Say: "Even if you owned the stores of the mercy of my Lord, you would have held them back for fear of spending them, for man is niggardly."
Proclaim, “If you owned the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, you would hoard them too for fear that they may get spent; and man is a big miser.”
Say: 'If you possessed the treasuries of my Lord's mercy, yet would you hold back for fear of expending; and man is ever niggardly.'
Say: "If you were to own' all the treasure-houses of my Sustainer's bounty, lo! you would still try to hold on [to them] tightly for fear of spending [too much]: for man has always been avaricious [whereas God is limitless in His bounty].
Say thou: if it were ye who owned the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, ye would surely refrain for fear of expending; and man is ever miserly.
Say (to the disbelievers): "If you possessed the treasure of the Mercy of my Lord (wealth, money, provision, etc.), then you would surely hold back (from spending) for fear of (being exhausted), and man is ever miserly!"
Say, “If you possessed the treasuries of my Lord’s mercy, you would have withheld them for fear of spending.” The human being has always been stingy.
Tell them, (O Prophet): "Even if you owned the treasures of my Lord's Mercy you would have held them back for fear of spending them." Man is indeed ever niggardly.
Say: "If you possessed the treasure of the mercy of my Lord, then you would surely hold back for fear of spending, and man is ever miserly!"
Say (unto them): If ye possessed the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, ye would surely hold them back for fear of spending, for man was ever grudging.
Say, ‘Even if you possessed the treasuries of my Lord’s mercy, you would withhold them for the fear of being spent, and man is very niggardly.’
Say: 'If you possessed the treasuries of my Lord's Mercy, you would hold them back for fear of spending and mankind is ever grudging!
Say [to them], "If you possessed the depositories of the mercy of my Lord, then you would withhold out of fear of spending." And ever has man been stingy.
Say, "Had you owned the treasures of the Mercy of my Lord, you would have locked them up for fear of spending them. The human being has always been stingy.
Say: If you control the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, then you would withhold (them) from fear of spending, and man is niggardly.
Qul law antum tamlikoona khaz<u>a</u>ina ra<u>h</u>mati rabbee i<u>th</u>an laamsaktum khashyata alinf<u>a</u>qi wak<u>a</u>na alins<u>a</u>nu qatoor<u>a</u><b>n</b>
Say, "Even if you possessed the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, you would surely hold them back for fear of spending. Man is indeed niggardly!"
Say: "If ye had control of the Treasures of the Mercy of my Lord, behold, ye would keep them back, for fear of spending them: for man is (every) niggardly!"
قُل لَّوْ أَنتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَآئِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّىٓ إِذًا لَّأَمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ ٱلْإِنفَاقِ وَكَانَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ قَتُورًا
Say - O Messenger, to these idolaters: If you possessed my Lord’s treasures which never deplete or finish, you would desist from spending them, fearing they will deplete until you will turn poor. And it is human nature to be miserly, except if one is a believer who spends hoping for Allah’s reward.
Say - O Messenger, to these idolaters: If you possessed my Lord’s treasures which never deplete or finish, you would desist from spending them, fearing they will deplete until you will turn poor. And it is human nature to be miserly, except if one is a believer who spends hoping for Allah’s reward.
