كَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ كَانُوٓا۟ أَشَدَّ مِنكُمْ قُوَّةًۭ وَأَكْثَرَ أَمْوَٰلًۭا وَأَوْلَٰدًۭا فَٱسْتَمْتَعُوا۟ بِخَلَٰقِهِمْ فَٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِخَلَٰقِكُمْ كَمَا ٱسْتَمْتَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُم بِخَلَٰقِهِمْ وَخُضْتُمْ كَٱلَّذِى خَاضُوٓا۟ ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَٰلُهُمْ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْءَاخِرَةِ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْخَٰسِرُونَ
Kallazeena min qablikum kaanoo ashadda minkum quwwatanw wa aksara amwaalanw wa awlaadan fastamta'oo bikhalaaqihim fastamta'tum bikhalaaqikum kamas tamta'al lazeena min qablikum bikhalaa qihim wa khudtum kallazee khaadooo; ulaaa'ika habitat a'maaluhum fid dunyaa wal Aakhirati wa ulaaa'ika humul khaasiroon
[You disbelievers are] like those before you; they were stronger than you in power and more abundant in wealth and children. They enjoyed their portion [of worldly enjoyment], and you have enjoyed your portion as those before you enjoyed their portion, and you have engaged [in vanities] like that in which they engaged. [It is] those whose deeds have become worthless in this world and in the Hereafter, and it is they who are the losers.
Themes in this ayah
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9:69Ayah 1129
9 ayahs in At-Tawba are strongly about true success. This is one of them.
← Previous on True success & loss9:42Had it been an easy gain and a moderate trip, the hypocrites would have followed you, but distant to them was the journey. And they will swear by Allah,Next on True success & loss →9:72Allah has promised the believing men and believing women gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally,
Tafsir
Scholars largely agree on this ayah
You O hypocrites are like those before you who were far mightier than you and more abundant in wealth and children. They enjoyed their share their lot in this world. So you enjoy O hypocrites your share just as those before you enjoyed their share and you indulge in vain talk in falsehood and defamation of the Prophet s just as they indulged in vain talk. Those their works have become invalid in this world and in the Hereafter; and those they indeed are the losers.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Your life in comparison to the lifetime of the past nations is like the period
between the time of `Asr prayer and sunset. Your example and the example of the Jews and Christians
is that of person who employed laborers and said to them, "Who will work for me till the middle of
the day for one Qirat (a special weight)?' The Jews did. He then said, "Who will work for me from the
middle of the day till the `Asr prayer for one Qirat each?" The Christians worked accordingly. Then
you (Muslims) are working from the `Asr prayer till the Maghrib prayer for two Qirats each. They (the
Jews and the Christians) said, 'We did more labor but took less wages.' He (Allah) said, 'Have I
wronged you in your rights?' They replied, 'No.' Then He said, 'This is My Blessing which I give to
whom I wish."
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do you think that the tribes of Juhaina, Muzaina, Aslam and Ghifar are better than
the tribes of Bani Tamim, Bani Asad, Bani `Abdullah bin Ghatafan and Bani Amir bin Sasaa?" A man
said, "They were unsuccessful and losers." The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "(Yes), they are better than the tribes
of Bani Tamim, Bani Asad, Bani `Abdullah bin Ghatafan and Bani Amir bin Sasaa."
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