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Al-Hadid (The Iron)

Verse 20of 29

ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌۭ وَلَهْوٌۭ وَزِينَةٌۭ وَتَفَاخُرٌۢ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌۭ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَٰدِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّۭا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَٰمًۭا ۖ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌۭ شَدِيدٌۭ وَمَغْفِرَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌۭ ۚ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ﴿٢٠

Translation (Sahih International)

Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.

Word-by-word meaning

ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟iʿ'lamūKnow
أَنَّمَاannamāthat
ٱلْحَيَوٰةُl-ḥayatuthe life
ٱلدُّنْيَاl-dun'yā(of) the world
لَعِبٌۭlaʿibun(is) play
وَلَهْوٌۭwalahwunand amusement
وَزِينَةٌۭwazīnatunand adornment
وَتَفَاخُرٌۢwatafākhurunand boasting
بَيْنَكُمْbaynakumamong you
وَتَكَاثُرٌۭwatakāthurunand competition in increase
فِىof
ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِl-amwālithe wealth
وَٱلْأَوْلَـٰدِ ۖwal-awlādiand the children
كَمَثَلِkamathalilike (the) example
غَيْثٍghaythin(of) a rain
أَعْجَبَaʿjabapleases
ٱلْكُفَّارَl-kufārathe tillers
نَبَاتُهُۥnabātuhuits growth
ثُمَّthummathen
يَهِيجُyahījuit dries
فَتَرَىٰهُfatarāhuand you see it
مُصْفَرًّۭاmuṣ'farranturning yellow
ثُمَّthummathen
يَكُونُyakūnubecomes
حُطَـٰمًۭا ۖḥuṭāmandebris
وَفِىwafīAnd in
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِl-ākhiratithe Hereafter
عَذَابٌۭʿadhābun(is) a punishment
شَدِيدٌۭshadīdunsevere
وَمَغْفِرَةٌۭwamaghfiratunand forgiveness
مِّنَminafrom
ٱللَّهِl-lahiAllah
وَرِضْوَٰنٌۭ ۚwariḍ'wānunand Pleasure
وَمَاwamāBut not
ٱلْحَيَوٰةُl-ḥayatu(is) the life
ٱلدُّنْيَآl-dun'yā(of) the world
إِلَّاillāexcept
مَتَـٰعُmatāʿu(the) enjoyment
ٱلْغُرُورِl-ghurūri(of) delusion

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

This Life of this World is Fleeting EnjoymentAllah the Exalted degrades the significance of this life and belittles it by saying,أَنَّمَا الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى الاٌّمْوَلِ وَالاٌّوْلْـدِ(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.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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