Al-Hadid (The Iron): (20) Know that the life...

Issues in the Verse:

The main objective of this verse is to belittle the state of the worldly life (dunya) and magnify the state of the Hereafter (akhirah).

The worldly life is described as mere amusement (la'ib), diversion (lahw), adornment (zinah), boasting (fakhr), and rivalry in wealth and children (takathur). Undoubtedly, these are contemptible matters.

In contrast, the Hereafter is either severe, everlasting punishment or the pleasure of Allah in perpetuity, which is certainly magnificent.

We must understand that worldly life, in itself, is based on wisdom and correctness.

1. Divine Wisdom: Allah appointed Adam as a vicegerent on Earth, saying: "I will place upon the earth a successor" (Al-Baqarah: 30). This would not have been said if life were not wise and correct.
2. Divine Creation: Life is a creation, as stated: "He Who created death and life" (Al-Mulk: 2). Allah does not create in vain, as He says: "Did you think that We created you in vain?" (Al-Mu'minun: 115) and "We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them in play."
3. Divine Blessing: Life is a blessing, indeed, the foundation of all blessings. The reality of things does not change whether they exist in this world or the Hereafter.
4. Emphasis on Life's Value: Allah magnified the favor of creating life: "How do you disbelieve in Allah while you were dead and He gave you life?" (Al-Baqarah: 28). Life is the first blessing mentioned among His favors.

From all this, it is clear that worldly life itself is not blameworthy. What is blameworthy is when one directs this life away from obedience to Allah and towards obedience to Satan and following whims.

Allah then described the worldly life with several characteristics:

1. Amusement (La'ib): This is the action of children who exert themselves greatly, yet their efforts end without benefit.
2. Diversion (Lahw): This is the action of young men. Usually, when it ends, only regret remains, because the rational person sees their wealth gone, their lifespan depleted, and the pleasure vanished, while the soul has only increased its longing and thirst for it, leading to accumulated and continuous harm.
3. Adornment (Zinah): This is typical of women, as adornment seeks to beautify the ugly, build structures destined for ruin, and strive to perfect the imperfect. Since the contingent (the temporary) cannot withstand the essential (the permanent), and since the world is inherently perishable and flawed, how can a rational person focus on removing these flaws from it? Ibn Abbas said the meaning is that the disbeliever spends his entire life seeking the adornment of the world without working for the Hereafter.
   • As it is said:

     Your life, O deluded one, is heedlessness and forgetfulness.

4. Boasting Among Yourselves (Fakhrun baynakum): This refers to boasting about transient qualities, such as lineage, or boasting about power, strength, and armies—all of which will vanish.
5. Rivalry in Wealth and Children (Takathurun fil-amwali wal-awlad): Ibn Abbas said this means accumulating wealth in disobedience to Allah, boasting about it to the friends of Allah, and spending it in ways that displease Allah—darkness upon darkness. There is no justification for following the people of the world if their pursuit falls into these categories. This shows that if the worldly life involves these aspects, one must turn away from it toward what leads to the cultivation of the Hereafter.

Allah then provided a similitude for this life: "Like the rain (ghayth)..." This is similar to His saying: "And present to them the example of the worldly life, [it is] like water" (Al-Kahf: 45).

The word ka- (like) in kamathali ghayth is in the nominative case for two reasons:

1. It could be an adjective describing the preceding terms: "amusement, diversion, adornment, boasting among yourselves, and rivalry..."
2. It could be a predicate following a hidden subject, according to Al-Zajjaj.

Regarding "the vegetation of which amazes the disbelievers (a'jaba al-kuffar nabatuhu)", there are two opinions:

1. Ibn Mas'ud said the intended meaning of al-kuffar here is the farmers. Al-Azhari said the Arabs call the farmer a kafir because he covers (conceals/disbelieves in) the seed with the soil. If the farmers are amazed by the growth, despite their knowledge of the process, it indicates its extreme beauty.
2. The intended meaning of al-kuffar is the disbelievers in Allah, who are even more amazed by the adornment and cultivation of the world than the believers, because they see no happiness except worldly happiness.
   • Nabatuhu means what grows from that rain. The rest of the verse is explained in Surah Az-Zumar.

Subsequently, Allah mentioned the state of the Hereafter: "Then it dries up, and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes dry stubble." (This part is implied by the context following the rain analogy, though the direct translation of the next part is given below).

Then Allah mentioned the state of the Hereafter: "And in the Hereafter is severe punishment (for those whose life was of this description), and forgiveness from Allah and pleasure for His allies and those who obey Him." Because He described the world as contemptible and quickly passing, He clarified that the Hereafter is either severe, everlasting punishment or pleasure, which is the highest degree of reward.

Then He said: "And the worldly life is but enjoyment of delusion (mata' al-ghurur)." This applies to those who turn toward it and turn away from seeking the Hereafter. Sa'id ibn Jubayr said: The world is enjoyment of delusion if it distracts you from seeking the Hereafter. However, if it leads you to seek Allah's pleasure and the Hereafter, then it is an excellent means.

5. < { Race one another toward forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden whose width is as the width of the heaven and the earth, prepared for those who believed in Allah and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allah; He gives it to whom He wills. And Allah is the Owner of great bounty. } >