<p>Commentary</p><p>The truth of the matter about what has been said in the last verse (100) is that the treasures of the mercy of Allah are limit-less and end-less. They are never going to end, but man is by nature narrow-minded, short on courage. When it comes to giving, he is not motivated enough to share what he has with others.</p><p>Commentators generally take the expression 'the treasures of the Lord's blessing or mercy' to mean the treasures of wealth. This has its link with previous verses (90, 91) where the disbelievers of Makkah had demanded that the Holy Prophet ﷺ should - if he was really a prophet in truth - make rivers flow in the barren desert of Makkah and trans-form it into lush green farms, like the land of Syria. The answer to this was given right there (93), saying in effect: This is as if you have taken me to be nothing short of God whose authority you want me to exercise. As for me, I am only a messenger of Allah, not Allah. I cannot do what I will. If we see this verse in this context, it would mean: If you are asking me to turn this desert land of Makkah into a green land to test my veracity as prophet and messenger, then, the miracle of the eloquence of the Qur'an is sufficient to prove that. There is no need for any other demands. And if this is to meet the needs of your country and people, remember that, even if you are given everything you demand for the land of Makkah, and all sorts of treasures with it, it would not result in the prosperity of the masses of your country. In fact, human nature will take its course and whoever gets hold of these treasures will sit on them like legendary serpents. Tell them to spend it on the people and you will see them all consumed by the fear that it will go out of their hands. In a situ-ation like this, if a few rich men of Makkah get to be richer and opulent, what are the masses of people going to get out of it? Most commentators have declared this to be the sense of the verse.</p><p>My master and mentor, Hadrat Thanavi (رح) ، in his Bayan al-Qur'an, has interpreted 'my Lord's mercy' as the station of prophethood and messenger-ship, and 'the treasures of mercy' as the varied perfection of prophethood. Given this Tafsir, this verse will be linked with previous verses by saying: The outcome of all those absurd demands you are making against my status as a prophet and Messenger of Allah ﷺ is that you just do not want to believe in it. Do you, then, want that the function of prophethood should be entrusted in your hands, so that you can make anyone a prophet at your sweet will? If such a wish were to be granted, the consequence would be that you would never give prophethood or messenger-ship to anyone, sitting over it like misers. After having given this explanation, he has added that this Tafsir is something that comes as one of the many divine gifts. It fits the occasion. Interpreting proph-ethood in this setting with mercy would be similar to its interpretation in the verse of Surah az-Zukhruf. It was said: أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَ‌حْمَتَ رَ‌بِّكَ (Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? - 43:32). Here, 'rahmah' (mercy) means nothing but 'nubuwwah' (prophethood) - and there is a consensus on it. Allah knows best.</p>
CommentaryThe truth of the matter about what has been said in the last verse (100) is that the treasures of the mercy of Allah are limit-less and end-less. They are never going to end, but man is by nature narrow-minded, short on courage. When it comes to giving, he is not motivated enough to share what he has with others.Commentators generally take the expression 'the treasures of the Lord's blessing or mercy' to mean the treasures of wealth. This has its link with previous verses (90, 91) where the disbelievers of Makkah had demanded that the Holy Prophet ﷺ should - if he was really a prophet in truth - make rivers flow in the barren desert of Makkah and trans-form it into lush green farms, like the land of Syria. The answer to this was given right there (93), saying in effect: This is as if you have taken me to be nothing short of God whose authority you want me to exercise. As for me, I am only a messenger of Allah, not Allah. I cannot do what I will. If we see this verse in this context, it would mean: If you are asking me to turn this desert land of Makkah into a green land to test my veracity as prophet and messenger, then, the miracle of the eloquence of the Qur'an is sufficient to prove that. There is no need for any other demands. And if this is to meet the needs of your country and people, remember that, even if you are given everything you demand for the land of Makkah, and all sorts of treasures with it, it would not result in the prosperity of the masses of your country. In fact, human nature will take its course and whoever gets hold of these treasures will sit on them like legendary serpents. Tell them to spend it on the people and you will see them all consumed by the fear that it will go out of their hands. In a situ-ation like this, if a few rich men of Makkah get to be richer and opulent, what are the masses of people going to get out of it? Most commentators have declared this to be the sense of the verse.My master and mentor, Hadrat Thanavi (رح) ، in his Bayan al-Qur'an, has interpreted 'my Lord's mercy' as the station of prophethood and messenger-ship, and 'the treasures of mercy' as the varied perfection of prophethood. Given this Tafsir, this verse will be linked with previous verses by saying: The outcome of all those absurd demands you are making against my status as a prophet and Messenger of Allah ﷺ is that you just do not want to believe in it. Do you, then, want that the function of prophethood should be entrusted in your hands, so that you can make anyone a prophet at your sweet will? If such a wish were to be granted, the consequence would be that you would never give prophethood or messenger-ship to anyone, sitting over it like misers. After having given this explanation, he has added that this Tafsir is something that comes as one of the many divine gifts. It fits the occasion. Interpreting proph-ethood in this setting with mercy would be similar to its interpretation in the verse of Surah az-Zukhruf. It was said: أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَ‌حْمَتَ رَ‌بِّكَ (Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? - 43:32). Here, 'rahmah' (mercy) means nothing but 'nubuwwah' (prophethood) - and there is a consensus on it. Allah knows best.
