Ayah

Word by Word
ٱلۡمَالُ
The wealth
وَٱلۡبَنُونَ
and children
زِينَةُ
(are) adornment
ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ
(of) the life
ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ
(of) the world
وَٱلۡبَٰقِيَٰتُ
But the enduring
ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتُ
good deeds
خَيۡرٌ
(are) better
عِندَ
near
رَبِّكَ
your Lord
ثَوَابٗا
(for) reward
وَخَيۡرٌ
and better
أَمَلٗا
(for) hope
ٱلۡمَالُ
The wealth
وَٱلۡبَنُونَ
and children
زِينَةُ
(are) adornment
ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ
(of) the life
ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ
(of) the world
وَٱلۡبَٰقِيَٰتُ
But the enduring
ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتُ
good deeds
خَيۡرٌ
(are) better
عِندَ
near
رَبِّكَ
your Lord
ثَوَابٗا
(for) reward
وَخَيۡرٌ
and better
أَمَلٗا
(for) hope
Translation

Wealth and sons are allurements of the life of this world: But the things that endure, good deeds, are best in the sight of thy Lord, as rewards, and best as (the foundation for) hopes.
Tafsir

Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world, [adornment] with which one arrays oneself therein. But the enduring things, the righteous deeds - and these are: 'Glory be to God' (subhaana'Llaah), 'Praise be to God' (al-haamdu li'Llaah), 'There is no god but God (laa ilaaha illaa'Llaah), 'God is Great' (Allaahu akbar); some add [the following] 'There is no power or strength except in God' (laa hawla wa-laa quwwata illaa bi'Llaah) - [these] are better with your Lord for reward and better in [respect of] hope, in other words, [they are better] in terms of what a person hopes for and desires from God, exalted be He.
"
The Parable of the Worldly Life
Allah says:
وَاضۡرِبۡ لَهُم
And mention,
O Muhammad, to the people,
مَّثَلَ الۡحَيَاةِ الدُّنۡيَا
the parable of the worldly life,
its transient nature and how it will eventually cease and come to an end.
كَمَاء أَنزَلۡنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاء فَاخۡتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الاَۡرۡضِ
it is like the water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it,
It mingles with the seeds that are in the earth, so they grow and become good, producing bright, fresh flowers, then after that,
فَأَصۡبَحَ هَشِيمًا
it becomes dry and broken pieces,
withered up,
تَذۡرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُ
(which the winds scatter.) tossing them about right and left.
وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ مُّقۡتَدِرًا
And Allah is able to do everything.
He has the power to do this and that.
In the Qur'an Allah often gives parables like this of the life of this world, as He says in Surah Yunus,
إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الۡحَيَوةِ الدُّنۡيَا كَمَأءٍ أَنزَلۡنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَأءِ فَاخۡتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الاٌّرۡضِ مِمَّا يَأۡكُلُ النَّاسُ وَالاٌّنۡعَـمُ
The parable of the worldly life is but that of water which We send down from the sky so by it arises the intermingled produce of the earth of which men and cattle eat.... (10:24)
and in Surah Az-Zumar:
أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَأءِ مَأءً فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ فِى الاٌّرۡضِ ثُمَّ يُخۡرِجُ بِهِ زَرۡعاً مُّخۡتَلِفاً أَلۡوَانُهُ
See you not that Allah sends down water from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, then out from it comes crops of different colors. (39:21)
and in Surah Al-Hadid:
اعۡلَمُواۡ أَنَّمَا الۡحَيَوةُ الدُّنۡيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهۡوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى الاٌّمۡوَلِ وَالاٌّوۡلۡـدِ كَمَثَلِ غَيۡثٍ أَعۡجَبَ الۡكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ
Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. (It is) like the parable of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller... (57:20)
and in the Sahih Hadith:
الدُّنۡيَا حُلۡوَةٌ خَضِرَة
This world is sweet and green.
Between Wealth and Good Deeds
Allah says
الۡمَالُ وَالۡبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الۡحَيَاةِ الدُّنۡيَا
Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world.
This is like the Ayah:
زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَتِ مِنَ النِّسَأءِ وَالۡبَنِينَ وَالۡقَنَـطِيرِ الۡمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ
Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, vaulted hoards of gold... (3:14)
Allah says:
إِنَّمَأ أَمۡوَلُكُمۡ وَأَوۡلَـدُكُمۡ فِتۡنَةٌ وَاللَّهُ عِنۡدَهُ أَجۡرٌ عَظِيمٌ
Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allah! With Him is a great reward (Paradise). (64:15)
turning towards Allah and worshipping Him is better for you than keeping busy with them, and accumulating wealth for them and going to extremes in feeling pity and compassion for them.
Allah says:
وَالۡبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيۡرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيۡرٌ أَمَلًا
But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for reward and better for hope.
Ibn Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr and others among the Salaf said that;
the good righteous deeds that last are the five daily prayers.
Ata' bin Abi Rabah and Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn Abbas,
""The good righteous deeds that last are
Subhan Allah (glory be to Allah)',
Al-Hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah)',
La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah)', and
Allahu Akbar (Allah is Most Great).'""
The Commander of the faithful, Uthman bin Affan was questioned,
""Which are the good righteous deeds that last""
He replied,
""They are:
La ilaha illallah,
Subhan Allah,
Al-Hamdu Lillah,
Allahu Akbar and
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah hil-`Aliyil-`Azim (there is no strength and no power except with Allah the Exalted, the Almighty).""'
This was recorded by Imam Ahmad.
Imam Ahmad also recorded from a freed slave of the Messenger of Allah that he said:
بَخٍ بَخٍ لِخَمۡسٍ مَا أَثۡقَلَهُنَّ فِي الۡمِيزَانِ
لَاا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ
وَاللهُ أَكۡبَرُ
وَسُبۡحَانَ اللهِ
وَالۡحَمۡدُ للهِ
وَالۡوَلَدُ الصَّالِحُ يُتَوَفَّى فَيَحۡتَسِبُهُ وَالِدُهُ
وَقَالَ بَخٍ بَخٍ لِخَمۡسٍ مَنۡ لَقِيَ اللهَ مُسۡتَيۡقِنًا بِهِنَّ دَخَلَ الۡجَنَّةَ
يُوۡمِنُ بِاللهِ
وَالۡيَوۡمِ الاۡاخِرِ
وَبِالۡجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ
وَبِالۡبَعۡثِ بَعۡدَ الۡمَوۡتِ
وَبِالۡحِسَاب
Well done! Well done for five things! (How heavy they will weigh in the balance!
""La ilaha illallah,
Allahu Akbar,
Subhan Allah, and
Al-Hamdu Lillah,"" and
a righteous son who dies and his parents seek the reward of Allah.
And he said:(Well done! Well done for five things! Whoever meets Allah believing in them, he will enter Paradise; if he believes in:
Allah,
the Last Day,
Paradise and Hell,
resurrection after death, and
the Reckoning.
وَالۡبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ
the good righteous deeds that last,
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said,
""This is the celebration of the remembrance of Allah, saying;
La ilaha illallah,
Allahu Akbar,
Subhan Allah,
Al-Hamdu Lillah,
Tabarak Allah,
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah,
Astaghfirallah,
Sallallahu `ala Rasul-Allah', and
fasting, prayer, Hajj, Sadaqah (charity), freeing slaves, Jihad, maintaining ties of kinship, and all other good deeds.
These are the righteous good deeds that last, which will remain in Paradise for those who do them for as long as heaven and earth remain.""
Al-Awfi reported from Ibn Abbas:
""They are good words.""
Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said,
""They are all righteous deeds.""
This was also the view chosen by Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him."
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.