Surah At-Takathur Tafseer in English: Ibn Kathir
At-Takathur – (The Rivalry in World Increase)
1
أَلۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ
Al haaku mut takathur
Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you
2
حَتَّىٰ زُرۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَقَابِرَ
Hatta zurtumul-maqaabir
Until you visit the graveyards.
3
كَلَّا سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ
Kalla sawfa ta’lamoon
No! You are going to know.
4
ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ
Thumma kalla sawfa ta’lamoon
Then no! You are going to know.
5
كَلَّا لَوۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ عِلۡمَ ٱلۡيَقِينِ
Kalla law ta’lamoona ‘ilmal yaqeen
No! If you only knew with knowledge of certainty…
6
لَتَرَوُنَّ ٱلۡجَحِيمَ
Latara-wun nal jaheem
You will surely see the Hellfire.
7
ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيۡنَ ٱلۡيَقِينِ
Thumma latara wunnaha ‘ainal yaqeen
Then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty.
8
ثُمَّ لَتُسۡـَٔلُنَّ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَنِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
Thumma latus alunna yauma-izin ‘anin na’eem
Then you will surely be asked that Day about pleasure.
Which was revealed in Makkah
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Result of Loving the World and Heedlessness of the Hereafter
Allah says that all are preoccupied by love of the world, its delights and its adornments, and this distracts you from seeking the Hereafter and desiring it. This delays you until death comes to you and you visit the graves, thus becoming its inhabitants. In Sahih Al-Bukhari, it is recorded in the Book of Ar-Riqaq (Narrations that soften the Heart) from Anas bin Malik, who reported that Ubayy bin Ka`b said, “We used to think that this was a part of the Qur’an until the Ayah was revealed which says;
أَلْهَـكُمُ التَّكَّاثُرُ
(The mutual increase diverts you.)” He was referring to the Hadith in which the Prophet said,
«لَوْ كَانَ لِابْنِ آدَمَ وَادٍ مِنْ ذَهَب»
(If the Son of Adam had a valley of gold, he would desire another like it…) Imam Ahmad recorded from `Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir that he said, “I came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) while he was saying,
أَلْهَـكُمُ التَّكَّاثُرُ
يَقُولُ ابْنُ آدَمَ: مَالِي مَالِي، وَهَلْ لَكَ مِنْ مَالِكَ إِلَّا مَا أَكَلْتَ فَأَفْنَـيْتَ، أَوْ لَبِسْتَ فَأَبْلَيْتَ، أَوْ تَصَدَّقْتَ فَأَمْضَيْتَ؟»
((The mutual increase diverts you.)” He was referring to the Hadith in which the Prophet said,
«لَوْ كَانَ لِابْنِ آدَمَ وَادٍ مِنْ ذَهَب»
(If the Son of Adam had a valley of gold, he would desire another like it…) Imam Ahmad recorded from `Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir that he said, “I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was saying,
أَلْهَـكُمُ التَّكَّاثُرُ
يَقُولُ ابْنُ آدَمَ: مَالِي مَالِي، وَهَلْ لَكَ مِنْ مَالِكَ إِلَّا مَا أَكَلْتَ فَأَفْنَـيْتَ، أَوْ لَبِسْتَ فَأَبْلَيْتَ، أَوْ تَصَدَّقْتَ فَأَمْضَيْتَ؟»
((The mutual increase diverts you.)( The Son of Adam says, “My wealth, my wealth.” But do you get anything (of benefit) from your wealth except for that which you ate and you finished it, or that which you clothed yourself with and you wore it out, or that which you gave as charity and you have spent it)” Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa’i also recorded this Hadith. Muslim recorded in his Sahih from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said,
«يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ: مَالِي مَالِي، وَإِنَّمَا لَهُ مِنْ مَالِهِ ثَلَاثٌ: مَا أَكَلَ فَأَفْنَى، أَوْ لَبِسَ فَأَبْلَى، أَوْ تَصَدَّقَ فَأَمْضَى، وَمَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ فَذَاهِبٌ وَتَارِكُهُ لِلنَّاس»
(The servant says “My wealth, my wealth.” Yet he only gets three (benefits) from his wealth: that which he eats and finishes, that which he eats and finishes, that which he wears until it is worn out, or that which he gives in charity and it is spent. Everything else other than that will go away and leave him for the people.) Muslim was alone in recording this Hadith. Al-Bukhari recorded from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
«يَتْبَعُ الْمَيِّتَ ثَلَاثَةٌ، فَيَرْجِعُ اثْنَانِ وَيَبْقَى مَعَهُ وَاحِدٌ: يَتْبَعُهُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَعَمَلُهُ، فَيَرْجِعُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ، وَيَبْقَى عَمَلُه»
(Three things follow the deceased person, and two of them return while one remains behind with him. The things which follow him are his family, his wealth and his deeds. His family and his wealth return while his deeds remain.) This Hadith has also been recorded by Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa’i. Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas that the Prophet said,
«يَهْرَمُ ابْنُ آدَمَ وَيَبْقَى مِنْهُ اثْنَتَانِ: الْحِرْصُ وَالْأَمَل»
(The Son of Adam becomes old with senility, but yet two things remain with him: greed and hope.) Both of them (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) recorded this Hadith in the Two Sahihs.
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