Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire - of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return.
An ƙawata wa mutãne son sha'awõyi daga mãtã da ɗiya da dũkiyõyi abũbuwan tãrãwa daga zinariya da azurfa, da dawãki kiwãtattu da dabbõbin ci da hatsi. Wannan shi ne dãɗin rãyuwar dũniya. Kuma Allah a wurinsa kyakkyãwar makõma take. --Quran/3/14
Commentaries for 3.14
Al Imran (The family of Imran) - آل عمران
- 3.14 Abbas - Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs
- Allah then mentions the bounties of the life of this world that He has made attractive for the unbelievers, saying: (Beautified for mankind is) what people's hearts find desirable is (love of the joys (that come) from women) meaning slave women and wives (and offspring) slaves and children, (and stored up heaps) amassed wealth (of gold and silver) it is also said that this means: minted or engraved gold and silver, (and horses branded (with their mark)) beautiful branded horses and grazing in pastures, (and cattle) i.e. sheep, cows and camels (and land) cultivation and cultivated lands. (That) which is mentioned above (is comfort of the life of the world) is of benefit to people in the life of this world and then it vanishes; it is also said that this means: the joys of this world last only for as long as the stuff of any home, a bowl, a plate and the like. (Allah! With Him is a more excellent abode) in the Hereafter, i.e. Paradise, to whoever shun such joys.
- 3.14 Asrar - Kashf Al-Asrar
- Adorned for people is love of appetites, like women, children, heaped-up heaps of gold and silver, horses of mark, cattle, and tillage. That is the enjoyment of the life of this world.
- The paragon of the world and master of the children of Adam, MuṣṬafā, reported that when the Eternal Enactor created paradise, He said to Gabriel, “'O Gabriel! Go look at it.' Go gaze on this paradise and see once what I have made and created for My servants and friends.” Gabriel went and saw those adorned paradises with their infinite joy and bliss, that place of revelry made and prepared in the neighborhood of God's Presence for the exalted ones of the road and God's friends.
- When Gabriel came back he said, “Lord God, 'By Thy exaltedness, no one will hear of it and not enter into it!' By the exaltedness of Your Lordhood, no one will hear the attributes of this paradise without aiming for it and becoming obedient so that he may enter it.”
- Then the Lord of the Worlds surrounded paradise with all the hardship and suffering of unworthy things and unreached desires, and He made its road a bridge of trial so that everyone who aims for the Patron must first pass over that bridge of trial.
- Shaykh al-Islām Anṣārī said, “How should I have known that suffering is the mother of happiness and that beneath one disappointment lie a thousand treasures? How should I have known which gate this is or what is the answer to the story of friendship? How should I have known that companionship with You is the greatest Resurrection and that the exaltation of union with You lies in the abasement of bewilderment?”
- O spirit of the world! The Kaabah is a sweet place, the nest of God's friends and the lodging place of the sincerely truthful, but there is a man-eating desert before it, mile after mile and way station after way station. Who in the end will have the seeking to pass over all those miles and way stations until he reaches the magnificent Kaabah?
- A world is wandering in the desert of Your love-
- who will be given access to the Kaabah of Your acceptance? [DS 210]
- After He made the road of paradise that of unreached desires and disappointment, the command came, “O Gabriel: Look again.
- What do you see?” Gabriel saw that road full of danger, those mileposts of struggle, those way stations of discipline that He placed before the travelers to para-
- dise. The Exalted Qur'an reports that if you do not pass by those mileposts of struggle, you will not gain access to His Presence: “Those who struggle in Us, We will guide them on Our paths” [29:69]. When Gabriel saw that, he said, “Lord God! I do not fancy that any one of them will enter paradise.”
- MuṣṬafā said that the Lord of the Worlds then created hell with the fetters and chains, the tree of Zaqqūm, and the boiling water. He commanded Gabriel, “O Gabriel, go once into this prison to see the effect of My wrath and to know the attribute of My punishment.”
- He said, “Lord God, 'By Thy exaltedness, no one will hear of it and then enter into it!' By Your exaltedness, O Lord, no one will hear the attributes of this hell and then do deeds through which he would enter hell.” Then the Lord of the Worlds surrounded hell with all the appetites of this world that are enumerated in this verse: women, children, heaped-up heaps of gold and silver, horses of mark, cattle, and tillage. He set up its road as the desires and caprice of the soul. Thus everyone who follows in the tracks of his own soul's desire and caprice will in the end head for hell. When Gabriel saw that he said, “Lord God, I fear that none of them will remain without entering hell.”
- Then MuṣṬafā reported about the road to both houses. He said, “The Garden is surrounded by disliked things and the Fire is surrounded by appetites.” Those who walk in the unwanted will step into paradise, and few they will be! Those who walk in appetite will step into hell, and how many they will be! The road of paradise has trials and ups and downs, and the road of hell is easy and does not weigh on souls. “Surely the deeds of the Garden are rough ground on a hill, and surely the deeds of the Fire are soft ground in a valley.”
