Surah Al Isra ayat 29 Tafsir Quran 17:29

﴿وَلَا تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَىٰ عُنُقِكَ وَلَا تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا مَّحْسُورًا﴾
[ الإسراء: 29]

17:29 And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck or extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.

And do not keep your hand chained to your neck in other words do not withhold it completely from expending nor open it in order to expend completely or you will sit blameworthy — this refers to the first case — and denuded cut off having nothing — this refers to the latter case.

And do not bind your hand to your neck, as it were, unwilling to give or spend anything, nor should you spread it in the spread-eagle style, lest you sit brooding on the vast abyss of reprimand and woeful want

Moderation in Spending Allah enjoins moderation in living.
He condemns miserliness and forbids extravagance. وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ ( And let not your hand be tied (like a miser ) to your neck,) this means, do not be miserly and stingy, never giving anything to anyone, as the Jews - may the curses of Allah be upon them - said, "Allah's Hand is tied up ( i.e., He does not give and spend of His bounty )".
They attributed miserliness to Him, Exalted and Sanctified be the Most Generous Bestower! وَلاَ تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ ( nor overextend it (like a spendthrift )) means, nor be extravagant in spending and giving more than you can afford, or paying more than you earn, lest you become blameworthy and find yourself in severe poverty.
If you are a miser, people will blame you and condemn you, and no longer rely on you.
When you spend more than you can afford, you will find yourself without anything to spend, so you will be worn out, like an animal that cannot walk, so it becomes weak and incapable.
It is described as worn out, which is similar in meaning to exhausted.
As Allah says: الَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ طِبَاقًا مَّا تَرَى فِى خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَـنِ مِن تَفَـوُتٍ فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَى مِن فُطُورٍ - ثُمَّ اْرجِعِ البَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ البَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ ( Then look again: "Can you see any rifts" Then look again and yet again, your sight will return to you in a state of humiliation and worn out.
) ( 67:3-4 ) meaning, unable to see any faults.
Similarly, Ibn `Abbas, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ibn Jurayj, Ibn Zayd and others understood this Ayah as miserliness and extravagance.
It was reported in the Two Sahihs from the Hadith of Abu Az-Zinad from Al-A`raj that Abu Hurayrah heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
«مَثَلُ الْبَخِيلِ وَالْمُنْفِقِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا جُبَّتَانِ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ مِنْ ثُدِيِّهِمَا إِلَى تَرَاقِيهِمَا، فَأَمَّا الْمُنْفِقُ فَلَا يُنْفِقُ إِلَّا سَبَغَتْ أَوْ وَفَرَتْ عَلَى جِلْدِهِ حَتَّى تُخْفِيَ بَنَانَهُ وَتَعْفُوَ أَثَرَهُ، وَأَمَّا الْبَخِيلُ فَلَا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُنْفِقَ شَيْئًا إِلَّا لَزِقَتْ كُلُّ حَلْقَةٍ مِنْهَا مَكَانَهَا، فَهُوَ يُوَسِّعُهَا فَلَا تَتَّسِع»
( The parable of the miser and the almsgiver is that of two persons wearing iron cloaks from their chests to their collar-bones.
When the almsgiver gives in charity, the cloak becomes spacious until it covers his whole body to such an extent that it hides his fingertips and covers his tracks (obliterates his tracks - or, his sins will be forgiven ).
And when the miser wants to spend, it ( the iron cloak ) sticks and ( its ) every ring gets stuck to its place, and he tries to widen it, but it does not become wide.) This version was recorded by Al-Bukhari in the Book of Zakah.
In the Two Sahihs it is recorded that Mu`awiyah bin Abi Muzarrid narrated from Sa`id bin Yasar that Abu Hurayrah said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«مَا مِنْ يَوْمٍ يُصْبِحُ الْعِبَادُ فِيهِ إِلَّا وَمَلَكَانِ يَنْزِلَانِ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ يَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمَا:اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقًا خَلَفًا، وَيَقُولُ الْآخَرُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُمْسِكًا تَلَفًا»
( There is no day when a person wakes up but two angels come down from heaven.
One of them says, `O Allah, compensate the one who gives (in charity ),' and the other one says, `O Allah, destroy the one who withholds.')" Muslim recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said:
«مَا نَقَصَ مَالٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ، وَمَا زَادَ اللهُ عَبْدًا أَنْفَقَ إِلَّا عِزًّا، وَمَنْ تَوَاضَعَ للهِ رَفَعَهُ الله»
( Wealth never decreases because of Sadaqah (charity ).
Allah never increases a servant who gives in charity except in honor, and whoever is humble for the sake of Allah, Allah will raise him in status.) According to a Hadith narrated by Abu Kathir from `Abdullah bin `Amr, who attributed it to the Prophet :
«إِيَّاكُمْ وَالشُّحَّ فَإِنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ، أَمَرَهُمْ بِالْبُخْلِ فَبَخِلُوا، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْقَطِيعَةِ فَقَطَعُوا، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْفُجُورِ فَفَجَرُوا»
( Beware of stinginess for it destroyed the people who came before you.
It commanded them to be miserly, so they were miserly; and it commanded them to cut the ties of kinship, so they cut them; and it commanded them to commit immoral actions, so they did so. ) إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ ( Truly, your Lord expands the provision for whom He wills and straitens (for whom He wills ).) This Ayah is telling us that Allah is the One Who provides or withholds, the Bestower Who is running the affairs of His creation as He wills.
He makes rich whomever He wills, and He makes poor whomever He wills, by the wisdom that is His.
He said: / إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا ( Verily, He is Ever All-Knower, All-Seer of His servants. ) meaning, He knows and sees who deserves to be rich and who deserves to be poor.
In some cases, richness may be decreed so that a person gets carried away, leading to his own doom.
In other cases, poverty may be a punishment.
We seek refuge with Allah from both.

