Surah Al-Baqara 2:219 — translation and meaning

البقرة · Verse 219 / 286 · Page 34

ۗ ۗ ۖ يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Word by Word

ۗ
ۗ
ۖ
يَسْأَلُونَكَ
yasalunaka
They ask you
عَنِ
ani
about
الْخَمْرِ
al-khamri
[the] intoxicants
وَالْمَيْسِرِ
wal-maysiri
and [the] games of chance
قُلْ
qul
Say
فِيهِمَا
fihima
In both of them
إِثْمٌ
ith'mun
(is) a sin
كَبِيرٌ
kabirun
great
وَمَنَافِعُ
wamanafi'u
and (some) benefits
لِلنَّاسِ
lilnnasi
for [the] people
وَإِثْمُهُمَا
wa-ith'muhuma
But sin of both of them
أَكْبَرُ
akbaru
(is) greater
مِن
min
than
نَّفْعِهِمَا
naf'ihima
(the) benefit of (the) two
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ
wayasalunaka
And they ask you
مَاذَا
madha
what
يُنفِقُونَ
yunfiquna
they (should) spend
قُلِ
quli
Say
الْعَفْوَ
al-'afwa
The surplus
كَذَلِكَ
kadhalika
Thus
يُبَيِّنُ
yubayyinu
makes clear
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
لَكُمُ
lakumu
to you
الْآيَاتِ
al-ayati
[the] Verses
لَعَلَّكُمْ
la'allakum
so that you may
تَتَفَكَّرُونَ
tatafakkaruna
ponder

Transliteration

Yas'aloonaka 'anilkhamri walmaisiri qul feehimaaa ismun kabeerunw wa manaafi'u linnaasi wa ismuhumaa akbaru min naf'ihimaa; wa yas'aloonaka maaza yunfiqoona qulil-'afw; kazaalika yubaiyinul laahu lakumul-aayaati la'allakum tatafakkaroon

Translation

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.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

O Prophet! Your Companions ask you about wine (which refers to anything that impairs the mind or intoxicates it), with respect to the legal aspects of drinking, selling and purchasing it. They also ask you about gambling (which refers to wealth taken in a competition between two people in which both contribute to the winning total). Say in response to them: They both have many spiritual and material harms, such as loss of intellect and wealth and the creation of hatred and enmity. On the other hand, there are a few benefits, such as financial reward for the winner of a bet. However, the harm and sin resulting from them is greater than the benefit; so, a logical person should avoid such actions. This statement of Allah lays the foundation for the prohibition of wine. They also ask you, O Prophet, about the amount that they should spend in charity. Say in reply to them: Spend whatever is easy and in excess of your needs. With such clear explanations, Allah describes the sacred law to you so that you may reflect. Initially, this was the law regarding charity, but later Allah established the obligation of Zakat, which requires paying a set amount on certain possessions, if one has owned such possessions for a particular period of time.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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"They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, "In them is great sin…" — Al-Baqara 2:219