Al-Qur'an Surah Ar-Ra'd Verse 26

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Allah expands the provision for whom He wills and narrows it (for whom He wills). They are happy with the worldly life, while the worldly life, compared to the Hereafter, is nothing but a little enjoyment.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Allah gives abundant or limited provisions to whoever He wills. And the disbelievers become prideful of ˹the pleasures of˺ this worldly life. But the life of this world, compared to the Hereafter, is nothing but a fleeting enjoyment.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Allah extends provision to whom He wills or restricts it. They rejoice in the life of this world, although the life of this world, compared to the Hereafter, is nothing but a fleeting pleasure.

A. J. Arberry

God outspreads and straitens His provision unto whomsoever He will. They rejoice in this present life; and this present life, beside the world to come, is naught but passing enjoyment.

Abdul Haleem

God gives abundantly to whoever He will, and sparingly to whoever He will- and though they may revel in the life of this world, it is but a fleeting comfort compared with the Life to come.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Allah enlargeth the provision for whomsoever He Willeth and, stinteth. And they exult in the life of the world, whereas the life of the world, by the side of the Hereafter, is only a Passing enjoyment.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah doth enlarge, or grant by (strict) measure, the sustenance (which He giveth) to whomso He pleaseth. (The wordly) rejoice in the life of this world; But the life of this world is but little comfort in the Hereafter.

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah grants the provision to whomsoever He wills abundantly and grants others in strict measure. They exult in the life of the world, although compared with the Hereafter, the life of the world is no more than temporary enjoyment.

Ahmed Ali

God increases or decreases the fortunes of whosoever He will, and they rejoice in the life of this world. Yet the life of this world is nothing but a merchandise as compared to the life of the next.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Allah eases and restricts the sustenance for whomever He wills; and the disbelievers rejoiced upon the life of this world; and the life of this world, as compared with the Hereafter, is just a brief utilisation.

Ali Quli Qarai

Allah expands the provision for whomever He wishes, and tightens it. They boast of the life of this world, but compared with the Hereafter the life of this world is but a [trifling] enjoyment.

Ali Ünal

God enlarges provision for whom He wills, and straitens it (for whom He wills). They (the unbelievers who have been given abundant provision and indulged in the present, worldly life oblivious of God and the Hereafter) rejoice in the present, worldly life, whereas the present, worldly life is but a fleeting enjoyment as compared with the Hereafter.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Allâh amplifies the means of livelihood for such of (His) people as He will and straitens them (for such of them as He will). (Some) people are happy with the present life whereas the present life, as compared with the Hereafter, is but a fleeting (and insignificant) enjoyment.

English Literal

God spreads/extends the provision to whom He wills/wants and He is capable , and they became happy with the life the present/worldly life, and the life the present/worldly life is not in the end (other life) except enjoyment .

Faridul Haque

Allah eases and restricts the sustenance for whomever He wills; and the disbelievers rejoiced upon the life of this world; and the life of this world, as compared with the Hereafter, is just a brief utilisation.

Hamid S. Aziz

And those who break the Covenant of Allah after ratifying it, and who sever what Allah hath commanded to be joined, and who do mischief in the earth - upon these is the curse of Allah, and for them is an ill abode.

Hilali & Khan

Allah increases the provision for whom He wills, and straitens (it for whom He wills), and they rejoice in the life of the world, whereas the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter is but a brief passing enjoyment.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And those who break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation, and cut asunder that which Allah has ordered to be joined, and make mischief in the land, for them is the curse, and theirs is the evil end of the Abode.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Allah amplifies and straitens the means of subsistence for whom He pleases; and they rejoice in this world's life, and this world's life is nothing compared with the hereafter but a temporary enjoyment.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Allah enlargeth livelihood for whom He will, and straiteneth (it for whom He will); and they rejoice in the life of the world, whereas the life of the world is but brief comfort as compared with the Hereafter.

Muhammad Sarwar

God gives abundant sustenance to whomever He wants and determines everyone's destiny. Some people are very happy with the worldly life. Compared to the life to come it is only a temporary means.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Allah gives abundantly and sparingly to whom He will. They rejoice in this present life; but this present life, beside the Everlasting Life, is nothing but a passing enjoyment.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Allah increases the provision for whom He wills, and straitens (it for whom He wills), and they rejoice in the life of the world, whereas the life of this world compared to the Hereafter is but a brief passing enjoyment.

Wahiduddin Khan

God gives abundantly to whom He will and sparingly to whom He pleases -- [those who deny the truth] rejoice in the life of this world; yet the life of this world is but a fleeting pleasure compared with the life to come.

Talal Itani

God dispenses the provisions to whomever He wills, and restricts. And they delight in the worldly life; yet the worldly life, compared to the Hereafter, is only enjoyment.

Tafsir jalalayn

God expands provision, He makes it abundant, for whom He will, and straitens, restricts it, for whomever He will; and they, the people of Mecca, rejoice, a wanton rejoicing, in the life of this world, that is, in what they acquire therein, yet the life of this world, in, comparison with the life of, the Hereafter, is but [a brief] enjoyment, a trifling thing, enjoyed and then lost.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Increase and Decrease in Provision is in Allah's Hand

Allah says;

اللّهُ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاء وَيَقَدِرُ

وَفَرِحُواْ بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا

Allah increases the provision for whom He wills, and straitens (it for whom He wills),

Allah states that He alone increases the provisions for whom He wills and decreases it for whom He wills, according to His wisdom and perfect justice. So, when the disbelievers rejoice with the life of the present world that was given to them, they do not know that they are being tested and tried.

Allah said in other Ayat,

أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُمْ بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ

نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِى الْخَيْرَتِ بَل لاَّ يَشْعُرُونَ

Do they think that in wealth and children with which We enlarge them. We hasten unto them with good things. Nay, but they perceive not. (23;55-56)

Allah belittled the life of the present world in comparison to what He has prepared for His believing servants in the Hereafter,

وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا فِي الاخِرَةِ إِلاَّ مَتَاعٌ



whereas the life of this world compared to the Hereafter is but a brief passing enjoyment.

Allah said in other Ayat,

قُلْ مَتَـعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ اتَّقَى وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلً

Say;"Short is the enjoyment of this world. The Hereafter is (far) better for him who has Taqwa, and you shall not be dealt with unjustly even equal to the amount of a Fatila. (4;77)

and,

بَلْ تُوْثِرُونَ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا


وَالاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى


Nay, you prefer the life of this world, although the Hereafter is better and more lasting. (87;16-17)

Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Mustawrid, from Bani Fihr, said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَا الدُّنْيَا فِي الاْاخِرَةِ إِلاَّ كَمَا يَجْعَلُ أَحَدُكُمْ إصْبَعَهُ هَذِهِ فِي الْيَمِّ فَلْيَنْظُرْ بِمَ تَرْجِع

The life of the present world, compared to the Hereafter, is just like when one of you inserts his finger in the sea, so let him contemplate how much of it will it carry.

and he pointed with the index finger.

Imam Muslim also collected this Hadith in his Sahih.

In another Hadith, the Prophet passed by a dead sheep, whose ears were small, and said,

وَاللهِ لَلدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللهِ مِنْ هَذَا عَلَى أَهْلِهِ حِينَ أَلْقَوه

By Allah! The life of this present world is as insignificant to Allah as this sheep was to its owners when they threw it away