Transliteration:( Wa maa haazihil hayaa tud dunyaaa illaa lahwunw-wa la'ib; wa innad Daaral Aakhirata la hiyal ha yawaan; law kaano ya'lamoon )
And this worldly life is nothing but amusement and diversion [154]. But indeed, the Hereafter is the true life [155]. If only they knew!
This verse does not refer to the life of the believer, as for him, the world is merely a means to the Hereafter, not an end in itself. The world is valueless like a zero—on its own, it holds no weight, but when attached to faith and the Hereafter, it gains immense value. On the other hand, for those who are detached from the Hereafter, this life becomes nothing but play and amusement, devoid of higher purpose.
The words “true life” (ḥayawān) denote a life that is eternal, free from death, destruction, or hardship. It can refer to:
The life in the grave (Barzakh)
The life after Qiyāmah
Or even the spiritual life of a believer in this world, as he annihilates his ego (nafs) through fanāʾ fī-llāh and attains an eternal connection with Allah.
A true believer never truly dies. As Allah says: “But they are alive, although you do not perceive” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:154). This is why the Kalimah declares: “Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah” — in present tense, affirming that his blessed being remains alive. Hence, while the body perishes, the life of faith transcends death.
64. And this life of the world is only an amusement and a play! Verily, the home of the Hereafter — that is the life indeed, if they but knew. 65. And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allah, making their faith pure for Him only, but when He brings them safely to land, behold, they give a share of their worship to others. 66. So that they become ingrate for that which We have given them, and that they take their enjoyment, but they will come to know.
(Verily, the home of the Hereafter — that is the life indeed,) means, the true everlasting life that will never end, but will continue forever and ever.
(if they but knew.) means, they would prefer that which will last over that which will pass away. Then Allah says that at times of calamity, the idolators call upon Him alone, with no partner or associate, so why do they not do that all the time
(And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allah, making their faith pure for Him only,) This is like the Ayah,
(And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon vanish from you except Him (Allah Alone). But when He brings you safely to land, you turn away) (17:67). Allah says here:
(but when He brings them safely to land, behold, they give a share of their worship to others.) Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from `Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl that when the Messenger of Allah conquered Makkah, he (`Ikrimah) ran away, fleeing from him. When he was on the sea, headed for Ethiopia, the ship started to rock and the crew said: “O people, pray sincerely to your Lord alone, for no one can save us from this except Him.” `Ikrimah said: “By Allah, if there is none who can save us on the sea except Him, then there is none who can save us on land except Him either, O Allah, I vow to You that if I come out of this, I will go and put my hand in the hand of Muhammad and I will find him kind and merciful.” And this is what indeed did happen.
(So that they become ingrate for that which We have given them, and that they take their enjoyment,)
(29:64) The present life is nothing but sport and amusement.[102] The true life is in the Abode of the Hereafter; if only they knew.[103]
102. That is “The reality of it is no more than the children’s engaging in a sport and pastime for a while, and then returning home. The one has become a king here, has not become a king in reality but is only playing the king. A time comes when his play ends, and he leaves the royal throne as empty-handed as he was when he had entered the world. Similarly, no phase of life here is enduring and lasting. Every one is playing his part only temporarily for a limited time. Those who are charmed by the short-lived triumphs of this life and are able to collect some means of enjoyment and pleasure and of glory and grandeur by losing their conscience and faith, are only engaged in a pastime. What will these toys profit them when after amusing themselves with these for some years in the world, they will enter through the gate of death empty handed into the next world of eternal life and find their same allurements to have caused them an everlasting affliction?”
103. That is, “If these people had known the reality that the life of this world is only a period of preparation for the test, and the real life for man, which is everlasting, is the life Hereafter, they would not have wasted this preparatory period in sport and merry making, but would instead have utilized each moment of it in works conducive to better results in the eternal life of the Hereafter.”
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