وَلَا تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَٰلُهُمْ وَأَوْلَـٰدُهُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ 85
Translations
And let not their wealth and their children impress you. Allāh only intends to punish them through them in this world and that their souls should depart [at death] while they are disbelievers.
Transliteration
Wa lā tu'jibka amwāluhum wa awlāduhum; innamā yurīdu Allāhu an yu'aḏḏibahum bihā fī ad-dunyā wa tazhaqā anfusuhum wa hum kāfirūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns the Prophet (peace be upon him) not to be deceived or impressed by the wealth and children of the hypocrites and disbelievers, as these worldly possessions are merely instruments of punishment from Allah in this life. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, Allah uses their riches and offspring as means to increase them in sin and heedlessness, ultimately leading to their spiritual death while still living as disbelievers. The phrase 'tazhaqu anfusuhum' (their souls depart) refers to their deaths while in a state of kufr (disbelief), condemning them eternally.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah At-Tawbah's discussion of the hypocrites (munāfiqūn) of Madinah, particularly those who refused to participate in the Tabuk expedition. The broader context addresses the deception of wealth and status as indicators of divine favor, correcting the jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic) notion that material prosperity equals blessing.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Wealth and children are adornments of this worldly life, but the everlasting good deeds are better with your Lord in reward and better in hope' (Surah Al-Kahf 18:46, referenced contextually in Tirmidhi and other collections). Additionally, Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet warned against being deceived by the apparent success of the wicked in this world.
Themes
Key Lesson
Material wealth and children, while seemingly good, should never be mistaken for divine approval or spiritual success—those who use these blessings in disobedience to Allah ultimately suffer spiritual ruin. Believers should cultivate detachment from worldly possessions as measures of worth and focus instead on righteous deeds and sincere faith.
Related Ayahs
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ ۚ قُلْ أَبِٱللَّهِ وَءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَرَسُولِهِۦ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِءُونَ
And if you ask them, they will surely say, "We were only conversing and playing." Say, "Is it Allāh and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?"
وَقُلِ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ فَسَيَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۖ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
And say, "Do [as you will], for Allāh will see your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger and the believers. And you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and He will inform you of what you used to do."
قُلْ هَلْ تَرَبَّصُونَ بِنَآ إِلَّآ إِحْدَى ٱلْحُسْنَيَيْنِ ۖ وَنَحْنُ نَتَرَبَّصُ بِكُمْ أَن يُصِيبَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِعَذَابٍ مِّنْ عِندِهِۦٓ أَوْ بِأَيْدِينَا ۖ فَتَرَبَّصُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مَعَكُم مُّتَرَبِّصُونَ
Say, "Do you await for us except one of the two best things [i.e., martyrdom or victory] while we await for you that Allāh will afflict you with punishment from Himself or at our hands? So wait; indeed we, along with you, are waiting."
سَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ إِذَا ٱنقَلَبْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لِتُعْرِضُوا۟ عَنْهُمْ ۖ فَأَعْرِضُوا۟ عَنْهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ رِجْسٌ ۖ وَمَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
They will swear by Allāh to you when you return to them that you would leave them alone. So leave them alone; indeed they are evil; and their refuge is Hell as recompense for what they had been earning.