Surah At-Takathur

Rivalry

Introduction

Name of Chapter and Reason for its Name

This chapter is called Surah At-Takathur and it opens with the mention of rivalry in the first verse - in gaining more and more money, family and status.

Chapter Number

Surah At-Takathur is the 102nd chapter of the Quran.

Number of Verses

According to the consensus of Shia and Sunni commentators, this chapter has 8 verses.

Place of Revelation

According to some Sunni and Shia commentators, this chapter was revealed in Mecca, after Surah al-Kawthar. Other commentators say that it was revealed in Medina.

Content

Reason for Revelation

This chapter was revealed for 2 tribes among the Ansaar who used to brag to each other about themselves and would compete with one another in accumulating money and in family prestige. They would boast about their living members, and then would even visit the cemetery to boast about their dead relatives. Therefore, Allah revealed this chapter as a warning for them that all of those whom you are bragging about ended up being buried inside the earth. The first 2 verses of this chapter contain severe condemnation about the accumulation of wealth and bragging about one’s family, and the verse “you visit [even] the graves” is a metaphor for “dying.”

Important Concepts in this Chapter

The main theme of this chapter is the condemnation and warning to those people who, because of being busy in bragging to each other about their wealth, children, and allies, remain negligent of Allah and the real happiness. They are unaware of the negative consequences of their actions. Allah is warning these people in this chapter that they will soon see the results of their actions, and will be asked about the blessings that they have been given.

Verses 3-4

“No indeed! Soon you will know! Again, no indeed! Soon you will know!” كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ٣ ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ٤

Zahaak says “No indeed! Soon you will know,” means that: “O disbelievers, soon you will know;” and “Again, no indeed! Soon you will know,” means “O believers.”

Hasan al-Basri says that these verses are 2 threats one after another. The first threat asks what the negative results of this negligence are, and the second one then states that the time for realizing them will be when you leave this world.

Verse 5

“No indeed! Were you to know with certain knowledge.” كَلَّا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ٥

If you had known the reality of the situation, then it would have stopped you from chasing after money and bragging about your lineage, and you would have seeked the benefits of the next life until you come to your graves.

The Meaning of “Yaqeen” The word yaqeen refers to knowledge in which no doubt, nor any uncertainty affect it.

Verses 6-7

“You will surely see hell. Again, you will surely see it with the eye of certainty.”

لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ٦ ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ٧

These verses are further to the threat given in the previous verses according to Ibn Kathir. According to Allamah Tabatabai, the statement “you will surely see hell” is a new statement where Allah is saying, “I swear that you will soon see hell which is the punishment for this bragging.” The Meaning of “Seeing” in Verses 6 and 7 “Seeing” here is in the meaning of certainty, i.e. absolute certainty. It may also refer to knowledge, vision, or gaining insight. According to the author of Al-Mizan, ‘seeing’ means seeing with the heart which is one of the results of ilm al-yaqin. This type of seeing will occur before resurrection.

The Meaning of Certain Knowledge (Ilm al-Yaqeen)

عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِی عُمَیرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِی قَوْلِ اللَّهِ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْیقِینِ قَالَ الْمُعَاینَة

Muhammad ibn Abu Umayr narrates from Hisham ibn Salim, from Abu Abdillah regarding verse 5 that: “Were you to know with certain knowledge” means: “by observing.”

Verse 8

“Then, that day, you will surely be questioned concerning the blessing.”

ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ٨

From the apparent context of this verse and the previous verses, it seems that the general populace is being addressed. Among them are people who are enjoying the blessings of their Creator, and yet they are unaware of the Creator Himself. However, in reality these verses are directed towards a specific group of them, and they are those who due to their rivalry towards wealth and status have become oblivious of Allah.

The Meaning of Blessing (Naeem) in verse 8

Ibn Kathir believes that it refers to the questioning that will definitely take place on the Day of Judgement with regards to the amount of thanks which you gave, and the worship that you performed to Allah for the blessings that He gifted you with such as health, safety, daily sustenance, etc...

According to the author of Al-Kashaf, “concerning the blessing” means that you will be asked about the blessings that you enjoyed which turned you away from religion and its responsibilities.

رَوَی العیاشی بإسناده فی حدیثٍ طویلٍ قال سَألَ أبُو حنیفةَ أبَا عبدِ الله ِعَن هَذَهِ الآیةِ فقَالَ لَهُ مَا النَعیمُ عندَک یا نُعمانُ قَالَ القُوتُ مِن الطَّعَامِ و المَاءُ البارِدُ فَقَالَ لَئِن أَوقَفَک اللهُ یومَ القِیامَةِ بَینَ یدَیهِ حَتَّی یسأَلَک عَن کلِّ أَکلَةٍ أَکلتَهَا وَ شُربَةٍ شربت‌ها لیطولن وقوفُک بینَ یدَیهِ قَالَ فَمَا النَّعیمُ جُعِلتُ فِدَاک قَالَ نَحنُ أهلَ البیتِ النعیمُ الَّذِی أَنعَمَ اللهُ بِنَا عَلَی العِبَادِ و بِنَا ائتلفوا بعدَ أن کانُوا مُختلفِین وَ بِنا ألَّفَ اللهُ بینَ قُلُوبِهِم وَ جَعَلَهُم إِخوَانَا بَعدَ أن کانوا أعداءً و بِنَا هداهم الله للإسلام و هی النعمة آلتی لا تنقطع و الله سائلهم عن حق النعیم الذی أنعم الله به علیهم و هو النبی ص و عترته

Al-Ayyashi narrates in a long tradition that Abu Hanifah asked Abu Abdillah regarding this verse. (Abu Abdillah) asked him, “What do you believe ‘the blessing’ means Noman?” He answered: “It means being provided with daily food and cold water.” Then Abu Abdillah said: “If Allah makes you stand before Him on the Day of Judgement until He asks you about everything that you ate and drank, then you will stand there for an extremely long period of time.” Abu Hanifah asked, “So then what is ‘the blessing?’ May my life be sacrificed for you.” He replied: “We, the family of Prophet Muhammad, are the blessing which became the reason for Allah to grant blessings to His servants. We are the reason that they came together after having differences. We are the reason that Allah created love in their hearts and made them brothers after being enemies. We are the reason that Allah guided them to Islam which is a blessing that never stops. Allah will ask them about the true blessing which He gifted to them which is the Prophet and his family.”

Discussions on this Chapter

Benefits of Reciting this Surah

مَن قَرَأَ أَلهَاکم التَّکاثُرُ لَم یحَاسُبهُ اللّهُ بِالنَّعِیمِ الَّذِی أَنعَمَ بِهِ عَلَیهِ فِی دَارِ الدُّنیا، و أُعطِی مِنَ الأَجرِ کأنَّمَا قَرَأَ أَلفَ آیةٍ

“A person who recites (Surah) al-Takathur, Allah will not hold him accountable for the blessings given to him in this world, and He will reward him as if he has recited 1000 verses.”