At-Takāthur (Arabic: التكاثر, "Rivalry, Competition") is the 102nd chapter (sūrah) of the Qur'an, with 8 verses (āyāt). Regarding the timing and contextual background of the believed revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl), it is an earlier "Meccan surah", which means it is believed to have been revealed in Mecca, rather than later in Medina.
Summary
1-3 Men spend their time seeking the things of this world
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Bismi l-āhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm(i)
In the name of Allāh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful...
أَلْهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ 1’al hākumu t-takāthur(u)
Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you
حَتَّىٰ زُرْتُمُ ٱلْمَقَابِرَ 2Ḥattā zurtumu l-maqābir(a)
Until you visit the graveyards.
كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ 3Kallā sawfa ta‘lamūn(a)
No! You are going to know.
ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ 4Thumma kallā sawfa ta‘lamūn(a)
Then, no! You are going to know.
كَلَّا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ ٱلْيَقِينِ 5Kallā law ta‘lamūna ‘ilma l-yaqīn(i)
No! If you only knew with knowledge of certainty...
لَتَرَوُنَّ ٱلْجَحِيمَ 6Latarawunna l-jaḥīm(a)
You will surely see[note 1] the Hellfire.
ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ ٱلْيَقِينِ 7Thumma latarawunnahā ‘ayna l-yaqīn(i)
Then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty.
ثُمَّ لَتُسْـَٔلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ 8Thumma latus’alunna yawma’idhin ‘ani n-na‘īm(i)
Then you will surely be asked that Day about pleasure.
Overview
After the bismillah, this Surah is concerned with factionalism and schism amongst people. Disagreements between individuals and groups follow us "even until you visit the tombs". Three times in a row the sura warns the reader that "you shall know" that those who sow discord are headed towards Hell. Here, proper understanding is required for entrance into Paradise, and should one not attain this on Earth, one will receive the "eye of certainty" on the Day of Judgment, when "you shall be questioned ... concerning true bliss".
Mention in ahadith
It was narrated from Mutarrif, from his father, that the Prophet said: "The mutual rivalry (for piling up of worldly things) diverts you, 'Until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die).' The son of Adam says: 'My wealth, my wealth,' but your wealth is what you eat and consume, or what you wear and it wears out, or what you give in charity and send on ahead (for the Hereafter).'"[2]
Mutarrif bin Abdullah bin Ash-Shikh-khir reported from his father,: that he went to the Prophet and he was reciting: ‘أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ’ He said: “The son of Adam says: ‘My wealth, my wealth.’ And do you own anything except what you give in charity, such that you've spent it, or what you eat, such that you've finished it, or you wear, such that you've worn it out?”[3][4]
Notes
↑ The Qira'at of Ibn Amir and Al-Kisa'i translate it as "be shown" لَتُرَوُنَّ ٱلْجَحِيمَ Laturawunna l-jaḥīm(a)
References
↑Wherry, Elwood Morris (1896). A Complete Index to Sale's Text, Preliminary Discourse, and Notes. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, and Co. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
↑Sunan an-Nasa'i 3613. In-book reference: Book 30 (The Book of Wills), Hadith 3. English translation: Vol. 4, Book 30, Hadith 3643
↑Grade: Sahih (Darussalam) English reference: Sahih al-Tirmidhi» Chapters on Tafsir Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 3354. Arabic reference: كتاب تفسير القرآن عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم Book 47, Hadith 3678
↑Reference: Sahih al-Tirmidhi 2342 In-book reference: Chapters On Zuhd Book 36, Hadith 39. English translation: Vol. 4, Book 10, Hadith 2342
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to At-Takathur.
The full text of Rivalry in Worldly Increase at Wikisource, 1930 translation by Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
