Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Hijr Verse 88

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Never stretch your eyes towards what We have given to groups of them to enjoy, and do not grieve for them, and be kind to believers in humbleness,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Do not let your eyes crave the ˹fleeting˺ pleasures We have provided for some of the disbelievers, nor grieve for them. And be gracious to the believers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Do not look longingly at the pleasures We have given certain classes of them, nor grieve over them, but lower your wing [in humility] to the believers.

A. J. Arberry

Stretch not thine eyes to that We have given pairs of them to enjoy; and do not sorrow for them, and lower thy wing unto the believers,

Abdul Haleem

Do not look longingly at the good things We have given some to enjoy. Do not grieve over the [disbelievers], but lower your wings over the believers

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Cast not thine eyes toward that which We have let classes of them to enjoy; and grieve not over them, and lower thy wing unto the believers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Strain not thine eyes. (Wistfully) at what We have bestowed on certain classes of them, nor grieve over them; but lower thy wing (in gentleness) to the believers.

Abul Ala Maududi

Do not even cast your eyes towards the worldly goods We have granted to different kinds of people, nor grieve over the state they are in, but turn your loving attention to the believers instead,

Ahmed Ali

So covet not things We have bestowed on a portion of them to enjoy, and do not grieve for them, and protect those who believe;

Ahmed Raza Khan

Do not direct your eyes towards the things We have given to some of their couples to enjoy, and do not at all grieve because of them, and take the Muslims within the folds of your mercy.

Ali Quli Qarai

Do not extend your glance toward what We have provided to certain groups of them, and do not grieve for them, and lower your wing to the faithful,

Ali Ünal

Do not strain your eyes toward what We have given some groups among them (the unbelievers) to enjoy (in the life of this world), nor grieve over them (because of their attitude toward your mission); and lower your wings (of compassion and protection) for the believers.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Extend not your eyes desirously towards the fleeting enjoyments We have bestowed on some classes (of people) among them, nor grieve over (this destruction of) them and be kind and gentle to the believers,

English Literal

Do not extend/spread your two eyes to what We made spouses/couples from them enjoy with it, and do not be sad/grievous on (for) them, and be lenient/comforting/lower your wing/side (kindness) to the believers.

Faridul Haque

Do not direct your eyes towards the things We have given to some of their couples to enjoy, and do not at all grieve because of them, and take the Muslims within the folds of your mercy.

Hamid S. Aziz

Let not your eyes strain after what We have allowed certain classes among them to enjoy, nor grieve for them; but lower your wing (in tenderness) to the believers,

Hilali & Khan

Look not with your eyes ambitiously at what We have bestowed on certain classes of them (the disbelievers), nor grieve over them. And lower your wings for the believers (be courteous to the fellow-believers).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And certainly We have given thee seven oft-repeated (verses) and the grand Qur’an.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Do not strain your eyes after what We have given certain classes of them to enjoy, and do not grieve for them, and make yourself gentle to the believers.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Strain not thine eyes toward that which We cause some wedded pairs among them to enjoin, and be not grieved on their account, and lower thy wing (in tenderness) for the believers.

Muhammad Sarwar

Do not yearn for other people's property and wives and do not grieve (that they do not believe). Be kind to the believers.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Do not stretch your eyes to that We have given pairs of them to enjoy, nor sorrow for them, and lower your wing to the believers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Look not with your eyes ambitiously at what We have given to certain classes of them, nor grieve over them. And lower your wings to the believers.

Wahiduddin Khan

Do not strain your eyes towards the worldly benefits We have bestowed on some of them, nor grieve on their account. Lower your wing of mercy for the believers

Talal Itani

Do not extend your eyes towards what We have bestowed on some couples of them to enjoy, and do not grieve over them, and lower your wing to the believers.

Tafsir jalalayn

Do not extend your glance toward that which We have given different groups of them to enjoy, and do not grieve for them, should they not believe, and lower your wing, temper your nature, for the believers.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

And indeed, We have bestowed upon you seven of the Mathani, and the Grand Qur'an. Look not with your eyes ambitiously at what We have given to certain classes of them, nor grieve over them. And lower your wings to the believers.

