Quran-3:196 Surah Al-imran English Translation,Transliteration and Tafsir(Tafseer).

لَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِي ٱلۡبِلَٰدِ

Transliteration:( Laa yaghurrannaka taqal lubul lazeena kafaroo fil bilaad )

196.(O Muhammad) Let not the movement of the infidels in the cities [449] deceive you. (Kanzul Imaan Translation)

(196) Be not deceived by the [uninhibited] movement of the disbelievers throughout the land. (Saheen International Translation)

Surah Al Imran Ayat 196 Tafsir (Commentry)



  • Tafseer-e-Naeemi (Ahmad Yaar Khan)
  • Ibn Kathir
  • Ala-Madudi
  • Shaheen International

📖 Commentary of Surah Aal-e-Imran – Verse 196

“(O Muhammad) Let not the movement of the infidels in the cities deceive you.” [449]


✅ [449] Understanding Wealth and Favor

This verse cautions the Holy Prophet ﷺ (and through him, the believers) not to be deceived by the apparent prosperity, wealth, and success of the disbelievers as they freely move about in the cities.

From this, we learn:

  • Worldly wealth and luxury are not indicators of Allah’s favor.

  • The non-believers' possession of material things does not mean they are close to Allah or blessed in the eternal sense.

A powerful analogy is drawn:

  • The believer is like a bridegroom, and the world is what is showered or thrown around him during the celebration.

  • While others may pick up and enjoy what is thrown, it is actually meant for the believer—just not in this world, but in the Hereafter.

Ibn-Kathir

196. Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you. 197. A brief enjoyment; then their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest. 198. But, for those who have Taqwa of their Lord, are Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); therein are they to dwell, an entertainment from Allah; and that which is with Allah is the best for Al-Abrar (the most righteous).


Warning Against Being Deceived by This Life; the Rewards of the Righteous Believers

Allah said, do not look at the disbelievers, who are enjoying various delights and joys. Soon, they will loose all this and be tied to their evil works, for verily, we are only giving them time, which deceives them, when all they have is,

﴿مَتَـعٌ قَلِيلٌ ثُمَّ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ ﴾

(A brief enjoyment; then their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest.)

This Ayah is similar to several other Ayat, such as,

﴿مَا يُجَـدِلُ فِى ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَلاَ يَغْرُرْكَ تَقَلُّبُهُمْ فِى الْبِلاَدِ ﴾

(None disputes in the Ayat of Allah but those who disbelieve. So, let not their ability of going about here and there through the land deceive you!) ﴿40:4﴾,

﴿قُلْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لاَ يُفْلِحُونَ – مَتَـعٌ فِى الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ نُذِيقُهُمُ الْعَذَابَ الشَّدِيدَ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ ﴾

(Verily, those who invent a lie against Allah, will never be successful. (A brief) enjoyment in this world! and then unto Us will be their return, then We shall make them taste the severest torment because they used to disbelieve.) ﴿10:69,70﴾,

﴿نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلاً ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَى عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ ﴾

(We let them enjoy for a little while, then in the end We shall oblige them to (enter) a great torment.) ﴿31:24﴾,

﴿فَمَهِّلِ الْكَـفِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْداً ﴾

(So, give a respite to the disbelievers; deal gently with them for a while.) ﴿86:17﴾, and,

﴿أَفَمَن وَعَدْنَـهُ وَعْداً حَسَناً فَهُوَ لاَقِيهِ كَمَن مَّتَّعْنَاهُ مَتَـعَ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ هُوَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ مِنَ الْمُحْضَرِينَ ﴾

(Is he whom We have promised an excellent promise (Paradise) which he will find true — like him whom We have made to enjoy the luxuries of the life of (this) world, then on the Day of Resurrection, he will be among those brought up (to be punished in the Hell-fire)) ﴿28:61﴾.

After Allah mentioned the condition of the disbelievers in this life and their destination to the Fire, He said,

﴿لَكِنِ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْاْ رَبَّهُمْ لَهُمْ جَنَّـتٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَا نُزُلاٍ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ﴾

(But, for those who have Taqwa of their Lord, are Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); therein are they to dwell, an entertainment from Allah,) ﴿3:198﴾, for certainly,

﴿وَمَا عِندَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِّلأَبْرَارِ﴾

(and that which is with Allah is the best for Al-Abrar.)

Ibn Jarir recorded that Abu Ad-Darda’ used to say, “Death is better for every believer. Death is better for every disbeliever, and those who do not believe me should read Allah’s statements,

﴿وَمَا عِندَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِّلأَبْرَارِ﴾

(and that which is with Allah is the best for Al-Abrar), and,

﴿وَلاَ يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَنَّمَا نُمْلِى لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لاًّنفُسِهِمْ إِنَّمَا نُمْلِى لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُواْ إِثْمَاً وَلَهْمُ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ ﴾

(And let not the disbelievers think that Our postponing of their punishment is good for them. We postpone the punishment only so that they may increase in sinfulness. And for them is a disgraceful torment.) ﴿3:178﴾.”

(3:196) (O Messenger!) Do not let the strutting about of the unbelievers in the land deceive you.

Ala-Maududi

(3:196) (O Messenger!) Do not let the strutting about of the unbelievers in the land deceive you.


There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.

(196) Be not deceived by the [uninhibited] movement of the disbelievers throughout the land.

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