Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (46) Surah: Al-Kahf
ٱلۡمَالُ وَٱلۡبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَٱلۡبَٰقِيَٰتُ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ خَيۡرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابٗا وَخَيۡرٌ أَمَلٗا
(46) [3855]Money and sons[3856] are the adornment of the worldly life, but the everlasting good deeds are a better prize with your Lord and are a better hope[3857].
[3855] One should not be swayed away from the reason for existence by the adornment of life; all of it will be gone one day (cf. Abū Ḥayyān).
[3856] al-Banūn is specific to male children. Arab idolaters used to take special pride in their sons (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf) rather than the daughters whom they took as bad omens (cf. Ibn ʿArafah).
These were what the Deniers cherished most in life, but the ‘everlasting good deeds’ are what the true Believers treasure most (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Prettified for mankind are objects of desire: women, children, hoards upon hoards of gold and silver, fine steeds, cattle and ploughing grounds; these are the pleasures of this worldly life, but with Allah lies the best of returns. *Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Shall I tell you what is better than this? For the Mindful with their Lord are Gardens under which rivers flow, in which they eternally abide; for them in these are purified spouses, and Pleasure from Allah—Allah is All-Seeing of ˹His˺ servants. *They are the ones who say: “Our Lord, indeed we have Believed! Forgive us our sins, and spare us the torment of Hellfire”. *˹They are˺ The forbearing, the truthful, the utterly devout, the ˹charitably˺ spending, and the ˹persistently˺ asking for forgiveness in the late-night hours” (3: 14-17).
[3857] The doers of good deeds will reap their benefits in the everlasting Hereafter. They are way better than sheer worldly gains and those of sound minds are more rightly hopeful of their benefit both in this life and the life to come (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī): “The everlasting deeds are better with your Lord in reward and better in return!” (19: 76); “Whoever does good, male or female, while being a Believer, We shall make them live a good life and We shall confer upon them their reward ˹as much as they would be˺ for the best of what they used to do” (16: 97).
Exegetes have varying opinions as to what exactly ‘everlasting good deeds’ (al-bāqiyāt al-ṣāliḥat) refers to. al-Shinqīṭī summarizes these views as referring to all the deeds which please God Almighty; be they the five daily Prayers, or the four words (found in the hadith below), because, unlike the transient adornment of life, they are ‘everlasting’ for their doers, and ‘good’ because they are carried out in a manner that pleases God Almighty.
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Subḥāna Allāh (Glory be to Allah), al-ḥamdu li-Allāh (All gratitude be to Allah), lā Ilāha illā Allāh (There is no god but Allah) and Allāh-u akbar (Allah is Greater) are among the everlasting good deeds” (al-Albānī, Silsilat al-Aḥādīth al-Ṣaḥīḥah: 3264).
[3856] al-Banūn is specific to male children. Arab idolaters used to take special pride in their sons (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf) rather than the daughters whom they took as bad omens (cf. Ibn ʿArafah).
These were what the Deniers cherished most in life, but the ‘everlasting good deeds’ are what the true Believers treasure most (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Prettified for mankind are objects of desire: women, children, hoards upon hoards of gold and silver, fine steeds, cattle and ploughing grounds; these are the pleasures of this worldly life, but with Allah lies the best of returns. *Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Shall I tell you what is better than this? For the Mindful with their Lord are Gardens under which rivers flow, in which they eternally abide; for them in these are purified spouses, and Pleasure from Allah—Allah is All-Seeing of ˹His˺ servants. *They are the ones who say: “Our Lord, indeed we have Believed! Forgive us our sins, and spare us the torment of Hellfire”. *˹They are˺ The forbearing, the truthful, the utterly devout, the ˹charitably˺ spending, and the ˹persistently˺ asking for forgiveness in the late-night hours” (3: 14-17).
[3857] The doers of good deeds will reap their benefits in the everlasting Hereafter. They are way better than sheer worldly gains and those of sound minds are more rightly hopeful of their benefit both in this life and the life to come (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī): “The everlasting deeds are better with your Lord in reward and better in return!” (19: 76); “Whoever does good, male or female, while being a Believer, We shall make them live a good life and We shall confer upon them their reward ˹as much as they would be˺ for the best of what they used to do” (16: 97).
Exegetes have varying opinions as to what exactly ‘everlasting good deeds’ (al-bāqiyāt al-ṣāliḥat) refers to. al-Shinqīṭī summarizes these views as referring to all the deeds which please God Almighty; be they the five daily Prayers, or the four words (found in the hadith below), because, unlike the transient adornment of life, they are ‘everlasting’ for their doers, and ‘good’ because they are carried out in a manner that pleases God Almighty.
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Subḥāna Allāh (Glory be to Allah), al-ḥamdu li-Allāh (All gratitude be to Allah), lā Ilāha illā Allāh (There is no god but Allah) and Allāh-u akbar (Allah is Greater) are among the everlasting good deeds” (al-Albānī, Silsilat al-Aḥādīth al-Ṣaḥīḥah: 3264).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (46) Surah: Al-Kahf
Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings of the Noble Qur’an into English - in progress - translated by Dr. Walid Bleihesh Al-Omari.