables them for it. So do not withhold the alms from them, as in:
6201 - Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Ibn Yamān related to us, on the authority of Ashʿath, on the authority of Jaʿfar, on the authority of Shuʿba, who said: The Prophet ﷺ did not give alms to the polytheists (mushrikīn). Then there was revealed: "and you spend only in pursuit of the Face of Allah," after which he did give them alms.
6202 - Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Abū Dāwūd related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Jaʿfar ibn Iyās, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: They would not give small gifts (yarḍakhūn) to their relatives among the polytheists (mushrikīn). Then there was revealed: "It is not upon you to guide them, but Allah guides whom He wills."
6203 - Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: My father related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of a man, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, who said: They were reluctant to give small gifts (yarḍakhū) to their relatives among the polytheists (mushrikīn), until there was revealed: "It is not upon you to guide them, but Allah guides whom He wills."
6204 - Muḥammad ibn Bashshār and Aḥmad ibn Isḥāq related to us, both saying: Abū Aḥmad related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Jaʿfar ibn Iyās, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: They would not give small gifts to their relatives among the polytheists (mushrikīn). Then there was revealed: "It is not upon you to guide them, but Allah guides whom He wills," after which it was permitted to them.
6205 - Al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Suwayd related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Jaʿfar ibn Iyās, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: There were people among the Anṣār who had in-laws and blood relatives among the tribes of Qurayẓa and al-Naḍīr, and they were reluctant to give them alms, because they wanted them to convert to Islam. Then there was revealed: "It is not upon you to guide them..." — the verse.
6206 - Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, and it was mentioned to us that men among the companions of the Prophet of Allah said: "Shall we give alms to one who does not belong to our religion?" Thereupon Allah revealed concerning that in the Qurʾān: "It is not upon you to guide them."
6207 - Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: Ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ, concerning His statement: "It is not upon you to guide them, but Allah guides whom He wills," he said: When there was blood relationship between a man among the Muslims and a man among the polytheists (mushrikīn), and the latter was needy, he would not give him alms and would say: he does not belong to my religion! Thereupon Allah, Mighty and Exalted is He, revealed: "It is not upon you to guide them" — the verse.
6208 - Mūsā related to me, saying: ʿAmr related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, concerning His statement: "It is not upon you to guide them, but Allah guides whom He wills, and whatever good you spend, it is for yourselves." As for "It is not upon you to guide them": thereby the polytheists (mushrikīn) are meant. And as for "the spending (al-nafaqa)": it takes place among those who are entitled to it.
6209 - Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Al-Ḥimmānī related to us, saying: Yaʿqūb al-Qummī related to us, on the authority of Jaʿfar ibn Abī al-Mughīra, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, who said: They would give alms [to the poor among the people under dhimma-status (ahl al-dhimma). When the number of the poor among the Muslims increased, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: do not give alms except to the people of your religion. Then this verse was revealed, which permits the alms to one who does not belong to the religion of Islam].
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As in:
6210 - Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His statement: "it will be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged," he said: it is returned to you, so what concern is it of yours that you should hurt him and reproach him? For your spending is indeed for yourself and in pursuit of the Face of Allah, and Allah will reward you.