ذَرْهُمْ يَأْكُلُوا۟ وَيَتَمَتَّعُوا۟ وَيُلْهِهِمُ ٱلْأَمَلُ ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ 3
Translations
Let them eat and enjoy themselves and be diverted by [false] hope, for they are going to know.
Transliteration
Dharhumyakulu wa yatamattaʿu wa yulhihimu al-amalu fasawfa yaʿlamun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah instructs the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to disregard the disbelievers who occupy themselves with worldly pleasures and false hopes, for they will ultimately face the consequences of their rejection of truth. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as Allah's counsel to the Prophet not to grieve over those who persist in disbelief despite clear signs, as their eventual punishment is assured. The verse emphasizes that preoccupation with material enjoyment and deceptive aspirations blinds them to divine guidance, but they will inevitably come to know the truth when facing divine judgment.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the Meccan period of revelation when the Prophet faced considerable rejection and mockery from the Quraysh elite who were deeply invested in their worldly status and commercial prosperity. The surah's broader context addresses the arrogance of disbelievers and their denial of resurrection, providing consolation to the Prophet that their temporary enjoyment will end in accountability.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet said: 'The world is cursed, and cursed is what is in it, except the remembrance of Allah and what pleases Him' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith: 'Wealth and children are adornments of this worldly life, but the everlasting good deeds are better' (Quran 18:46, complemented by related ahadith on detachment from worldly pursuits in Jami' at-Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers not to be discouraged by the apparent prosperity and indifference of those who reject faith, recognizing that worldly pleasure is temporary and illusory, while ultimate accountability is certain. It encourages detachment from excessive material ambition and reminds us that true success lies in submission to Allah, not in the fleeting enjoyments that distract the heedless from their spiritual responsibility.
Related Ayahs
وَرَٰوَدَتْهُ ٱلَّتِى هُوَ فِى بَيْتِهَا عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ وَغَلَّقَتِ ٱلْأَبْوَٰبَ وَقَالَتْ هَيْتَ لَكَ ۚ قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ رَبِّىٓ أَحْسَنَ مَثْوَاىَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ
And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him. She closed the doors and said, "Come, you." He said, "[I seek] the refuge of Allāh. Indeed, he is my master, who has made good my residence. Indeed, wrongdoers will not succeed."
إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا ۖ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقًّا ۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَبْدَؤُا۟ ٱلْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ لِيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ
To Him is your return all together. [It is] the promise of Allāh [which is] truth. Indeed, He begins the [process of] creation and then repeats it that He may reward those who have believed and done righteous deeds, in justice. But those who disbelieved will have a drink of scalding water and a painful punishment for what they used to deny.
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى ذَرَأَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
And it is He who has multiplied you throughout the earth, and to Him you will be gathered.
وَقَالُوا۟ لَن تَمَسَّنَا ٱلنَّارُ إِلَّآ أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَةً ۚ قُلْ أَتَّخَذْتُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ عَهْدًا فَلَن يُخْلِفَ ٱللَّهُ عَهْدَهُۥٓ ۖ أَمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And they say, "Never will the Fire touch us, except for [a few] numbered days." Say, "Have you taken a covenant with Allāh? For Allāh will never break His covenant. Or do you say about Allāh that which you do not know?"