Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Kahf Verse 46

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Wealth and children are the embellishment of the worldly life, and the everlasting virtues are better with your Lord, both in rewards and in creating good hopes

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Wealth and children are the adornment of this worldly life, but the everlasting good deeds are far better with your Lord in reward and in hope.[[ This refers to good deeds that will benefit the believer in the Hereafter such as prayers or praises of Allah such as saying: ‘Subḥâna-Allâh’ (Glory be to Allah), ‘Alḥamdulillâh’ (Praise be to Allah), ‘Lâ ilâha illa-Allâh’ (There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Allah), and ‘Allâhu akbar’ (Allah is the Greatest).]] 

Ruwwad Translation Center

Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world, but the lasting righteous deeds are better with your Lord in reward and better in hope.

A. J. Arberry

Wealth and sons are the adornment of the present world; but the abiding things, the deeds of righteousness, are better with God in reward, and better in hope.

Abdul Haleem

Wealth and children are the attractions of this worldly life, but lasting good works have a better reward with your Lord and give better grounds for hope.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Substance and sons are the adornment of the life of the World, and the righteous works that last are excellent with thy Lord in respect of reward, and excellent in respect of hope.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Wealth and sons are allurements of the life of this world; But the things that endure, good deeds, are best in the sight of thy Lord, as rewards, and best as (the foundation for) hopes.

Abul Ala Maududi

Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of the world. But the deeds of lasting righteousness are the best in the sight of your Lord in reward, and far better a source of hope.

Ahmed Ali

Wealth and children are only the gloss of this world, but good deeds that abide are better with your Lord for recompense, and better for expectation.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Wealth and sons are ornaments of the life of this world; and good deeds that last – their reward is better before your Lord, and are better in respect of hope.

Ali Quli Qarai

Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of the world, but lasting righteous deeds are better with your Lord in reward and better in hope.

Ali Ünal

Wealth and children are an adornment of the present, worldly life, but the good, righteous deeds (based on faith and) which endure are better in the sight of your Lord in bringing reward and better to aspire for.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world. But with regard to (immediate) reward, ever-abiding righteous deeds are the best in the sight of your Lord, they (also) promise the best hope (in respect of the future).

English Literal

The property/possession/wealth and the sons/sons and daughters (are) the life the present`s/worldly life`s decoration/beauty , and the remainders the correct/righteous deeds (are) better at your Lord (in) a reward/replacement , and better hope.

Faridul Haque

Wealth and sons are ornaments of the life of this world; and good deeds that last - their reward is better before your Lord, and are better in respect of hope.

Hamid S. Aziz

Strike out for them, also, a similitude of the life of this world; like water, which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth absorbs it; but on the morrow (or soon) it is dried up, and the winds scatter it; for Allah is powerful over all things.

Hilali & Khan

Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds (five compulsory prayers, deeds of Allah's obedience, good and nice talk, remembrance of Allah with glorification, praises and thanks, etc.), that last, are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And set forth to them the parable of the life of this world as water which We send down from the cloud, so the herbage of the earth becomes luxuriant thereby, then it becomes dry, broken into pieces which the winds scatter. And Allah is the Holder of power over all things.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world; and the ever-abiding, the good works, are better with your Lord in reward and better in expectation.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Wealth and children are an ornament of the life of the world. But the good deeds which endure are better in thy Lord's sight for reward, and better in respect of hope.

Muhammad Sarwar

Children and property are the ornaments of the worldly life, but for deeds which continually produce virtue one can obtain better rewards from God and have greater hope in Him.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Wealth and children are the ornament of this present life. But the things that last and good deeds, are better with your Lord in reward and hope.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for reward and better for hope.

Wahiduddin Khan

Wealth and children are an ornament of the life of this world. But deeds of lasting merit are better rewarded by your Lord and a far better source of hope.

