Notes ❋ on the Quran
Volume I · PART I

Beautified Life

زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَيَسۡخَرُونَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْۘ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوۡاْ فَوۡقَهُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَرۡزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٖ ٢١٢

Beautified is the life of this world for those who disbelieve, and they mock at those who believe. But those who obey Allah’s Orders and keep away from what He has forbidden will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah gives to whom He wills without limit.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verse 212

لَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِي ٱلۡبِلَٰدِ ١٩٦ مَتَٰعٞ قَلِيلٞ ثُمَّ مَأۡوَىٰهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُۖ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمِهَادُ ١٩٧

Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you. A brief enjoyment, then their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest.

Surah 3 Al-Imran Verses 196-197

وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَمٖ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِٱلۡبَأۡسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ ٤٢ فَلَوۡلَآ إِذۡ جَآءَهُم بَأۡسُنَا تَضَرَّعُواْ وَلَٰكِن قَسَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٤٣ فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِۦ فَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ أَبۡوَٰبَ كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَآ أُوتُوٓاْ أَخَذۡنَٰهُم بَغۡتَةٗ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبۡلِسُونَ ٤٤

Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O Muhammad, pbuh). And We seized them with extreme poverty and loss in health (with calamities) so that they might humble themselves. When Our torment reached them, why then did they not humble themselves? But their hearts become hardened, and Shaitan made fair seeming to them that which they used to do. So when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened for them gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them (in punishment) and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.

Surah 6 Al-An’am Verses 42-44

  1. Infliction of poverty and calamity (to remind them to obey Allah and revert to Him)
  2. Enhanced provisions (as a deception, when warning is not heeded)
  3. Destruction (in the form of death or complete devastation)

وَلِتَصۡغَىٰٓ إِلَيۡهِ أَفۡ‍ِٔدَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ وَلِيَرۡضَوۡهُ وَلِيَقۡتَرِفُواْ مَا هُم مُّقۡتَرِفُونَ ١١٣

(And this is in order) that the hearts of those who disbelieve in the Hereafter may incline to such (deceit) and that they may remain pleased with it, and that they may commit what they are committing (all kinds of sins and evil deeds)

Surah 6 Al-An’am Verse 113

وَمِمَّنۡ خَلَقۡنَآ أُمَّةٞ يَهۡدُونَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَبِهِۦ يَعۡدِلُونَ ١٨١ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِ‍َٔايَٰتِنَا سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ١٨٢ وَأُمۡلِي لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ كَيۡدِي مَتِينٌ ١٨٣

And of those whom We have created, there is a community who guides (others) with the truth, and establishes justice therewith. Those who reject Our Ayat, We shall gradually seize them with punishment in ways they perceive not. And I respite them; certainly My plot is strong.

Surah 7 Al-A’raf Verses 181-183

۞وَلَوۡ يُعَجِّلُ ٱللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ ٱلشَّرَّ ٱسۡتِعۡجَالَهُم بِٱلۡخَيۡرِ لَقُضِيَ إِلَيۡهِمۡ أَجَلُهُمۡۖ فَنَذَرُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرۡجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا فِي طُغۡيَٰنِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ ١١

And were Allah to hasten for mankind the evil as He hastens for them good, then they would have been ruined. So we leave those who expect not their Meeting with Us, in their trespasses, wandering blindly in distraction.

Surah 10 Yunus Verse 11

مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيۡهِمۡ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ فِيهَا وَهُمۡ فِيهَا لَا يُبۡخَسُونَ ١٥ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَيۡسَ لَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ إِلَّا ٱلنَّارُۖ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُواْ فِيهَا وَبَٰطِلٞ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ١٦

Whoever desires the life of the world and its glitter, to them We shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein. They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but Fire, and vain are the deeds they did therein. And of no effect is that which they used to do.

Surah 11 Hud Verses 15-16

مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلۡعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلۡنَا لَهُۥ فِيهَا مَا نَشَآءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَا لَهُۥ جَهَنَّمَ يَصۡلَىٰهَا مَذۡمُومٗا مَّدۡحُورٗا ١٨ وَمَنۡ أَرَادَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ وَسَعَىٰ لَهَا سَعۡيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤۡمِنٞ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَانَ سَعۡيُهُم مَّشۡكُورٗا ١٩ كُلّٗا نُّمِدُّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَهَٰٓؤُلَآءِ مِنۡ عَطَآءِ رَبِّكَۚ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَآءُ رَبِّكَ مَحۡظُورًا ٢٠

Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyments of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein disgraced and rejected (far away from Allah’s Mercy). And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it, while he is a believer, then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated (rewarded by Allah). On each these as well as those We bestow from the bounties of your Lord. And the bounties of your Lord can never be forbidden.

