Quran Quote  : 
At-Takathur

اَلۡهٰٮكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُۙ‏ ﴿۱﴾

1. The piling up of more wealth (1) has diverted (2) you away from Allah.

Once there was a debate between Bani Abd Manaf and Bani Saham regarding family superiority. Each one claimed that they were greater in wealth, profession, hospitality, and dignity and number than the other. numerical superiority of the Abd Manaf turned to be greater at which Bani Saham said to calculate this by adding the living and the dead persons. If our deceased are added to our living we will be higher in number than you. Saying this they both went to the cemetery and pointing towards the graves began to say that so and so was of such great status. In response to it, this verse was revealed (Tafseer Azizi, Roohul Bayaan).

1. Discussion of death, the worry about the grave through the fear of the Hereafter. Or, due to the obedience and devotion to Allah Almighty, or due to the remembrance of the It should be Holy Prophet. It should be remembered that any activity which makes you neglect Allah Almighty and His Beloved is LAHWA . The word ALHA is derived from LAHWA meaning heedless.

2. Takathur is derived from abundance and its meaning is to express abundance in opposition to one another or its desire. If it is expressed in the form of gratitude then it is an act of worship, but if done for the sake of arrogance i.e. to be boastful about it, then it is an act of sin, whether this pride is concerning knowledge, wealth, honour or good deeds. Greater desire for religion is an excellent thing but the covetous desire of the world is an act of evil, especially when it makes you negligent about Allah Almighty. Here, the word Takathur denotes this concept.

Surah Name : At-Takathur   Surah Number : 102   Ayat Number: 1
Topic : Ardent Love for wealth

حَتّٰى زُرۡتُمُ الۡمَقَابِرَؕ‏ ﴿۲﴾

2.Till you reach the graves (3)

3. It means you remain the victim of greed and lust or arrogance until your time of death. Since the grave, too, is man's one stage of the journey, but his final abode is Paradise or Hell, therefore "you saw" has been used here. The Holy Prophet said that three things go with the deceased: Wealth, kith and kin and deeds. The first two return after his burial, but the deeds remain with him. Your own wealth is that which a person is able to eat and digest, wear it until it wears out or sends it ahead of him by giving charity. Or, the verse could mean that your extent of pride is such that you are boasting about your deceased predecessors. You visit their graves for this purpose. Thus, we learn that to visit the graves for the purpose of pride is prohibited. If this is done for the purpose of taking lessons from them like to serve as a reminder of your death, or for the purpose of conveying the rewards of your Quranic recitation for the inmates of the graves, or to derive blessings from the inmate of the grave, etc. is permissible. To undertake a journey to derive blessings from the inmate of the grave is permissible as well. That is why people travel to Madina Shareef, Baghdad Shareef, etc. Or, O infidels! You make mention about your deceased predecessors for the purpose of expressing pride as well. This tells us that to be boastful about having family links with village headmen and chiefs is forbidden. However, to be proud of having links with the religious and pious persons is acceptable. We are proud to be the followers of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم and the devotees and disciples of Huzoor Ghause Paak.

Surah Name : At-Takathur   Surah Number : 102   Ayat Number: 2
Topic : Graves

 كَلَّا سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَۙ‏ ﴿۳﴾

3. Indeed soon you will come to know(4)

4. When punishments like famine, etc. will be inflicted upon you, or when believers would be given victory over you, then you will accept Islam at any event. It would be better for you if you can accept Islam willingly today so that you can be elevated to a great status. Or, accepting faith at the time of death on seeing the angels of punishment. But acceptance of that time will not help you in any way.

Surah Name : At-Takathur   Surah Number : 102   Ayat Number: 3
Topic : Graves

 ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَؕ‏ ﴿۴﴾

4. Again, without doubt, you will soon come to know it (5).

5. On reaching your graves, or on the Day of Judgement after you are resurrected and have seen the Divine punishment. But the acknowledgement and acceptance of that time will not benefit you in any way. Hazrat Alli Murtaza says that the revelation of this verse gave us the certainty about the punishment of the grave, because here in the first verse mention is being made of the punishment of the grave, while in the second verse mention is being made about the punishment of the Hereafter (Tafseer Roohul Bayaan). It should be remembered that in comparison to Barzakh (stay in the grave), the world is a dream, while Barzakh is a dream in comparison with the Hereafter. To the believers in the world have convincing knowledge of the Hereafter, while in the grave he will have positive knowledge of it, while on Judgement Day he will have absolute knowledge of it. Thus, here the address could be to the negligent believer as well.

Surah Name : At-Takathur   Surah Number : 102   Ayat Number: 4
Topic : Graves

كَلَّا لَوۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ عِلۡمَ الۡيَقِيۡنِؕ‏ ﴿۵﴾

5. Yes, if you had known with knowledge of certainty, you would not have loved wealth (6).

6. It means, O infidels! Had you accepted the punishment of the grave, the accountability for your deeds, the Day of Judgement, etc. in the world? Or, O negligent believers! Had you pondered over the acrimony or unpleasantness of death, the horrors of the grave, the occurrence of the Day of Judgement, etc. than the love of the world would not have made you neglect Allah Almighty. Thus, the function of "if" is concealed. It should be remembered that faith after hearing is convincing knowledge but faith after seeing is positive knowledge, while faith after it has manifested on you is absolute knowledge.