(17:29) (6). Do not tie your hand to your neck nor stretch without any restraint lest you should become blameworthy and left destitute. *29

And do not make your hand [as] meaning

*29) " Do not tie your hand to your neck " is the 'literal translation of the Text which means: " Do not be parsimonious " ; " nor stretch it without any restraint " means, " Do not be extravagant " .
If verses 27 and 29 are read together, it becomes obvious that the Qur'an desires the people to follow the golden mean, i.e., they should neither be so parsimonious as to prevent the circulation of wealth nor so extravagant as to destroy their own economy.
On the contrary, they should learn to behave in a balanced manner so that they should spend money wherever it should be spent and refrain from becoming spendthrifts so as to involve themselves into trouble.
As a matter of fact, it is ingratitude towards Allah's favour to spend money for the sake of show, luxury and sinful acts and similar things which are neither man's real necessities nor useful.
Therefore, those people who spend money lavishly on such things as these are the brethren of Satan
These clauses coo, are not merely meant to be moral instructions for individuals.
They are intended to safeguard the Islamic Society against extravagance by moral instruction, collective pressure and legal restrictions.
Accordingly, in the Islamic State of AI-Madinah practical steps were taken to safeguard the community against extravagance.
First, many forms of extravagance and luxury were forbidden by law.
Secondly, legal measures were taken against it.
Thirdly.
social reforms were introduced to put an end to those customs which involved extravagance.
The Government was empowered to prevent people from the obvious forms of extravagance.
Above all, Zakat and voluntary charity helped to break parsimony and the lust of hoarding money.
Besides these measures, a public opinion was created that enabled the people to discriminate between generosity and extravagance and thrift and parsimony: so much so that parsimonious people were looked down upon as ignominious and the thrifty people were regarded as honourable.
This moral and mental attitude became a part and parcel of the Muslim society, and even today the parsimonious people and boarders are looked down upon in the Muslim society, while the generous people are respected everywhere.

 