Surah 17 Al-Isra Verse 18-20

إِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا مَا عَلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ زِينَةٗ لَّهَا لِنَبۡلُوَهُمۡ أَيُّهُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ عَمَلٗا ٧ وَإِنَّا لَجَٰعِلُونَ مَا عَلَيۡهَا صَعِيدٗا جُرُزًا ٨

Verily, We have made that which is on earth as an adornment for it, in order that We may test them (mankind) as to which of them are best in deeds. And verily, We shall make all that is on it (the earth) a bare dry soil.

Surah 18 Al-Kahf Verse 7-8

ٱلۡمَالُ وَٱلۡبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَٱلۡبَٰقِيَٰتُ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ خَيۡرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابٗا وَخَيۡرٌ أَمَلٗا ٤٦

Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds that last are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope.

Surah 18 Al-Kahf Verse 46

قُلۡ مَن كَانَ فِي ٱلضَّلَٰلَةِ فَلۡيَمۡدُدۡ لَهُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ مَدًّاۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَأَوۡاْ مَا يُوعَدُونَ إِمَّا ٱلۡعَذَابَ وَإِمَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ فَسَيَعۡلَمُونَ مَنۡ هُوَ شَرّٞ مَّكَانٗا وَأَضۡعَفُ جُندٗا ٧٥ وَيَزِيدُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱهۡتَدَوۡاْ هُدٗىۗ وَٱلۡبَٰقِيَٰتُ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ خَيۡرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابٗا وَخَيۡرٞ مَّرَدًّا ٧٦

Say (O Muhammad, pbuh): Whoever is in error, the Most Gracious (Allah) will extend (the rope) to him, until, when they see that which they were promised, either the torment or the Hour, they will come to know who is worst in position, and who is weaker in forces. And Allah increases in guidance those who walk aright. And the righteous good deeds that last are better with your Lord for reward and better for resort.

Surah 19 Maryam Verses 75-76

وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيۡنَيۡكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعۡنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزۡوَٰجٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ زَهۡرَةَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا لِنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِيهِۚ وَرِزۡقُ رَبِّكَ خَيۡرٞ وَأَبۡقَىٰ ١٣١

And strain not your eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to various groups of them (polytheists and disbelievers), the splendour of the life of this world, that We may test them thereby. But the provision of your Lord is better and more lasting.

Surah 20 Ta-Ha Verse 131

أَيَحۡسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُم بِهِۦ مِن مَّالٖ وَبَنِينَ ٥٥ نُسَارِعُ لَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡخَيۡرَٰتِۚ بَل لَّا يَشۡعُرُونَ ٥٦

Do they think that in wealth and children with which We enlarge them We hasten to them with good things? Nay, but they perceive not.

Surah 23 Al-Muminun Verse 55-56

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ زَيَّنَّا لَهُمۡ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ فَهُمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ ٤ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَهُمۡ سُوٓءُ ٱلۡعَذَابِ وَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ هُمُ ٱلۡأَخۡسَرُونَ ٥

Verily, those who believe not in the Hereafter, We have made their deeds fair seeming to them, so that they wander about blindly. They are those for whom there will be an evil torment (in this world). And in the Hereafter, they will be the greatest losers.

Surah 27 An-Naml Verses 4-5

وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّن شَيۡءٖ فَمَتَٰعُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَزِينَتُهَاۚ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَيۡرٞ وَأَبۡقَىٰٓۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ ٦٠ أَفَمَن وَعَدۡنَٰهُ وَعۡدًا حَسَنٗا فَهُوَ لَٰقِيهِ كَمَن مَّتَّعۡنَٰهُ مَتَٰعَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا ثُمَّ هُوَ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ مِنَ ٱلۡمُحۡضَرِينَ ٦١

And whatever you have been given is an enjoyment of the life of (this) world and its adornment, and that which is with Allah is better and will remain forever. Have you then no sense? Is he whom We have promised an excellent Promise (Paradise) – which he will find true – like him whom We have made to enjoy the luxuries of life of (this) world, then on the Day of Resurrection, he will be among those brought up (to be punished in Hell Fire)?

