Surah Al Takathur: Explanation, Background, Learnings

Sura Al Takathur has been named from the first word ‘Takasur’ mentioned in the first verse. It is the 102nd sura of the Holy Quran. This was revealed in the sacred city of Makkah. It has eight verses. Prophet Muhammad (Sm.) once said to his Shahabis ‘there is none among you who is able to recite one thousand verses every day. They replied, ‘Yes, there is hardly anyone who has the ability to recite one thousand verses. Then the Prophet (Sm.) asked them, “is there anybody who can recite sura Takasur every day?’ it is to be mentioned that reciting this sura once every day equals to reciting one thousand verses. (Mazhari)

Background Surah Al Takathur

Banu Abd Manaf, Banu Kusai, and Banu Sahm were the sub-clans of the Quraysh tribe. Each of these clans used to tell others “we are superior to you in every way, be it leadership, be it power or be it population”.

Banu Abd Manaf was proved to be the most top of all. Then everyone said, “we’ll also count those who are dead”. So they went to the graveyard and started to count the graves along with their names of the dead person. Now Banu Sahm got three families more in number. So they had a large population in the age of Jahiliyyah. Under this situation, this sura was revealed.

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Meaning of Surah Al Takathur’s Word

• أَلْهَىٰكُمُ – You have been diverted
• ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ  –  Wealth, the competition of wealth
• حَتَّىٰ  – Until, even
• زُرْتُمُ – you have met
• ٱلْمَقَابِرَ Graves
• كَلَّ Never
• سَوْفَ – Soon, immediately
•  تَعْلَمُونَ You will come to know
• ثُمَّ Thereafter, again
• لَوْ if
• عِلْمَ Knowledge
• ٱلْيَقِينِ – Firm belief, certain
•  ٱلْجَحِيمَ Zahim, a name of one hell
• عَيْنَ – Eye
•  يَوْمَئِذٍ That day
• عَنِ From, since, about
• ٱلنَّعِيمِ – Blessing

Surah Al Takathur in Arabic with English

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

1. أَلْهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ
Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you
2. حَتَّىٰ زُرْتُمُ ٱلْمَقَابِرَ
Until you visit the graveyards.
3. كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ
No! You are going to know.
4. ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ
Then no! You are going to know.
5. كَلَّا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ ٱلْيَقِينِ
No! If you only knew with knowledge of certainty…
6. لَتَرَوُنَّ ٱلْجَحِيمَ
You will surely see the Hellfire.
7. ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ ٱلْيَقِينِ
Then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty.
8. ثُمَّ لَتُسْـَٔلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
Then you will surely be asked that Day about pleasure.

Explanation of Surah Al Takathur

Mankind has been warned against the greed for wealth and competition in worldly things. Human beings are naturally greedy for wealth and money. A man dies while they are competing with each other in order to gain wealth in abundance. But he does not take any preparation for life after death. But one should not do so because wealth is short-lived. Greed for worldly things diverts people. But the success and benefits of the Qyamat are far better than all these worldly things. So, mankind should give more priority to the Akhirat rather than this world. If men could realize the reality of the Akhirat! Men will be able to realize Akhirat after death. They will observe it with the eye of certainty. But then they will be unable to do anything. Rather, they will be asked about the bliss they are enjoying on the earth. They will see the hellfire because of the greed and unlawfulness and sins they committed.

Learning Points from Surah Al Takathur

• We should not have the illusion of an abundance of wealth.
• This diverts people from thinking about Akhirat.
• Those who earn their wealth by unlawful means will be thrown to the hellfire.
• They will be judged according to all their deeds.

So, we will not have any greed for wealth. Rather, we will earn our livelihood and wealth legally. And we will spend those as Allah has instructed us. We will not compete on earning wealth unlawfully.