إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَٱخْتَلَطَ بِهِۦ نَبَاتُ ٱلْأَرْضِ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمُ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَخَذَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ زُخْرُفَهَا وَٱزَّيَّنَتْ وَظَنَّ أَهْلُهَآ أَنَّهُمْ قَـٰدِرُونَ عَلَيْهَآ أَتَىٰهَآ أَمْرُنَا لَيْلًا أَوْ نَهَارًا فَجَعَلْنَـٰهَا حَصِيدًا كَأَن لَّمْ تَغْنَ بِٱلْأَمْسِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ 24
Translations
The example of [this] worldly life is but like rain which We have sent down from the sky that the plants of the earth absorb - [those] from which men and livestock eat - until, when the earth has taken on its adornment and is beautified and its people suppose that they have capability over it, there comes to it Our command by night or by day, and We make it as a harvest, as if it had not flourished yesterday. Thus do We explain in detail the signs for a people who give thought.
Transliteration
Innamā mathalu al-hayāti ad-dunyā kamāin anzalnāhu mina as-samāi fa-khtalaṭa bihi nabātu al-arḍi mimmā yaākulu an-nāsu wa-al-anʿāmu ḥattā idhā akhdhati al-arḍu zukhrufahā wa-azzayyyanat wa-ẓanna ahluhā annahum qādirun ʿalayhā atāhā amrunā laylan aw nahāran fajʿalnāhā ḥaṣīdan kaān lam taghn bi-al-amsi; kadhālika nufaṣṣilu al-āyāti liqawmin yatafakkarūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a powerful parable comparing the fleeting nature of worldly life to vegetation that grows abundantly after rain, appearing beautiful and permanent, yet is suddenly destroyed by Allah's command. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that the metaphor illustrates how humans become deceived by worldly prosperity, imagining their dominion is permanent, only to have it stripped away suddenly through death, calamity, or divine judgment. The destruction coming 'by night or day' emphasizes the unexpectedness of loss and the ultimate powerlessness of humans before Allah's will.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Yunus (a Meccan chapter revealed in the middle Meccan period) where the Prophet is addressing the Quraysh regarding their attachment to worldly possessions and their denial of the afterlife. The parable serves as a reminder to those who were prosperous yet rejected the message of monotheism, illustrating that material wealth and earthly dominion are temporary illusions.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest blessing after health is contentment of the heart,' and warned against the allure of worldly life, stating 'The world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the disbeliever' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, Hadith Qudsi conveys: 'The world is cursed, and cursed is everything in it, except the remembrance of Allah and what pleases Him' (Sunan Ibn Majah).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers not to become complacent in their worldly achievements, remembering that all material possessions and apparent security are temporary and subject to Allah's decree at any moment. It encourages constant awareness of mortality and prioritization of spiritual preparation over worldly accumulation, fostering humility and reliance on Allah alone.