Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

O you who heed warning: make not your charity vain through condescension and hindrance, like one who spends his wealth to be seen of men and believes not in God and the Last Day. And his likeness is as the likeness of a rock whereon is dust: a downpour fell upon it leaving it bare; they possess nothing from what they have earned; and God guides not the people of the false claimers of guidance.

يَٓا اَيُّهَا الَّذ۪ينَ اٰمَنُوا لَا تُبْطِلُوا صَدَقَاتِكُمْ بِالْمَنِّ وَالْاَذٰىۙ كَالَّذ۪ي يُنْفِقُ مَالَهُ رِئَٓاءَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِۜ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ صَفْوَانٍ عَلَيْهِ تُرَابٌ فَاَصَابَهُ وَابِلٌ فَتَرَكَهُ صَلْداًۜ لَا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلٰى شَيْءٍ مِمَّا كَسَبُواۜ وَاللّٰهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِر۪ينَ
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoola tubtiloo sadaqatikum bilmanniwal-atha kallathee yunfiqu malahuri-aa annasi wala yu/minu billahiwalyawmi al-akhiri famathaluhu kamathali safwaninAAalayhi turabun faasabahu wabilunfatarakahu saldan la yaqdiroona AAalashay-in mimma kasaboo wallahu layahdee alqawma alkafireen
#wordmeaningroot
1yāayyuhāO you
2alladhīnawho
3āmanūbelieve[d]امن
4(Do) not
5tub'ṭilūrender in vainبطل
6ṣadaqātikumyour charitiesصدق
7bil-maniwith reminders (of it)منن
8wal-adhāor [the] hurtاذي
9ka-alladhīlike the one who
10yunfiquspendsنفق
11mālahuhis wealthمول
12riāa(to) be seenراي
13l-nāsi(by) the peopleنوس
14walāand (does) not
15yu'minubelieveامن
16bil-lahiin Allah
17wal-yawmiand the Dayيوم
18l-ākhiri[the] Lastاخر
19famathaluhuThen his exampleمثل
20kamathali(is) likeمثل
21ṣafwānin(that of a) smooth rockصفو
22ʿalayhiupon it
23turābun(is) dustترب
24fa-aṣābahuthen fell on itصوب
25wābilunheavy rainوبل
26fatarakahuthen left itترك
27ṣaldanbareصلد
28Not
29yaqdirūnathey have controlقدر
30ʿalāon
31shayinanythingشيا
32mimmāof what
33kasabūthey (have) earnedكسب
34wal-lahuAnd Allah
35(does) not
36yahdīguideهدي
37l-qawmathe peopleقوم
38l-kāfirīna[the] disbelievingكفر
  • Aisha Bewley

    You who have iman! do not nullify your sadaqa by demands for gratitude or insulting words, like him who spends his wealth, showing off to people and not having iman in Allah and the Last Day. His likeness is that of a smooth rock coated with soil, which, when heavy rain falls on it, is left stripped bare. They have no power over anything they have earned. Allah does not guide kafir people.

