Surah Ahzab Ayat 19 in Arabic Text
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 19
Indisposed toward you. And when fear comes, you see them looking at you, their eyes revolving like one being overcome by death. But when fear departs, they lash you with sharp tongues, indisposed toward [any] good. Those have not believed, so Allah has rendered their deeds worthless, and ever is that, for Allah, easy.
Covetous over you. Then when fear comes, thou wilt see them looking to thee, their eyes revolving, like (those of) one over whom hovers death: but when the fear is past, they will smite you with sharp tongues, covetous of goods. Such men have no faith, and so Allah has made their deeds of none effect: and that is easy for Allah.
They are utterly niggardly (in coming to your aid). Whenever there is danger, you will see them looking at you, their eyes rolling as though they were on the verge of fainting at the approach of death. But when the danger passes away, their greed for wealth prompts them to greet you with their sharp, scissor-like tongues. These are the ones who never truly believed, and so Allah has caused their deeds to be reduced to naught. That is easy enough for Allah.
Being miserly towards you (as regards help and aid in Allah’s Cause). Then when fear comes, you will see them looking to you, their eyes revolving like (those of) one over whom hovers death, but when the fear departs, they will smite you with sharp tongues, miserly towards (spending anything in any) good (and only covetous of booty and wealth). Such have not believed. Therefore Allah makes their deeds fruitless, and that is ever easy for Allah.
Being sparing of their help to you (believers). But when the fear cometh, then thou (Muhammad) seest them regarding thee with rolling eyes like one who fainteth unto death. Then, when the fear departeth, they scald you with sharp tongues in their greed for wealth (from the spoil). Such have not believed. Therefor Allah maketh their deeds fruitless. And that is easy for Allah.
Being avaricious towards you. Then when fear comes, you would see them looking at you, (i.e., the Prophet) their eyes rolling like one who swoons of death; yet when the fear goes away, they flay you (i.e., the believers the pronoun is plural) with sharp tongues, being too avaricious to (give in) charity. Those have not (yet) believed, so Allah has frustrated their deeds; and that has been easy for Allah.
who begrudge you [believers] any help. When fear comes, you [Prophet] see them looking at you with eyes rolling like someone in their death throes; when fear has passed, they attack you with sharp tongues and begrudge you any good. Such men do not believe, and God brings their deeds to nothing- that is all too easy for God.
تمہاری مدد میں (پورے) بخیل ہیں، پھر جب خوف ودہشت کا موقعہ آجائے تو آپ انہیں دیکھیں گے کہ آپ کی طرف نظریں جما دیتے ہیں اور ان کی انکھیں اس طرح گھومتی ہیں جیسے اس شخص کی جس پر موت کی غشی طاری ہو۔ پھر جب خوف جاتا رہتا ہے تو تم پر اپنی تیز زبانوں سے بڑی باتیں بناتے ہیں مال کے بڑے ہی حریص ہیں، یہ ایمان ﻻئے ہی نہیں ہیں اللہ تعالیٰ نے ان کے تمام اعمال نابود کر دیئے ہیں، اور اللہ تعالیٰ پر یہ بہت ہی آسان ہے
Quran 33 Verse 19 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Ahzab ayat 19, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-Maududi
(33:19) They are utterly niggardly[30] (in coming to your aid). Whenever there is danger, you will see them looking at you, their eyes rolling as though they were on the verge of fainting at the approach of death. But when the danger passes away, their greed for wealth prompts them to greet you with their sharp, scissor-like tongues.[31] These are the ones who never truly believed, and so Allah has caused their deeds to be reduced to naught.[32] That is easy enough for Allah.[33]
30. “Being miserly”: Those who are not at all willing to spend their energies, their time, their wealth, etc. in any way in which the true believers are spending whatever they have. Not to speak of exerting themselves and braving the dangers, they do not want to cooperate with the believers in anything with an open heart.
31. Lexically, this verse has two meanings:
(1) When you return victorious from a war, they receive you warmly, and try to impress you with a sweet tongue that they too are sincere believers and they too have made their contribution to promote the cause of Islam, and therefore, they deserve a share from the booty.
(2) If victory is attained, these people show great powers of the tongue at the time of the division of the spoils and make great demands for their shares, recounting their services for the cause of Islam.
32. That is, Allah will make null and void all the prayers that they offered, all the fasts that they observed, the zakat that they paid, and other good works that they did after embracing Islam, and will give them no reward for these. For Allah does not judge actions and deeds according to their external form but on the basis of the faith and sincerity underlying them. When the actions are altogether devoid of this quality, there will be mere show and, therefore, meaningless. Here, one thing is especially noteworthy. A clear verdict has been given about the people who professed to believe in Allah and His Messenger, offered the Prayers, observed the fast, gave the Zakat and cooperated with the Muslims in other good works, to the effect that they did not believe at all. This verdict has been given because when they were put to the test during the conflict between Islam and un-Islam, they showed double standard, preferred selfish interests above the interests of the faith, and shirked offering their selves and their wealth and their energies for the protection of Islam. This shows that the real criterion of the judgment are not the apparent deeds but the loyalties of man. If a person is not loyal to God and His way, his profession of the faith and his worship and other good deeds are worthless.
33. That is, as their deeds and actions do not carry any value, Allah renders them fruitless without the slightest hesitation; and as they do not have any power to resist. Allah has no difficulty in destroying their deeds altogether.
Ibn-Kathir
The tafsir of Surah Ahzab verse 19 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Ahzab ayat 18 which provides the complete commentary from verse 18 through 19.
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