Surah Al-Kahf 18:45-49 - Quran Translation Commentary

(18:45) And strike for them the similitude of the life of the world: like water that We sent down out of heaven.⁶⁸ The earth’s vegetation mingled with it. Then it became straw that the winds scattered around. And Allah is ever Omnipotent over all things.

(18:46) Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of the world, but the things that endure, the righteous (deeds),⁶⁹ are better with your Lord in rewards and better in (good) hope.⁷⁰

(18:47) The day We shall set the mountains in motion, you will see the earth levelled,⁷¹ and We shall gather them all together, leaving out none of them.

(18:48) They will be presented to their Lord in rows: ‘You have come to Us, just as We created you the first time.⁷² But you thought We shall never appoint for you a tryst.’

(18:49) Then the Book will be placed,⁷³ and you will see the criminals greatly alarmed at what it contains, saying, ‘Alas for us! What’s with this Book that it leaves out nothing - neither small⁷⁴ nor big - but has computed it.’ They will find all that they did placed before them, and your Lord shall not wrong anyone.

Commentary

68. Water has often been cited as illustrative of the life of this world. Why? Qurtubi transmits what the hukama’ had to say: Several similarities can be noticed between water and this world, such as, water does not stay in one place. It keeps moving. So is this world. It keeps moving. Water never lasts. It disappears. So will this world. No one can enter into water without wetting himself. Similarly, no one can enter into this world without polluting himself. Finally, so long as water is in proper measure, it is beneficial and under control. But when it increases in quantity, it acquires destructive properties. That is also the situation with this world. A measured quantity is beneficial. But its large portions are destructive. In a hadith of Muslim, the Prophet said,

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَرُزِقَ كَفَافًا وَقَنَّعَهُ اللَّهُ بِمَا أَتَاهُ

“He succeeded who became a Muslim, and was given just enough and was content with what was given him.”

69. Al-Baqiyat al-Salihat: Is it a general term or has it a specific meaning? The opinion of Ibn ‘Abbas, Sa`id b, Jubayr, Ibrahim and others was that the allusion is to five daily Prayers. However, in a second opinion of Ibn ‘Abbas, Mujahid, ‘Ata ibn abi Rabah, and many others, the allusion is to the words:

سبحان الله, والحمد لله, ولا إله إلا الله, والله أكبر

In fact, Abu Hurayrah reported a hadith to this effect. Nevertheless, `Uthman b. `Affan, Muhammad b. Ka`b al-Qurazi and others included a few other words to the above words to say, al-Baqiyat al-Salihat are the following:

لا إله إلا الله, وسبحان الله, والحمد لله, والله أكبر, ولا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله العلي العظيم

The above words are confirmed by a report in Tabarani, Ibn Shahin, and Ibn Marduwayh (Shawkani) about which Haythami said that except for one narrator, the rest are trustworthy (S. Ibrahim).

Nevertheless, Nasa’i has another report, declared Sahih by Hakim, which says that the Prophet said,

خذوا جنتكم قيل يا رسول الله من أي عدو قد حضر ؟ قال : بل جنتكم من النار قول سبحان الله والحمد لله ولا إله إلا الله والله أكبر فإنهن يأتين يوم القيامة مقدمات معقبات ومجنبات وهي الباقيات الصالحات

“Release your Paradise.” He was asked, “From what enemy that has showed up?” He replied, “Rather, your Paradise from the Fire, the words:

سبحان الله والحمد لله ولا إله إلا الله والله أكبر

“for,” the Prophet continued, “on the Day of Judgment they will come as vanguards, rearguards and the protecting ones. They are the al-baqiyat al-Salihat” (Shawkani).

The above report has been declared Sahih by Albani also (S. Ibrahim).

But, in a third opinion of Ibn ‘Abbas, seconded by Ibn Zayd, every good deed is al-Baqiyat al-Salihat.

Now, Ibn Jarir writes, if it is asked, which statement is correct, the answer is, is there a contradiction between them?

With reference to the above words, viz., al-Baqiyat al-Salihat, Imam Razi mentions Imam Ghazali’s remarks, which we present here in a modified form:

Saying Subhana Allah means to express that Allah is free of all defects that a mind can imagine, or above any suggestion made that is unbecoming of Him. Al-hamdulillah means to express that He is the source of all that is good and beautiful, and hence, He must be praised. Saying la ilaha illa Allah is to acknowledge that the One who is the source of all that there is, is the “only” source of it. Finally, saying Allahu Akbar is to acknowledge that He is greater than that He could be understood by reason alone.

70. Wealth promises continuity of good life, and children. But, to fasten hope on rewards in the Hereafter is nearer to realizing one’s dreams, than fastening hopes on wealth and children in this world. For, one might achieve wealth and children but not the satisfaction that was hoped for (with a point from Thanwi).

71. The allusion by the word “barizatun” is, according to the classical commentators, to the earth being rendered flat, barren, featureless and without a place for anyone to hide behind.

72. That is, you have come to Us today in a lonely state, without the worldly belongings that you were proud to possess, even as We created you at first: naked, un-circumcised, without a headgear or footwear (Alusi and Asad combined).

73. Most scholars have, on the strength of another verse, said that the allusion is to the Master Book of Records, in which the deeds of the creation are entered, even as they are entered in individual Record books. But a few have thought that the allusion is to the Records of the individuals that will be placed in the right or left hand of the people on the Day of Judgment.

74. Ibn ‘Abbas said: Even such insignificant acts as a laugh would be found recorded in the Book of Deeds (Ibn Jarir). Ibn abi Hatim has, however, another report from Ibn ‘Abbas. He said, “A smile at a believer out of mockery or out of derision is the small thing referred to here, and a laugh in his ridicule the big one” (Alusi, Shawkani). When someone laughed when a man passed wind in the presence of the Prophet, he asked in exasperation, “Why should one of you laugh at something that another does?” (Alsui)