SURAH (102) AT-TAKASUR (AYA 1 to 8)

Sura (102) AT-TAKASUR (Vying in Exuberance/Piling Up) Aya 1 to 8 verses in 1 Section

Revealed at Makka

SECTION 1

Exeberance engages men

Exeberance engages man, diverting him from the real object of life---Man will know his folly when he will reach his grace.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ 

أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ {102:1}

[Q102:1] Al haaku mut takathur 
[Q102:1] The mutual rivalry for piling up of worldly things diverts you,

The occasion for the revelation of this Surah has been reported to be that the people of Bani Abde-Mannaf, Bani Qusai and Ibne-Sham ibne Omar, got busy in a mutual contest of priding over each other, the strength, their number and the matter went to the extent of counting even the dead among them, to the sides and once when one of the parties fell short of one to win over the others, a grave was opened and the dead lying therein was counted. This Surah was revealed.

Refers to the total indulgence into the material acquisitions in this world which, [1] not only degenerates the moral and the spiritual aspect of the individual BUT [2] takes away all the time more and more, [3] it leaving no time for seeking the higher objects of the real and the permanent value in the life hereafter which is eternal while every material acquisition has only an imaginary and timely value and which leaves behind when he or she passes away from this world.

BESIDES, EVERYTHING OF THE MATERIAL WEALTH IS LIABLE TO PASS AWAY FROM THE ACQUIRER TO SOMEBODY ELSE BUT EVERY SPIRITUAL AND MORAL OR INTELLECTUAL ACQUISITION, IS INSEPARABLE FROM THE INDIVIDUAL, AND GOES WITH THE ACQUIRER WHEN HE PASSES AWAY FROM THE WORLD TO THE NEXT.

In this chapter, reference is made to the different stages of human realisation of the life of the hereafter corresponding to the degree of one’s disengagement from the attractions---towards accumulation of the material stuff which the first stage common to all, is the visits to graveyards which have been commended by Islam and prevented by some fanatics.

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(102:1) The craving for ever-greater worldly gains and to excel others in that regard keeps you occupied *1

*1 The words alhakum at-takathur of the original are too vast in meaning to be fully explained in a passage Alhakmn is from lahv which originally means heedlessness, but in Arabic this word is used for every occupation which engrosses man so completely that he becomes heedless of the more important things in life.
When the word alhakum is made from this root, it will mean that man has become so obsessed with some occupation that he has lost sight of everything more important than it. He is pre-occupied with it, is wholly lost in pursuit of it and this obsession has rendered him heedless of everything else in life.
Takathur is from kathrat, which has three meanings: (1) That man should strive to gain more and more of everything; (2) that the people should vie with one another for gaining more and more; and (3) that they should brag and boast of possessing greater abundance of things than others. 
Therefore, alhakum at-takathur would mean: "Takathur (greed for more and more) has so occupied you that its pursuit has made you heedless of every higher thing in Iife." In this sentence it has not been indicated as to abundance of what is meant in takathur, heedlessness of what is implied in alhakrun, and who are the addresses of alhakum. In the absence of such an explanation, the words become applicable in their most general and extensive meaning. Thus, takathur dces not remain restricted in meaning and application but applies to all the gains and benefits, pleasures and comforts, the passion for acquiring more and more means of power and authority, vying with others in pursuit of these and bragging and boasting of their abundance. Likewise, the addressees of alhakum also do not remain limited but the people of all ages, in their individual as well as collective capacity, become its addressees. It gives the meaning that the passion for acquiring more and more of the worldly wealth, vying with others in pursuit of it and bragging and boasting of its possession has affected individuals as well as societies. Like wise, since in alhakum at-takathur it has not been pointed out as to which people are engrossed in acquisitiveness and of what they are rendered heedless, it has also become very extensive in meaning. It means that the passion for piling up more and more has made the people heedless of everything more important than it. They have become heedless of God, of the Hereafter, of the moral bounds and moral responsibilities, of the rights of others and of their own obligations to render those rights. They are only after raising the standard of living and do not bother even if the standard of humanity be falling. They want to acquire more and more of wealth no matter how and by what means it is acquired. They desire to have more and more means of comfort and physical enjoyment and, overwhelmed by this greed, they have become wholly insensitive as to the ultimate end of this way of living. They are engaged in a race with others to acquire more and more of power, more and more of forces, more and more of weapons, and they have no idea that all this is a means of filling God`s earth with tyranny and wickedness and of destroying humanity itself. In short, takathur has many forms, which have engrossed individuals as well as societies so completely that they have become heedless of everything beyond the world, its benefits and pleasures. 

