The Quran

219

Preface

۞ يَسأَلونَكَ عَنِ الخَمرِ وَالمَيسِرِ ۖ قُل فيهِما إِثمٌ كَبيرٌ وَمَنافِعُ لِلنّاسِ وَإِثمُهُما أَكبَرُ مِن نَفعِهِما ۗ وَيَسأَلونَكَ ماذا يُنفِقونَ قُلِ العَفوَ ۗ كَذٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الآياتِ لَعَلَّكُم تَتَفَكَّرونَ

Ahmed Ali

They ask you of (intoxicants,) wine and gambling. Tell them: “There is great enervation though profit in them¹ for men; but their enervation is greater than benefit. And they ask you what they should give. Tell them: “The utmost you can spare.” So does God reveal His signs: You may haply reflect

The basic meaning of ithm is enervation (Taj and Ibn Faris) of which the wine of Paradise is free: 52:23.