Tafsir of Al Imran 3:14

"Beautified for people is the love of..."

"Beautified for people" The One who beautified it is Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, for the purpose of trial, as in His saying: "Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth adornment for it that We may test them" (Al-Kahf: 7). This is supported by the reading of Mujahid: "Zayyana" (He beautified) in the active voice. Regarding the narration from al-Hasan that it was Satan—Allah is the one who beautified it for them, for we know of no one who has disparaged it more than its Creator.

"The love of desires" He made the specific entities mentioned "desires" as an exaggeration of their being desired and the intensity of the craving to enjoy them. The intent is to debase them by calling them "desires," for desire is considered base by the wise; whoever follows it testifies against himself with beastliness.

"Beautified for people is the love of desires" The explanation comes to establish first in the souls that what they have been made to love is nothing but desires, and nothing else. Then, it explains it through these categories, which is more effective in debasing them and more indicative of the blameworthiness of those who exalt them, perish in pursuit of them, and prioritize seeking them over seeking what is with Allah.

"A Qintar" It is a large amount of wealth. It is said to be the hide of a bull filled with gold. According to Sa'id ibn Jubayr, it is one hundred thousand dinars. When Islam arrived, there were one hundred men in Mecca who had amassed a qintar.

"Muqantarah" Derived from the word qintar for emphasis, like saying alf mu'allafah (a thousand gathered) or badrah mubadrah (a purse filled).

"Al-Musawwamah" Marked, from al-sumah, which means a sign. Or, it means well-bred, or pastured, from the grazing of animals.

"And the cattle" The eight pairs.

"That" The aforementioned.

"Is the enjoyment of worldly life"

"For those who fear Allah are gardens with their Lord" A new statement indicating what is better than that, just as you might say: "Shall I guide you to a learned man? I have a man whose description is such and such." It is also possible that the lam (for) is connected to "better," and the God-fearing were singled out because they are the ones who benefit from it.

"Gardens" It is in the nominative case (as a predicate for an implied "they are gardens"). This is supported by the reading of those who read it in the genitive case as a substitution for "better."

"And Allah is All-Seeing of the servants" He rewards and punishes according to what is deserved, or He is All-Seeing of those who fear Him and their conditions, and therefore He prepared the gardens for them.

"Those who say" In the accusative case as praise, or in the nominative. It is also permissible for it to be in the genitive as an adjective for "the God-fearing" or "the servants." The waw (and) between the attributes indicates their perfection in each one of them.

This has been discussed previously. The "hours before dawn" (al-ashar) were singled out because they used to prioritize the night prayer, and it is appropriate to seek needs after it, as in: "To Him ascends the good word, and the righteous deed raises it" (Fatir: 10). According to al-Hasan, they would pray in the early part of the night, and when it reached the dawn, they would engage in supplication and seeking forgiveness. This was their day, and this was their night.

"Allah witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge - [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise. Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam. And those who were given the Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the verses of Allah, then indeed, Allah is swift in account." (18-19)