أَفَمَن وَعَدْنَـٰهُ وَعْدًا حَسَنًا فَهُوَ لَـٰقِيهِ كَمَن مَّتَّعْنَـٰهُ مَتَـٰعَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ هُوَ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْضَرِينَ 61
Translations
Then is he whom We have promised a good promise which he will meet [i.e., obtain] like he for whom We provided enjoyment of worldly life [but] then he is, on the Day of Resurrection, among those presented [for punishment in Hell]?
Transliteration
Afaman wa'adnahu wa'dan hasanan fahuwa laqihi kaman matta'ahu mata'a al-hayati ad-dunya thumma huwa yawma al-qiyamati mina al-muhdharin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a rhetorical question contrasting two conditions: one who has been promised a good promise (Paradise) which he will surely meet, versus one who has been given temporary enjoyment of worldly life and will then be among those presented (for punishment) on the Day of Judgment. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this comparison emphasizes the incomparability of the believer's promise of eternal reward with the disbeliever's temporary worldly pleasures followed by eternal torment, highlighting the futility of choosing worldly gratification over obedience to Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Qasas, which recounts stories of various prophets and emphasizes divine justice and reward. The broader context of this passage (ayaat 60-64) contrasts the fates of believers and disbelievers, addressing the polytheists of Mecca who prioritized worldly wealth and status over faith. The surah was revealed in Mecca during a period when the believers faced persecution and the wealthy Quraysh enjoyed material prosperity.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The example of this life compared to the afterlife is like a person putting his finger in the ocean—let him see what returns with him' (Al-Tirmidhi). Additionally, 'This world compared to the Hereafter is like what one of you puts in the ocean from his hand' (Sahih Muslim 2858).
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should not be deceived by temporary worldly success or wealth, recognizing that the promise of Paradise is incomparably superior to fleeting material pleasures. This ayah encourages prioritizing eternal spiritual rewards over the temporary enjoyment of this world, as ultimate accountability awaits all on the Day of Judgment.
Related Ayahs
فَعَمِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَنۢبَآءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَهُمْ لَا يَتَسَآءَلُونَ
But the information will be unapparent to them that Day, so they will not [be able to] ask one another.
وَإِذَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦٓ إِنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبْلِهِۦ مُسْلِمِينَ
And when it is recited to them, they say, "We have believed in it; indeed, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed we were, [even] before it, Muslims [i.e., submitting to Allāh]."
وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ أَيْنَ شُرَكَآءِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ
And [warn of] the Day He will call them and say, "Where are My 'partners' which you used to claim?"
وَأَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۖ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَآنٌّ وَلَّىٰ مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ ۚ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ أَقْبِلْ وَلَا تَخَفْ ۖ إِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلْـَٔامِنِينَ
And [he was told], "Throw down your staff." But when he saw it writhing as if it was a snake, he turned in flight and did not return. [Allāh said], "O Moses, approach and fear not. Indeed, you are of the secure.