  • Progressive Muslims

    O you who believe, do not nullify your charities with insult and harm; like the one who spends his money in vanity to show the people, and he does not believe in God and the Last Day. His example is like a stone on which there is dust, then it is subjected to heavy rain which leaves it bare. They cannot do anything with what they earned; and God does not guide the rejecting people.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injuring the self-respect of the recipients; like those who spend their wealth for show-off. This kind of behavior contradicts the true belief in Allah and His Law of Recompense. Charity has been ordained to help individuals and not to hurt them (93:10), and Allah has promised you manifold reward. But, a seed won't grow on a dusty rock, upon which rain falls and washes it clean. Even Allah won't guide those who deny such simple realities.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    O you who heed warning: make not your charity vain through condescension and hindrance, like one who spends his wealth to be seen of men and believes not in God and the Last Day. And his likeness is as the likeness of a rock whereon is dust: a downpour fell upon it leaving it bare; they possess nothing from what they have earned; and God guides not the people of the false claimers of guidance.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    O you who believe, do not nullify your charities with insult and harm; like the one who spends his money in vanity to show off to the people, and he does not believe in God and the Last Day. His example is like a stone on which there is dust, then it is subjected to a heavy rain which leaves it bare. They cannot do anything with what they have earned; and God does not guide the rejecting people.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    O you who acknowledge, do not nullify your charities with insult and harm; like the one who spends his money in vanity to show the people, and he does not acknowledge God and the Last day. His example is like a stone on which there is dust, then it is subjected to heavy rain, which leaves it bare. They cannot do anything with what they earned; and God does not guide the ingrates.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    O you who believe, do not nullify your charities by inflicting reproach and insult, like one who spends his money to show off, while disbelieving in GOD and the Last Day. His example is like a rock covered with a thin layer of soil; as soon as heavy rain falls, it washes off the soil, leaving it a useless rock. They gain nothing from their efforts. GOD does not guide disbelieving people.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    O believers, do not nullify your charity by giving to oblige and flaunting (your favours) like a man who spends of his wealth only to show off, but does not believe in God and the Last Day. His semblance is that of a rock covered with earth which is washed away by rain exposing the hard rock bare. So they gain nothing from their earnings. God does not guide a people who do not believe.

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    O you who have believed, do not invalidate your charities with reminders or injury as does one who spends his wealth to be seen by the people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day. His example is like that of a smooth stone upon which is dust and is hit by a downpour that leaves it bare. They are unable anything of what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.

  • Muhammad Asad

    O you who have attained to faith! Do not deprive your charitable deeds of all worth by stressing your own benevolence and hurting , as does he who spends his wealth only to be seen and praised by men, and believes not in God and the Last Day: for his parable is that of a smooth rock with earth upon it - and then a rainstorm smites it and leaves it hard and bare. Such as these shall have no gain whatever from all their works: for God does not guide people who refuse to acknowledge the truth.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    O ye who believe! Render not vain your almsgiving by reproach and injury, like him who spendeth his wealth only to be seen of men and believeth not in Allah and the Last Day. His likeness is as the likeness of a rock whereon is dust of earth; a rainstorm smiteth it, leaving it smooth and bare. They have no control of aught of that which they have gained. Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Believers! Do not nullify your acts of charity by stressing your benevolence and causing hurt as does he who spends his wealth only to be seen by people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day.* The example of his spending is that of a rock with a thin coating of earth upon it: when a heavy rain smites it, the earth is washed away, leaving the rock bare;* such people derive no gain from their acts of charity. Allah does not set the deniers of the Truth on the Right Way.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    O you whose hearts truly believe: Do not cancel the divine reward you merit for your benevolence by the reminders of your generosity or inducing mental anguish. You are then like he who spends his wealth ostentatiously under the guise of benevolence only to attract attention and win people’s admiration while truthfully, he believes neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. His similitude is that of a rock covered with dust and fertile soil which has been exposed to torrential rain stripping it of its soil leaving it completely bare. Such persons have lost; unable to reclaim anything they had falsely earned. And Allah does not guide those who deny Him to His path of righteousness.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    A believer should not spoil his charity by making a big deal of it up to the point that it hurts its receiver. Those who spend on charity in order to be seen in fact do not believe neither in God nor the Day of Resurrection. They are as barren as a rock with a little bit of soil on which looses its productive capacity once the rain washes the soil. They gain nothing from their charity as God does not guide the disbelievers.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    O you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) by reminders of your generosity or by injury, like him who spends his wealth to be seen of men, and he does not believe in Allâh, nor in the Last Day. His likeness is the likeness of a smooth rock on which is a little dust; on it falls heavy rain which leaves it bare. They are not able to do anything with what they have earned. And Allâh does not guide the disbelieving people.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    O ye who believe! cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury,- like those who spend their substance to be seen of men, but believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. They are in parable like a hard, barren rock, on which is a little soil: on it falls heavy rain, which leaves it (Just) a bare stone. They will be able to do nothing with aught they have earned. And Allah guideth not those who reject faith.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    O believers! Do not waste your charity with reminders ˹of your generosity˺ or hurtful words, like those who donate their wealth just to show off and do not believe in Allah or the Last Day. Their example is that of a hard barren rock covered with a thin layer of soil hit by a strong rain—leaving it just a bare stone. Such people are unable to preserve the reward of their charity. Allah does not guide ˹such˺ disbelieving people.

