We never sent an admonisher to a habitation but its well-to-do people said: "We do not believe in what you have brought."
And whenever We sent a Herald of Warning to any town, its wealthy people said, “We disbelieve in what you have been sent with.”
We sent no warner into any city except its men who lived at ease said, 'We disbelieve in the Message you have been sent with.'
For [thus it is:] whenever We sent a warner to any community, those of its people who had lost themselves entirely in the pursuit of pleasures would declare, “Behold, we deny that there is any truth in [what you claim to be] your message!” –
And We sent not a warner Unto a town but the affluent thereof said:' verily in that wherewith ye have been sent we are disbelievers.
And We did not send a warner to a township, but those who were given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them said: "We believe not in the (Message) with which you have been sent."
We sent no warner to any town, without its affluent saying, “We reject what you are sent with.”
We never sent a warner to any town but its wealthy ones said: “We disbelieve in the Message you have brought.”
And We did not send a warner to a township but those who were given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them said: "We believe not in what you have been sent with."
And We sent not unto any township a warner, but its pampered ones declared: Lo! we are disbelievers in that wherewith ye have been sent.
We did not send a warner to any town without its affluent ones saying, ‘We indeed disbelieve in what you have been sent with.’
We never sent a warner to a village except that those (who lived) in luxury said: 'We disbelieve in the Message you have been sent with'
And We did not send into a city any warner except that its affluent said, "Indeed we, in that with which you were sent, are disbelievers."
Every time We sent a warner to a town, the rich ones therein said (to Our Messenger), "We have no faith in what you have brought (to us).
And We never sent a warner to a town but those who led lives in ease in it said: We are surely disbelievers in what you are sent with.
Wam<u>a</u> arsaln<u>a</u> fee qaryatin min na<u>th</u>eerin ill<u>a</u> q<u>a</u>la mutrafooh<u>a</u> inn<u>a</u> bim<u>a</u> orsiltum bihi k<u>a</u>firoon<b>a</b>
For it has been thus whenever We sent a warner to any community. Its affluent ones said, "We reject what you have been sent with."
Never did We send a warner to a population, but the wealthy ones among them said: "We believe not in the (Message) with which ye have been sent."
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَآ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ
I have not sent a messenger in any city to warn of Allah’s punishment except that the affluent people in it amongst those of power, fame and wealth said: “We are of what you have been sent with, O messengers, disbelievers”.
I have not sent a messenger in any city to warn of Allah’s punishment except that the affluent people in it amongst those of power, fame and wealth said: “We are of what you have been sent with, O messengers, disbelievers”.
<p>Commentary</p><p>The age-old shaitanic illusion of taking worldly riches and honours as a proof of being loved by Allah</p><p>All along the lanes of time since the very beginning, people intoxicated with material wealth and luxury have always opposed the voice of truth and taken a stance of hostility against the prophets and the pious people, except those whom Allah willed otherwise. On top of this, they also used to argue in favor of their satisfaction with the existing stance against the people of truth by saying: Had Allah disliked our doings and ways, why would He give us wealth, recognition and power in this world? The noble Qur'an has answered it in several verses taking different approaches. The revelation of the cited verses is also related to an event of this nature which provides an answer to this absurd argument.</p><p>It appears in Hadith that, during the period of Jahiliyah, two persons ran a business in partnership. Then, one of them left the place and went to some coastal area. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ was ordained as prophet, and people in Arabia started talking about it, the former business partner then living in a coastal area wrote a letter to his former business partner in Makkah and asked him about his reaction and the reaction of other people against this person claiming to be a prophet. The former partner in Makkah wrote back telling him that no one from among the Quraish had followed him, except that a few people of no consequence, mostly poor and needy, were going for him. The man of the coast left his business behind, came to Makkah and asked his former partner there to tell him the address of the person who claimed to be a prophet. This coastal friend who used to study old scriptures, such as the Torah and the Evangel, presented himself before the Holy Prophet ﷺ " and asked him: 'What is it to which you invite people to