Moderation in Spending Allah enjoins moderation in living.
He condemns miserliness and forbids extravagance. وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ ( And let not your hand be tied (like a miser ) to your neck,) this means, do not be miserly and stingy, never giving anything to anyone, as the Jews - may the curses of Allah be upon them - said, "Allah's Hand is tied up ( i.e., He does not give and spend of His bounty )".
They attributed miserliness to Him, Exalted and Sanctified be the Most Generous Bestower! وَلاَ تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ ( nor overextend it (like a spendthrift )) means, nor be extravagant in spending and giving more than you can afford, or paying more than you earn, lest you become blameworthy and find yourself in severe poverty.
If you are a miser, people will blame you and condemn you, and no longer rely on you.
When you spend more than you can afford, you will find yourself without anything to spend, so you will be worn out, like an animal that cannot walk, so it becomes weak and incapable.
It is described as worn out, which is similar in meaning to exhausted.
As Allah says: الَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ طِبَاقًا مَّا تَرَى فِى خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَـنِ مِن تَفَـوُتٍ فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَى مِن فُطُورٍ - ثُمَّ اْرجِعِ البَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ البَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ ( Then look again: "Can you see any rifts" Then look again and yet again, your sight will return to you in a state of humiliation and worn out.
) ( 67:3-4 ) meaning, unable to see any faults.
Similarly, Ibn `Abbas, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ibn Jurayj, Ibn Zayd and others understood this Ayah as miserliness and extravagance.
It was reported in the Two Sahihs from the Hadith of Abu Az-Zinad from Al-A`raj that Abu Hurayrah heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: «مَثَلُ الْبَخِيلِ وَالْمُنْفِقِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا جُبَّتَانِ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ مِنْ ثُدِيِّهِمَا إِلَى تَرَاقِيهِمَا، فَأَمَّا الْمُنْفِقُ فَلَا يُنْفِقُ إِلَّا سَبَغَتْ أَوْ وَفَرَتْ عَلَى جِلْدِهِ حَتَّى تُخْفِيَ بَنَانَهُ وَتَعْفُوَ أَثَرَهُ، وَأَمَّا الْبَخِيلُ فَلَا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُنْفِقَ شَيْئًا إِلَّا لَزِقَتْ كُلُّ حَلْقَةٍ مِنْهَا مَكَانَهَا، فَهُوَ يُوَسِّعُهَا فَلَا تَتَّسِع» ( The parable of the miser and the almsgiver is that of two persons wearing iron cloaks from their chests to their collar-bones.
When the almsgiver gives in charity, the cloak becomes spacious until it covers his whole body to such an extent that it hides his fingertips and covers his tracks (obliterates his tracks - or, his sins will be forgiven ).
And when the miser wants to spend, it ( the iron cloak ) sticks and ( its ) every ring gets stuck to its place, and he tries to widen it, but it does not become wide.) This version was recorded by Al-Bukhari in the Book of Zakah.
In the Two Sahihs it is recorded that Mu`awiyah bin Abi Muzarrid narrated from Sa`id bin Yasar that Abu Hurayrah said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «مَا مِنْ يَوْمٍ يُصْبِحُ الْعِبَادُ فِيهِ إِلَّا وَمَلَكَانِ يَنْزِلَانِ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ يَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمَا:اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقًا خَلَفًا، وَيَقُولُ الْآخَرُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُمْسِكًا تَلَفًا» ( There is no day when a person wakes up but two angels come down from heaven.
One of them says, `O Allah, compensate the one who gives (in charity ),' and the other one says, `O Allah, destroy the one who withholds.')" Muslim recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said: «مَا نَقَصَ مَالٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ، وَمَا زَادَ اللهُ عَبْدًا أَنْفَقَ إِلَّا عِزًّا، وَمَنْ تَوَاضَعَ للهِ رَفَعَهُ الله» ( Wealth never decreases because of Sadaqah (charity ).
Allah never increases a servant who gives in charity except in honor, and whoever is humble for the sake of Allah, Allah will raise him in status.) According to a Hadith narrated by Abu Kathir from `Abdullah bin `Amr, who attributed it to the Prophet : «إِيَّاكُمْ وَالشُّحَّ فَإِنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ، أَمَرَهُمْ بِالْبُخْلِ فَبَخِلُوا، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْقَطِيعَةِ فَقَطَعُوا، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْفُجُورِ فَفَجَرُوا» ( Beware of stinginess for it destroyed the people who came before you.
It commanded them to be miserly, so they were miserly; and it commanded them to cut the ties of kinship, so they cut them; and it commanded them to commit immoral actions, so they did so. ) إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ ( Truly, your Lord expands the provision for whom He wills and straitens (for whom He wills ).) This Ayah is telling us that Allah is the One Who provides or withholds, the Bestower Who is running the affairs of His creation as He wills.
He makes rich whomever He wills, and He makes poor whomever He wills, by the wisdom that is His.
He said: / إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا ( Verily, He is Ever All-Knower, All-Seer of His servants. ) meaning, He knows and sees who deserves to be rich and who deserves to be poor.
In some cases, richness may be decreed so that a person gets carried away, leading to his own doom.
In other cases, poverty may be a punishment.
We seek refuge with Allah from both.

( And let not thy hand be chained to thy neck ) let your hand not refrain from spending and giving gifts as would the person whose hand is chained to his neck ( nor open it ) in spending and giving gifts ( with a complete opening ) in spendthriftness. He says: do not give everything you have to one needy person or to one relative and leave all the rest, ( lest thou sit down ) lest you remain ( rebuked ) reproached by the needy and kinsmen, ( denuded ) cut off from kinsmen and the needy, without any wealth left. It is also said that this verse was revealed about a woman who asked for the shirt of the Prophet ( pbuh ). The latter took his shirt off, gave it to her and remained with his top bare. So Allah forbade him from doing so, telling him: do not open your hand completely when spending to the extent that you take off your shirt and give it away, and thus remain naked and blamed by people for remaining naked.

And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty.

Page 285 English transliteration