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Ayah
Word by Word
قُلۡ
Say
أَؤُنَبِّئُكُم
Shall I inform you
بِخَيۡرٖ
of better
مِّن
than
ذَٰلِكُمۡۖ
that
لِلَّذِينَ
For those who
ٱتَّقَوۡاْ
fear[ed]
عِندَ
with
رَبِّهِمۡ
their Lord
جَنَّـٰتٞ
(are) Gardens
تَجۡرِي
flows
مِن
from
تَحۡتِهَا
underneath them
ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ
[the] rivers
خَٰلِدِينَ
abiding forever
فِيهَا
in it
وَأَزۡوَٰجٞ
and spouses
مُّطَهَّرَةٞ
pure
وَرِضۡوَٰنٞ
and approval
مِّنَ
from
ٱللَّهِۗ
Allah
وَٱللَّهُ
And Allah
بَصِيرُۢ
(is) All-Seer
بِٱلۡعِبَادِ
of (His) slaves
قُلۡ
Say
أَؤُنَبِّئُكُم
Shall I inform you
بِخَيۡرٖ
of better
مِّن
than
ذَٰلِكُمۡۖ
that
لِلَّذِينَ
For those who
ٱتَّقَوۡاْ
fear[ed]
عِندَ
with
رَبِّهِمۡ
their Lord
جَنَّـٰتٞ
(are) Gardens
تَجۡرِي
flows
مِن
from
تَحۡتِهَا
underneath them
ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ
[the] rivers
خَٰلِدِينَ
abiding forever
فِيهَا
in it
وَأَزۡوَٰجٞ
and spouses
مُّطَهَّرَةٞ
pure
وَرِضۡوَٰنٞ
and approval
مِّنَ
from
ٱللَّهِۗ
Allah
وَٱللَّهُ
And Allah
بَصِيرُۢ
(is) All-Seer
بِٱلۡعِبَادِ
of (His) slaves
Translation
Say, "Shall I inform you of [something] better than that? For those who fear Allāh will be gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and purified spouses and approval from Allāh. And Allāh is Seeing [i.e., aware] of [His] servants -
Tafsir
Say, O Muhammad may peace and salutation be upon him to your people, 'Shall I tell you, shall I inform you, of something better than that?, [that] which has been mentioned of lusts (this interrogative is meant as an affirmative). For those that are fearful, of idolatry, with their Lord ('inda rabbihim is the predicate, the subject being [the following jannaatun.]') are Gardens underneath which rivers flow, abiding therein, decreed for them [therein] is eternal life, when they enter it, and spouses purified, of menstruation and other impurities, and beatitude (read ridwaan or rudwaan, meaning 'much pleasure') from God; and God is Seer, knower, of His servants, requiting each of them according to his deeds.
"The True Value of This Earthly Life
Allah says;
زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاء وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَاطِيرِ الْمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالَانْعَامِ وَالْحَرْثِ
Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, Qanatir Al-Muqantarah of gold and silver, branded beautiful horses (Muﷺwamah), cattle and fertile land.
Allah mentions the delights that He put in this life for people, such as women and children, and He started with women, because the test with them is more tempting.
For instance, the Sahih recorded that the Messenger said,
مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدِي فِتْنَةً أَضَرَّ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ مِنَ النِّسَاء
I did not leave behind me a test more tempting to men than women.
When one enjoys women for the purpose of having children and preserving his chastity, then he is encouraged to do so.
There are many Hadiths that encourage getting married, such as,
وَإِنَّ خَيْرَ هذِهِ الاْإُمَّةِ مَنْ كَانَ أَكْثَرَهَا نِسَاء
Verily, the best members of this Ummah are those who have the most wives.
He also said,
الدُّنْيَا مَتَاعٌ وَخَيْرُ مَتَاعِهَا الْمَرْأَةُ الصَّالِحَة
This life is a delight, and the best of its delight is a righteous wife.
The Prophet said in another Hadith,
حُبِّبَ إِلَيَّ النِّسَاءُ وَالطِّيبُ وَجُعِلَتْ قُرَّةُ عَيْنِي فِي الصَّلَة
I was made to like women and perfume, and the comfort of my eye is the prayer.
Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said,
""Nothing was more beloved to the Messenger of Allah than women, except horses,""
and in another narration,
""...than horses except women.""