come?' He told him about the main elements of his da'wah of Islam. Immediately after having heard the da'wah (call) to Islam in his blessed words, he said: اَشھَدُ اَنَّکَ رَّسُولُ اَلله (Ashhadu annaka rasulAllah: (i.e. ‘I bear witness that you are, without any doubt, the messenger of Allah' ). He asked him: "How did you know this?" He submitted: '[ As for your call being true, I understood it through my reason, and then the sign of it was that:] Adherents of all noble prophets who have come earlier have, in the beginning, always been the weak and the meek, the poor and needy, people who did not matter much among those they were sent to.' Revealed thereupon was the verse under study: وَمَا أَرْ‌سَلْنَا فِي قَرْ‌يَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ‌ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَ‌فُوهَا (And We did not send a warner to a township, but said those who lived a luxurious life therein," We reject what you have been sent with." - 34:34) (Ibn Kathir and Mazhari)</p><p>In this verse, the word: مُترَف (mutraf, translated above as 'those who lived a luxurious life) has been derived from: تَرَف (taraf) which carries the sense of a life abounding in material assets, ease and comfort. Hence, مُترَفِین (mutrafin) denotes rich people of a community (who are arrogant and careless about what is right or wrong) .The Holy Qur'an is saying in the verse cited above that whenever Allah has sent a messenger, these people intoxicated with their riches and pampered by a life of luxury have always confronted him with a flat denial of his mission.</p>
CommentaryThe age-old shaitanic illusion of taking worldly riches and honours as a proof of being loved by AllahAll along the lanes of time since the very beginning, people intoxicated with material wealth and luxury have always opposed the voice of truth and taken a stance of hostility against the prophets and the pious people, except those whom Allah willed otherwise. On top of this, they also used to argue in favor of their satisfaction with the existing stance against the people of truth by saying: Had Allah disliked our doings and ways, why would He give us wealth, recognition and power in this world? The noble Qur'an has answered it in several verses taking different approaches. The revelation of the cited verses is also related to an event of this nature which provides an answer to this absurd argument.It appears in Hadith that, during the period of Jahiliyah, two persons ran a business in partnership. Then, one of them left the place and went to some coastal area. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ was ordained as prophet, and people in Arabia started talking about it, the former business partner then living in a coastal area wrote a letter to his former business partner in Makkah and asked him about his reaction and the reaction of other people against this person claiming to be a prophet. The former partner in Makkah wrote back telling him that no one from among the Quraish had followed him, except that a few people of no consequence, mostly poor and needy, were going for him. The man of the coast left his business behind, came to Makkah and asked his former partner there to tell him the address of the person who claimed to be a prophet. This coastal friend who used to study old scriptures, such as the Torah and the Evangel, presented himself before the Holy Prophet ﷺ " and asked him: 'What is it to which you invite people to come?' He told him about the main elements of his da'wah of Islam. Immediately after having heard the da'wah (call) to Islam in his blessed words, he said: اَشھَدُ اَنَّکَ رَّسُولُ اَلله (Ashhadu annaka rasulAllah: (i.e. ‘I bear witness that you are, without any doubt, the messenger of Allah' ). He asked him: "How did you know this?" He submitted: '[ As for your call being true, I understood it through my reason, and then the sign of it was that:] Adherents of all noble prophets who have come earlier have, in the beginning, always been the weak and the meek, the poor and needy, people who did not matter much among those they were sent to.' Revealed thereupon was the verse under study: وَمَا أَرْ‌سَلْنَا فِي قَرْ‌يَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ‌ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَ‌فُوهَا (And We did not send a warner to a township, but said those who lived a luxurious life therein," We reject what you have been sent with." - 34:34) (Ibn Kathir and Mazhari)In this verse, the word: مُترَف (mutraf, translated above as 'those who lived a luxurious life) has been derived from: تَرَف (taraf) which carries the sense of a life abounding in material assets, ease and comfort. Hence, مُترَفِین (mutrafin) denotes rich people of a community (who are arrogant and careless about what is right or wrong) .The Holy Qur'an is saying in the verse cited above that whenever Allah has sent a messenger, these people intoxicated with their riches and pampered by a life of luxury have always confronted him with a flat denial of his mission.
