أَمْ تَسْأَلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ
“Or are you [O Muhammad] asking them for a payment, so they are by burdened down by a debt?”.
The verse implies: “Are you asking them for money and as a result of that they are finding themselves in such a big problem that they are buried under a heavy load and burden (مُّثْقَلُونَ – Muthqaloona) by the debt incurred by the payment which they are compelled to pay (مَّغْرَمٍ - Maghram)?”
مَّغْرَمٍ ← غَرِمَ
Maghram comes from Gharima.
غَرَام (Gharaam)
That which clings by necessity—torment, enduring evil, affliction, love, or passionate longing—from which one cannot disentangle.
غَرَامَة (Gharaamah)
Something owed and obligated to be paid, often against one’s will; used for a fine or financial penalty, and for ransom payments to free captives or prisoners of war—imposed, burdensome, and often resented.
مَّغْرَمٍ
A debt or liability that sticks to someone and causes difficulty.
مُّثْقَلُونَ
Buried under a heavy load and burden.
Are you asking them for money such that they end up burdened by an imposed debt? The Quraish know that the Messenger ﷺ never asked them for anything; in fact, they offered to bribe him to abandon his call.
This āyah exposes the corruption of the Quraish while affirming the integrity of the Messenger ﷺ.
True motive
Their rejection stemmed from power and greed being threatened.
Infrastructure
Their power, influence, standing, and wealth revolved around their idols and the presence of the Ka’bah in Makkah.
Threat
Islam threatened that arrangement.
Financial exploitation
They used religion to benefit financially; fake religions have been designed to garner power and influence and to take people’s money.
Challenged by the Prophet ﷺ
This was the system the leaders of Quraish had put in place, and it was this system the Prophet ﷺ was challenging.
The Messenger ﷺ did not seek payment for delivering the message.
Maghram denotes an imposed, burdensome liability; Muthqaloona depicts the crushing weight of that burden.
The āyah exposes the Quraish’s material motives and affirms prophetic integrity.