The desire to have children is sometimes for the purpose of pride and boasting, and as such, is a temptation. When the purpose for having children is to reproduce and increase the Ummah of Muhammad with those who worship Allah alone without partners, then it is encouraged and praised.
A Hadith states,
تَزَوَّجُوا الْوَدُودَ الْوَلُودَ فَإِنِّي مُكَاثِرٌ بِكُمُ الاُْمَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة
Marry the Wadud (kind) and Walud (fertile) woman, for I will compare your numbers to the rest of the nations on the Day of Resurrection.
The desire of wealth sometimes results out of arrogance, and the desire to dominate the weak and control the poor, and this conduct is prohibited. Sometimes, the want for more money is for the purpose of spending it on acts of worship, being kind to the family, the relatives, and spending on various acts of righteousness and obedience; this behavior is praised and encouraged in the religion.
Scholars of Tafsir have conflicting opinions about the amount of the Qintar, all of which indicate that;
the Qintar is a large amount of money, as Ad-Dahhak and other scholars said.
Abu Hurayrah said
""The Qintar is twelve thousand Uwqiyah, each Uwqiyah is better than what is between the heavens and earth.""
This was recorded by Ibn Jarir.
The desire to have horses can be one of three types.
Sometimes, owners of horses collect them to be used in the cause of Allah, and when warranted, they use their horses in battle. This type of owner shall be rewarded for this good action.
Another type collects horses to boast, and out of enmity to the people of Islam, and this type earns a burden for his behavior.
Another type collects horses to fulfill their needs and to collect their offspring, and they do not forget Allah's right due on their horses.
This is why in this case, these horses provide a shield of sufficiency for their owner, as evident by a Hadith that we will mention, Allah willing, when we explain Allah's statement,
وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُمْ مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ
And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war. (8:60)
As for the Muﷺwamah horses, Ibn Abbas said that;
they are the branded, beautiful horses.
This is the same explanation of Mujahid, Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abdur-Rahman bin Abdullah bin Abza, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi bin Anas and Abu Sinan and others.
Makhul said,
the Muﷺwamah refers to the horse with a white spotted faced, and the horse with white feet.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah said,
لَيْسَ مِنْ فَرَسٍ عَرَبِيَ إِلاَّ يُوْذَنُ لَهُ مَعَ كُلِّ فَجْرٍ يَدْعُو بِدَعْوَتَيْنِ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ خَوَّلْتَنِي مِنْ بَنِي ادَمَ فَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ أَحَبِّ مَالِهِ وَأَهْلِهِ إِلَيْهِ أَوْ أَحَبَّ أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ إِلَيْه
Every Arabian horse is allowed to have two supplications every dawn, and the horse supplicates, `O Allah! You made me subservient to the son of Adam. Therefore, make me among the dearest of his wealth and household to him, or,make me the dearest of his household and wealth to him.
Allah's statement,
وَالَانْعَامِ
Cattle,
means, camels, cows and sheep.
.
وَالْحَرْثِ
And fertile land,
meaning, the land that is used to farm and grow plants.
Allah then said,
ذَلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا
This is the pleasure of the present world's life,
meaning, these are the delights of this life and its short lived joys.
وَاللّهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَأبِ
But Allah has the excellent return with Him.
meaning, the best destination and reward.
The Reward of the Those Who Have Taqwa is Better Than All Joys of This World
This is why Allah said
قُلْ أَوُنَبِّيُكُم بِخَيْرٍ مِّن ذَلِكُمْ
Say:""Shall I inform you of things far better than those!""
This Ayah means, ""Say, O Muhammad, to the people, `Should I tell you about what is better than the delights and joys of this life that will soon perish!""'
Allah informed them of what is better when He said,
لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الَانْهَارُ
For those who have Taqwa there are Gardens (Paradise) with their Lord, underneath which rivers flow,
meaning, rivers run throughout it.
These rivers carry various types of drinks:honey, milk, wine and water such that no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no heart has ever imagined.
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا
Therein (is their) eternal (home),
meaning, they shall remain in it forever and ever and will not want to be removed from it.
وَأَزْوَاجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ
And Azwajun Mutahharatun (purified mates or wives),
meaning, from filth, dirt, harm, menstruation, post birth bleeding, and other things that affect women in this world.
