Surah Aal-i-Imraan: Verse 178 - ولا يحسبن الذين كفروا أنما... - English
Tafsir of Verse 178, Surah Aal-i-Imraan
English Translation
And let not those who disbelieve ever think that [because] We extend their time [of enjoyment] it is better for them. We only extend it for them so that they may increase in sin, and for them is a humiliating punishment.English Transliteration
Wala yahsabanna allatheena kafaroo annama numlee lahum khayrun lianfusihim innama numlee lahum liyazdadoo ithman walahum AAathabun muheenunTafsir of Verse 178
Commentary
Material affluence of disbelievers is, after all, an extension of Divine punishment
Let there be no doubt about the worldly wellbeing of disbelievers for one may be tempted to believe that since Allah Almighty has given respite, long life, security and comfort to disbelievers so that they go on increasing in their crimes, they should, then, be taken as innocent. Far from it, because the verse means that Muslims should not feel upset about this temporary respite and affluence given to disbelievers as all this worldly wealth and power in their hands - despite their disbelief and disobedience - is nothing but a form of the very punishment destined for them. Today, they do not realize it. But, once they leave the mortal world, they would. They would discover to their dismay that all those articles of comfort they acquired and spent in sin were, in reality, the very embers of Hell. This is corroborated by several other verses of the Qur'an. For instance, (Allah intends to punish them with it – 9:55) which means that the wealth and power of disbelievers and their vulgarly luxurious consumerism should not be a matter of pride for them for this is nothing but an installment of that very punishment from Allah which will cause their punishment in the Hereafter to increase.
