Surah 102 – At-Takathur

With the Glorious Name of Allah, the Most Gracious [Who has bestowed upon mankind His Guidance [10:57-58, 17:82], the Most Beneficent [Who showers His special blessings upon those who rehearse it and abide by it [7:204, 6:155].

حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ

102:2 Till such time that you reach your graves

كَلا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

102:3 (This is not something utterly incomprehensible. If you think of it in a dispassionate manner) you would soon come to know (how destructive this attitude is.)

ثُمَّ كَلا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

102:4 Of course you can quickly understand (the outcome of this way of life.)

كَلا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ

102:5 Nay, if you could understand (it) with an understanding of certainty

لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ

102:6 You would indeed, most surely, envision the blazing fire (of hell)^[4] (as a direct consequence of this way of life)

ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ

102:7 (But if you cannot understand this by using your intellect,) then, most surely, (one day) you will behold it with eye of certainty

ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ

102:8 Then, on that day, you will be questioned about the bounties [the Almighty had bestowed for the nourishment of mankind, but which you collected to satisfy your own greed. You will be asked whose toils and blood it was that decorated your palaces of joy and pleasure and what right you had to usurp them (21:13)]^[5].

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[1] The takaathur mentioned in the Quan is of two kinds: in amwaal and/or in awlaad. Both may distract from the remembrance of Allah i.e. being mindful of His Commands all the time and in all the matters. The Quran says in 9:69 that you have become just like the people, who lived before your time. They were more powerful than you, had greater wealth and larger progeny. They enjoyed their share of these things for a limited period (and then got perished). Likewise you also enjoy your share of good things of life for some time: and the way they wasted their lives in frivolous things, you also continue doing that. (But remember one thing) these are the people whose entire works and activities, whether they are for this world or for the here-after - all lay waste. So it is they - the entire lot of them who are the losers! “Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them? They were stronger than these in power, and they dug the earth and built upon it more than these have built. But all that they accomplished was of no profit to them” [30:9][40:82]

[2] Laha: to preoccupy, beguile, distract, play, divert, forget, delight, turn away [AM]; Lahwun: anything that diverts man from more important or serious things [R, LQ]. Some of the verses in which the root of this word appears include: 6:32, 6:70, 7:51, 21:17, 29:64, 31:6, 47:36, 57:20, 62:11; 21:3; 24:37, 63:9, 80:10; 15:3. Things that may distract a believer from the Remembrance of Allah are trade and commerce, and maal and awlaad [24:37, 63:9]

[3] The real purpose of the creation of man is Ibadah (compliance with the commands of Allah in all the matters) (51:56), which leads to Taqwa (preservation of the ‘self’) (2:21), which lead to man’s own falah, (conversion of his potentialities into actualities) (2:189, 3:130, 3:200). For all this it is important to be mindful of the Commands of Allah, all the time, in all the matters. The mutual rivalry, for accumulating more and more wealth and other material gains, diverts from the Remembrance of Allah and achieving the real purpose of life.

[4] The use of the word Jaheem in this verse is interesting. A related Arabic word tajahhama means ‘he burned with vehemence of desire, or covetousness or niggardliness [LL, K]. Someone indulged in the rivalry of accumulating more and more wealth, always burns with vehemence of desire, or covetousness or niggardliness.

[5] [The wealth that you hoarded shall be heated in the fire of hell, then your foreheads and your sides and your backs shall be branded with it; then you will be told, “this is what you hoarded up for yourselves, therefore taste what you hoarded” (9:35)]. [But if you have had firm conviction in the Laws and Commands of Allah and guarded yourself against the inevitable harmful consequences of violating His Laws and Commands by careful observance, you shall not be questioned about your (reasonable) possessions (47:36)].

References:

LL = Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon

K = Kamoos-ul-Moheeth

R = Raghib's Mufradat fi Gharib-ul-Quran

LQ = Lughat-ul-Quran by G.A. Parvez

AM = Dictionary of the Holy Quran by Abdul Manan

08-05-05