(أَلْهَـكُمُ التَّكَّاثُرُ)
(1. The mutual increase diverts you,)
(حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ)
(2. Until you visit the graves.)
(كَلاَّ سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ)
(3. Nay! You shall come to know!)
(ثُمَّ كَلاَّ سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ)
(4. Again nay! You shall come to know!)
(كَلاَّ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ)
(5. Nay! If you knew with a sure knowledge.)
(لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ)
(6. Verily, you shall see the blazing Fire!)
(ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ)
(7. And again, you shall see it with certainty of sight!)
(ثُمَّ لَتُسْـَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ)
(8. Then on that Day you shall be asked about the
delights!)
The Result of Loving the World and Heedlessness of the
Hereafter
Allah says that all are preoccupied by love of the world,
its delights and its adornments, and this distracts you from seeking the
Hereafter and desiring it. This delays you until death comes to you and you
visit the graves, thus becoming its inhabitants. In Sahih Al-Bukhari, it is
recorded in the Book of Ar-Riqaq (Narrations that soften the Heart) from Anas
bin Malik, who reported that Ubayy bin Ka`b said, "We used to think that
this was a part of the Qur'an until the Ayah was revealed which says;
﴿أَلْهَـكُمُ التَّكَّاثُرُ ﴾
(The mutual increase diverts you.)'' He was referring to
the Hadith in which the Prophet said,
«لَوْ كَانَ لِابْنِ آدَمَ وَادٍ مِنْ ذَهَب»
(If the Son of Adam had a valley of gold, he would desire
another like it...) Imam Ahmad recorded from `Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir that
he said, "I came to the Messenger of Allah while he was saying,
﴿أَلْهَـكُمُ التَّكَّاثُرُ ﴾
يَقُولُ ابْنُ آدَمَ: مَالِي مَالِي، وَهَلْ
لَكَ مِنْ مَالِكَ إِلَّا مَا أَكَلْتَ فَأَفْنَـيْتَ، أَوْ لَبِسْتَ فَأَبْلَيْتَ،
أَوْ تَصَدَّقْتَ فَأَمْضَيْتَ؟»
((The mutual increase diverts you.)'' He was referring to
the Hadith in which the Prophet said,
«لَوْ كَانَ لِابْنِ آدَمَ وَادٍ مِنْ ذَهَب»
(If the Son of Adam had a valley of gold, he would desire
another like it...) Imam Ahmad recorded from `Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir that
he said, "I came to the Messenger of Allah while he was saying,
﴿أَلْهَـكُمُ التَّكَّاثُرُ ﴾
يَقُولُ ابْنُ آدَمَ: مَالِي مَالِي، وَهَلْ
لَكَ مِنْ مَالِكَ إِلَّا مَا أَكَلْتَ فَأَفْنَـيْتَ، أَوْ لَبِسْتَ فَأَبْلَيْتَ،
أَوْ تَصَدَّقْتَ فَأَمْضَيْتَ؟»
((The mutual increase diverts you.)( The Son of Adam
says, "My wealth, my wealth.'' But do you get anything (of benefit) from
your wealth except for that which you ate and you finished it, or that which
you clothed yourself with and you wore it out, or that which you gave as
charity and you have spent it)'' Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i also
recorded this Hadith. Muslim recorded in his Sahih from Abu Hurayrah that the
Messenger of Allah said,
«يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ: مَالِي مَالِي، وَإِنَّمَا
لَهُ مِنْ مَالِهِ ثَلَاثٌ: مَا أَكَلَ فَأَفْنَى، أَوْ لَبِسَ فَأَبْلَى، أَوْ تَصَدَّقَ
فَأَمْضَى، وَمَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ فَذَاهِبٌ وَتَارِكُهُ لِلنَّاس»
(The servant says "My wealth, my wealth.'' Yet he
only gets three (benefits) from his wealth: that which he eats and finishes,
that which he eats and finishes, that which he wears until it is worn out, or
that which he gives in charity and it is spent. Everything else other than that
will go away and leave him for the people.) Muslim was alone in recording this
Hadith. Al-Bukhari recorded from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah
said,
«يَتْبَعُ الْمَيِّتَ ثَلَاثَةٌ، فَيَرْجِعُ
اثْنَانِ وَيَبْقَى مَعَهُ وَاحِدٌ: يَتْبَعُهُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَعَمَلُهُ، فَيَرْجِعُ
أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ، وَيَبْقَى عَمَلُه»
(Three things follow the deceased person, and two of them
return while one remains behind with him. The things which follow him are his
family, his wealth and his deeds. His family and his wealth return while his
deeds remain.) This Hadith has also been recorded by Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and
An-Nasa'i. Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas that the Prophet said,
«يَهْرَمُ ابْنُ آدَمَ وَيَبْقَى مِنْهُ اثْنَتَانِ:
الْحِرْصُ وَالْأَمَل»
(The Son of Adam becomes old with senility, but yet two
things remain with him: greed and hope.) Both of them (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
recorded this Hadith in the Two Sahihs.