Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 212

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Adorned is the present life for those who disbelieve, and they laugh at those who believe, while those who fear Allah shall be above them on the Day of Resurrection. Allah gives provision to whom He wills without measure.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

The life of this world has been made appealing to the disbelievers, and they mock the believers. Those who are mindful ˹of Allah˺ will rank above them on the Day of Judgment. And Allah provides for whoever He wills without limit.

Ruwwad Translation Center

The life of this world is made appealing to those who disbelieve, and they ridicule the believers, while those who fear Allah will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah provides to whom He wills without measure.

A. J. Arberry

Decked out fair to the unbelievers is the present life, and they deride the believers; but those who were godfearing shall be above them on the Resurrection Day; and God provides whomsoever He will without reckoning.

Abdul Haleem

The life of this world is made to seem glamorous to the disbelievers, and they laugh at those who believe. But those who are mindful of God will be above them on the Day of Resurrection: God provides immeasurably for whoever He pleases.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Fair-seeming is made the life of the world unto those who disbelieve, and they scoff at those who believe, whereas those who fear God shall be above them on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah provideth whomsoever He listeth without reckoning.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The life of this world is alluring to those who reject faith, and they scoff at those who believe. But the righteous will be above them on the Day of Resurrection; for Allah bestows His abundance without measure on whom He will.

Abul Ala Maududi

This worldly life has been made very charming and alluring for those who have adopted the way of disbelief. So they mock at those who have adopted the way of belief, but (they forget that) the pious people will rank above them on the Day of Resurrection. As to the wordly provisions, Allah has full authority and power to bestow these without measure on anyone He wills.

Ahmed Ali

Enamoured are the unbelievers of the life of this world, and scoff at the faithful. But those who keep from evil and follow the straight path will have a higher place than they on the Day of Reckoning; for God gives in measure without number whomsoever He will.

Ahmed Raza Khan

The life of this world is made to appear beautiful in the sight of the disbelievers, and they make fun of the believers; and the pious will be above them on the Day of Resurrection; and Allah may give to whomever He wills, without account.

Ali Quli Qarai

Worldly life has been glamorized for the faithless, and they ridicule the faithful. But those who are Godwary shall be above them on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah provides for whomever He wishes without any reckoning.

Ali Ünal

The present, worldly life is decked out as appealing to those who are ungrateful to God’s blessing and disbelieve, and they deride those who believe (and attach no importance to the worldly life). But those who obey God in due reverence for Him and piety will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. God provides whomever He wills without reckoning.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Decked out fair is this present life (to make it appear attractive) to those who disbelieve, and they hold those who believe in condemnation. But those who guard against evil shall be (placed) above them on the Day of Resurrection. And Allâh provides (His gifts) for whom He will without reckoning and measure.

English Literal

The life the present/worldly life was decorated/beautified to those who disbelieved, and they humiliate/mock from (about) those who believed, and those who feared and obeyed (are) over them (in) the Resurrection Day, and God provides for whom He wills/wants without counting/calculation.

Faridul Haque

The life of this world is made to appear beautiful in the sight of the disbelievers, and they make fun of the believers; and the pious will be above them on the Day of Resurrection; and Allah may give to whomever He wills, without account.

Hamid S. Aziz

Beautiful is the life of this world to those who disbelieve; they jest at those who do believe. But those who keep their duty shall be above them on the Day of Resurrection. Allah gives provision unto whom He will without measure.

Hilali & Khan

Beautified is the life of this world for those who disbelieve, and they mock at those who believe. But those who obey Allah's Orders and keep away from what He has forbidden, will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah gives (of His Bounty, Blessings, Favours, Honours, etc. on the Day of Resurrection) to whom He wills without limit.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

The life of this world is made to seem fair to those who disbelieve, and they mock those who believe. And those who keep their duty will be above them on the day of Resurrection. And Allah gives to whom He pleases without measure.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

The life of this world is made to seem fair to those who disbelieve, and they mock those who believe, and those who guard (against evil) shall be above them on the day of resurrection; and Allah gives means of subsistence to whom he pleases without measure.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Beautified is the life of the world for those who disbelieve; they make a jest of the believers. But those who keep their duty to Allah will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. Allah giveth without stint to whom He will.

Muhammad Sarwar

The worldly life is made to seem attractive to the disbelievers who scoff at the faithful, but the pious, in the life hereafter, will have a position far above them. God grants sustenance (without account) to anyone He wants.