A classical example of this is accepting the sanctity of Makkah after hearing about it, then accepting it from a distant sight of it and then accepting it after entering the city and travelling in it. Our faith is thus based on convincing knowledge, while the belief of the Holy Prophet is based on absolute knowledge; in fact it is of positive knowledge. The Noble Companions, in fact some special saints obtain positive knowledge of matters relating to faith. Though being in the world they see Paradise and Hell.

Surah Name : At-Takathur   Surah Number : 102   Ayat Number: 5
Topic : Repentance(Loser) on The Day of Judgment

 لَتَرَوُنَّ الۡجَحِيۡمَۙ‏ ﴿۶﴾

6.Certainly you will see Hell 7.

7. After his burial the believer is shown Hell in the grave but it is then quickly hidden from him. Then a window of Paradise is opened for him at all times in order to make him very happy. On the other hand the infidel is first shown Paradise in the grave and is quickly hidden away. Thereafter the window of Hell is opened for all times in order to increase his despondency and grief. But those who are exempt from the accountability of the grave, there is no question of opening the window of Hell for them e.g. the Prophets, the Martyrs, the minor children of the believers, etc.

Surah Name : At-Takathur   Surah Number : 102   Ayat Number: 6
Topic : Hisab Call into Account

 ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيۡنَ الۡيَقِيۡنِۙ‏ ﴿۷

7. Indeed you will see with sure vision(8)

8. At the Field of Accountability, from where the believers would be enjoying the sights of Paradise, where the blessed River of Kauthar would be reaching from which they would be drinking the water. Says Allah Almighty: "And the Heaven shall be brought near to the dutiful" (S26:V90). While the infidels would be seeing Hell from there and shivering and shaking like an aspen leaf. Says Allah Almighty: "And the Hell shall be made apparent to those who have astray" (S26:V91). By this seeing all will have convincing knowledge and after reaching there they will have absolute knowledge. It should be remembered that some beloved servants of Allah Almighty see Paradise and Hell in the essential things or of pleasure and comfort. In world, like how the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم saw it in Salaatul Kusuf, or like Hazrat Talha. Hazrat Zaid and the martyrs of Badr who had seen Paradise in their earthly life.

Surah Name : At-Takathur   Surah Number : 102   Ayat Number: 7
Topic : Repentance(Loser) on The Day of Judgment

ثُمَّ لَـتُسۡـَٔـلُنَّ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيۡمِ‏ ﴿۸﴾

8. Then on that day you shall be questioned about the bounties (of Allah).enjoyed

9. It means O infidels! Or, O neglect person! Allah Almighty Himself or the angels would be asking you questions regarding the bounties and favours at the Field of Accountability or at the edge of Hell, that from where did you obtain these? On what did you spend these, what gratitude did you express for these? Here, of keep some of these issues at the back of your mind:

After death there will be three stops and accountability at three places: in the grave regarding faith, on the Day of Judgement about faith and deeds and at the edge of Hell regarding the expression of thanks for the bounties and favours.

2. These questions would not be asked of some special servants of Allah Almighty e.g. the Prophets, some Saints of Allah Almighty, the minor children, etc. Says Allah Almighty: exp "Then they shall enter the Paradise and they shall be provided therein without que measure" (S40:V40).

3. The Prophets would be questioned about their followers i.c. how did they treat you like ( how the lover asks the beloved at the time of meeting enquires about the well-being of the beloved). Thus, it will be asked of Hazrat Isa (On whom be peace): "Did you say to the people? (SS:V116). Or, that testimony, would be taken from the Holy Prophet in favour of all the Prophets: "O Beloved Muhammad! We will bring you as a witness and a guardian against all those" (S4:V41).

4. This question will be regarding every bounty, physical or spiritual, be it from the fact, it will be regarding provision of the cold water, shelter of the trees and sleep of comfort as is stated in Hadith Shareef. and the application of favours.

5. Anything, which is provided without privilege or right, is a favour. Every bestowal of Allah Almighty is a favour and a bounty, whether it is physical or spiritual. This is of two types: that which is acquired and that which is bestowed. Those bounties which we have acquired through our effort are acquired bounties, e.g. wealth, kingdom, etc. Those which are provided purely through the Grace of Allah Almighty are Divine bestowed. e.g. our limbs, the moon, the sun, etc. of Regarding the acquired bounties there would be three questions: From where did you acquire them? How did you spend them? How did you express gratitude for them? While conceming the bestowed favours and bounties the last two questions would be asked.

6. It is stated in Tafseer Khazain, Azizi and Roohul Bayaan that in this verse NAEEM (favour) denote the person and personality of or the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم . We would be questioned regarding the y Did you obey Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم or not. The Holy Prophet is the origin of all the bounties. The one who succeeds is making him the object of his heart. all the bounties are mercies for him. He whose heart is bereft of the devotion of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه واله وسلم all bounties are inconveniences for him. The wealth of Hazrat Uthman is one of mercy; the wealth of Abu Jahl is one of inconvenience and hardship.

Surah Name : At-Takathur   Surah Number : 102   Ayat Number: 8
Topic : Hisab Call into Account

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