Tafsir of Surah Maryam - Verse 78

Refuting the Disbelievers Who claim that They will be given Wealth and Children in the Hereafter

Imam Ahmad reported from Khabbab bin Al-Aratt that he said, "I was a blacksmith and Al-" ®256؛لs bin Wa'il owed me a debt. So I went to him to collect my debt from him. He said to me, `No, by Allah, I will not pay my debt to you until you disbelieve in Muhammad ﷺ.' I replied to him, `No, by Allah, I will not disbelieve in Muhammad ﷺ until you die and are resurrected again.' He then said to me, `Verily, if I die and am resurrected, and you come to me, I will also have abundance of wealth and children and I will repay you then.' Then, Allah revealed these Ayat,

أَفَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِى كَفَرَ بِـَايَـتِنَا وَقَالَ لأوتَيَنَّ مَالاً وَوَلَداً

(Have you seen him who disbelieved in Our Ayat and said: "I shall certainly be given wealth and children.") until,

وَيَأْتِينَا فَرْداً

(and he shall come to Us alone.) This was also recorded by the two compilers of the Sahihs and other collections as well. In the wording of Al-Bukhari it states that Khabbab said, "I used to be a blacksmith in Makkah and I made a sword for Al-" ®256؛لs bin Wa'il. So I went to him to collect my pay from him..." then he mentioned the rest of the Hadith and he said,

أَمِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ الرَّحْمَـنِ عَهْداً

(or has he taken a covenant from the Most Gracious) "This means an agreement. " Concerning Allah's statement,

أَطَّلَعَ الْغَيْبَ

(Has he known the Unseen) This is a rejection of the person who says,

لأوتَيَنَّ مَالاً وَوَلَداً

(I shall certainly be given wealth and children.) Meaning, on the Day of Resurrection. In other words, "Does he know what he will have in the Hereafter, to such an extent that he can swear to it"

أَمِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ الرَّحْمَـنِ عَهْداً

(or has he taken a covenant from the Most Gracious) Or has he received a promise from Allah that he will be given these things It has already been stated that in Sahih Al-Bukhari it is mentioned that covenant means an agreement. Concerning Allah's statement,

كَلاَّ

(Nay,) This is a participle that opposes what came before it and gives emphasis to what follows it.

سَنَكْتُبُ مَا يَقُولُ

(We shall record what he says,) what he is seeking, and his idea that he has given himself about what he hopes for, and his disbelief in Allah the Most Great.

وَنَمُدُّ لَهُ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ مَدّاً

(We shall increase his torment. ) This is referring to what will happen in the abode of the Hereafter, because of his saying his disbelief in Allah in this life.

وَنَرِثُهُ مَا يَقُولُ

(And We shall inherit from him all that he speaks of,) His wealth and children. It means, "We will take all of this from him, in opposition to his claim that he will be given more wealth and children in the Hereafter than he had in this life." To the contrary, in the Hereafter that which he had in this life will be taken from him. This is why Allah says,

وَيَأْتِينَا فَرْداً

(And he shall come to Us alone.) without wealth or children.

وَاتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ ءالِهَةً لِّيَكُونُواْ لَهُمْ عِزّاً

كَلاَّ سَيَكْفُرُونَ بِعِبَـدَتِهِمْ وَيَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضِدّاً

This verse is an answer to ` As Ibn Wa’ ils boastful claim. How does he know that when he is brought back to life he will still have his wealth and children?

أَطَّلَعَ الْغَيْبَ (Has he peeped in the unseen - 19:78) It is obvious that nothing of this kind has happened. Then why has he considered it as a surety?

أَمِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ عَهْدًا

“ Or taken a covenant with The Rahman (All-Mercifull)”

Or has he entered into a covenant with Allah Ta` ala and obtained a promise from Him for his wealth and his children?

When a man acquires a certain amount of wealth and power, he develops a misplaced self-confidence, says things he should not and behaves in a manner that ill befits his true position. An incident, which occurred in Makkah, illustrates behaviour of this kind. ‘As ibn Wa’il, a pagan chief of Makkah, owed some money to one Khabbab ibn al-Arat. When the latter demanded his money back, ‘As ibn Wa’il promised to repay the amount if Khabbab disowned allegiance to Muhammad. The latter answered: ‘I will never disown Muhammad, even if you were to die and be born again.’ Hearing this, ‘As ibn Wa’il, answered that when he was born again, and possessed wealth and progeny, then he would repay the amount. All this is false self-confidence and an empty boast, which are of no avail to anybody.