Аль-Ахкаф 46:20–28

أَذْهَبْتُمْ طَيِّبَاتِكُمْ فِي حَيَاتِكُمُ الدُّنْيَا ("You have consumed your good things in your worldly life - 46:20), It means that the infidels will be told that they had already been awarded delights, luxuries and enjoyment in the worldly life for whatever good deeds they had done there; now there is nothing left for them in the Hereafter. It is known from this verse that the good deeds of disbelievers do not have any worth in the Hereafter due to lack of belief or faith, but Allah Ta’ ala compensates them in this world. The riches and wealth, honour and dignity, etc., which are enjoyed by disbelievers in this world are all recompense for their good deeds, benevolence, sympathy, truthfulness, etc. This rule does not apply to Mu'mins (believers) that if they get any delights, riches and wealth in this world, they would be deprived of their right in the Hereafter.

Incentive for avoiding worldly delights and luxuries

The punishment stated in this verse for the disbelievers is because of their being engrossed in worldly enjoyments. So, the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، his noble companions and Tabi` in رحمۃ اللہ علیہم had made it a habit to avoid worldly enjoyments, as is evident from their lives. The Holy Prophet ﷺ had charged Sayyidna Mu` adh ؓ ، when sending him to Yemen, to keep on avoiding the luxuries of this world. Sayyidna ‘Ali ؓ has reported the Holy Prophet ﷺ saying that one who is happy with Allah Ta’ ala giving him scanty sustenance finds Allah Ta’ ala also happy at his meager deeds. (Mazhari from al-Baghawi)

{ 1} The reference here is to the towns of Thamud and the people of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) that were in the way of the people of Arabia while they travelled to Syria. The people of ` Ad were in Yemen, towards South from Makkah, while the towns of Thamud and those of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) were towards North, hence the words, "around you"

Commentary

These verses are to remind the infidels of the severe punishments faced by earlier people who rejected the messengers sent to them. Special reference is made to ` Ad, the people of Sayyidna Hud (علیہ السلام) who has been described as their 'brother', firstly because he belonged to their tribe, and secondly because he was their well-wisher as a brother. Since this nation lived in valleys surrounded by long, curved sand dunes, called in Arabic Ahqaf , special reference is made to these dunes, so that one could find out their places, if he so wishes when traveling to their localities. It is mentioned in verse 22 that they themselves demanded Allah's punishment to be brought upon them. Then verse 24 states that the punishment was sent to them in the form of a cloud that appeared to be benign, and therefore they were happy to see it in the hope that it would bring rain to them, but in fact it contained the divine punishment in the form of a violent wind that destroyed everything, leaving nothing except their empty homes that remained as a sign for those who might learn a lesson. The detailed account of the story of ` Ad and Thamud has already been given in Surah Hud (11:50) for which volume 4, page 643 of this book may be consulted. Mention of these events in these verses is in the form of a brief reference, and in verse 26 the infidels of Makkah are reminded that those nations were much more powerful and well-established than the people of Makkah. Still, their power and strength was of no use to them against Allah's punishment. Moreover, verse 28 points out that the false gods believed by them to be their patrons could not save them from the torment they faced, because they were coined only by their false imagination, having no real existence at all.