Transliteration:( Wa latajidannahum ahrasannaasi 'alaa hayaatinw wa minal lazeena ashrakoo; yawaddu ahaduhum law yu'ammaru alfa sanatinw wa maa huwa bi muzahzihihee minal 'azaabi ai yu'ammar; wallaahu baseerum bimaa ya'maloon )
183. From this an important point emerges i.e.
love for the world, love for worldly things andthe greed for long life is the practice of the non-believers. The believer is in no way covetous of this. However there is no harm to desire for a long life for the purpose of accumulating good deeds for one's hereafter, because the intention of long life is not out of greed to live longer on this earth but to prepare for one's Hereafter.
184. From this verse one learns that mere receiving of abundance of wealth or long life does in no way indicate Divine approval or pleasure until such time that they are used to gain piety. Furthermore, the Islamic practice of Salaam (greetings) is far better than the customary greetings of the non-believers because in Salaam peace and blessing is sought for this world and the Hereafter, while the greetings of the non believers are limited to the prayers of this world only. Thirdly, we learn, that the punishment of the renegades is very severe.
The tafsir of Surah Baqarah verse 96 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Baqarah ayat 94 which provides the complete commentary from verse 94 through 96.
(2:96) You will certainly find them most eager to cling on to life,[99] indeed even more eager than those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity. Each one of them wishes to live a thousand years although the bestowal of long life cannot remove him from chastisement. Allah sees whatever they do.
99. The Arabic text implies that the Jews were so frightened of death and so keen to remain alive that they did not mind whether they led an honourable and dignified existence, or whether their life was one of indignity and humiliation.
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