  • Taqi Usmani

    O you who believe, do not nullify your acts of charity by boasting about (doing people a) favour and by causing (them) hurt, like the one who spends his wealth to show off before peopleand does not believe in Allah and in the Last Day. So, his example is like a rock on which there is dust, then a heavy rain came over it and left it barren. They have no ability to gain anything out of what they have done, and Allah does not give guidance to the people who disbelieve.

  • Abdul Haleem

    You who believe, do not cancel out your charitable deeds with reminders and hurtful words, like someone who spends his wealth only to be seen by people, not believing in God and the Last Day. Such a person is like a rock with earth on it: heavy rain falls and leaves it completely bare. Such people get no rewards for their works: God does not guide the disbelievers.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    O believers, void not your freewill offerings with reproach and injury, as one who expends of his substance to show off to men and believes not in God and the Last Day. The likeness of him is as the likeness of a smooth rock on which is soil, and a torrent smites it, and leaves it barren. They have no power over anything that they have earned. God guides not the people of the unbelievers.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    O ye who believe! make not your almsgiving vain by taunts and annoyance, like him who expends what he has for the sake of appearances before men, and believes not in God and the last day; for his likeness is as the likeness of a flint with soil upon it, and a heavy shower falls on it and leaves it bare rock; they can do nought with what they earn, for God guides not the misbelieving folk.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    O you who believe! Make not your almsgiving vain by reproach (or reminders of your generosity) and injury, like him who expends what he has for the sake of appearances before men, and believes not in Allah and the Last Day; for his likeness is as the likeness of a flint with soil upon it, and a heavy shower falls on it and leaves it bare rock; they can do naught with what they earn, for Allah guides not the misbelieving folk.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    O you have believed, do not void your donations with obliging (reproach) and hurt, as one who expends his wealth (for the sake) of showing off to mankind and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day. So, the likeness of him is as the likeness of a smooth rock on which is dust, then a shower hits (Literally: afflicts) it; so it leaves (the rock) solid. They are unable (to do) anything with whatever they have earned; and Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.

  • George Sale

    O true believers, make not your alms of none effect by reproaching, or mischief, as he who layeth out what he hath to appear unto men to give alms, and believeth not in God and the last day. The likeness of such a one, is as a flint covered with earth, on which a violent rain falleth, and leaveth it hard. They cannot prosper in any thing which they have gained, for God directeth not the unbelieving people.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    O you who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity, or by injury— Like those who spend what they own to be seen of men, but believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. They are in the parable like a hard, barren rock, on which is a little soil; On it falls heavy rain which leaves it (just) a bare stone. They will be able to do nothing with the little they have earned. And Allah does not guide those who reject faith.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    O you who believe! Do not render void your charities by (a show of) obligation and injury, like him who spends his wealth to be seen by people and does not believe in Allâh and the Last Day. So his case is like the case of a smooth rock with some soil thereon, when heavy rain hits it leaves it bare and hard. They shall not be able to gain anything of what they accomplished. And Allâh does not guide such disbelieving people to the way of success.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    O you who have faith! Do not render your charities void by reproaches and affronts, like those who spend their wealth to be seen by people and have no faith in Allah and the Last Day. Their parable is that of a rock covered with soil: a downpour strikes it, leaving it bare. They have no power over anything of what they have earned, and Allah does not guide the faithless lot.