Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَفَحَسِبْتُمْafaḥasib'tumThen did you think
أَنَّمَاannamāthat
خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْkhalaqnākumWe created you
عَبَثًۭاʿabathanuselessly
وَأَنَّكُمْwa-annakumand that you
إِلَيْنَاilaynāto Us
لَاlānot
تُرْجَعُونَtur'jaʿūnawill be returned
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 115){ اَفَحَسِبْتُمْاَنَّمَاخَلَقْنٰكُمْعَبَثًا … :} That is, did you then think that We created you in this world only for living in luxury and enjoyment, and that there is no one to question you? (See Qiyamah: 36) You saw that in this world neither do the oppressors receive full recompense for their oppression, nor do those who, in their own view, perform righteous deeds receive the reward for their goodness, and nor has any human ever come back to life to tell you that the doers of good have received their reward and the oppressors have been punished for their oppression. Therefore, you became convinced that this world is all there is, so gather as much luxury and pleasure here as you can. There is no other purpose to life, nor will we be resurrected after death, nor will we be presented before anyone. Whereas, if you had reflected even a little on the system of justice in this universe, or believed in the words of the Messenger, you would have realized that neither this universe nor the human being within it has been created merely for play and amusement or without purpose. Rather, every action has a consequence. Then how can it be that your good and bad deeds have no outcome? And since the life of this world is too short for the consequences of deeds to be fully realized, therefore, after death We have kept an eternal life, so that the demands of justice and fairness can be fulfilled.
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
The exegesis of this verse has been done along with the previous verse.
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
Did you think that We created you in vain and that you would not be returned to Us [107]?
[107] The Need for a Long Period (Hereafter) to Face the Consequences of Deeds:
That is, you thought that we were created only to enjoy comfort and pleasures in this world. In this world, neither does the oppressor receive retribution for his oppression, nor do those who, according to their own understanding, perform good deeds receive the reward for their goodness, nor has any human ever come back to life to inform that the oppressors have been punished for their oppression. Therefore, you became convinced that this world is all there is, and whenever possible, you should gather means of luxury and enjoyment here. However, if you had reflected even a little on the system of justice in this universe, you would have realized that neither this universe nor the human being within it has been created merely as a play or amusement, but every cause is producing an effect. Then how is it possible that your good and bad deeds would have no consequence? And since the life of this world is very short in terms of facing the consequences of deeds, therefore, after death, the establishment of a long life becomes necessary so that the demands of justice and fairness can be fulfilled.