وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تُنفِقُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَٰثُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا يَسْتَوِى مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ ٱلْفَتْحِ وَقَٰتَلَ ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدُ وَقَٰتَلُوا۟ ۚ وَكُلًّۭا وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌۭ
And why do you not spend in the cause of Allah while to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquest [of Makkah] and fought [and those who did so after it]. Those are greater in degree than they who spent afterwards and fought. But to all Allah has promised the best [reward]. And Allah, with what you do, is Acquainted.
Introduction
This is āyah 10 of Sūrat Al-Hadid (The Iron), the 94th sūrah in the traditional order of revelation. It was revealed in the Medinan period and sits within Juzʾ 27. Medinan verses often address community life, law, and the building of society.
This introduction is a starting point — the community and Bilal will enrich it over time.
Revelation & occasion
- Period
- Medinan
- Order revealed
- 94 of 114
- Surah
- Al-Hadid (57)
(Those who spent and fought before the victory are not upon a level (with the rest of you)�) [57:10]. Muhammad ibn Fudayl reported that al-Kalbi related that this verse was revealed about Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be well pleased with him. This is evidenced by the report which was related to us from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn 'Abdihi ibn Yahya> Abu'l-Hasan Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah al-Saliti> 'Uthman ibn Sulayman al-Baghdadi> Ya'qub ibn Ibrahim al-Makhzumi> 'Amr ibn Hafs al-Shaybani> al-'Ala' ibn 'Amr> Abu Ishaq al-Fazari> Sufyan al-Thawri> Adam ibn 'Ali> Ibn 'Umar who said: �As the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, was sitting with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, who was wearing a cloak which he gathered round his chest with pins, Gabriel, peace be upon him, came down, conveyed Allah's greetings of peace to him and said: 'O Muhammad, why is Abu Bakr wearing a cloak which he gathers round his chest with pins?' He said: 'O Gabriel, he has spent all his wealth before the conquest [of Mecca]!' He said: 'In that case, convey to him Allah's greetings of peace, glorified and exalted is He, and tell him that your Lord asks you: are you pleased with Me in your state of poverty or are you indignant?' The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, addressed Abu Bakr: 'O Abu Bakr, Gabriel is here to convey the greetings of peace of Allah, glorified and exalted is He, and He is asking you: are you pleased with Him in your state of poverty or are you indignant?' Upon hearing this, Abu Bakr wept and said: 'How can I be indignant with my Lord? I am pleased with my Lord! I am pleased with my Lord!' �
Tafsir
Hafiz Ibn Kathir
Chains of transmission
Oral — isnād
- ~610–632 CERevelation & memorisation
Received by the Prophet ﷺ and preserved by the ḥuffāẓ (memorisers) among the Companions.
- 1st century AHMutawātir transmissionawaiting curation
Carried by mass-transmission through the generations of qurrāʾ.
- TodayLiving chainsawaiting curation
Continuous ijāzah chains link reciters today back to the Prophet ﷺ.
Verified isnād chains for this āyah will be added by curators.
Written — the manuscript record
- ~650 CEʿUthmānic codicesawaiting curation
The standardised muṣḥaf sent to the great cities (e.g. the Topkapı and Samarqand codices).
- 8th–10th c.Early Ḥijāzī & Kūfic foliosawaiting curation
Surviving leaves in Birmingham, Sanaa, Paris (BnF) and beyond.
- Modern printModern printawaiting curation
The 1924 Cairo edition → today: the standard printed muṣḥaf used worldwide.
A curated chain of manuscript images for this exact āyah — roughly one per century — is coming. Help us source and verify them.
And now — what do you think?
The text, its history and the classical commentary are laid out above. Share your own understanding, ask a question, or reason with others.
Community resources
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