ﺃﻟﻬﺎﻛﻢ اﻟﺘﻜﺎﺛﺮ (1) ﺣﺘﻰ ﺯﺭﺗﻢ اﻟﻤﻘﺎﺑﺮ (2) ﻛﻼ ﺳﻮﻑ ﺗﻌﻠﻤﻮﻥ (3) ﺛﻢ ﻛﻼ ﺳﻮﻑ ﺗﻌﻠﻤﻮﻥ (4) ﻛﻼ ﻟﻮ ﺗﻌﻠﻤﻮﻥ ﻋﻠﻢ اﻟﻴﻘﻴﻦ (5) ﻟﺘﺮﻭﻥ اﻟﺠﺤﻴﻢ (6) ﺛﻢ ﻟﺘﺮﻭﻧﻬﺎ ﻋﻴﻦ اﻟﻴﻘﻴﻦ (7) ﺛﻢ ﻟﺘﺴﺄﻟﻦ ﻳﻮﻣﺌﺬ ﻋﻦ اﻟﻨﻌﻴﻢ (8) 

You are distracted by mutual competition in amassing (worldly benefits), until you reach the graves. No! (This is not a correct attitude.) You will soon know (the reality). Again, you will soon know. No! Only if you knew (it) with a sure knowledge (you wouldn't do it)! You will certainly see the Hell, then you will see it with full certitude. Then you will be asked about all the pleasures (you enjoyed in the world and how you fulfilled their rights?)

This surah delivers a warning from Allah about a harmful human tendency. In the beginning of the surah, it is proclaimed- (Translation) “You are distracted by mutual competition in amassing (worldly benefits), until you reach the graves.”

Here Allah mentions human’s greed and tendency towards consumerism. This nature continuously pursues people to compete with others in worldly matters. They want to have better food, better dress, and better housing than others. They wish all their worldly possessions should be better than others. As a result, if they have less than others in any case, they become sad. Dissatisfaction grows in their minds. Again, they have a feeling of happiness when they have more than others in some aspects. This awakens a competitive mentality to keep moving forward. In this way, the consumerist nature of humans in worldly pursuits keeps them engaged in trying to gain superiority over each other. This mentality gradually diverts people from their true goals. What is the purpose of their creation? Where is their destination? They become indifferent to their duties and how to achieve true success. The more worldly one becomes, the further they stray from their true purpose and destination.

The life of the world is very short, not even a moment compared to the Hereafter. But, they take elaborate preparations for this little time! Man's need for wealth never ends, he cannot be satisfied. And as much wealth as they acquire, they can enjoy only a small amount of it. In fact, man's own wealth is only as much as he can enjoy. From Abdullah bin Ash-Shikh-khir (may Allah be pleased with him), it is narrated in a Hadith that he once went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) while the Prophet was reciting this Surah, Surah At-Takathur. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

يَقُولُ ابْنُ آدَمَ مَالِي مَالِي، وَهَلْ لَكَ مِنْ مَالِكَ إِلّا مَا تَصَدَّقْتَ فَأَمْضَيْتَ أَوْ أَكَلْتَ فَأَفْنَيْتَ أَوْ لَبِسْتَ فَأَبْلَيْتَ.

"The son of Adam says:'My wealth, my wealth, but is there something for you from your wealth besides what you give in charity that remains, or you eat which perishes, or what you wear that grows worn?" Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3354

Narrated from Anas Ibn Malik, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

لَوْ أَنَّ لِابْنِ آدَمَ وَادِيًا مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ وَادِيَانِ، وَلَنْ يَمْلَأَ فَاهُ إِلّا التُّرَابُ، وَيَتُوبُ اللهُ عَلَى مَنْ تَابَ

"If the son of Adam were given a valley full of gold, he would love to have a second one; and if he were given the second one, he would love to have a third, for nothing fills the belly of Adam's son except dust. And Allah forgives he who repents to Him."

In another narration it is said that, if he had two valleys of gold, he would wish for a third. - Sahih Muslim -1048, Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2337

The Qur'an, in different places, warns people against indulgence by describing the reasons for the creation of worldly goods. Across many verses, it explains the world, its nature, purpose, and what people should do about it from various perspectives. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also explained this to us in the hadith. Despite this, the nature and behavior of many people in this matter is such that they are obsessed with gaining supremacy in all worldly spheres and are eager to achieve success. This greed and lust do not leave them until death. Allah Ta'ala mentioned that in the beginning of this Surah. In Surah Al-A’la it is proclaimed:

بَلْ تُؤْثِرُوْنَ الْحَیٰوةَ الدُّنْیَا، وَ الْاٰخِرَةُ خَیْرٌ وَّ اَبْقٰی.

But you prefer the worldly life, while the Hereafter is much better and much more durable. Surah Al-A’la (87):16-17

To suppress and abandon this bad nature, it is essential for everyone to embrace and follow the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Then, life in this world will be beautiful and easy, and success will be achieved in the Hereafter. Regarding worldly wealth, the instruction of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is to keep one's gaze on those who are lower than him in worldly possessions. Narrated by Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

إِذَا نَظَرَ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلى مَنْ فُضِّلَ عَلَيْهِ فِي المَالِ وَالخَلْقِ، فَلْيَنْظُرْ إِلى مَنْ هُوَ أَسْفَلَ مِنْهُ.