Talal Itani

Wealth and children are the adornments of the present life. But the things that last, the virtuous deeds, are better with your Lord for reward, and better for hope.

Tafsir jalalayn

Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world, [adornment] with which one arrays oneself therein. But the enduring things, the righteous deeds -- and these are; `Glory be to God' (subhna'Llh), `Praise be to God' (al-hmdu li'Llh), `There is no god but God (l ilha ill'Llh), `God is Great' (Allhu akbar); some add [the following] `There is no power or strength except in God' (l hawla wa-l quwwata ill bi'Llh) -- [these] are better with your Lord for reward and better in [respect of] hope, in other words, [they are better] in terms of what a person hopes for and desires from God, exalted be He.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا

Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world.

This is like the Ayah;

زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَتِ مِنَ النِّسَأءِ وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَـطِيرِ الْمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ

Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, vaulted hoards of gold... (3;14)

Allah says;

إِنَّمَأ أَمْوَلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَـدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allah! With Him is a great reward (Paradise). (64;15)

turning towards Allah and worshipping Him is better for you than keeping busy with them, and accumulating wealth for them and going to extremes in feeling pity and compassion for them.

Allah says;

وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا



But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for reward and better for hope.

Ibn Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr and others among the Salaf said that;

the good righteous deeds that last are the five daily prayers.

Ata' bin Abi Rabah and Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn Abbas,

"The good righteous deeds that last are
Subhan Allah (glory be to Allah)',
Al-Hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah)',
La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah)', and
Allahu Akbar (Allah is Most Great).'"

The Commander of the faithful, Uthman bin Affan was questioned,

"Which are the good righteous deeds that last"

He replied,

"They are;
La ilaha illallah,
Subhan Allah,
Al-Hamdu Lillah,
Allahu Akbar and
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah hil-`Aliyil-`Azim (there is no strength and no power except with Allah the Exalted, the Almighty)."'

This was recorded by Imam Ahmad.

Imam Ahmad also recorded from a freed slave of the Messenger of Allah that he said;

بَخٍ بَخٍ لِخَمْسٍ مَا أَثْقَلَهُنَّ فِي الْمِيزَانِ

لَاا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ

وَاللهُ أَكْبَرُ

وَسُبْحَانَ اللهِ

وَالْحَمْدُ للهِ

وَالْوَلَدُ الصَّالِحُ يُتَوَفَّى فَيَحْتَسِبُهُ وَالِدُهُ

وَقَالَ بَخٍ بَخٍ لِخَمْسٍ مَنْ لَقِيَ اللهَ مُسْتَيْقِنًا بِهِنَّ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ

يُوْمِنُ بِاللهِ

وَالْيَوْمِ الاْاخِرِ

وَبِالْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ

وَبِالْبَعْثِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ

وَبِالْحِسَاب

Well done! Well done for five things! (How heavy they will weigh in the balance!

"La ilaha illallah,
Allahu Akbar,
Subhan Allah, and
Al-Hamdu Lillah," and

a righteous son who dies and his parents seek the reward of Allah.

And he said;(Well done! Well done for five things! Whoever meets Allah believing in them, he will enter Paradise; if he believes in;

Allah,

the Last Day,

Paradise and Hell,

resurrection after death, and

the Reckoning.

وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ


the good righteous deeds that last,

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"This is the celebration of the remembrance of Allah, saying;
La ilaha illallah,
Allahu Akbar,
Subhan Allah,
Al-Hamdu Lillah,
Tabarak Allah,
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah,
Astaghfirallah,
Sallallahu `ala Rasul-Allah', and

fasting, prayer, Hajj, Sadaqah (charity), freeing slaves, Jihad, maintaining ties of kinship, and all other good deeds.

These are the righteous good deeds that last, which will remain in Paradise for those who do them for as long as heaven and earth remain."

Al-Awfi reported from Ibn Abbas;

"They are good words."

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said,

"They are all righteous deeds."

This was also the view chosen by Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him