Surah At-Takathur (The piling Up — The Emulous Desire)
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
أَلۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ ١ حَتَّىٰ زُرۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَقَابِرَ ٢ كَلَّا سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ ٣ ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ ٤ كَلَّا لَوۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ عِلۡمَ ٱلۡيَقِينِ ٥ لَتَرَوُنَّ ٱلۡجَحِيمَ ٦ ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيۡنَ ٱلۡيَقِينِ ٧ ثُمَّ لَتُسَۡٔلُنَّ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَنِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ ٨
Translation:
In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious, the MOST Merciful.
1. The mutual rivalry (for piling up of worldly things) diverts you,
2. Until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die).
3. Nay! You shall come to know!
4. Again nay! You shall come to know!
S. Nay! If you knew with a sure knowledge (the end result of piling up, you would not have yourselves in worldly things).
6. Verily, You shall see the blazing Fire (Hell)!
7. And again, you shall do it with certainty of sight!
8. Then on that Day you shall be asked about the delights (you indulged in, in this world)!
Commentary
The Surah, which is chapter 102 of the Qur’an, was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) at Makkah. The Sarah takes its name from the first verse and contains eight verses.
In the Surah, Allah (S.W.T) reminds Mankind about evil of their natural instincts, which include piling up of worldly properties and rivalry, and desire for worldly gains such as wealth, and children. This distracts them from adequately carrying out their duties towards Allah. Mankind, in pursuance of worldly things tends to be engrossed and forget the temporal nature of the world where everyone has an appointed time to live in.
It is true that man continues in his worldly pursuance until the reality of death approaches and overtakes him. The Surah makes Muslims realize that regarding their actions and deeds, Allah will make them calculate them by weighing the good deeds from the bad deeds and judge them. Allah will then reward the righteous and punish the wrongdoers. This is very certain, as Allah has promised to probe into pleasures that human beings have engaged in while still on the surface of the earth.
Lessons Contained in the Surah at-takathur are:
1. The Chapter is Surah At -Takathur (Chapter 102 of the Qur’an.).
2. It is a Makkan Surah.
3. It takes its title from a word in the first verse, (at Takathur).
4. The Surah reveals man’s inordinate desire to have wealth and more wealth.
5. Man is warned against over ambition for material gains.
6. This is because it can lead to destruction.
7. Competition for superiority in wealth can make one misbehave.
8. Man should know that the acquisition of wealth is not the real object of his life.
9. The purpose of creation is to worship Allah.
10. The Surah discourages man from pursuing worldly affairs to the extent of forgetting Allah.
11. But we can endeavour to compete with one another in the doing of good.
12. We should prepare for the hereafter with faith and good deeds.
13. Man should be mindful of his deeds to Allah and fellow human beings.
14. Inevitability of death and the existence of Hell fire are confirmed.
15. Man is accountable to Allah for his deeds in the hereafter.
16. It is a natural instinct inherent in mankind to tend towards wealth and Material acquisition without limitation.
17. It warns that one should be cautious in this process of material acquisition because it leads to nothing good but destruction.
18. it is not out of place to compete with one another in doing good deeds and worship of Allah as well as following the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
19. Hereafter is real and it heralds the process of accountability, judgment And rewards or punishment.
20. Though it is important to know that every action or deeds that one engages in while in the world, will be judged.
21. No one will be spared of the consequences of the pleasures that he or she enjoyed while on earth.