If any of you looked at a person who was made superior to him in property and (in good) appearance, then he should also look at the one who is inferior to him. ~ Sahih al-Bukhari 6490; Sahih Muslim 2963; Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2513. 

Instead of comparing oneself to those with greater wealth, focusing on those who have less can reveal how Allah Ta'ala has blessed us more than millions of people. This realization awakens a sense of gratitude and keeps the heart at peace. This concept is also mentioned in other narrations of the Hadith.

In the Qur'an, Allah Ta'ala has also said that the wealth of this world is a means of testing people. Allah Ta'ala has justly distributed wealth among people in varying degrees. Wealth is a blessing from Allah, and, in His benevolence towards His servants, the amount of wealth given to each person is also a test for them. In the Hereafter, everyone will be questioned about their wealth. A warning about this is given in the last verse of Surah At-Takathur. Allah says:

ثُمَّ لَتُسْـَٔلُنَّ یَوْمَىِٕذٍ عَنِ النَّعِیْمِ.

Then you will be asked about all the pleasures (you enjoyed in the world and how you fulfilled their rights?). - Surah At-Takathur (102): 8

This has also been mentioned in multiple Hadiths narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Abdullah bin Az-Zubair bin Al-Awwam narrated from his father who said: “When the following was revealed: Then on that Day, you shall be asked about the delights!’ Az-Zubair said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Which are the delights that we will be asked about, when they (delights) are but the two black things: dates and water?’ He said: ‘But it is what you will be asked about.’” ~ Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3356

Once, due to hunger, Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) left his house at a time when people usually did not go out and there he found Abu Bakr and 'Umar also.

 He said: What has brought you out of your houses at this hour? They said: Allah's Messenger, it is hunger. Thereupon he said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, what has brought you out has brought me out too; get up. They got up along with him and (all of them) came to the house of an Ansari, but he was not at home. When his wife saw him she said: Most welcome, and Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said to her: Where is so and so? She said: He has gone to get some fresh water for us. When the Ansari came and he saw Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) and his two Companions, he said: Praise be to Allah, no one has more honorable guests today than I (have). He then went out and brought them a bunch of ripe dates, dry dates and fresh dates, and said: Eat some of them. He then took hold of his long knife (for slaughtering a goat or a sheep). Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said to him: Beware of slaughtering a milch animal. He slaughtered a sheep for them. When they had taken their fill and had been fully satisfied with the drink, Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said to Abu Bakr and Umar: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, you will certainly be questioned about this bounty on the Day of judgment. Hunger brought you out of your house, then you did not return until this bounty came to you. ~ Sahih Muslim 2038; Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2369

Everyone will be questioned about their wealth. A proper account will be taken. After death, no wealth remains one's own. Even what a person earns to live is not entirely their own. Rather, each person's wealth is intertwined with the rights of many others in many different ways. It is one's duty to fulfill everyone's rights properly. If not, it would be unjust for oneself to fully enjoy one's own earnings, and one would have to answer to Allah Ta'ala for this matter in the hereafter. There are many verses and hadiths that convey this message.

Therefore, it is not the act of a righteous servant to be obsessed with acquiring wealth. Whatever wealth is obtained should be considered as a blessing from Allah Ta'ala and it is essential to express gratitude. Along with that, it is necessary to fulfill all due rights, considering it a means of test from Allah Ta'ala. Competing for wealth and boasting about acquired wealth is not appropriate in any way.

The message of this Surah also encompasses children along with wealth. Offspring are also entrusted by Allah Ta'ala and represent another realm of testing. Allah Ta'ala grants the number of children He deems beneficial and tests each individual in the way He chooses. It is highly unjust to boast about the number of one's children. The responsibility of every parent is to raise their children as righteous individuals. Therefore, when there are more children, the responsibility also increases, and so does the fear of accountability in the hereafter. Remembering this, one should not be proud of a large number of children but rather be more fearful.

In raising children, many prioritize worldly perspectives and engage in unhealthy competition. When their children succeed according to worldly standards, parents take pride and flaunt their accomplishments. This entire concept is considered forbidden and sinful in the light of the Quran and Sunnah. Instead, fulfilling the trust of this responsibility is achieved by raising them as righteous individuals, as exemplified by the Companions of the Prophet.

Even if children are righteous and noble, there is no room for parents to boast about them. This is because everyone will be held accountable for their own deeds and will be judged accordingly. Therefore, parents should be careful not to let their love and responsibility for their children come at the expense of their own righteous deeds or distract them from preparing for the afterlife.

Aligning with this, another negative trait is boasting about one's manpower. This reprehensible mentality has become widespread nowadays. 'I have so many people under me,' 'I have so many people with me,' 'I have so many people in my team' – many people are obsessed with increasing their manpower in this way. Others boast about their family members. 'This and that person from my family has achieved such and such success,' and so on. Some people also go around talking about how many important people they are associated with. This tendency towards various forms of pride and arrogance is increasing day by day. From individuals to society, many people are getting involved in such negative competitions in various fields and moving away from the teachings and etiquette of religion.

Surah Takathur also holds a great lesson for those who are skeptical about the reality of the afterlife. From the third to the seventh verse of this Surah, Allah Ta'ala repeatedly reminds the disbelievers of the inevitability of the hereafter.

May Allah Ta'ala grant us the tawfiq (guidance) to embrace the teachings of Surah Takathur.

Translation: Nazmus Saqib