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Ar-Rum 39

Ayah 39 of 60 · Meccan

وَمَآ ءَاتَيۡتُم مِّن رِّبٗا لِّيَرۡبُوَاْ فِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَلَا يَرۡبُواْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَآ ءَاتَيۡتُم مِّن زَكَوٰةٖ تُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَ ٱللَّهِ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُضۡعِفُونَ ٣٩

And whatever you give for interest [i.e., advantage] to increase within the wealth of people1 will not increase with Allāh. But what you give in zakāh,2 desiring the face [i.e., approval] of Allāh - those are the multipliers.3

Translation: Saheeh International (English)

1 The phrase includes several connotations, among them: a) that which is given as usury or interest, b) that which is given on the condition that it be repaid with interest, and c) a gift given with the intention of obtaining from the recipient greater benefit or a larger gift.

2 The meaning of ṣadaqah (voluntary charity) is included here.

3 Of their blessings on earth and their rewards in the Hereafter.

Word by word

Each word's meaning and sound

  1. وَمَآAnd whatwamā
  2. ءَاتَيۡتُمyou giveātaytum
  3. مِّنformin
  4. رِّبٗاusuryriban
  5. لِّيَرۡبُوَاْto increaseliyarbuwā
  6. فِيٓinfī
  7. أَمۡوَٰلِ(the) wealthamwāli
  8. ٱلنَّاسِ(of) peoplel-nāsi
  9. فَلَاnotfalā
  10. يَرۡبُواْ(will) increaseyarbū
  11. عِندَwithʿinda
  12. ٱللَّهِۖAllahl-lahi
  13. وَمَآBut whatwamā
  14. ءَاتَيۡتُمyou giveātaytum
  15. مِّنofmin
  16. زَكَوٰةٖzakahzakatin
  17. تُرِيدُونَdesiringturīdūna
  18. وَجۡهَ(the) Countenancewajha
  19. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allahl-lahi
  20. فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَthen thosefa-ulāika
  21. هُمُ[they]humu
  22. ٱلۡمُضۡعِفُونَ(will) get manifoldl-muḍ'ʿifūna

Tafsir

Whatever wealth you give to anyone with the expectation that they will.return it to you with an increase, that wealth does not grow with Allah. And whatever wealth you give to fulfil someone's need, desiring only the pleasure of Allah, and not praise or reward from the people, the reward of that deed shall be multiplied for you by Allah.

Al-Mukhtasar in interpreting the Noble Quran