At-Taghabun (Mutual Disillusion, Haggling)

Verse 16

Translation:

16. So fear Allah as much as ye can; listen and obey; and spend in charity for the benefit of your own souls: and those saved from the covetousness of their own souls they are the ones that achieve prosperity.

Notes (Tafseer):

5497. "Fear Allah" combined with "as much as you can" obviously means: "lead lives of self-restraint and righteousness": the usual meaning of Taqwa: see n. 26 to ii. 2.

5498. Charity is meant to help and do good to other people who need it. But it has the highest subjective value for the person who gives it. Like mercy "it blesseth him that gives and him that takes". It purifies the giver's soul: the affection that he pours out is for his own spiritual benefit and progress. Cf. Coleridge: "He prayeth best who loveth best all things both great and small, for the Great God Who loveth us, Who made and loveth all".

5499. Cf. lix. 9. Our worst enemy is within ourselves,-the grasping selfishness which would deprive others of their just rights or seize things which do not properly belong to it. If we can get over this covetous selfishness, we achieve real Prosperity in justice and truth.

1. Al-Fatiha (The Opening) (7)
2. Al-Baqara (The Cow) (286)
3. Aal-E-Imran (The Family Of 'Imran, The House Of 'Imran) (200)
4. An-Nisa (Women) (176)
5. Al-Maeda (The Table, The Table Spread) (120)
6. Al-Anaam (Cattle, Livestock) (165)
7. Al-Araf (The Heights) (206)
8. Al-Anfal (Spoils Of War, Booty) (75)
9. At-Tawba (Repentance, Dispensation) (129)
10. Yunus (Jonah) (109)
11. Hud (Hud) (123)
12. Yusuf (Joseph) (111)
13. Ar-Rad (The Thunder) (43)
14. Ibrahim (Abraham) (52)
15. Al-Hijr (Al-hijr, Stoneland, Rock City) (99)
16. An-Nahl (The Bee) (128)
17. Al-Isra (Isra', The Night Journey, Children Of Israel) (111)
18. Al-Kahf (The Cave) (110)
19. Maryam (Mary) (98)
20. Ta-Ha (Ta-ha) (135)
21. Al-Anbiya (The Prophets) (112)
22. Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) (78)
23. Al-Mumenoon (The Believers) (118)
24. An-Noor (Light) (64)
25. Al-Furqan (The Criterion, The Standard) (77)
26. Ash-Shuara (The Poets) (227)
27. An-Naml (The Ant, The Ants) (93)
28. Al-Qasas (The Story, Stories) (88)
29. Al-Ankaboot (The Spider) (69)
30. Ar-Room (The Romans, The Byzantines) (60)
31. Luqman (Luqman) (34)
32. As-Sajda (The Prostration, Worship, Adoration) (30)
33. Al-Ahzab (The Clans, The Coalition, The Combined Forces) (73)
34. Saba (Saba, Sheba) (54)
35. Fatir (The Angels, Orignator) (45)
36. Ya-Seen (Ya-sin) (83)
37. As-Saaffat (Those Who Set The Ranks, Drawn Up In Ranks) (182)
38. Sad (Sad, (the Letter) Sad ( S )) (88)
39. Az-Zumar (The Troops, Throngs) (75)
40. Al-Ghafir (The Believer, The Forgiver (god)) (85)
41. Fussilat ((signs) Spelled Out, Ha-mim) (54)
42. Ash-Shura (Councel, Consultation) (53)
43. Az-Zukhruf (Ornaments Of Gold, Luxury) (89)
44. Ad-Dukhan (Smoke) (59)
45. Al-Jathiya (Crouching) (37)
46. Al-Ahqaf (The Wind-curved Sandhills, The Dunes) (35)
47. Muhammad (Muhammad) (38)
48. Al-Fath (Victory, Conquest) (29)
