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Meccan · Surah 18 of 114

Al-Kahf 18:7

The Cave · ayah 7 of 110

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ زِينَةًۭ لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًۭا

Inna jaAAalna ma AAalaal-ardi zeenatan laha linabluwahum ayyuhum ahsanuAAamala

"Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth adornment for it that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed."

Saheeh International translation

Recitation by Mishary Alafasy
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Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"We have adorned the earth with attractive things so that We may test people to find out which of them do best,"

Pickthall (classic)+

"Lo! We have placed all that is on the earth as an ornament thereof that We may try them: which of them is best in conduct."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them - as to which of them are best in conduct."

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

+

Do not feel sorry because the Idolators do not believe Allah consoles His Messenger for his sorrow

فَلاَ تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَتٍ

(So destroy not yourself in sorrow for them.) 35:8

وَلاَ تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ

(And grieve not over them.) 16:127

لَعَلَّكَ بَـخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ أَلاَّ يَكُونُواْ مُؤْمِنِينَ

(It may be that you are going to kill yourself with grief, that they do not become believers.) 26:3 meaning, maybe you will destroy yourself with your grief over them. Allah says:

فَلَعَلَّكَ بَـخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَى ءَاثَـرِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَـذَا الْحَدِيثِ

(Perhaps, you would kill yourself in grief, over their footsteps, because they believe not in this narration.) meaning the Qur'an.

أَسَفاً

(in grief) Allah is saying, `do not destroy yourself with regret.' Qatadah said: "killing yourself with anger and grief over them." Mujahid said: "with anxiety." These are synonymous, so the meaning is: `Do not feel sorry for them, just convey the Message of Allah to them. Whoever goes the right way, then he goes the right way only for the benefit of himself. And whoever goes astray, then he strays at his own loss, so do not destroy yourself in sorrow for them.'

This World is the Place of Trial Then Allah tells us that He has made this world a temporary abode, adorned with transient beauty, andHe made it a place of trial, not a place of settlement. So He says

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى الاٌّرْضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُم أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً

(Verily, we have made that which is on earth an adornment for it, in order that We may test which of them are best in deeds.) Abu Maslamah narrated from Abu Nadrah from Abu Sa`id that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا حُلْوَةٌ خَضِرَةٌ، وَإِنَّ اللهَ مُسْتَخْلِفُكُمْ فِيهَا فَنَاظِرٌ مَاذَا تَعْمَلُونَ، فَاتَّقُوا الدُّنْيَا، وَاتَّقُوا النِّسَاءَ، فَإِنَّ أَوَّلَ فِتْنَةِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَانَتْ فِي النِّسَاء»

(This world is sweet and green, and Allah makes you generations succeeding one another, so He is watching what you will do. Beware of (the beguilements of) this world and beware of women, for the first affliction that Children of Israel suffered from was that of women.) Then Allah tells us that this world will pass away and come to an end, as He says:

وَإِنَّا لَجَاعِلُونَ مَا عَلَيْهَا صَعِيداً جُرُزاً

(And verily, We shall make all that is on it bare, dry soil.) means, `after having adorned it, We will destroy it and make everything on it bare and dry, with no vegetation or any other benefit.' Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas that this means everything on it would be wiped out and destroyed. Mujahid said: "a dry and barren plain." Qatadah said, "A plain on which there are no trees or vegetation."

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Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

+
Аллах поведал о том, что прекрасные яства, аппетитные напитки, роскошные наряды, деревья, реки, нивы, фрукты, удивительные пейзажи, восхитительные сады, завораживающие звуки, удивительные образы, золотые и серебряные украшения, лошади и верблюды, а также все остальные земные блага являются всего лишь украшением мирской жизни. Аллах сотворил их для искушения и испытания Своих рабов, дабы выявить тех, кто станет совершать искренние и правильные деяния. Но придет время, и тогда все мирские блага исчезнут, а земля превратится в сухую бесплодную равнину. Прекратятся земные удовольствия, высохнут ручьи и исчезнут былые прелести. Всевышний сказал:

Maʿārif al-Qur'ān

Mufti Shafi Usmani, English

+

It was said in verse 7: إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى الْأَرْ‌ضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا (Surely, We have made what is on earth an adornment for it) with reference to all living forms, vegetation, mountains, minerals and everything else present on the earth. They are its embellishment. That there are snakes, scorpions, beasts and many harmful and fatal things may lead someone to doubt as to how can they be called 'an adornment for it.' This doubt is unfounded because everything in this world considered harmful, fatal or plain bad may be so in a restricted sense but, in terms of the totality of creation, nothing is bad. Everything, no matter how bad, has been invested with many benefits by Allah Ta’ ala on other counts. The medical use of poisonous and fatal life forms in the interest of human beings is an example. Therefore, things that are considered even bad are not that bad in terms of the function of this entire universe.

Tafsīr sourced from quran.com's open API. These are classical commentaries; for personal rulings consult a qualified scholar.

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