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Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

Verse 219of 286

۞ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ ۖ قُلْ فِيهِمَآ إِثْمٌۭ كَبِيرٌۭ وَمَنَٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَآ أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا ۗ وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلِ ٱلْعَفْوَ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴿٢١٩

Translation (Sahih International)

They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, "In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they should spend. Say, "The excess [beyond needs]." Thus Allah makes clear to you the verses [of revelation] that you might give thought.

Word-by-word meaning

۞ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَyasalūnakaThey ask you
عَنِʿaniabout
ٱلْخَمْرِl-khamri[the] intoxicants
وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ ۖwal-maysiriand [the] games of chance
قُلْqulSay
فِيهِمَآfīhimāIn both of them
إِثْمٌۭith'mun(is) a sin
كَبِيرٌۭkabīrungreat
وَمَنَـٰفِعُwamanāfiʿuand (some) benefits
لِلنَّاسِlilnnāsifor [the] people
وَإِثْمُهُمَآwa-ith'muhumāBut sin of both of them
أَكْبَرُakbaru(is) greater
مِنminthan
نَّفْعِهِمَا ۗnafʿihimā(the) benefit of (the) two
وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَwayasalūnakaAnd they ask you
مَاذَاmādhāwhat
يُنفِقُونَyunfiqūnathey (should) spend
قُلِquliSay
ٱلْعَفْوَ ۗl-ʿafwaThe surplus
كَذَٰلِكَkadhālikaThus
يُبَيِّنُyubayyinumakes clear
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah
لَكُمُlakumuto you
ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِl-āyāti[the] Verses
لَعَلَّكُمْlaʿallakumso that you may
تَتَفَكَّرُونَtatafakkarūnaponder

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

The Gradual Prohibition of Khamr (Alchoholic Drink)Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Maysarah said that `Umar once said, "O Allah! Give us a clear ruling regarding Al-Khamr!" Allah sent down the Ayah of Surat Al-Baqarah:يَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ قُلْ فِيهِمَآ إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ(They ask you (O Muhammad ) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: "In them is a great sin...)`Umar was then summoned and the Ayah was recited to him.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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