Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 131

(Ayah 131) ➊ {وَ لَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ اِلٰى مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهٖۤ …: ’’ مَدَّ يَمُدُّ ‘‘} (n) to spread, to extend. To "spread the eyes" means to keep looking with wonder for a long time. {’’ مَدَّ يَمُدُّ‘‘ } is generally used for spreading the feet or hands. {’’ مَدَّ يَدَهُ ‘‘} or {’’مَدَّ رِجْلَهُ‘‘} means he spread his hand or he spread his foot. Here, spreading the eyes is a metaphor, meaning just as one stretches out the hand eagerly and greedily towards a desirable thing, you should not stretch out your eyes. It is understood that there is no prohibition on looking, but there is a prohibition on continuously looking, because this can create a desire in the heart for something that, in the sight of Allah, does not even have the worth of a mosquito's wing. The tanween of {’’ اَزْوَاجًا ‘‘} is for minimization, meaning that the adornment of the world has not been given to every disbeliever, but only to some types among them, because many disbelievers live extremely miserable lives. {’’ زَهْرَةٌ ‘‘ ’’زَهْرٌ‘‘} is the singular, meaning flower, just as {’’ تَمْرَةٌ ‘‘ } is the singular of {’’تَمْرٌ ‘‘}. Metaphorically, adornment is also called { ’’ زَهْرَةٌ ‘‘}, because like a flower, adornment also captivates the eyes and the heart. {’’ زَهْرَةَ الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا ‘‘} means the adornment of the life of this world. For a comprehensive statement about the adornment of the world, see Surah Aal-e-Imran (14) and Surah Tawbah (24); in fact, everything that a person receives is the adornment of the life of this world, as it is said: «{ وَ مَاۤ اُوْتِيْتُمْ مِّنْ شَيْءٍ فَمَتَاعُ الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَ زِيْنَتُهَا }» [ القصص : ۶۰ ] "And whatever you have been given is only the provision and adornment of the life of this world." It is understood that it is not permissible to stretch one's gaze towards anything given to the disbelievers, because all of this is a trial and test for them and, in reality, becomes a cause of hardship in their lives, as it is said: «{ فَاِنَّ لَهٗ مَعِيْشَةً ضَنْكًا }» [ طٰہٰ : ۱۲۴ ] "So indeed, for him is a constricted life." And see Surah Tawbah (55).
➋ { وَ رِزْقُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ وَّ اَبْقٰى:} "The provision of your Lord" refers to lawful provision, because it is earned according to the command of the Lord, and for the sake of its honor, Allah has attributed it to Himself, otherwise the provision given to the disbelievers is also granted by Allah. That is, the lawful sustenance given by Allah in this world and the reward and recompense granted by Him in the Hereafter are far better and more lasting than the blessings given to the disbelievers, because the world is perishable and the Hereafter is everlasting.

131. 1 This is the same subject that has previously been mentioned in Surah Al-Imran 196-197, Surah Al-Hijr 87-88, and Surah Al-Kahf 7, etc.

131. And do not even look towards the things We have given to different groups of people as adornment for the life of this world, so that We may test them through these things. The provision [97] of your Lord is better and more lasting.

[97]
The Broader Meaning of Sustenance:

Here, sustenance does not refer only to food and drink, but the word "rizq" is used in its broader sense, and it applies to every God-given blessing that can contribute to a person's development, whether physically or spiritually. That is, the Quran, the rank of Prophethood, great victories, and the highest ranks of the Hereafter that Allah has granted you. In comparison to these, what value does the provision and means of this short-lived worldly life have? Therefore, you should not even glance towards these worldly provisions or towards those who are engrossed in the world. Because the sustenance given by Allah in this way is better and more lasting in every respect.