<h2 class="title">Holding back is Part of Man's Nature</h2><p>Allah says to His Messenger : "Tell them, O Muhammad, even if you had authority over the treasures of Allah, you would refrain from spending for fear of exhausting it." Ibn `Abbas and Qatadah said, "This means for fear of poverty," lest it run out, despite the fact that it can never be exhausted or come to an end. This is because it is part of your nature. So Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَانَ الإنْسَـنُ قَتُورًا</div><p>(and man is ever miserly.) Ibn `Abbas and Qatadah said: "(This means) stingy and holding back." Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُلْكِ فَإِذاً لاَّ يُؤْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيراً </div><p>(Or have they a share in the dominion Then in that case they would not give mankind even a Naqira.) (4:53), meaning that even if they had a share in the authority of Allah, they would not have given anything to anyone, not even the amount of a Naqira (speck on the back of a date stone). Allah describes man as he really is, except for those whom Allah helps and guides. Miserliness, discontent and impatience are human characteristics, as Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ الإِنسَـنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعاً - إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعاً - وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعاً - إِلاَّ الْمُصَلِّينَ </div><p>(Verily, man was created very impatient; irritable when evil touches him; and stingy when good touches him. Except those who are devoted to Salah (prayers). ) (70:19-22). And there are many other such references in the Qur'an. This is an indication of the generosity and kindness of Allah. In the Two Sahihs it says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«يَدُ اللهِ مَلْأَى لَا يَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ سَحَّاءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ، أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْفَقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَغِضْ مَا فِي يَمِينِه»</div><p>(Allah's Hand is full and never decreases because of His giving night and day. Do you not see how much He has given since He created the heavens and the earth, yet that which is in His right hand never decreases.)</p>
Holding back is Part of Man's NatureAllah says to His Messenger : "Tell them, O Muhammad, even if you had authority over the treasures of Allah, you would refrain from spending for fear of exhausting it." Ibn `Abbas and Qatadah said, "This means for fear of poverty," lest it run out, despite the fact that it can never be exhausted or come to an end. This is because it is part of your nature. So Allah says:وَكَانَ الإنْسَـنُ قَتُورًا(and man is ever miserly.) Ibn `Abbas and Qatadah said: "(This means) stingy and holding back." Allah says:أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُلْكِ فَإِذاً لاَّ يُؤْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيراً (Or have they a share in the dominion Then in that case they would not give mankind even a Naqira.) (4:53), meaning that even if they had a share in the authority of Allah, they would not have given anything to anyone, not even the amount of a Naqira (speck on the back of a date stone). Allah describes man as he really is, except for those whom Allah helps and guides. Miserliness, discontent and impatience are human characteristics, as Allah says:إِنَّ الإِنسَـنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعاً - إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعاً - وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعاً - إِلاَّ الْمُصَلِّينَ (Verily, man was created very impatient; irritable when evil touches him; and stingy when good touches him. Except those who are devoted to Salah (prayers). ) (70:19-22). And there are many other such references in the Qur'an. This is an indication of the generosity and kindness of Allah. In the Two Sahihs it says:«يَدُ اللهِ مَلْأَى لَا يَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ سَحَّاءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ، أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْفَقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَغِضْ مَا فِي يَمِينِه»(Allah's Hand is full and never decreases because of His giving night and day. Do you not see how much He has given since He created the heavens and the earth, yet that which is in His right hand never decreases.)