وَرِضْوَانٌ مِّنَ اللّهِ
And Allah will be pleased with them.
meaning, Allah's pleasure will descend on them and He shall never be angry with them after that. This is why Allah said in in Surah Bara`ah,
وَرِضْوَنٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ
But the pleasure of Allah is greater. (9:72)
meaning, greater than the eternal delight that He has granted them.
Allah then said,
وَاللّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ
And Allah is All-Seer of the (His) servants.
and, He gives each provisions according to what they deserve.
قُلْ أَوُنَبِّيُكُم بِخَيْرٍ مِّن ذَلِكُمْ
Say:""Shall I inform you of things far better than those!""
This Ayah means, ""Say, O Muhammad, to the people, `Should I tell you about what is better than the delights and joys of this life that will soon perish!""'
Allah informed them of what is better when He said,
لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الَانْهَارُ
For those who have Taqwa there are Gardens (Paradise) with their Lord, underneath which rivers flow,
meaning, rivers run throughout it.
These rivers carry various types of drinks:honey, milk, wine and water such that no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no heart has ever imagined.
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا
Therein (is their) eternal (home),
meaning, they shall remain in it forever and ever and will not want to be removed from it.
وَأَزْوَاجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ
And Azwajun Mutahharatun (purified mates or wives),
meaning, from filth, dirt, harm, menstruation, post birth bleeding, and other things that affect women in this world.
وَرِضْوَانٌ مِّنَ اللّهِ
And Allah will be pleased with them.
meaning, Allah's pleasure will descend on them and He shall never be angry with them after that. This is why Allah said in in Surah Bara`ah,
وَرِضْوَنٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ
But the pleasure of Allah is greater. (9:72)
meaning, greater than the eternal delight that He has granted them.
Allah then said,
وَاللّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ
And Allah is All-Seer of the (His) servants.
and, He gives each provisions according to what they deserve.
The Supplication and Description of Al-Muttaqin
Allah describes the Muttaqin, His pious servants, whom He promised tremendous rewards,
الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا امَنَّا
Those who say:""Our Lord! We have indeed believed,""
in You, Your Book and Your Messenger.
فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا
so forgive us our sins,
because of our faith in You and in what You legislated for us. Therefore, forgive us our errors and shortcomings, with Your bounty and mercy,
وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
and save us from the punishment of the Fire.
Allah then said
الصَّابِرِينَ
(They are) those who are patient,
while performing acts of obedience and abandoning the prohibitions.
وَالصَّادِقِينَ
those who are true,
concerning their proclamation of faith, by performing the difficult deeds.
وَالْقَانِتِينَ
and obedient,
meaning, they submit and obey Allah,
وَالْمُنفِقِينَ
those who spend,
from their wealth on all the acts of obedience they were commanded, being kind to kith and kin, helping the needy, and comforting the destitute.
وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالَاسْحَارِ
and those who pray and beg Allah's pardon in the last hours of the night.
and this testifies to the virtue of seeking Allah's forgiveness in the latter part of the night.
It was reported that when Yaqub said to his children,
سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّيَ
(I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you) (12:98) he waited until the latter part of the night to say his supplication.
Furthermore, the Two Sahihs, the Musnad and Sunan collections recorded through several Companions that the Messenger of Allah said,
يَنْزِلُ اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالى فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلى سَمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الاْخِرُ فَيَقُولُ
هَلْ مِنْ سَايِلٍ فَأُعْطِيَهُ
هَلْ مِنْ دَاعٍ فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ
هَلْ مِنْ مُسْتَغْفِرٍ فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ
Every night, when the last third of it remains, our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, descends to the lowest heaven saying,
""Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request?
Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to his invocation?
Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?""
The Two Sahihs recorded that Aishah said,
""The Messenger of Allah performed Witr during the first part, the middle and latter parts of the night. Then, later (in his life), he would perform it (only) during the latter part.""
Abdullah bin Umar used to pray during the night and would ask,
""O Nafi! Is it the latter part of the night yet?""
and if Nafi said, ""Yes,"" Ibn Umar would start supplicating to Allah and seeking His forgiveness until dawn.
This Hadith was collected by Ibn Abi Hatim."
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