Surah 28 Al-Qassas Verses 60-61

Secondly, Allah’s religion does not demand that man should totally refrain from seeking and enjoying the good things of life and discard its adornments in any case. Its only demand is that he should prefer the Hereafter to the world, for the world is perishable and the Hereafter everlasting; and the pleasures of the world are inferior and of the Hereafter superior. Therefore, man must try to attain those provisions and adornments of the world that may enable him to fare well in the everlasting life of the next world, or at least protect him from the eternal loss there. But in case there is a question of a comparison between the two, and the success of the world and of the Hereafter oppose and contradict each other, the faith demands, and this is the demand of man’s good sense too, that he should sacrifice the world to the Hereafter, and should never adopt the way of only seeking the transitory provisions and adornments of this world, which inevitably lead to his ruin in the Hereafter forever.

وَلَوۡلَآ أَن يَكُونَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ لَّجَعَلۡنَا لِمَن يَكۡفُرُ بِٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ لِبُيُوتِهِمۡ سُقُفٗا مِّن فِضَّةٖ وَمَعَارِجَ عَلَيۡهَا يَظۡهَرُونَ ٣٣ وَلِبُيُوتِهِمۡ أَبۡوَٰبٗا وَسُرُرًا عَلَيۡهَا يَتَّكِ‍ُٔونَ ٣٤ وَزُخۡرُفٗاۚ وَإِن كُلُّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۚ وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ ٣٥

And were it not that mankind would have become one community (all disbelievers desiring worldly life only) We would have provided for those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious (Allah) silver roofs for their houses, and elevators whereby they ascend, and for their houses, doors (of silver) and thrones (of silver) on which they could recline. And adornment of gold. Yet all this would have been nothing but an enjoyment of this world. And the Hereafter with your Lord is for the Muttaqun.

Surah 43 Az-Zukhruf Verses 33-35

أَفَرَءَيۡتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٖ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِۦ وَقَلۡبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَٰوَةٗ فَمَن يَهۡدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ٱللَّهِۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ٢٣ وَقَالُواْ مَا هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنۡيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحۡيَا وَمَا يُهۡلِكُنَآ إِلَّا ٱلدَّهۡرُۚ وَمَا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍۖ إِنۡ هُمۡ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ ٢٤

Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his ilah (god)? And Allah left him astray with knowledge and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight. Who then will guide him after Allah? Will you not then remember? And they say: ‘There is nothing but our life of this world, we die and we live and nothing destroys us except Ad-Dahar (time)’. And they have no knowledge of it, they only conjecture.

Surah 45 Al-Jathiyah Verse 23-24

If someone behaves as described above, he is the servant of his unbridled desires, no matter whether he verbally calls them his god or not and whether he worships them as idols or not

  1. Notwithstanding a person’s knowledge, Allah directed him to error for he was a slave of his own desires
  2. In view of Allah’s Knowledge that one deifies one’s desires, Allah pushes him into error and misguidance

أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٖ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ كَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُۥ سُوٓءُ عَمَلِهِۦ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓاْ أَهۡوَآءَهُم ١٤

Is he who is on a clear proof from his Lord, like those for whom their evil deeds that they do are beautified for them, while they follow their own lusts (evil desires)?

Surah 47 Muhammad Verse 14

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱرۡتَدُّواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَدۡبَٰرِهِم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡهُدَى ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ سَوَّلَ لَهُمۡ وَأَمۡلَىٰ لَهُمۡ ٢٥ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ قَالُواْ لِلَّذِينَ كَرِهُواْ مَا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ سَنُطِيعُكُمۡ فِي بَعۡضِ ٱلۡأَمۡرِۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ إِسۡرَارَهُمۡ ٢٦

Verily, those who have turned back as disbelievers after the guidance has been manifested to them – Shaitan has beautified for them (their false hopes) and (Allah) prolonged their term (age). This is because they said to those who hate what Allah has sent down: ‘We will obey you in part of the matter’. But Allah knows their secrets.

Surah 47 Muhammad Verses 25-26

وَٱصۡبِرۡ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَٱهۡجُرۡهُمۡ هَجۡرٗا جَمِيلٗا ١٠ وَذَرۡنِي وَٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ أُوْلِي ٱلنَّعۡمَةِ وَمَهِّلۡهُمۡ قَلِيلًا ١١

And be patient (O Muhammad, pbuh) with what they say, and keep away from them in a good way. And leave Me alone to deal with the deniers, those who are in possession of good things of life. And give them respite for a little while.

Surah 73 Al-Muzammil Verses 10-11

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