حَتَّىٰ زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ {102:2}

[Q102:2] Hatta zurtumul-maqaabir. 
[Q102:2] Until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die).

In this surah reference is made to that which man will see and experience in the hereafter as the consequence of his over indulgence in the accumulation of material possessions. HE WILL LOOK BACK ON A WASTED LIFE. It is because of this that a visit to graveyards is highly commendable.

When the time comes man lies down in his grave and leaves the pomp and material gains behind. By looking at the grave of a man who left behind an empty life the true reality of the hereafter appears and warns us to strive for the accumulation of good deeds which alone will deliver us on the Day of Reckoning.

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(102:2) until you reach your graves. *2

*2 That is, "You expend your whole Iife in the same craze and endeavour, until the time comes when you must die and leave the world." 

كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ {102:3}

[Q102:3] Kallaa sawfa ta’lamoon
[Q102:3] Nay! You shall come to know!

FOR VERSES 3 & 4.

THE REPETITION IN THE SAME STATEMENT, IS TO LAY STRESS AND TO GIVE TO FORCE IT, that surely without fail will men know the real value of the wealth with which they vie with each other and spend their whole life in acquiring it, FOR IT WILL BE OF NO VALUE OR AVAIL TO THEM WHEN THEY MEET DEATH AND IN THE LIFE HEREAFTER --- For the fate of those who pile wealth in this life, see also verses 9:34 & 35.

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(102:3) Nay, you will soon come to know; *3

*3 That is, "You are under the delusion that the abundance of the worldly goods and surpassing others in it, is real progress and success, whereas the opposite is the case. Soon you will know its evil end and you will realize that it was a stupendous error in which you remained involved throughout your Iife. "Soon" may mean the Hereafter, for, for the Being Whose sight comprehends alI ages, from eternity to eternity, a few thousand years or a few hundred thousand years can only be a short span of the eternal time. But it can also mean death, for death is not very far away from any man, and soon after death man will come to know whether the occupations which engaged him throughout life were a means of good fortune and success for him, or of misfortune and failure. 

ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ {102:4}

[Q102:4] Thumma kallaa sawfa ta’lamoon.     
[Q102:4] Again, Nay! You shall come to know!

 (see commentary for verse 3)

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(102:4) nay, again, you shall soon come to know.

كَلَّا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ {102:5}

[Q102:5] Kalla law ta'lamoona 'ilmal yaqeen.     
[Q102:5] Nay! If you knew with a sure knowledge (the end result of piling up, you would not have occupied yourselves in worldly things)

MEN WILL KNOW THE REAL VALUE OF THEIR MOTIVES AND DEEDS AS CERTAINTY OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE, when they pass from this life to the hereafter and on the Day of Final Judgment.

Certainty of knowledge has been described to have stages:

1.        What one only hears about--- ‘Ibnul-Yaqeen’, i.e., the mere information about what is said to a certainty.

2.        What one sees with one’s eyes---the visual knowledge of that which exists ‘Ainul-Yaqeen’ as said in verse 7 below in this Surah---seeing the Hell with the eyes.

3.        The realisation or the knowledge proper is the personal experience with the thing, is ‘Haqqul-Yaqeen’, i.e., the realisation of the Truth about the thing as said in verse 69:51.

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(102:5) Nay, would that you knew with certainty of knowledge (what your attitude will lead to, you would never have acted the way you do).

لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ {102:6}

[Q102:6] Latara-wun nal Jaheeem
[Q102:6] Verily, You shall see the blazing Fire (Hell)!

The deniers of the Day of Requital shall themselves see Hell.

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(102:6) You will surely end up seeing Hell;

ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ {102:7}

[Q102:7] Thumma latara wunnaha 'ainal yaqeen.     
[Q102:7] And again, you shall see it with certainty of sight!

THEY SHALL SEE IT WITH THEIR OWN TWO EYES and they will know about it certainty and when they will be thrown in it, they will know what it avtually is, i.e., the realisation of the Truth about Hell.

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(102:7) again, you shall most certainly end up seeing it with absolute certainty.

ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ {102:8}

[Q102:8] Thumma latus alunna yauma-izin 'anin na'eem. 
[Q102:8] Then, on that Day, you shall be asked about the delight (you indulged in, in this world)!

Allamah Bahrayni, in Ghayah al Maram, chapter 48 (Al-Fath), narrates three traditions reported through Sunni sources, showing that in this verse the word bounty (naim) means the blessing of the guidance through the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) and the Imams of his Ahlul Bayt.

