Tafsir of Al-Kahf 18:46

When the Almighty established that the worldly life is swift to end and perish, destined for ruin and annihilation, He then clarified that wealth and sons are merely the adornment of the life of this world. The purpose here is to include this specific point under the general rule. We can derive a logical syllogism: Wealth and sons are the adornment of the life of this world, and everything that is an adornment of this world is swift to end and perish. This self-evidently leads to the conclusion that wealth and sons are swift to end and perish. By this necessary implication, it becomes reprehensible for an intelligent person to boast about them, rejoice because of them, or assign them any real value in his estimation. This serves as a powerful proof against the claims of those polytheists who boasted to the poor believers about their abundance of wealth and children. Then, He mentioned what indicates the superiority of those poor believers over those wealthy disbelievers, saying: **{وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ مَّرَدًّا}** (*And the enduring good deeds are better with your Lord for reward and better for return.*) The argument here is that the good things of this world are transient and perishable, while the good things of the Hereafter are permanent and everlasting. The permanent and remaining is better than the transient and passing. This is known by necessity, especially when it is established that the good things of this world are base and insignificant, while the good things of the Hereafter are lofty and sublime. This is because worldly goods are sensory, whereas the goods of the Hereafter are intellectual. Intellectual perceptions are far superior to sensory ones, based on the proofs mentioned in the exegesis of the verse **{اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ}** (*Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth*) regarding the superiority of intellectual cognitions over sensory ones. If this is the case, then the totality of intellectual and sensory happiness constitutes the happiness of the Hereafter, which must therefore be superior to the sensory happiness of this world. And Allah knows best. Commentators have mentioned several opinions regarding **"Al-Baqiyat Al-Salihat"** (the enduring good deeds): 1. It is said that they are the saying: **(Subhan Allah, Al-Hamdulillah, La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar)** (*Glory be to Allah, Praise be to Allah, There is no god but Allah, Allah is the Greatest*). Shaykh Al-Ghazali, may Allah have mercy on him, offered a subtle interpretation of these phrases: It is narrated that whoever says *Subhan Allah* receives a reward ten times over. When he adds *Al-Hamdulillah*, it becomes twenty. When he adds *La ilaha illa Allah*, it becomes thirty. When he adds *Allahu Akbar*, it becomes forty. He explained the essence of this: The highest rank of reward is immersion in the knowledge of and love for Allah. When one says *Subhan Allah*, he has recognized Allah's transcendence from everything unbecoming; this recognition is a great happiness and complete delight. When he adds *Al-Hamdulillah*, he affirms that the Exalted Truth, while being transcendent from all that is unbecoming, is also the source of conferring everything that is proper and every perfection. Thus, the degrees of knowledge have doubled, and consequently, the degrees of reward have doubled. When he adds *La ilaha illa Allah*, he affirms that the One transcendent from all that is unbecoming is the source of all that is proper, and there is no existent like Him except the One. Thus, the degrees of knowledge have become three, and consequently, the degrees of reward have become three. When he says *Allahu Akbar*, it means He is greater and more magnificent than the intellect can grasp the essence of His Majesty and Glory. Thus, the degrees of knowledge have become four, and consequently, the degrees of reward have become four. 2. The second opinion is that **Al-Baqiyat Al-Salihat** are the five daily prayers. 3. The third opinion is that they are the good words, as stated in the verse: **{وَهُدُوا إِلَى الطَّيِّبِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ}** (*And they were guided to the good word* [Al-Hajj: 24]). 4. The fourth opinion is that every deed and word that calls you to engage in the knowledge of Allah, His love, and His service is **Al-Baqiyat Al-Salihat**. Every deed and word that calls you to engage with the affairs of creation falls outside this category. This is because everything other than the Exalted Truth is transient in its essence and destined for ruin in its essence; therefore, engaging with it and turning toward it is futile action and wasted effort. As for the Truth in essence, it is the enduring one, not subject to cessation. Consequently, engaging in the knowledge, love, and obedience of Allah is what remains with an enduring, non-perishing permanence. Then the Almighty said: **{خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ مَّرَدًّا}** (*better with your Lord for reward and better for return*). This means that for every deed intended solely for the Face of Allah, there is no doubt that the reward associated with it and the hope associated with it are better and superior, because the doer of those deeds hopes for the reward of Allah in this world and his share in the Hereafter.