وَمَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا لَهْوٌ وَلَعِبٌ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ لَهِىَ ٱلْحَيَوَانُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ 64
Translations
And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew.
Transliteration
Wa mā hādhihil-hayāatul-dunyā illā lahwun wa la'ibun. Wa innal-dāral-ākhirata lahiya al-hayawān. Law kānū ya'lamūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes that the worldly life is merely play and amusement in comparison to the eternal nature of the Hereafter, which is described as 'al-hayawan' (the true/real life). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this to mean that the Hereafter alone possesses true, permanent, and meaningful existence, while the dunyā, despite its apparent attractions, is transitory and insignificant. The ayah concludes with a conditional phrase indicating that if people truly understood this reality, their priorities and actions would fundamentally change.
Revelation Context
This ayah is situated within Surah Al-'Ankabut, a Meccan surah that emphasizes trials, patience, and the transient nature of worldly life. The surah was revealed during the early Meccan period when believers faced persecution, and this ayah serves to console and redirect the focus of the believers away from worldly losses toward eternal reward.
Related Hadiths
Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The dunyā is cursed, and what is in it is cursed, except the remembrance of Allah and what is near to Him, or a scholar and a student of knowledge' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally: 'The example of this life compared to the next life is but like someone dipping his finger in the ocean' (Sahih Muslim).
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should maintain perspective that worldly pursuits, though they may seem important, are temporary distractions compared to eternal life; redirecting efforts toward good deeds and spiritual growth that benefit the Hereafter is the true measure of wisdom.