Tafseer of Sooraatul Takaathur by Shaykh Sa'dee

[عبد الله بن مسلم]

{ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ {

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ

“The mutual rivalry for piling up of worldly things diverts you,

حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ

Until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die).

كَلا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

Nay! You shall come to know!

ثُمَّ كَلا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

Again, Nay! You shall come to know!

كَلا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ

Nay! If you knew with a sure knowledge

لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ

Verily, You shall see the blazing Fire (Hell)!

ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ

And again, you shall see it with certainty of sight!

ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ .

Then, on that Day, you shall be asked about the favours.”



The Tafseer

The Most Exalted says ; reprimanding His slaves due to their busying themselves from what they have been created for. And that is : worshipping Him alone with no partners , knowing Him (His attributes and Names) , turning to Him , and giving precedence to His love ; before anything else.

[He says]

{ أَلْهَاكُمُ }

“ It diverts you ..

From that which has been mentioned..

{ التَّكَاثُرُ }

The piling up

And He did not mention the thing which is piled up (gathered) ; this is to generalize all those things which the ‘gatherers’ gather up , and all those things which the proud ones are proud about : from the piling up of wealth , children , friends , armies , servants , and fame , and all other things . Of which the ‘gatherers’ gather only to rival another , and not with the intention of having ikhlaas (sincerity of actions only) to Allaah The Exalted.

So your heedlessness , and your invalidity (vainness) [and your busying yourselves] continued….

{ حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ }

Until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die).

Then the veil [of heedlessness] was removed from you , but this is when it is impossible to reject it [and when it is impossible to start life anew].

And in His statement

{ حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ }

Until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die).

This proves :

That the barzakh (life in the grave) is a place which is intended to be a ‘window (a transit)’ to the ever lasting abode. This is proved by the fact that Allaah called them ‘visitors’ and not residents.

So this shows that there is resurrection , and recompense of the actions : in the everlasting abode – which does not end.

And because of this , He called them with His statement :

كَلا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

Nay! You shall come to know!

ثُمَّ كَلا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

Again, Nay! You shall come to know!

كَلا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ

Nay! If you knew with a sure knowledge

Meaning : If you knew – with a knowledge that reaches and affects the heart - what is to come for you : you would not have been distracted by the piling up , and (instead) you would have hastened in doing the good deeds.
But the lack of certain knowledge has led you to what you are seeing ;

لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ

Verily, You shall see the blazing Fire (Hell!



Meaning you will reach the Judgment , and you will see the Hell ; which Allaah has promised the disbelievers

ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ

And again, you shall see it with certainty of sight



Meaning : (real sight) ; the seeing of the eye..

Just as Allaah said :

{ وَرَأَى الْمُجْرِمُونَ النَّارَ فَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ مُوَاقِعُوهَا وَلَمْ يَجِدُوا عَنْهَا مَصْرِفًا }

“And the Mujrimûn (criminals, polytheists, sinners), shall see the Fire and apprehend that they have to fall therein. And they will find no way of escape from there.”

[Suratul Kahf : 53]







ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ .

Then, on that Day, you shall be asked about the favours.”



[The favours] which We bestowed upon you in the life of the world. Were you steadfast in being thankful of these , and did you observe the rights of Allaah pertaining to these , and you didn’t use them in doing sins ? ;

[if it is so] then He will bestow favours on you , favours which are more exalted than those.

Or were you deceived by them , and never stood in being thankful of them. Rather maybe you even used them in sinning !?

[if it is so] Then you will be punished for that.

[Just as] The Exalted said :

{ وَيَوْمَ يُعْرَضُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا عَلَى النَّارِ أَذْهَبْتُمْ طَيِّبَاتِكُمْ فِي حَيَاتِكُمُ الدُّنْيَا وَاسْتَمْتَعْتُمْ بِهَا فَالْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ }

“ On the Day when those who disbelieve (in the Oneness of Allâh Islâmic Monotheism) will be exposed to the Fire (it will be said): "You received your good things in the life of the world, and you took your pleasure therein. Now this Day you shall be recompensed with a torment of humiliation….”

[Suratul Ahqaf :20]

Authored by : al-Allaamah as-Shaykh Abdurrahmaan ibn Sa’dee
Translated by Aboo Waheeda as-salafee



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