Surah Al-Hadid (الحديد) • The Iron

Quran 57:20

57:20

ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌۢ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَـٰدِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَـٰمًا ۖ وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌ ۚ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ

iʿ'lamū annamā l-ḥayatu l-dun'yā laʿibun walahwun wazīnatun watafākhurun baynakum watakāthurun fī l-amwāli wal-awlādi kamathali ghaythin aʿjaba l-kufāra nabātuhu thumma yahīju fatarāhu muṣ'farran thumma yakūnu ḥuṭāman wafī l-ākhirati ʿadhābun shadīdun wamaghfiratun mina l-lahi wariḍ'wānun wamā l-ḥayatu l-dun'yā illā matāʿu l-ghurūri

Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allāh and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.

— Saheeh International

Bear in mind that the present life is just a game, a diversion, an attraction, a cause of boasting among you, of rivalry in wealth and children. It is like plants that spring up after the rain: their growth at first delights the sowers, but then you see them wither away, turn yellow, and become stubble. There is terrible punishment in the next life as well as forgiveness and approval from God; the life of this world is only an illusory pleasure.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. (It is) as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw. But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment (for the disbelievers - evil-doers), and (there is) Forgiveness from Allâh and (His) Good Pleasure (for the believers - good-doers). And the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment.

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Juz 27Page 540medinan

Word by Word

ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟iʿ'lamūKnow
أَنَّمَاannamāthat
ٱلْحَيَوٰةُl-ḥayatuthe life
ٱلدُّنْيَاl-dun'yā(of) the world
لَعِبٌۭlaʿibun(is) play
وَلَهْوٌۭwalahwunand amusement
وَزِينَةٌۭwazīnatunand adornment
وَتَفَاخُرٌۢwatafākhurunand boasting
بَيْنَكُمْbaynakumamong you
وَتَكَاثُرٌۭwatakāthurunand competition in increase
فِىfīof
ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِl-amwālithe wealth
وَٱلْأَوْلَـٰدِۖwal-awlādiand the children
كَمَثَلِkamathalilike (the) example
غَيْثٍghaythin(of) a rain
أَعْجَبَaʿjabapleases
ٱلْكُفَّارَl-kufārathe tillers
نَبَاتُهُۥnabātuhuits growth
ثُمَّthummathen
يَهِيجُyahījuit dries
فَتَرَىٰهُfatarāhuand you see it
مُصْفَرًّۭاmuṣ'farranturning yellow
ثُمَّthummathen
يَكُونُyakūnubecomes
حُطَـٰمًۭاۖḥuṭāmandebris
وَفِىwafīAnd in
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِl-ākhiratithe Hereafter
عَذَابٌۭʿadhābun(is) a punishment
شَدِيدٌۭshadīdunsevere
وَمَغْفِرَةٌۭwamaghfiratunand forgiveness
مِّنَminafrom
ٱللَّهِl-lahiAllah
وَرِضْوَٰنٌۭۚwariḍ'wānunand Pleasure
وَمَاwamāBut not
ٱلْحَيَوٰةُl-ḥayatu(is) the life
ٱلدُّنْيَآl-dun'yā(of) the world
إِلَّاillāexcept
مَتَـٰعُmatāʿu(the) enjoyment
ٱلْغُرُورِl-ghurūri(of) delusion