Surah Kahf ayat 46 Tafsir Quran 18:46

﴿الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا﴾
[ الكهف: 46]

18:46 Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope.

Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world adornment with which one arrays oneself therein. But the enduring things the righteous deeds — and these are ‘Glory be to God’ subhāna’Llāh ‘Praise be to God’ al-hāmdu li’Llāh ‘There is no god but God lā ilāha illā’Llāh ‘God is Great’ Allāhu akbar; some add the following ‘There is no power or strength except in God’ lā hawla wa-lā quwwata illā bi’Llāh — these are better with your Lord for reward and better in respect of hope in other words they are better in terms of what a person hopes for and desires from God exalted be He.

Wealth and progeny feature the attraction and allurement exciting the pleasurable emotion of people in life here below, but what is infinite in future duration considered by Allah to have eternal consequences and hopeful reward are the deeds imprinted with wisdom and piety

The Parable of the Worldly Life Allah says: وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم ( And mention ) O Muhammad, to the people, مَثَلُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا ( the parable of the worldly life ), its transient nature and how it will eventually cease and come to an end. كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الاٌّرْضِ ( it is like the water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, ) It mingles with the seeds that are in the earth, so they grow and become good, producing bright, fresh flowers, then after that, فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا ( it becomes dry and broken pieces, ) withered up, تَذْرُوهُ الرِّياحُ ( which the winds scatter. ) tossing them about right and left. وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرًا ( And Allah is able to do everything ) He has the power to do this and that.
In the Qur'an Allah often gives parables like this of the life of this world, as He says in Surah Yunus, إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الاٌّرْضِ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ النَّاسُ وَالاٌّنْعَـمُ ( The parable of the worldly life is but that of water which We send down from the sky so by it arises the intermingled produce of the earth of which men and cattle eat.
.. ) 10:24 and in Surat Az-Zumar: أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعاً مُّخْتَلِفاً أَلْوَانُهُ s( See you not that Allah sends down water from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, then out from it comes crops of different colors. ) 39:21 and in Surat Al-Hadid: اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَا الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى الاٌّمْوَلِ وَالاٌّوْلْـدِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ( Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children.
(It is ) like the parable of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller...) 57:20 and in the Sahih Hadith:
«الدُّنْيَا حُلْوَةٌ خَضِرَة»
( This world is sweet and green. ) Between Wealth and Good Deeds الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا ( Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. ) This is like the Ayah: زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَتِ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَـطِيرِ الْمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ ( Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, vaulted hoards of gold... ) 3:14.
Allah says: إِنَّمَآ أَمْوَلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَـدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ( Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allah! With Him is a great reward (Paradise ).) 64:15 turning towards Allah and worshipping Him is better for you than keeping busy with them, and accumulating wealth for them and going to extremes in feeling pity and compassion for them.
Allah says: وَالْبَـقِيَاتُ الصَّـلِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلاً ( But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for reward and better for hope. ) Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr and others among the Salaf said that the good righteous deeds that last are the five daily prayers.
`Ata' bin Abi Rabah and Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn `Abbas, "The good righteous deeds that last are `Subhan Allah ( glory be to Allah )', `Al-Hamdu Lillah ( praise be to Allah )', `La ilaha illallah ( there is none worthy of worship except Allah )', and `Allahu Akbar ( Allah is Most Great ).'" The Commander of the faithful, `Uthman bin `Affan was questioned, "Which are the good righteous deeds that last" He replied, "They are: `La ilaha illallah, Subhan Allah, Al-Hamdu Lillah, Allahu Akbar and La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah hil-`Aliyil-`Azim ( there is no strength and no power except with Allah the Exalted, the Almighty )."' This was recorded by Imam Ahmad.
Imam Ahmad also recorded from a freed slave of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that he said:
«بَخٍ بَخٍ لِخَمْسٍ مَا أَثْقَلَهُنَّ فِي الْمِيزَانِ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَاللهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَسُبْحَانَ اللهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ للهِ، وَالْوَلَدُ الصَّالِحُ يُتَوَفَّى فَيَحْتَسِبُهُ وَالِدُهُ وَقَالَ: بَخٍ بَخٍ لِخَمْسٍ مَنْ لَقِيَ اللهَ مُسْتَيْقِنًا بِهِنَّ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ: يُؤْمِنُ بِاللهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ، وَبِالْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ، وَبِالْبَعْثِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَبِالْحِسَاب»
( Well done! Well done for five things! (How heavy they will weigh in the balance! "La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, Subhan Allah, and Al-Hamdu Lillah," and a righteous son who dies and his parents seek the reward of Allah. ) And he said: ( Well done! Well done for five things! Whoever meets Allah believing in them, he will enter Paradise; if he believes in Allah, the Last Day, Paradise and Hell, resurrection after death, and the Reckoning ). وَالْبَـقِيَاتُ الصَّـلِحَاتُ ( the good righteous deeds that last, ) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "This is the celebration of the remembrance of Allah, saying `La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, Subhan Allah, Al-Hamdu Lillah, Tabarak Allah, La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, Astaghfirallah, Sallallahu `ala Rasul-Allah', and fasting, prayer, Hajj, Sadaqah ( charity ), freeing slaves, Jihad, maintaining ties of kinship, and all other good deeds.
These are the righteous good deeds that last, which will remain in Paradise for those who do them for as long as heaven and earth remain." Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas: "They are good words." `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "They are all righteous deeds." This was also the view chosen by Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him.

The Parable of the Worldly Life Allah says: وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم ( And mention ) O Muhammad, to the people, مَثَلُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا ( the parable of the worldly life ), its transient nature and how it will eventually cease and come to an end. كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الاٌّرْضِ ( it is like the water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, ) It mingles with the seeds that are in the earth, so they grow and become good, producing bright, fresh flowers, then after that, فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا ( it becomes dry and broken pieces, ) withered up, تَذْرُوهُ الرِّياحُ ( which the winds scatter. ) tossing them about right and left. وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرًا ( And Allah is able to do everything ) He has the power to do this and that.
In the Qur'an Allah often gives parables like this of the life of this world, as He says in Surah Yunus, إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الاٌّرْضِ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ النَّاسُ وَالاٌّنْعَـمُ ( The parable of the worldly life is but that of water which We send down from the sky so by it arises the intermingled produce of the earth of which men and cattle eat.
.. ) 10:24 and in Surat Az-Zumar: أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعاً مُّخْتَلِفاً أَلْوَانُهُ s( See you not that Allah sends down water from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, then out from it comes crops of different colors. ) 39:21 and in Surat Al-Hadid: اعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَا الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى الاٌّمْوَلِ وَالاٌّوْلْـدِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ( Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children.
(It is ) like the parable of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller...) 57:20 and in the Sahih Hadith: «الدُّنْيَا حُلْوَةٌ خَضِرَة» ( This world is sweet and green. ) Between Wealth and Good Deeds الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا ( Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. ) This is like the Ayah: زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَتِ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَـطِيرِ الْمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ ( Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, vaulted hoards of gold... ) 3:14.
Allah says: إِنَّمَآ أَمْوَلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَـدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ( Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allah! With Him is a great reward (Paradise ).) 64:15 turning towards Allah and worshipping Him is better for you than keeping busy with them, and accumulating wealth for them and going to extremes in feeling pity and compassion for them.
Allah says: وَالْبَـقِيَاتُ الصَّـلِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلاً ( But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for reward and better for hope. ) Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr and others among the Salaf said that the good righteous deeds that last are the five daily prayers.
`Ata' bin Abi Rabah and Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn `Abbas, "The good righteous deeds that last are `Subhan Allah ( glory be to Allah )', `Al-Hamdu Lillah ( praise be to Allah )', `La ilaha illallah ( there is none worthy of worship except Allah )', and `Allahu Akbar ( Allah is Most Great ).'" The Commander of the faithful, `Uthman bin `Affan was questioned, "Which are the good righteous deeds that last" He replied, "They are: `La ilaha illallah, Subhan Allah, Al-Hamdu Lillah, Allahu Akbar and La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah hil-`Aliyil-`Azim ( there is no strength and no power except with Allah the Exalted, the Almighty )."' This was recorded by Imam Ahmad.
Imam Ahmad also recorded from a freed slave of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that he said: «بَخٍ بَخٍ لِخَمْسٍ مَا أَثْقَلَهُنَّ فِي الْمِيزَانِ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَاللهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَسُبْحَانَ اللهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ للهِ، وَالْوَلَدُ الصَّالِحُ يُتَوَفَّى فَيَحْتَسِبُهُ وَالِدُهُ وَقَالَ: بَخٍ بَخٍ لِخَمْسٍ مَنْ لَقِيَ اللهَ مُسْتَيْقِنًا بِهِنَّ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ: يُؤْمِنُ بِاللهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ، وَبِالْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ، وَبِالْبَعْثِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَبِالْحِسَاب» ( Well done! Well done for five things! (How heavy they will weigh in the balance! "La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, Subhan Allah, and Al-Hamdu Lillah," and a righteous son who dies and his parents seek the reward of Allah. ) And he said: ( Well done! Well done for five things! Whoever meets Allah believing in them, he will enter Paradise; if he believes in Allah, the Last Day, Paradise and Hell, resurrection after death, and the Reckoning ). وَالْبَـقِيَاتُ الصَّـلِحَاتُ ( the good righteous deeds that last, ) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "This is the celebration of the remembrance of Allah, saying `La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, Subhan Allah, Al-Hamdu Lillah, Tabarak Allah, La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, Astaghfirallah, Sallallahu `ala Rasul-Allah', and fasting, prayer, Hajj, Sadaqah ( charity ), freeing slaves, Jihad, maintaining ties of kinship, and all other good deeds.
These are the righteous good deeds that last, which will remain in Paradise for those who do them for as long as heaven and earth remain." Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas: "They are good words." `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "They are all righteous deeds." This was also the view chosen by Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him.

Allah then mentions the comfort that the life of this world contains, saying: ( Wealth and children are an ornament of life of the world ) but they do not last just as dry twigs do not. ( But the good deeds which endure ) the five daily prayers; it is also said that the reference here is to: that which is lasting in reward. Good deeds include the saying of: " Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is no deity save Allah and Allah is the greatest " , ( are better in thy Lord’s sight for reward ) for recompense, ( and better about hope ) the prayer is the best work by means of which the servants can be helpful.

Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds (five compulsory prayers, deeds of Allah's obedience, good and nice talk, remembrance of Allah with glorification, praises and thanks, etc.), that last, are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope.

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