- 3.14 Jalal - Al-Jalalayn
- Beautified for mankind is love of lusts, that which the self lusts after and calls for, beautified by Satan, or by God as a test — of women, children, stored-up heaps of gold and silver, horses of mark, fine [horses], cattle, namely, camels, cows and sheep, and tillage, the cultivation of land. That, which is mentioned, is the comfort of the life of this world, enjoyed while it lasts, but then perishes; but God — with Him is the more excellent abode, place of return, which is Paradise, and for this reason one should desire none other than this [abode].
- 3.14 Kashani - Kashani
- Beautified for mankind is love of lusts, because man is composite of the higher world and the lower one, and from the time of his configuration and his birth, his primordial nature is veiled and the fire of his instinct subsides, while the light of his insight is extinguished by the veils of nature and the corporeal coverings and the bitter water of sensual pleasures as well as the tempestuous winds of animal lusts so that he becomes abandoned by the Truth in the abodes of estrangement and the habitations of darkness, carried along through trials of various kinds of toils and troubles, when suddenly he finds a shimmering light of discernment and a flash of lightning from the world of the intellect and a summoner [all of which are] calling him away from caprice and Satan and so he falls [this summoner] and chances upon an exalted waystation and an elegant garden in which there is all that the souls can desire and the eyes can delight in. He takes up his abode therein, grateful for his effort and satisfied with his [new] dwelling, saying:
- 'When the morning comes the people praise their night journeying, while the summoner has prepared for them a hospitable reception'.
- Such is the love of lusts, that is [the love of] the mentioned desired things and the way that these are made beautiful for him, which is an enjoyment given to him in accordance with how much he has of the lower world and of perfection for his life [in this world] by which he has been veiled from the enjoyment of the life of the Hereafter and its perfection in accordance with how much he has of the higher world, while he is inattentive to the fact that this [latter] is more splendid and more pleasurable, purer for that matter and more abiding, which is the meaning of His words: but God - with Him is the more excellent abode. If the divinely-granted success and the alerting of the inner secret should reach him, in conjunction with the prophetic apprising, as He says:
- 3.14-15 Kathir - Ibn Al Kathir
- The True Value of This Earthly Life
- Allah mentions the delights that He put in this life for people, such as women and children, and He started with women, because the test with them is more tempting. For instance, the Sahih recorded that the Messenger said,
- «مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدِي فِتْنَةً أَضَرَّ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ مِنَ النِّسَاء»
- (I did not leave behind me a test more tempting to men than women.)
- When one enjoys women for the purpose of having children and preserving his chastity, then he is encouraged to do so. There are many Hadiths that encourage getting married, such as,
- «وَإِنَّ خَيْرَ هذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ مَنْ كَانَ أَكْثَرَهَا نِسَاء»
- (Verily, the best members of this Ummah are those who have the most wives) He also said,
- «الدُّنْيَا مَتَاعٌ، وَخَيْرُ مَتَاعِهَا الْمَرْأَةُ الصَّالِحَة»
- (This life is a delight, and the best of its delight is a righteous wife)
- The Prophet said in another Hadith,
- «حُبِّبَ إِلَيَّ النِّسَاءُ وَالطِّيبُ، وَجُعِلَتْ قُرَّةُ عَيْنِي فِي الصَّلَاة»
- (I was made to like women and perfume, and the comfort of my eye is the prayer.)
- `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "Nothing was more beloved to the Messenger of Allah than women, except horses,'' and in another narration, "...than horses except women.''
- The desire to have children is sometimes for the purpose of pride and boasting, and as such, is a temptation. When the purpose for having children is to reproduce and increase the Ummah of Muhammad with those who worship Allah alone without partners, then it is encouraged and praised. A Hadith states,
- «تَزَوَّجُوا الْوَدُودَ الْوَلُودَ، فَإِنِّي مُكَاثِرٌ بِكُمُ الْأُمَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة»
- (Marry the Wadud (kind) and Walud (fertile) woman, for I will compare your numbers to the rest of the nations on the Day of Resurrection.)
- The desire of wealth sometimes results out of arrogance, and the desire to dominate the weak and control the poor, and this conduct is prohibited. Sometimes, the want for more money is for the purpose of spending it on acts of worship, being kind to the family, the relatives, and spending on various acts of righteousness and obedience; this behavior is praised and encouraged in the religion.
- Scholars of Tafsir have conflicting opinions about the amount of the Qintar, all of which indicate that the Qintar is a large amount of money, as Ad-Dahhak and other scholars said. Abu Hurayrah said "The Qintar is twelve thousand Uwqiyah, each Uwqiyah is better than what is between the heavens and earth.'' This was recorded by Ibn Jarir .
