Surah al-Takāthur (Rivalry for More)

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.

[Surah al-Takāthur (102): verses 1 to 8]

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.

“Rivalry for more distracts you (1), until you visit the graves (2). No indeed! You will soon know (3). Again, no indeed! You will soon know (4).
No indeed! If only you knew with certainty (5). You will surely see Hellfire (6). Then you will surely see it with the certainty of sight (7). Then, on that Day, you will surely be questioned about the blessings you enjoyed (8).”

Allah, glorified is He, tells us that rivalry for more occupied the people devoted to this world and distracted them from Allah and the Hereafter, until death overtook them and they visited the graves rather than death, without awakening from the slumber induced by that distracting rivalry.

He made visiting the graves, rather than death, the endpoint, indicating that they will neither be kept in the graves nor remain settled there. Rather, they are like visitors: they come there once and then depart, just as they had likewise been visitors in this world, not permanent residents. The permanent abode is either Paradise or Hell.

Allah, glorified is He, did not specify what they competed to acquire in greater abundance, but left it unmentioned. This may be because what is blameworthy is the rivalry itself, not the object of that rivalry. It is like saying, “Play and amusement have distracted you,”