Surah At Takaathur [Surah 102 v 1-8]

Bismillah Ar Rahman Ar Rahim

Competition in [worldly matters] diverts you
Until you visit the graveyards.
No! You are going to know.
Then no! You are going to know.
No! If you only knew with knowledge of certainty...
You will surely see the Hellfire.
Then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty.
Then you will surely be asked that Day about pleasure.
This Makkan surah with its short verses reminds us of the delusive life in which we
are living. Mankind is certainly at loss [Surah Al Asr verse 1] unless he decides to
live according to the rules and regulations of Islam.
Allah has created human beings with a natural inclination towards beauty, wealth
and worldly pleasures. This is the test and trial of this life. As a general rule, all
human beings are at a loss unless they work on their own selves. They purify their
hearts and their egos. They change the bad into good. The visible appearance of an
individual may appear good to others, but what is inside the heart may be rotten.
This is why all human beings must and should work on the interior aspect. If the
heart is diseased, then the whole body is diseased because all our actions are
derived from the heart. For example, arrogance starts the very moment the person
is self-satisfied. He believes that he has achieved not because Allah grants him
honour, wealth and family. He believes that whatever he possesses in his own effort
and achievement. The moment this person starts thinking that he is self-sufficient

and that he does not depend on God, he becomes the embodiment of evil. His
arrogance will bring him towards more and more darkness until he loses his own
soul. One of the branches of evil is certainly arrogance which brings a person to
forget his mission on earth. His eyes are blurred and he believes that his wealth and
power can safe him on the Day of Judgment.
Those who shun away all evils and vain desires in order to submit his whole self to
the will of God, have indeed won the pleasures of Allah.
The first verse of surah At takathur [Alha] literally means entertainment. And
anyone understands that entertainment is something which keeps our mind and
physical body busy; distractedthe essence of the word is lahw
Whereas those who disobediently follow their passions, will fall into the traps of this
world and will soon have to bear the consequences of their actions.
Consequently, this surah mentions two types of punishment: the tomb and the hellfire. This is a clear indication that the punishment will start in the tomb. Once the
dead body is put into the grave, it will be raised again to life in order to account for
his actions, good or bad.
How can the mind be distracted with so many pleasures while Allah is inviting us
towards submission and peace? The main reason for this distraction is that
mankind cannot control his desire. In fact, he does not have any control over his
ego. He is driven by his desire to possess whatever is in the world: beautiful
women, children, horses, wealth, cars, latest gadgets.
In other verses of the Quran, Allah explains the reason for this distraction. Allah
also mentions the things that distract people more: children and wealth are objects
of distraction for the mind. Many people consider their children as their whole life,
their only life, neglecting their duties towards their own parents in order to please
and satisfy their own children. In the end their children becomes an object of
adornment for them, so much that they neglect their objectives in life. Men as well
as women often are misled about their missions in life. Men believe that womens
roles are essentially to stay at home and care for the children, about cooking food,
cleaning the house and so forth.

But the Quran says: And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to
worship Me. [Surah 51:56]
The word worship [Al Ibadah] does not connoct praying, or fasting; it
means a whole life of dedication and work for Allah. It means work,
worship, purification of the heart, submission, rest.everything that a
person does should be done with the sole purpose of pleasing Allah and
raising ones level towards the highest station of sincerity and love of God.
Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and
adornment and boasting to one another and
competition in increase of wealth and children
-like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the
tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow;then it becomes
[scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and
forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except
the enjoyment of delusion. [Surah Al Hadid 57:20]
Conclusion
In a nutshell, many people become unmindful and neglectful once they acquire
wealth. Their standard of living change but they forget to give feed the poor and
care for the orphans. The story of Pharaon in Surah Qasas can better be examined
in order to understand the state of mind of someone who has acquired power and
wealth.
The best way to understand the Quran is to read the Quran and to
analyse how Allah continues the explanation of a verse or a surah from
another perspective in another surah or verses.
These are the verses of admonition. The readers can feel Allahs
warning. T h i s i s a fi rm warning against their state of mind and
heart. Those who persistently believe that they will not die soon or
that when they die, they will not resurrect, are far from the reality
of the objective of this life. This life off ers nothing but delusion.

Whatever is acquired [as objects] will be left here and will follow in
the tomb. No matter how much wealth you possess, no matter how
many children and grand children you have, you will leave
everything and everyone in order to visit the grave which will be
your resting place until the Resurrection Day. The Resurrection Day
will be the next step where you will be standing up for Judgment. It
is believed that one day will last for 50,000 years. Now imagine,
whether you take it in the literal sense or fi gurative sense, it
means that one day will equate many, many years and that you will
have to wait for your turn to be questioned for all your deeds. After
that, the decision will be taken, either to allow you paradise or hell.
May Allah have mercy upon us and may Allah change what is rotten
in our hearts so that we come to Him with a purifi ed soul [Al
Mutma-inna]
Sister Ammaara Uddeen