Al-Qasas 28:83
The Stories · Juz 20 · Page 395
تِلۡكَ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ نَجۡعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوّٗا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فَسَادٗاۚ وَٱلۡعَٰقِبَةُ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ ٨٣
That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous.
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 28:83–84
Commentary
لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا (We assigned it to those who intend neither haughtiness on earth nor mischief. - 28:83). This verse tells us that only those will achieve salvation and success in the Hereafter who do not intend any mischief, nor are indulged in عُلُوًّا ` Uluww in this world. عُلُوًّا ` Uluww means pride or conceit, that is, to present oneself as superior before others, and to look down upon others and treat them in an insulting manner. Mischief is used here for oppression. (Sufyan Ath-Thauri). Some commentators have observed that every sin is a 'mischief in the world', because the nuisance of the sin curtails the blessings of the world. This verse tells us that those who intend to do cruelty and feel proud, or commit sin have no share in the Hereafter.
Special Note
Arrogance and conceit as condemned in this verse, is the behavior in which one shows off as being superior, and looks down upon others. Otherwise to strive for oneself a good dress, a good house, and good food, when it is not intended to show off, is no sin, as reported in a hadith in Sahih Muslim.
Firm intention to commit a sin is also sin
It is clarified in this verse that the intention for mischief and pride will debar one from the share of Hereafter. It is, therefore, clear that the firm intention of a sin is as much a sin. (Ruh) However, if one changes his mind for fear of Allah, then a reward is noted in his record instead of sin. But if he fails to act on that sin, due to reasons beyond his control, while he had firm intention to act upon it, then the sin stays against his name, and will be recorded as such. (Ghazzali)
The last verse وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (And the (best) end is for the God-fearing - 28:83) elaborates that it is not enough to abstain from mischief and pride to get the share of the Hereafter, but following the righteous path is as much a requirement. To follow all the religious obligations is also essential for the salvation in the Hereafter.
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28:78
قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُۥ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ عِندِيٓۚ أَوَلَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدۡ أَهۡلَكَ مِن قَبۡلِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرُونِ مَنۡ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنۡهُ قُوَّةٗ وَأَكۡثَرُ جَمۡعٗاۚ وَلَا يُسۡـَٔلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٧٨
He said, "I was only given it because of knowledge I have." Did he not know that Allāh had destroyed before him of generations those who were greater than him in power and greater in accumulation [of wealth]? But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked.1
1 translator’s note
- There will be no need to enumerate their sins separately, as their quantity is obvious and more than sufficient to warrant punishment in Hell. ↩
28:79
فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ فِي زِينَتِهِۦۖ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا يَٰلَيۡتَ لَنَا مِثۡلَ مَآ أُوتِيَ قَٰرُونُ إِنَّهُۥ لَذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٖ ٧٩
So he came out before his people in his adornment. Those who desired the worldly life said, "Oh, would that we had like what was given to Qārūn. Indeed, he is one of great fortune."
28:80
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ وَيۡلَكُمۡ ثَوَابُ ٱللَّهِ خَيۡرٞ لِّمَنۡ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗاۚ وَلَا يُلَقَّىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلصَّٰبِرُونَ ٨٠
But those who had been given knowledge said, "Woe to you! The reward of Allāh is better for he who believes and does righteousness. And none are granted it except the patient."
28:81
فَخَسَفۡنَا بِهِۦ وَبِدَارِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ فَمَا كَانَ لَهُۥ مِن فِئَةٖ يَنصُرُونَهُۥ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُنتَصِرِينَ ٨١
And We caused the earth to swallow him and his home. And there was for him no company to aid him other than Allāh, nor was he of those who [could] defend themselves.
28:82
وَأَصۡبَحَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَمَنَّوۡاْ مَكَانَهُۥ بِٱلۡأَمۡسِ يَقُولُونَ وَيۡكَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَقۡدِرُۖ لَوۡلَآ أَن مَّنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡنَا لَخَسَفَ بِنَاۖ وَيۡكَأَنَّهُۥ لَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ ٨٢
And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say, "Oh, how Allāh extends provision to whom He wills of His servants and restricts it! If not that Allāh had conferred favor on us, He would have caused it to swallow us. Oh, how the disbelievers do not succeed!"
28:83
تِلۡكَ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ نَجۡعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوّٗا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فَسَادٗاۚ وَٱلۡعَٰقِبَةُ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ ٨٣
That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous.
28:84
مَن جَآءَ بِٱلۡحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُۥ خَيۡرٞ مِّنۡهَاۖ وَمَن جَآءَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجۡزَى ٱلَّذِينَ عَمِلُواْ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ إِلَّا مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٨٤
Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have better than it; and whoever comes with an evil deed - then those who did evil deeds will not be recompensed except [as much as] what they used to do.