Tafsir of An-Nisa' 4:134

(Whoever desires the reward of this world) such as a warrior who desires spoils and worldly benefits through his jihad, (then with Allah is the reward of this world and the Hereafter). The apodosis of the conditional statement is structured by presenting information and news. That is, whoever desires the reward of this world, let him be informed and told that with Allah, the Exalted, is the reward of both abodes. Why, then, does he not seek that which is like the prayer of one who says: "Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good," or why does he not seek the more noble [objective], which is the reward of the Hereafter? For indeed, the one who strives purely for the Face of Allah, the Exalted, does not miss out on worldly benefits, and for him in the Hereafter is that which, compared to it, makes worldly benefits seem as nothing.

In the Musnad of Ahmad, it is narrated from Zayd ibn Thabit that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: "Whoever makes the Hereafter his concern, Allah will gather his affairs, place his richness in his heart, and the world will come to him submissively. And whoever makes the world his intention, Allah will disperse his affairs, place his poverty between his eyes, and nothing will come to him of the world except what has been written for him."

It is also possible that the apodosis is estimated based on the type of loss, as if to say: "Whoever desires only the reward of this world has indeed lost and perished, for with Allah, the Exalted, is the reward of this world and the Hereafter for him [only] if he desires it." In the Sahih of Muslim, it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah, the Exalted, be pleased with him) that he said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: "The first of the people to be judged on the Day of Resurrection is a man who was martyred. He will be brought, and [Allah] will make known His blessings to him, and he will recognize them. [Allah] will say: 'What did you do with them?' He will say: 'I fought for You until I was martyred.' He will say: 'You have lied. Rather, you fought so that it would be said: "He is brave," and it has been said.' Then he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into the Fire. And a man who learned knowledge and taught it, and recited the Quran. He will be brought, and [Allah] will make known His blessings to him, and he will recognize them. [Allah] will say: 'What did you do with them?' He will say: 'I learned knowledge and taught it, and I recited the Quran for You.' He will say: 'You have lied. Rather, you learned so that it would be said: "He is a scholar," and you recited so that it would be said: "He is a reciter," and it has been said.' Then he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into the Fire. And a man whom Allah, the Exalted, had enriched and given all kinds of wealth. He will be brought, and [Allah] will make known His blessings to him, and he will recognize them. [Allah] will say: 'What did you do with them?' He will say: 'I did not leave any path in which You love for wealth to be spent except that I spent in it for You.' He will say: 'You have lied. Rather, you did it so that it would be said: "He is generous," and it has been said.' Then he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into the Fire."

It is said that this is [indeed] the apodosis, except that it is interpreted in a way that makes it dependent on the condition, for its conclusion is that he is blameworthy and rebuked for leaving the more important, higher objective, which encompasses all that he desired with something more. However, those who require a pronoun linking the apodosis to the condition estimate it as we have indicated.

It is also said that the meaning is that Allah, the Exalted, has the reward of both abodes with Him, so He gives everyone what they desire, like His saying, the Exalted: "Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter - We increase for him in his harvest" (the verse).

(And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing)

A postscript to the meaning of the rebuke; that is, how can the hypocrite show off when Allah, the Exalted, is All-Hearing of what passes through his mind and what his motivations command him to do, and All-Seeing of all his affairs, both their outward and inward aspects, so He recompenses him for that. It is also said that it is appended with this because the desire for the reward is either by supplication or by exertion; the first is heard, and the second is seen. It is also said that "Hearing" and "Seeing" are expressions of His, the Exalted, awareness of the purpose of one who desires the world or the Hereafter, and this is an expression of the recompense. It is not hidden that this is not devoid of beauty, except that it suggests attributing the quality of Hearing and Seeing to [mere] knowledge, which is contrary to what is established in discourse.