Allah is saying to His Prophet;

Since We have given you the Grand Qur'an, then do not look at this world and its attractions, or the transient delights that we have given to its people in order to test them. Do not envy what they have in this world, and do not upset yourself with regret for their rejection of you and their opposition to your religion.

وَاخْفِضْ جَنَاحَكَ لِمَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ

And lower your wings to the believers who follow you. (26;215) meaning - be gentle with them, like the Ayah,

لَقَدْ جَأءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُوْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger from among yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is anxious for you, for the believers - he is full of pity, kind and merciful. (9;128)

There were some differences among the scholars over the meaning of "seven of the Mathani".

Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak and others said that;

they are the seven long (Surahs), meaning

Al-Baqarah,

Al-Imran,

An-Nisa',

Al-Ma'idah,

Al-An`am,

Al-A`raf,

Yunus.

There are texts to this effect reported from Ibn Abbas and Sa`id bin Jubayr.

Sa`id said;

"In them, Allah explains the obligations, the Hudud (legal limits), stories and rulings."

Ibn Abbas said,

"He explains the parables, stories and lessons."

The second opinion is that;

they (the seven of the Mathani) are Al-Fatihah, which is composed of seven Ayat.

This was reported from Ali, Umar, Ibn Mas`ud and Ibn Abbas.

Ibn Abbas said;

"The Bismillah, is completing seven Ayah, which Allah has given exclusively to you (Muslims)."

This is also the opinion of Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Abdullah bin Umayr, Ibn Abi Mulaykah, Shahr bin Hawshab, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Mujahid.

Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded two Hadiths on this topic. The first was recorded from Abu Sa`id bin Al-Mu`alla, who said;

"The Prophet passed by me while I was praying. He called out for me but I did not come until I finished my prayer. Then I came to him, and He asked,

مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَنِي

What stopped you from coming to me?

I said, `I was praying'.

He said,
أَلَمْ يَقُلِ اللهُ
D

;

يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ

O you who believe! Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he calls you... (8;24)

أَلَا أُعَلِّمُكَ أَعْظَمَ سُورَةٍ فِي الْقُرْانِ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَخْرُجَ مِنَ الْمَسْجِد

Shall I not teach you the most magnificent Surah before I leave the Masjid!

Then the Prophet went to leave the Masjid, and I reminded him, so he said,

الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ

All praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists. (1;2)

هِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْانُ الَّذِي أُوتِيتُه

This is the seven of the Mathani and the Qur'an which I have been given."

The second Hadith was reported from Abu Hurayrah who said that the Messenger of Allah said;

أُمُّ الْقُرْانِ هِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي وَالْقُرْانُ الْعَظِيم
Umm Al-Qur'an (the Mother or the Essence of the Qur'an), is the seven Mathani, and the Grand Qur'an.

This means that Al-Fatihah is the seven Mathani and the Grand Qur'an, but this does not contradict the statement that the seven Mathani are the seven long Surahs, because they also share these attributes, as does the whole Qur'an.

As Allah says,

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَـباً مُّتَشَـبِهاً مَّثَانِيَ

Allah has sent down the best statement, a Book (this Qur'an), its parts resembling each other in goodness and truth, oft-recited. (39;23)

So it is oft-recited in one way, and its parts resemble one another in another way, and this is also the Grand Qur'an.

لَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَى مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجًا مِّنْهُمْ

Look not with your eyes ambitiously at what We have given to certain classes of them.

meaning, be content with the Grand Qur'an that Allah has given to you, and do not long for the luxuries and transient delights that they have.

Al-Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas said;

لَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ
(Look not with your eyes ambitiously),

"He (in this Ayah) forbade a man to wish for what his companion has."

إِلَى مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجًا مِّنْهُمْ

at what We have given to certain classes of them,

Mujahid said;

"This refers to the rich.