It is not [attributable] to any prophet that he would act unfaithfully [in regard to war booty]. And whoever betrays, [taking unlawfully], will come with what he took on the Day of Resurrection. Then will every soul be [fully] compensated for what it earned, and they will not be wronged.
Verse 161 of Surah Ali ’Imran (3:161), a Medinan surah, is in juz 4, on page 71 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 71 reciters.
Listen to verse 161 of Surah Ali ’Imran
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Tafsir of verse 161
Al-Mukhtasar
No of the prophets of Allah would be dishonest and take anything from the gains of war which Allah had not assigned for him. Whoever dishonestly takes something from the gains of war will be repaid by being disgraced on the Day of Judgement: carrying whatever he took in front of creation. Then every soul will be given the total reward of what they earned. No one will be wronged by any addition to their disobedience or by any subtraction from their good actions.
It is not for a prophet to misappropriate the spoils of war. Whoever misappropriates will carry it with him on the Day of Resurrection76. Then every soul will be paid in full for what it has earned, and none will be wronged.
Notes
[76] The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “By Allah none of you wrongfully appropriates part of it (war booty) without him meeting Allah on the Day of Judgment carrying it. I shall know everyone of you who meets Allah carrying a camel grunting, a cow bellowing, or a goat bleating...” [Al-Bukhārī: 6979, Muslim: 1832]. Al-Qurṭubī (4:256) comments: “He comes carrying it on his back and neck, tormented by its weight, horrified by its atrocious sound, and berated by making his dishonesty known to all people…”.
It is not for any Prophet to take illegally a part of booty (Ghulul ),31 and whosoever deceives his companions as regards the booty, he shall bring forth on the Day of Resurrection that which he took (illegally). Then every person shall be paid in full what he has earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.
Notes
[31] (V.3:161) Al-Ghulul: (Stealing from the war booty before its distribution), and the Statement of Allâh تعالى: "And whosoever deceives his companions as regards booty, he shall bring forth on the Day of Resurrection that which he took (illegally)".
Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم got up amongst us and mentioned Al-Ghulul, emphasised its magnitude and declared that it was a great sin saying, "Don’t commit Al-Ghulul for I should not like to see anyone amongst you on the Day of Resurrection, carrying over his neck a sheep that will be bleating, or carrying over his neck a horse that will be neighing. Such a man will be saying: ‘O Allâh’s Messenger! Intercede with Allâh for me,’ and I will reply, ‘I can’t help you, for I have conveyed Allâh’s Message to you.’ Nor should I like to see a man carrying over his neck, a camel that will be grunting. Such a man will say, ‘O Allâh’s Messenger! Intercede with Allâh for me,’ and I will say, ‘I can’t help you for I have conveyed Allâh’s Message to you’; or one carrying over his neck gold and silver and saying, ‘O Allâh’s Messenger! Intercede with Allâh for me.’ And I will say, ‘I can’t help you, for I have conveyed Allâh’s Message to you, or one carrying clothes that will be fluttering, and the man will say, ‘O Allâh’s Messenger! Intercede with Allâh for me.’ And I will say, ‘I can’t help you, for I have conveyed Allâh’s Message to you.’ " (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.4, Hadîth No.307).
It is not for any prophet to embezzle. Whoso embezzleth will bring what he embezzled with him on the Day of Resurrection. Then every soul will be paid in full what it hath earned; and they will not be wronged.
No prophet could (ever) be false to his trust. If any person is so false, He shall, on the Day of Judgment, restore what he misappropriated; then shall every soul receive its due,- whatever it earned,- and none shall be dealt with unjustly.
And it is not attributable to a prophet that he should act unfaithfully; and he who acts unfaithfully shall bring that in respect of which he has acted unfaithfully on the day of resurrection; then shall every soul be paid back fully what it has earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.
And in no way has a Prophet (the right) to exploit. And whoever exploits will come up with whatever he exploited on the Day of the Resurrection; thereafter every self will be paid in full whatever it has earned, and they will not be done an injustice.
ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ مَنْ تَأْمُرُونِي أَنْ أَقْرَأَ فَلَقَدْ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِضْعًا وَسَبْعِينَ سُورَةً وَلَقَدْ عَلِمَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنِّي…
And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allāh. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be wronged [i.e., treated unjustly].
So how will it be when We assemble them for a Day about which there is no doubt? And each soul will be compensated [in full for] what it earned, and they will not be wronged.