±  Imam Ali bin Musa ar Rida said: "It is beyond the generosity and grace of the Lord-cherisher (rabbul alamin) that He will take account of the bounties given as gifts. In fact man will be questioned about [1] his belief in the oneness (tawhid) of ALLAH (SWT) and [2] acceptance of the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) and [3] his Ahlul Bait as his masters (mawla)."

±  In Hayatul Hayawan, Damiri narrates that one day Abu Hanifa went to Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq and discussed with him the standard procedure and technique of ijtihad. The Imam told him: "I have heard that you rely upon your qiyas (conjecture) to decide issues of jurisprudence. I am sure you are aware of the fact that it was Iblis who first used qiyas to disobey the command of ALLAH (SWT), therefore he was cursed forever. You have also told me that if a man gives food and other useful things as free gift to a needy person and then puts the burden of obligation on him, you will not hesitate to call him a miser. So how can you say that (in verse 102:8 of Takathur) mankind will be questioned on the day of reckoning about the bounties ALLAH (SWT) gives man as gifts? You should therefore agree that na-im means that ALLAH (SWT) shall examine mankind about their belief in Him and their acceptance of the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) and his Ahlul Bait as their masters (mawla) in order to obey them and follow them."

MAN WILL BE QUESTIONED ABOUT THE BOUNTIES OF ALLAH (SWT) WHICH HAD BEEN GRANTED TO HIM.

Some commentators say that man will have to account for everything which he was given in this world. It is reported to have been told by the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) that man will not be asked about: ***The garments he used to cover his shame ***The food he took in hunger ***What he spent in the way of the Lord.

v  The Eight Holy Imam Ali-ibne-Musa Ar-Riza told a man that: “a man does not like burdening anyone with any obligation about what is gifted to him, how could, ALLAH (SWT) ask for everything. He has Himself granted out of His grace. But what ALLAH (SWT) will ask man to account for, is about the belief in Him and the belief in the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) and the Ahlul Bait.”

Shafayi reports in his work ‘Hayatul Hayawan’ ------ saying that Abu Hanifa said that once when he was in Mina (for the pilgrimage) the barber who sat to give him a shave, wanted him first to turn the right side of his head, turn to the direction of the Holy Ka’bah and say ‘Bismillah’, i.e., In the name of ALLAH (SWT)” Abu Hanifa said that he learnt the doctrines from the barber for the first time in his life. On being asked his identity, the barber said that he was the slave of the Sixth Holy Imam Jafar ibne Muhammad As-Sadiq. Abu Hanifa wanted to know the residence of the Holy Imam but was not given admittance into his audience. When some Kufees got the admittance, he got in, joining the Kufees and while talking to the Holy Imam, said:  ‘O’ Son of the Prophet (every Holy Imam was known and addressed as the son of the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) why thou not sent someone on thy behalf to Kufa where multitude of the people abuse the companions of the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf)?

µ  The Holy Imam replied: “the people would not listen to me.”

µ  Abu Hanifa in a wonder asked: “What? To thee, the son of the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf), the people would not listen?”

µ  The Holy Imam said: “One of them is thyself” I had not permitted thee and yet thou hast entered the house and I hear that thou doth decide matters based upon thine own gestures.”

µ  Abu Hanifa accepted and said: “Yes, I do guess in matters of doubt and decide about them as I guess to be right.”

µ  The Holy Imam replied: “Woe unto thee O’ No’man (that was the name of Abu Hanifa) the first one to guess was ‘Iblees’ the Satan who defying the Lord’s command to pay obeisance to Adam, had said Thou didst create me with Fire and Adam with Clay,” and did not carry out the Lord’s command.”

µ  Saying this the Holy Imam continued: “Tell me O’ No’man which of the two is graver and more serious. Murder or Adultery?”

µ  Abu Hanifa said: “Murder.”

µ  Said the Holy Imam: “Then” “Why did ALLAH (SWT)’s law demand two witness to prove Murder and Four for Adultery?” Has your guessing any reason for this?”

µ  Abu Hanifa said: “No”

µ  The Holy Imam continued: “Which of the two is greater or superior “Salat” (prayer) or “Fasting”

µ  Abu Hanifa said “Salat”

µ  Then said the Holy Imam “Why has it been demanded of a woman under her monthly course to overtake the number of fasts left over during her unclean state, when she gets cleaned and not the prayers---Can thou guess the reason?”

µ  Abu Hanifa said “No”

µ  Then asked the Holy Imam “O’ No’man who is weaker, man or a woman?”

µ  Abu Hanifa said “Woman”

µ  Then said the Holy Imam “why has ALLAH (SWT) allotted two shares to man, and to woman only one? ---has thy guessing any reason?”

