Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 96

Mufti Taqi Usmani

You shall surely find them the more avid, for life than all other men - even more than the polytheists. Every one of them would love that his life is prolonged for one thousand years. But it will not take him away from punishment that his life is (so) prolonged, and Allah is watchful of what they do.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

You will surely find them clinging to life more eagerly than any other people, even more than polytheists. Each one of them wishes to live a thousand years. But even if they were to live that long, it would not save them from the punishment. And Allah is All-Seeing of what they do.

Ruwwad Translation Center

And you will surely find them the most greedy people for life, even more than the polytheists. Each one of them wishes to have a life of a thousand years. Even if they were granted such a long life, it would not save them from the punishment; for Allah is All-Seeing of what they do.

A. J. Arberry

and thou shalt find them the eagerest of men for life. And of the idolaters; there is one of them wishes if he might be spared a thousand years, yet his being spared alive shall not remove him from the chastisement. God sees the things they do.

Abdul Haleem

[Prophet], you are sure to find them clinging to life more eagerly than any other people, even the polytheists. Any of them would wish to be given a life of a thousand years, though even such a long life would not save them from the torment: God sees everything they do.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And surely thou wilt find them the greediest of men after life, even greedier than those who associate. Each one of them would fain life for a thousand years, and this will not save him from the torment, even if he hath lived so long. And Allah is the Beholder of that which they work.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Thou wilt indeed find them, of all people, most greedy of life,-even more than the idolaters; Each one of them wishes He could be given a life of a thousand years; But the grant of such life will not save him from (due) punishment. For Allah sees well all that they do.

Abul Ala Maududi

You will find that, of all mankind, they are the greediest for life, nay, they are even greedier than the mushriks. Each one of them longs to have a life Of a thousand years, but a long life can, by no means, remove them away from the scourge, for Allah is watching whatever they are doing.

Ahmed Ali

You will see they are covetous of life more than other men, even more than those who practise idolatry. Each one of them desires to live a thousand years, although longevity will never save them from punishment, for God sees all they do.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And you will surely find them the greediest among mankind for life; and (likewise) among the polytheists (idolaters); each one of them yearns to live a thousand years; and the grant of such age will not distance him from the punishment; and Allah is seeing their misdeeds.

Ali Quli Qarai

Surely, you will find them the greediest for life, of all people even the idolaters. Each of them is eager to live a thousand years, though it would not deliver him from the punishment, were he to live [that long]. And Allah watches what they do.

Ali Ünal

And you will undoubtedly find them the greediest of all people for life, (more greedy) than even those who associate partners with God. Everyone of them wishes if only he might be spared for a thousand years, yet his being spared to live will not remove him from the punishment. God sees well all that they do.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And you shall of course find them the greediest of all people for (this base) life and even more (greedy) than those who set up equals (to God). Each one of them would love to be granted a life of a thousand years, yet his being spared for a long life shall, by no means keep him away from the punishment. And Allâh is Watchful of all their doings.

English Literal

And you will find them (E) the people most holding stingily and desiring strongly on (a) life/existence and from those who shared/made partners with God, any of them wishes/loves if he be granted long life (a) thousand years, and it is not with moving/hurriedly pushing him from the torture, that he be granted long life ,and God (is) seeing/understanding with what they make/do/work.

Faridul Haque

And you will surely find them the greediest among mankind for life; and (likewise) among the polytheists (idolaters); each one of them yearns to live a thousand years; and the grant of such age will not distance him from the punishment; and Allah is seeing their misdeeds.

Hamid S. Aziz

Why, you will find them the greediest of men for life; even more than the idolaters; each one would fain live for a thousand years,- but he will not be reprieved from punishment by being allowed to live that long, for Allah sees what they do.

Hilali & Khan

And verily, you will find them (the Jews) the greediest of mankind for life and (even greedier) than those who - ascribe partners to Allah (and do not believe in Resurrection - Magians, pagans, and idolaters, etc.). Everyone of them wishes that he could be given a life of a thousand years. But the grant of such life will not save him even a little from (due) punishment. And Allah is All-Seer of what they do.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And thou wilt certainly find them the greediest of men for life, (greedier) even than those who set up gods (with God). One of them loves to be granted a life of a thousand years, and his being granted a long life will in no way remove him further off from the chastisement. And Allah is Seer of what they do.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And you will most certainly find them the greediest of men for life (greedier) than even those who are polytheists; every one of them loves that he should be granted a life of a thousand years, and his being granted a long life will in no way remove him further off from the chastisement, and Allah sees what they do.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And thou wilt find them greediest of mankind for life and (greedier) than the idolaters. (Each) one of them would like to be allowed to live a thousand years. And to live (a thousand years) would be no means remove him from the doom. Allah is Seer of what they do.