Qaribullah & Darwish

For those who disbelieve, the worldly life is decked with all manner of decorations. They scoff at those who believe, but the cautious shall be above them on the Day of Resurrection. Allah gives without count to whom He will.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Beautified is the life of this world for those who disbelieve, and they mock at those who believe. But those who have Taqwa, will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah gives (of His bounty, blessings, favors, and honors on the Day of Resurrection) to whom He wills without limit.

Wahiduddin Khan

The life of this world is made to appear attractive for those who deny the truth and they scoff at those who believe. But those who fear God shall be above them on the Day of Resurrection: God bestows His bounties on whoever He pleases without stinting.

Talal Itani

Beautified is the life of this world for those who disbelieve, and they ridicule those who believe. But the righteous will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. God provides to whomever He wills without measure.

Tafsir jalalayn

Decked out fair to the disbelievers, of Mecca, is the life of this world, in disguise and they have fallen in love with it; and they deride the believers, on account of their poverty, the likes of Bill [al-Habash], `Ammr [b. Ysir], and Suhayb [al-Rm], mocking them and treating them condescendingly with their wealth; but those who fear, idolatry, namely, those mentioned, shall be above them on the Day of Resurrection; and God sustains whomever He will without reckoning, with ample sustenance in the Hereafter or in this world, when He gives to those that were mocked possession of the property and lives of those that mocked them.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّقَواْ فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

Beautified is the life of this world for those who disbelieve, and they mock at those who believe. But those who have Taqwa, will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah gives (of His bounty, blessings, favors, and honors on the Day of Resurrection) to whom He wills without limit.

Allah states that He has made the life of this world beautiful for the disbelievers who are satisfied with it, who collect wealth, but refrain from spending it on what they have been commanded, which could earn them Allah's pleasure.

Instead, they ridicule the believers who ignore this life and who spend whatever they earn on what pleases their Lord. The believers spend seeking Allah's Face, and this is why they have gained the ultimate happiness and the best share on the Day of the Return. Therefore, they will be exalted above the disbelievers at the Gathering Place, when they are gathered, during the resurrection and in their final destination. The believers will reside in the highest grades in the utmost highs, while the disbelievers will reside in the lowest of lows (in the Fire).

This is why Allah said;

وَاللّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاء بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ



And Allah gives to whom He wills without limit.

This Ayah indicates that Allah gives sustenance to whomever He wills of His servants without count or limit in this and the Hereafter.

A Hadith has stated (that Allah said);

ابْنَ ادَمَ أَنْفِقْ أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْك

O son of Adam! Spend (in Allah's cause) and I (Allah) will spend on you.

The Prophet said;

أَنْفِقْ بِلَلُ وَلَا تَخْشَ مِنْ ذِي الْعَرْشِ إِقْلَلاً

O Bilal! Spend and do not fear deprivation from the Owner of the Throne.

Allah said;

وَمَأ أَنفَقْتُمْ مِّن شَىْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ
and whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allah's cause), He will replace it. (34;39)

In addition, it is reported in the Sahih that the Prophet said;

أَنَّ مَلَكَيْنِ يَنْزِلَانِ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ صَبِيحَةَ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ فَيَقُولُ أحَدُهُمَا اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقًا خَلَفًا وَيَقُولُ الاخَرُ اللَّهُمَّ أعْطِ مُمْسِكًا تَلَفًا

Every day two angels come down from heavens and one of them says, `O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your cause,' and the other (angel) says, `O Allah! Destroy every miser.'

Also in the Sahih;

يَقُولُ ابْنُ ادَمَ مَالِي مَالِي

وَهَلْ لَكَ مِنْ مَالِكَ إِلاَّ مَا أَكَلْتَ فَأَفْنَيْتَ وَمَا لَبِسْتَ فَأَبْلَيْتَ وَمَا تَصَدَّقْتَ فَأَمْضَيْتَ وَمَا سِوَى ذلِكَ فَذَاهِبٌ وَتَارِكُهُ لِلنَّاس

The son of Adam says, `My money, my money!'

Yet, what is your money except that which you eat and use up, wear and tear, and spend in charity and thus keep (in your record). Other than that, it will go away and will be left for the people (the inheritors).

In addition, Imam Ahmad reported that the Prophet said;

الدُّنْيَا دَارُ مَنْ لَا دَارَ لَهُ وَمَالُ مَنْ لَا مَالَ لَهُ وَلَهَا يَجْمَعُ مَنْ لَا عَقْلَ لَه

The Dunya (life of this world) is the residence of those who have no residence, the wealth of those who have no wealth, and it is harvested by those who have no sense of reason