Tafsir of Ad-Dhuha 93:4

"And the Hereafter is better for you than the first [life]." This is because the former is everlasting and pure of all impurities absolutely, while this [life] is perishable and tainted with harms. Although the honor of Prophethood bestowed upon him—peace and blessings be upon him—is a glory that has no equal and a virtue that none can approach, it is not free in this world from certain impediments that affect the implementation of commands.

Furthermore, what has been prepared for him—peace and blessings be upon him—in the Hereafter, in terms of precedence and being ranked above all Prophets and Messengers—peace and blessings be upon them—on the Day of Gathering, the day when mankind stands before the Lord of the worlds; the fact that his Ummah, may Allah exalt him, are witnesses over all other nations; the raising of the believers' degrees; the elevation of their ranks through his intercession—peace and blessings be upon him—and other sublime honors that words cannot encompass and gestures cannot reach, is like preliminary steps in relation to final ends. This is as stated in al-Irshad.

As for the specialization required by the lam [in lil-akhirah], it is said to be relative, in the sense of his—peace and blessings be upon him—exclusive attainment of the goodness of the Hereafter, unlike those who harmed him and gloated over the delay of the revelation to him. There is no obstacle to it being general for all the successful; how could it be otherwise when it is known by necessity that the good prepared for him—peace and blessings be upon him—is better than that prepared for any other, absolutely. Sufficient for this is that the Maqam Mahmud (the Praised Station) is exclusive to him, may Allah exalt him, noting that the exclusivity of the lam is not one of restriction, as has been established in its place.

Interpreting "the Hereafter" as the afterlife—the counterpart to the world—and "the first" as the first abode—the world—is the apparent meaning narrated from Abu Ishaq. Ibn 'Atiyyah and a group of others said that it is possible that what is intended by the two is the end of his affairs—peace and blessings be upon him—and their beginning; the al (definite article) in both being for reference or as a substitute for the genitive construction, meaning: your end will always be greater than your beginning, continuously increasing in strength and ascending in loftiness.

In some raised reports, there is evidence clearer for the first interpretation. Al-Tabarani in al-Awsat and al-Bayhaqi in al-Dala'il recorded from Ibn Abbas—may Allah be pleased with them both—who said: The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said, "What is to be opened for my Ummah after me was displayed to me, and it pleased me." Then Allah—the Exalted—revealed: "And the Hereafter is better for you than the first."

Connecting the verse to the preceding one in the manner you have heard is what has been chosen by more than one of the great scholars. It is also permissible to say regarding it that when "Your Lord has not forsaken you, nor has He become displeased" was revealed, he—peace and blessings be upon him—attained great honor through it. It is as if he—peace and blessings be upon him—considered it immensely great, so it was said to him: "And the Hereafter is better for you than the first," meaning: even though this honor is great, what you possess with Allah in the Hereafter is better and greater.

It is also permitted that the meaning be that the cessation of revelation cannot be for what they imagine—that He has abandoned Prophethood, for that is impossible in wisdom—but rather, the utmost that could be in the matter is that it occurred because there was no longer a need for the Message, and that is a sign of death. It is as if He—the Exalted—said: "The cessation of revelation, when it happens, indicates death, but death is better for you, for what you possess with Allah in the Hereafter is superior to what you possess in this world." This, as you can see, is far inferior to what preceded it.

The immediate understanding from what they have established is that the sentence is a new beginning (isti’naf) and the lam in it is for emphasis (ibtida’iyyah). A group of scholars have explicitly stated that it is likewise in His—the Exalted—saying: […].