إِنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ ۚ وَإِن تُؤْمِنُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ يُؤْتِكُمْ أُجُورَكُمْ وَلَا يَسْـَٔلْكُمْ أَمْوَٰلَكُمْ 36
Translations
[This] worldly life is only amusement and diversion. And if you believe and fear Allāh, He will give you your rewards and not ask you for your properties.
Transliteration
Innamā al-ḥayātu ad-dunyā la'ibun wa lahw. Wa in tu'minū wa tattaqū yu'tikum ujūrakum wa lā yas'alukum amwālakum.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes that worldly life is merely play and amusement, contrasting it with the eternal reward awaiting believers who have faith and piety. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that Allah promises to grant believers their full reward in the Hereafter without demanding their wealth in this life, thereby encouraging sincere worship over material obsession. Al-Qurtubi notes this serves as a reminder that true wealth lies in obedience to Allah, not in accumulating worldly possessions.
Revelation Context
Surah Muhammad is a Medinan chapter addressing the Muslim community during a period of military and spiritual struggle. This ayah appears in the context of exhorting believers to fight in Allah's cause, reminding them that the temporary distractions of this world should not prevent them from pursuing eternal reward through faith and God-consciousness.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The world is cursed, and all that is in it is cursed, except for the remembrance of Allah and what pleases Him, and the scholar and the student' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' relates to balancing worldly life with spiritual priorities (Jami' at-Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should not allow the fleeting pleasures and distractions of this world to distract them from cultivating genuine faith and piety, knowing that Allah's reward for sincere devotion far exceeds any worldly gain. This encourages a balanced perspective where one fulfills worldly responsibilities while maintaining spiritual priorities and trust in Allah's promise of recompense.
Related Ayahs
ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌۢ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَـٰدِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَـٰمًا ۖ وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌ ۚ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ
Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allāh and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.
وَزُخْرُفًا ۚ وَإِن كُلُّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۚ وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
And gold ornament. But all that is not but the enjoyment of worldly life. And the Hereafter with your Lord is for the righteous.
وَمَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا لَهْوٌ وَلَعِبٌ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ لَهِىَ ٱلْحَيَوَانُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ
And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew.
فَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّن شَىْءٍ فَمَتَـٰعُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ
So whatever thing you have been given - it is but [for] enjoyment of the worldly life. But what is with Allāh is better and more lasting for those who have believed and upon their Lord rely