µ  Abu Hanifa said “No”

µ  The Holy Imam continued “I hear O’ No’man that thou doth interpret the Holy Qur’an by your guess”

µ  Abu Hanifa said “Yes”

µ  Then said the Holy Imam “Tell me if by the verse (this verse) what is meant providing one with cold water in a hot season with some delicious food?”

µ  Abu Hanifa “Yes”

µ  The Holy Imam continued “Tell me if a man entertains thee with some delicious food and good drink and thereafter places an obligation on thee, what would thou think of such a man?”

µ  Abu Hanifa said “I would call him a niggard, a miser.”

µ  Then asked the Holy Imam “Thinkest thou ALLAH (SWT) to be a niggard or a miser to question about food granted to man when such a conduct men do hate?”

µ  Abu Hanifa asked “Then what doth thou thinkest O’ son of the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf)?”

µ  The Holy Imam said “O’ No’man! ALLAH (SWT) would question men about their faith in Him, their acceptance of the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) and their obedience to we, the Ahlul Bait.”

Questioning mankind about these three matters comprehends the accounting about everything man feel and act whether what was thought and acted, was within the limits of the sanction of ALLAH (SWT), His apostle and the divinely commissioned interpreters of the Word of ALLAH (SWT).

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(102:8) Then, on that Day, you will be called to account for all the bounties you enjoyed. *4

*4 "Then" in this sentence does not mean that accountability will be held after the culprits have been cast into Hell, but it means: "Then We give you the news that you will be questioned about these comforts of Iife," and obviously this questioning will be held at the time of accountability in the Divine Court. Its chief argument is that in several Ahadith it has been reported from the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) that the believers and the disbelievers, both will have to account for the blessings granted by Allah. However, the people who did not show ingratitude but spent their lives as grateful servants of Allah, will come out successful from the accountability, and those who proved thankless to Allah for His blessings and committed ingratitude by word or by deed, or by both; will emerge as failures.
Hadrat Jabir bin `Abdullah says: "The Holy Prophet once visited us and we served him with fresh dates and gave him cool water to drink. Thereupon he said: "These are of the blessings about which you will be questioned." (Musnad Ahmad, Nasa'i, Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Marduyah, `Abd bin Humaid, Baihaqi in Ash-Shu `ab).
Hadrat Abu Hurairah has reported that the Holy Prophet once asked Hadrat Abu Bakr and Hadrat `Umar to accompany him to the place of AbulHaitham bin at-Tahan Ansari. Thus, he took them to the oasis of Ibn at-Taihan-The latter brought a bunch of dates and placed it before them. The Holy Prophet said: "Why didn't you pluck the dates yourself?` He said: "I thought you would yourselves select and eat dates of your choice." So, they ate the dates and drank cool water. At the end, the Holy Prophet said: "By Him in Whose hand is my Iife: this is of the blessings about which you will be questioned on the Resurrection Day, the cool shade, the cool dates, the cool water." (This tradition has been narrated in different ways by Muslim, Ibn Majah, Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ibn Jarir, Abu Ya`la and others, on the authority of Hadrat Abu Hurairah, in some of which the name of the Ansari Companion has been mentioned and in some he has been referred to as a person from among the Ansar. This incident has been related with several details by Ibn Abi Hatim from Hadrat `Umar and by Imam Ahmad from Abu `Asib, the Holy Prophet's freed slave. Ibn Hibban and Ibn Marduyah have related a tradition from Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas, which shows that an almost similar thing had happened in the house of Hadrat Abu Ayyub Ansari.
These Ahadith make it explicit that not only the disbelievers but the righteous believers too will be questioned. As for the blessings which Allah has bestowed on man, they are unlimited and countless. There are many blessings of which man is not even conscious. The Qur'an says: "If you try to count the blessings of Allah, you will not be able to calculate them." (Ibrahim : 34). Countless of them are the blessings which Allah has granted directly to man, and a large number of these are the blessings which man is granted through his own skill and endeavour. About the blessings that accrue to man in consequence of his own labour and skill, he will have to render an account as to how he acquired them and in what ways he expended them. In respect of the blessings directly bestowed by Allah, he will have to give an account as to how he used them. And in respect of all the blessings, on the whole, he will have to tell whether he had acknowledged that those blessings had been granted by Allah and whether he had expressed gratitude for them to Allah with his heart, and by word and deed, or whether he thought he had received all that accidentally, or as' a gift from many gods, or whether he Geld the belief that although those were the blessings of One God, in their bestowal many other beings also had a part, and for that very reason he had taken them as his gods and worshipped and thanked them as such.

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