- The desire to have horses can be one of three types. Sometimes, owners of horses collect them to be used in the cause of Allah, and when warranted, they use their horses in battle. This type of owner shall be rewarded for this good action. Another type collects horses to boast, and out of enmity to the people of Islam, and this type earns a burden for his behavior. Another type collects horses to fulfill their needs and to collect their offspring, and they do not forget Allah's right due on their horses. This is why in this case, these horses provide a shield of sufficiency for their owner, as evident by a Hadith that we will mention, Allah willing, when we explain Allah's statement,
- وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُمْ مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ
- (And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war.) 8:60.
- As for the Musawwamah horses, Ibn `Abbas said that they are the branded, beautiful horses. This is the same explanation of Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Abdur-Rahman bin `Abdullah bin Abza, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Abu Sinan and others. Makhul said the Musawwamah refers to the horse with a white spotted faced, and the horse with white feet. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah said,
- «لَيْسَ مِنْ فَرَسٍ عَرَبِيَ إِلَّا يُؤْذَنُ لَهُ مَعَ كُلِّ فَجْرٍ يَدْعُو بِدَعْوَتَيْنِ يَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ خَوَّلْتَنِي مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ، فَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ أَحَبِّ مَالِهِ وَأَهْلِهِ إِلَيْهِ أَوْ أَحَبَّ أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ إِلَيْه»
- (Every Arabian horse is allowed to have two supplications every dawn, and the horse supplicates, `O Allah! You made me subservient to the son of Adam. Therefore, make me among the dearest of his wealth and household to him, or,...make me the dearest of his household and wealth to him.)
- Allah's statement,
- وَالاٌّنْعَـمُ
- (Cattle) means, camels, cows and sheep.
- وَالْحَرْثِ
- (And fertile land) meaning, the land that is used to farm and grow plants.
- Allah then said,
- ذَلِكَ مَتَـعُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا
- (This is the pleasure of the present world's life) meaning, these are the delights of this life and its short lived joys,
- وَاللَّهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَأَبِ
- (But Allah has the excellent return with Him) meaning, the best destination and reward.
- The Reward of the Those Who Have Taqwa is Better Than All Joys of This World
- This is why Allah said,
- قُلْ أَؤُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِخَيْرٍ مِّن ذَلِكُمْ
- (Say: "Shall I inform you of things far better than those'')
- This Ayah means, "Say, O Muhammad, to the people, `Should I tell you about what is better than the delights and joys of this life that will soon perish''' Allah informed them of what is better when He said,
- لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْاْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّـتٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَارُ
- (For those who have Taqwa there are Gardens (Paradise) with their Lord, underneath which rivers flow) meaning, rivers run throughout it. These rivers carry various types of drinks: honey, milk, wine and water such that no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no heart has ever imagined,
- خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَآ
- (Therein (is their) eternal (home)) meaning, they shall remain in it forever and ever and will not want to be removed from it.
- وَأَزْوَجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ
- (And Azwajun Mutahharatun (purified mates or wives)) meaning, from filth, dirt, harm, menstruation, post birth bleeding, and other things that affect women in this world.
- وَرِضْوَنٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ
- (And Allah will be pleased with them) meaning, Allah's pleasure will descend on them and He shall never be angry with them after that. This is why Allah said in in Surah Bara`ah,
- وَرِضْوَنٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ
- (But the pleasure of Allah is greater) 9:72, meaning, greater than the eternal delight that He has granted them. Allah then said,
- وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ
- (And Allah is All-Seer of the (His) servants) and, He gives each provisions according to what they deserve.
- 3.14-17 Maududi - Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an
- Please see E.N. 27, Al-Baqarah.
- That is, "Allah dces not shower His favours erroneously nor whimsically nor dces He make cursory and superficial decisions. He is fully aware of the actions, deeds and intentions of His servants, and evaluates them correctly and knows full well who should deserve His favour and who should incur His displeasure."
- It means, "They stand steadfast for the sake of truth, are not daunted by losses or hardships, are not disheartened by failures, and are not turned aside from the right path by temptations. They stick to the Truth even when there appears to be no chance of success." (Please see E.N. 60, Al-Baqarah also.)
- 3.14 Qushairi - Al-Qushairi
- Beautified for mankind is love of lusts-of women children stored-up heaps of gold and silver horses of high mark cattle and tillage. That is the comfort of the life of this world; but God-with Him is the more excellent abode. He mentions a few examples of lusts without distinguishing between them; included in the category is whatever veils you from witnessing shuhūd. The most difficult of obstacles on this path is hidden lust. According to them seeking pleasure by performing acts of obedience is counted in the category of hidden lust. Reliance on what comes to you from the various kinds of drawing near is among the problematic places of separation [on the path]. It is like the circumstance of someone confiding in you and flattering you. He describes and praises you with every pleasantry but beneath it there is a hidden deception. Felicity comes to you in the unveiling He grants to you through the witnessing shuhūd of His majesty and beauty. It does not come from His affirmation of [your] subtle states or what He chooses to grant [to you] in favors or drawing near..