49. Al-Hujraat (The Private Apartments, The Inner Apartments) (18)
50. Qaf (Qaf, (the Letter), ( Q )) (45)
51. Adh-Dhariyat (The Winnowing Winds) (60)
52. At-Tur (The Mount) (49)
53. An-Najm (The Star) (62)
54. Al-Qamar (The Moon) (55)
55. Ar-Rahman (The Beneficent, The Mercy Giving) (78)
56. Al-Waqia (The Event, The Inevitable) (96)
57. Al-Hadid (Iron) (29)
58. Al-Mujadila (She That Disputeth, The Pleading Woman) (22)
59. Al-Hashr (Exile, Banishment) (24)
60. Al-Mumtahina (She That Is To Be Examined, Examining Her) (13)
61. As-Saff (The Ranks, Battle Array) (14)
62. Al-Jumua (The Congregation, Friday) (11)
63. Al-Munafiqoon (The Hypocrites) (11)
64. At-Taghabun (Mutual Disillusion, Haggling) (18)
65. At-Talaq (Divorce) (12)
66. At-Tahrim (Banning, Prohibition) (12)
67. Al-Mulk (The Sovereignty, Control) (30)
68. Al-Qalam (The Pen, (the Letter) N) (52)
69. Al-Haaqqa (The Reality) (52)
70. Al-Maarij (The Ascending Stairways, Staircases Upward, Sckeptic) (44)
71. Nooh (Noah) (28)
72. Al-Jinn (The Jinn, Sprites) (28)
73. Al-Muzzammil (The Enshrouded One, Bundled Up) (20)
74. Al-Muddaththir (The Cloaked One, The Man Wearing A Cloak) (56)
75. Al-Qiyama (The Rising Of The Dead, Resurrection) (40)
76. Al-Insan (Time, Man, (every) Man, This (day-and-)age) (31)
77. Al-Mursalat (The Emissaries, Winds Sent Forth) (50)
78. An-Naba (The Tidings, The Announcement) (40)
79. An-Naziat (Those Who Drag Forth, Soul-snatchers) (46)
80. Abasa (He Frowned!) (42)
81. At-Takwir (The Overthrowing, Extinguished! Wrapping Things Up) (29)
82. Al-Infitar (The Cleaving, Bursting Apart) (19)
83. Al-Mutaffifin (Defrauding, The Cheats, Cheating) (36)
84. Al-Inshiqaq (The Sundering, Splitting Open) (25)
85. Al-Burooj (The Mansions Of The Stars, Constellations) (22)
86. At-Tariq (The Morning Star, The Nightcomer) (17)
87. Al-Ala (The Most High, Glory To Your Lord In The Highest) (19)
88. Al-Ghashiya (The Overwhelming, The Pall) (26)
89. Al-Fajr (The Dawn, Daybreak) (30)
90. Al-Balad (The City, This Countryside) (20)
91. Ash-Shams (The Sun) (15)
92. Al-Lail (The Night) (21)
93. Ad-Dhuha (The Morning Hours, Morning Bright!) (11)
94. Al-Inshirah (Solace, Consolation, Relief) (8)
95. At-Tin (The Fig, The Figtree) (8)
96. Al-Alaq (The Clot, Read!) (19)
97. Al-Qadr (Power, Fate) (5)
98. Al-Bayyina (The Clear Proof, Evidence) (8)
99. Az-Zalzala (The Earthquake) (8)
100. Al-Adiyat (The Courser, The Chargers) (11)
101. Al-Qaria (The Calamity, The Stunning Blow, The Disaster) (11)
102. At-Takathur (Rivalry In World Increase, Competition) (8)
103. Al-Asr (The Declining Day, Eventide, The Epoch) (3)
104. Al-Humaza (The Traducer, The Gossipmonger) (9)
105. Al-Fil (The Elephant) (5)
106. Quraish (Winter, Quraysh) (4)
107. Al-Maun (Small Kindnesses, Almsgiving, Have You Seen?) (7)
108. Al-Kauther (Abundance, Plenty) (3)
109. Al-Kafiroon (The Disbelievers, Atheists) (6)
110. An-Nasr (Succour, Divine Support) (3)
111. Al-Masadd (Palm Fibre, The Flame) (5)
112. Al-Ikhlas (The Unity, Sincerity, Oneness Of God) (4)
113. Al-Falaq (The Daybreak, Dawn) (5)
114. An-Nas (Mankind) (6)