<h2 class="title">How Those Who lived a Life of Luxury disbelieved in the Messengers and were misled by Their pursuit of Wealth and Children</h2><p>Allah is consoling His Prophet and commanding him to follow the example of the Messengers that came before him. He tells him that no Prophet was ever sent to a township but those among its people who lived a life of luxury disbelieved in him, and the weaker people of the town followed him. The people of Nuh, peace be upon him, said to him:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الاٌّرْذَلُونَ</div><p>(Shall we believe in you, when the weakest (of the people) follow you) (26:110)</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ الرَّأْى</div><p>(nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking) (11:27). The leaders among the people of Salih said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَالَ الْمَلأ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ مِن قَوْمِهِ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَـلِحاً مُّرْسَلٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ قَالُواْ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلَ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ - قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ إِنَّا بِالَّذِى ءَامَنتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ </div><p>(to those who were counted weak -- to such of them as believed: "Know you that Salih is one sent from his Lord." They said: "We indeed believe in that with which he has been sent." Those who were arrogant said: "Verily, we disbelieve in that which you believe in.") (7:75-76). And Allah said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّـكِرِينَ </div><p>(Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from among us" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful) (6:53),</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَذلِكَ جَعَلْنَا فِي كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ أَكَـبِرَ مُجْرِمِيهَا لِيَمْكُرُواْ فِيهَا</div><p>(And thus We have set up in every town great ones of its wicked people to plot therein) (6:123), and</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذَآ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا </div><p>(And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite order to those among them who lead a life of luxury. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the Word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction) (17:16). And Allah says here:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ</div><p>And We did not send a warner to a township meaning a Prophet or a Messenger,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَآ</div><p>(but those who were given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them) means, those who enjoyed a life of riches and luxury, and positions of leadership. Qatadah said, "They are their tyrants, chiefs and leaders in evil."</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ</div><p>(We believe not in the (Message) with which you have been sent.) means, `we do not believe in it and we will not follow it.' Allah tells us that those who enjoyed a life of luxury and who disbelieved the Messengers said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقَالُواْ نَحْنُ أَكْثَـرُ أَمْوَلاً وَأَوْلَـداً وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ </div><p>(And they say: "We are more in wealth and in children, and we are not going to be punished.") meaning, they were proud of their great wealth and great numbers of children, and they believed that this was a sign that Allah loved them and cared for them, and that if He gave them this in this world, He would not punish them in the Hereafter. This was too far-fetched. Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُمْ بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ - نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِى الْخَيْرَتِ بَل لاَّ يَشْعُرُونَ </div><p>(Do they think that in wealth and children with which We enlarge them We hasten unto them with good things. Nay, but they perceive not.) (23:55-56)</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلاَ تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَلُهُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلَـدُهُمْ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ بِهَا فِي الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَـفِرُونَ </div><p>(So, let not their wealth nor their children amaze you; in reality Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in the life of this world, and that their souls shall depart while they are disbelievers.) (9:55), and</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ذَرْنِى وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيداً - وَجَعَلْتُ لَهُ مَالاً مَّمْدُوداً - وَبَنِينَ شُهُوداً - وَمَهَّدتُّ لَهُ تَمْهِيداً - ثُمَّ يَطْمَعُ أَنْ أَزِيدَ - كَلاَّ إِنَّهُ كان لاٌّيَـتِنَا عَنِيداً - سَأُرْهِقُهُ صَعُوداً </div><p>(Leave Me Alone (to deal) with whom I created lonely. And then granted him resources in abundance. And children to be by his side. And made life smooth and comfortable for him. After all that he desires that I should give more. Nay! Verily, he has been opposing Our Ayat. I shall oblige him to face a severe torment!) (74:11-17) And Allah has told us about the story of the owner of those two gardens, that he had wealth and crops and children, but that could not help him at all when all of that was taken from him in this world, before he reached the Hereafter. Allah says here:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّى يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ</div><p>(Say: "Verily, my Lord expands the provision to whom He wills and restricts...") meaning, He gives wealth to those whom He loves and those whom He does not love, and He makes poor whom He wills and makes rich whom He wills. He has complete wisdom and clear proof,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ</div><p>(but most men know not.) Then Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَآ أَمْوَلُكُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلَـدُكُمْ بِالَّتِى تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِندَنَا زُلْفَى</div><p>(And it is not your wealth, nor your children that bring you nearer to Us,) meaning, `these things are not a sign that We love you or care for you.' Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ، وَلَكِنْ إِنَّمَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُم»</div><p>(Allah does not look at your outward appearance or your wealth, rather He looks at your hearts and your deeds.) Muslim and Ibn Majah also recorded this. Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحاً</div><p>(but only he who believes, and does righteous deeds;) meaning, `only faith and righteous deeds will bring you closer to Us.'</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَأُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَآءُ الضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ</div><p>(as for such, there will be multiple rewards for what they did,) means, the reward will be multiplied for them between ten and seven hundred times.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُمْ فِى الْغُرُفَـتِ ءَامِنُونَ</div><p>(and they will reside in the high dwellings in peace and security.) means, in the lofty dwellings of Paradise, safe from all misery, fear and harm, and from any evil they could fear. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَغُرَفًا تُرَى ظُهُورُهَا مِنْ بُطُونِهَا، وَبُطُونُهَا مِنْ ظُهُورِهَا»</div><p>(In Paradise there are lofty rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside and whose inside can be seen from the outside.) A bedouin asked, "Who are they for" He said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لِمَنْ طَيَّبَ الْكَلَامَ، وَأَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ، وَأَدَامَ الصِّيَامَ، وَصَلَّى بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَام»</div><p>(For those who speak well, feed the hungry, persist in fasting and pray at night while people are asleep.)</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذِينَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِى ءَايَـتِنَا مُعَـجِزِينَ</div><p>(And those who strive against Our Ayat, to frustrate them,) means, those who try to block people from the path of Allah and from following His Messengers and believing in His signs,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَأُوْلَـئِكَ فِى الْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ</div><p>they will be brought to the torment. means, they will all be punished for their deeds, each one accordingly.</p>
How Those Who lived a Life of Luxury disbelieved in the Messengers and were misled by Their pursuit of Wealth and ChildrenAllah is consoling His Prophet and commanding him to follow the example of the Messengers that came before him. He tells him that no Prophet was ever sent to a township but those among its people who lived a life of luxury disbelieved in him, and the weaker people of the town followed him. The people of Nuh, peace be upon him, said to him:أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الاٌّرْذَلُونَ(Shall we believe in you, when the weakest (of the people) follow you) (26:110)وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ الرَّأْى(nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking) (11:27). The leaders among the people of Salih said:قَالَ الْمَلأ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ مِن قَوْمِهِ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَـلِحاً مُّرْسَلٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ قَالُواْ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلَ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ - قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ إِنَّا بِالَّذِى ءَامَنتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ (to those who were counted weak -- to such of them as believed: "Know you that Salih is one sent from his Lord." They said: "We indeed believe in that with which he has been sent." Those who were arrogant said: "Verily, we disbelieve in that which you believe in.") (7:75-76). And Allah said:وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّـكِرِينَ (Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from among us" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful) (6:53),وَكَذلِكَ جَعَلْنَا فِي كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ أَكَـبِرَ مُجْرِمِيهَا لِيَمْكُرُواْ فِيهَا(And thus We have set up in every town great ones of its wicked people to plot therein) (6:123), andوَإِذَآ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا (And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite order to those among them who lead a life of luxury. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the Word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction) (17:16). And Allah says here:وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍAnd We did not send a warner to a township meaning a Prophet or a Messenger,إِلاَّ قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَآ(but those who were given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them) means, those who enjoyed a life of riches and luxury, and positions of leadership. Qatadah said, "They are their tyrants, chiefs and leaders in evil."إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ(We believe not in the (Message) with which you have been sent.) means, `we do not believe in it and we will not follow it.' Allah tells us that those who enjoyed a life of luxury and who disbelieved the Messengers said:وَقَالُواْ نَحْنُ أَكْثَـرُ أَمْوَلاً وَأَوْلَـداً وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ (And they say: "We are more in wealth and in children, and we are not going to be punished.") meaning, they were proud of their great wealth and great numbers of children, and they believed that this was a sign that Allah loved them and cared for them, and that if He gave them this in this world, He would not punish them in the Hereafter. This was too far-fetched. Allah says:أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُمْ بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ - نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِى الْخَيْرَتِ بَل لاَّ يَشْعُرُونَ (Do they think that in wealth and children with which We enlarge them We hasten unto them with good things. Nay, but they perceive not.) (23:55-56)فَلاَ تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَلُهُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلَـدُهُمْ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ بِهَا فِي الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَـفِرُونَ (So, let not their wealth nor their children amaze you; in reality Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in the life of this world, and that their souls shall depart while they are disbelievers.) (9:55), andذَرْنِى وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيداً - وَجَعَلْتُ لَهُ مَالاً مَّمْدُوداً - وَبَنِينَ شُهُوداً - وَمَهَّدتُّ لَهُ تَمْهِيداً - ثُمَّ يَطْمَعُ أَنْ أَزِيدَ - كَلاَّ إِنَّهُ كان لاٌّيَـتِنَا عَنِيداً - سَأُرْهِقُهُ صَعُوداً (Leave Me Alone (to deal) with whom I created lonely. And then granted him resources in abundance. And children to be by his side. And made life smooth and comfortable for him. After all that he desires that I should give more. Nay! Verily, he has been opposing Our Ayat. I shall oblige him to face a severe torment!) (74:11-17) And Allah has told us about the story of the owner of those two gardens, that he had wealth and crops and children, but that could not help him at all when all of that was taken from him in this world, before he reached the Hereafter. Allah says here:قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّى يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ(Say: "Verily, my Lord expands the provision to whom He wills and restricts...") meaning, He gives wealth to those whom He loves and those whom He does not love, and He makes poor whom He wills and makes rich whom He wills. He has complete wisdom and clear proof,وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ(but most men know not.) Then Allah says:وَمَآ أَمْوَلُكُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلَـدُكُمْ بِالَّتِى تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِندَنَا زُلْفَى(And it is not your wealth, nor your children that bring you nearer to Us,) meaning, `these things are not a sign that We love you or care for you.' Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:«إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ، وَلَكِنْ إِنَّمَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُم»(Allah does not look at your outward appearance or your wealth, rather He looks at your hearts and your deeds.) Muslim and Ibn Majah also recorded this. Allah says:إِلاَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحاً(but only he who believes, and does righteous deeds;) meaning, `only faith and righteous deeds will bring you closer to Us.'فَأُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَآءُ الضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ(as for such, there will be multiple rewards for what they did,) means, the reward will be multiplied for them between ten and seven hundred times.وَهُمْ فِى الْغُرُفَـتِ ءَامِنُونَ(and they will reside in the high dwellings in peace and security.) means, in the lofty dwellings of Paradise, safe from all misery, fear and harm, and from any evil they could fear. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:«إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَغُرَفًا تُرَى ظُهُورُهَا مِنْ بُطُونِهَا، وَبُطُونُهَا مِنْ ظُهُورِهَا»(In Paradise there are lofty rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside and whose inside can be seen from the outside.) A bedouin asked, "Who are they for" He said:«لِمَنْ طَيَّبَ الْكَلَامَ، وَأَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ، وَأَدَامَ الصِّيَامَ، وَصَلَّى بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَام»(For those who speak well, feed the hungry, persist in fasting and pray at night while people are asleep.)وَالَّذِينَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِى ءَايَـتِنَا مُعَـجِزِينَ(And those who strive against Our Ayat, to frustrate them,) means, those who try to block people from the path of Allah and from following His Messengers and believing in His signs,فَأُوْلَـئِكَ فِى الْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَthey will be brought to the torment. means, they will all be punished for their deeds, each one accordingly.