Muhammad Sarwar

However, you will find them the greediest of all men, even more than the pagans, for life. They would each gladly live for a thousand years, but such a long life would not save them from the torment. God sees what they do.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Indeed, you will find them more eager than other people for this life. And (more than) those who disbelieve. Each one of them wishes to live a thousand years. But his prolonged life will surely not remove him from the punishment. Allah is the Seer of what they do.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And verily, you will find them (the Jews) the greediest of mankind for life and (even greedier) than those who ascribe partners to Allah. One of them wishes that he could be given a life of a thousand years. But the grant of such life will not save him even a little from (due) punishment. And Allah is Seer of what they do.

Wahiduddin Khan

You will find them clinging to life more eagerly than any other people, even the polytheists. Any of them would wish to be given a life of a thousand years, though even such a long life would not save them from [Our] punishment; and God sees all that they do.

Talal Itani

You will find them, of all mankind, the most eager for life, even more than the polytheists. Every one of them wishes he could live a thousand years; but to be granted a long life will not nudge him from the punishment. God is Seeing of what they do.

Tafsir jalalayn

And you shall find them (the lm of la-tajidannahum is for oaths) the people most covetous of life, and, more covetous of it than, the idolaters, who reject the [idea of the] Resurrection, for the former know that their journey's end will be the Fire, while the idolaters do not believe even in this; any one of them would love, wishes, that he might be given life for a thousand years (law yu`ammar, `[if only] he might be given life'; the particle law, `if only', relates to the verbal noun and functions with the sense of an, `that', and together with its relative clause explains the [implicit] verbal noun in the object of the verb yawaddu, `he would love'); yet, any one of them, his being given life (an yu`ammara, `that he should be given life', constitutes the subject of the verb muzahzihihi, `that it should budge him' [this verb comes later], as though it were ta`mruhu, `the giving of life to him') shall not budge, remove, him from the chastisement, of the Fire. God sees what they do (ya`malna may be alternatively read ta`malna, `you do'), and will requite them. [`Abd Allh] Ibn Sry asked the Prophet (s), or `Umar [b. al-Khattb], about which angel brings down the revelation, and he replied that it was Gabriel; he [Ibn Sry] then said, `He is our enemy, because he brings chastisement with him; had it been Michael, we would have believed in him, because he brings fertility and security.' Then, the following was revealed;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ النَّاسِ عَلَى حَيَاةٍ

But they will never long for it because of what their hands have sent before them (i.e. what they have done). And Allah is Aware of the Zalimin. And verily, you will find them (the Jews) the greediest of mankind for life.

meaning, greedy to live longer, because they know their evil end, and the only reward they will have with Allah is total loss. This life is a prison for the believer and Paradise for the disbeliever. Therefore, the People of the Book wish they could delay the Hereafter, as much as possible. However, they shall certainly meet what they are trying to avoid, even if they are more eager to delay the Hereafter than the polytheists who do not have a divine book.

وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

and (even greedier) than those who ascribe partners to Allah. One of them wishes that he could be given a life of a thousand years.

وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ أَن يُعَمَّرَ

But the grant of such life will not save him even a little from (due) punishment.

Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Ibn Abbas commented,

"Long life shall not save them from torment. Certainly, the polytheists do not believe in resurrection after death, and they would love to enjoy a long life. The Jews know the humiliation they will suffer in the Hereafter for knowingly ignoring the truth."

Also, Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said,

"The Jews are most eager for this life. They wish they could live for a thousand years. However, living for a thousand years will not save them from torment, just as Iblis - Satan - long life did not benefit him, due to being a disbeliever."

وَاللّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ



And Allah is Seer of what they do.

meaning, "Allah knows what His servants are doing, whether good or evil, and will compensate each of them accordingly.