Ma'arif al-Qur'an · Tafsir · in English
Maryam 19:73–79
19:73–75Page 310
وَإِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتُنَا بَيِّنَٰتٖ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَيُّ ٱلۡفَرِيقَيۡنِ خَيۡرٞ مَّقَامٗا وَأَحۡسَنُ نَدِيّٗا ٧٣
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Which of [our] two parties is best in position and best in association?"1
وَكَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا قَبۡلَهُم مِّن قَرۡنٍ هُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ أَثَٰثٗا وَرِءۡيٗا ٧٤
And how many a generation have We destroyed before them who were better in possessions and [outward] appearance?
قُلۡ مَن كَانَ فِي ٱلضَّلَٰلَةِ فَلۡيَمۡدُدۡ لَهُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ مَدًّاۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَأَوۡاْ مَا يُوعَدُونَ إِمَّا ٱلۡعَذَابَ وَإِمَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ فَسَيَعۡلَمُونَ مَنۡ هُوَ شَرّٞ مَّكَانٗا وَأَضۡعَفُ جُندٗا ٧٥
Say, "Whoever is in error - let the Most Merciful extend for him an extension [in wealth and time] until, when they see that which they were promised - either punishment [in this world] or the Hour [of resurrection] - they will come to know who is worst in position and weaker in soldiers."
Commentary
خَيْرٌ مَّقَامًا وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيًّا
"Superior in respect of its place and better in respect of its assembly" - 19:73.
The infidels never relaxed their efforts to confuse and perplex the believers. They were very rich and possessed material wealth in great abundance. They had their retinues, their followers, friends and supporters. In contrast, the believers were poor and lacking in worldly assets. However, it is a common experience that material wealth turns people's heads and makes them unduly proud and arrogant, so that even the sensible and wise among them are led to believe that their prosperity and affluence is the reward of their personal merit and effort, and will last forever. History is replete with instances where prosperous communities and rich nations crumbled to dust and vanished without leaving a trace. But these instances of Divine wrath hold no lesson for them and fail to turn them from their erroneous ways.
On the other hand there are good people who, following the teachings of Qur'an, do not regard wealth and worldly honors as the result of their own effort and merit, but as Allah Ta` ala's bounty to be held as a trust from Him and to be expended according to His command. They are well aware that these gifts from Allah Ta` ala will not last forever, and the prospect of their abatement or even their total loss does not cause them any concern. These are the people who are safe from the mischief resulting from wealth and material abundance to which the infidels are exposed. Prophets like Sayyidna Sulayman and Dawud (علیہما السلام) ، many a followers of The Holy Prophet ﷺ and multitude among the pious believers fall in this category.
Allah Ta` ala has dispelled the mistaken notions of the infidels by saying that the transient material prosperity cannot be regarded as a token of His goodwill nor as a symbol of their own merit, because it often happens that foolish and undeserving people are loaded with wealth while wise and learned persons spend their lives in poverty.
19:76Page 310
وَيَزِيدُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱهۡتَدَوۡاْ هُدٗىۗ وَٱلۡبَٰقِيَٰتُ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ خَيۡرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابٗا وَخَيۡرٞ مَّرَدًّا ٧٦
And Allāh increases those who were guided, in guidance, and the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord1 for reward and better for recourse.
وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ مَّرَدًّا
''And the everlasting virtues are better with your Lord in respect of reward and better in their return". - 19:76
These words have been interpreted differently by different scholars as has been explained at some length in the commentary of Sarah Al-Kahf (سورۃ کھف). The more plausible interpretation, however, is that the words refer to submission to the commands of Allah and to good deeds, the benefits of which are everlasting.
مَّرَدًّا by means consequences, and the sense of this verse is that good deeds alone are the real wealth whose reward is great and whose result is eternal peace.
19:77Page 311
أَفَرَءَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِي كَفَرَ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَقَالَ لَأُوتَيَنَّ مَالٗا وَوَلَدًا ٧٧
Then, have you seen he who disbelieved in Our verses and said, "I will surely be given wealth and children [in the next life]"?
Commentary
لَأُوتَيَنَّ مَالًا وَوَلَدًا ("I shall certainly be given wealth and children". - 19:77) Bukhari and Muslim relate the story of Sayyidna Khabab Ibn Al-'Aratt ؓ who had lent some money to ` As Ibn Wa’ il. When pressed to return the loan, ` As Ibn Wa’ il said that he would not make the payment until he (Sayyidna Khabab ؓ dissociated himself from the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Sayyidna Khabab ؓ replied that he would never do that - not until ` As was dead and rose to life again. At this ` As Ibn Wa’ il said, "What? Will I be brought to life again after I am dead? If so I will repay the loan only after I am brought back to life again because even then I will have my wealth and my children." (Qurtubi)
19:78–79Page 311
أَطَّلَعَ ٱلۡغَيۡبَ أَمِ ٱتَّخَذَ عِندَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ عَهۡدٗا ٧٨
Has he looked into the unseen, or has he taken from the Most Merciful a promise?
كـَلَّاۚ سَنَكۡتُبُ مَا يَقُولُ وَنَمُدُّ لَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ مَدّٗا ٧٩
No! We will record what he says and extend [i.e., increase] for him from the punishment extensively.
This verse is an answer to ` As Ibn Wa’ ils boastful claim. How does he know that when he is brought back to life he will still have his wealth and children?
أَطَّلَعَ الْغَيْبَ (Has he peeped in the unseen - 19:78) It is obvious that nothing of this kind has happened. Then why has he considered it as a surety?
أَمِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ الرَّحْمَٰنِ عَهْدًا
“ Or taken a covenant with The Rahman (All-Mercifull)”
Or has he entered into a covenant with Allah Ta` ala and obtained a promise from Him for his wealth and his children?
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences