Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 34 Saba, Ayat 37-38

وَمَاۤ اَمۡوَالُـكُمۡ وَلَاۤ اَوۡلَادُكُمۡ بِالَّتِىۡ تُقَرِّبُكُمۡ عِنۡدَنَا زُلۡفٰٓى اِلَّا مَنۡ اٰمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًـا فَاُولٰٓـئِكَ لَهُمۡ جَزَآءُ الضِّعۡفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوۡا وَهُمۡ فِى الۡغُرُفٰتِ اٰمِنُوۡنَ‏ ﴿34:37﴾ وَ الَّذِيۡنَ يَسۡعَوۡنَ فِىۡۤ اٰيٰتِنَا مُعٰجِزِيۡنَ اُولٰٓـئِكَ فِى الۡعَذَابِ مُحۡضَرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿34:38﴾

(34:37) It is not your riches nor your children that make you near-stationed to Us, except for him who has faith and acts righteously;57 it is they who will receive double the recompense for their deeds. They shall live in lofty mansions in perfect peace.58 (34:38) As for those who work against Our Signs so as to frustrate them, they shall be arraigned into the chastisement.


Notes

57 This can have two meanings and both are correct:

(1) That which brings the people nearer to Allah is not wealth and children but faith and righteous deeds; and,

(2) wealth and children can become a means of nearness to Allah only for that believing, righteous person, who spends his wealth in the way of Allah and tries to make his children God-conscious and righteous by good education and training.

58. Here also is a subtle allusion that their blessing shall be imperishable, and their reward endless. For one cannot enjoy with full satisfaction of the heart a reward which is likely to perish or withdrawn suddenly at any time.