سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 96
وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ حَيَوٰةٍ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۚ يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ أَن يُعَمَّرَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿96﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And verily, you will find them (the Jews) the greediest of mankind for life and (even greedier) than those who ascribe partners to Allâh (and do not believe in Resurrection - Majûs, pagans, and idolaters). Everyone of them wishes that he could be given a life of a thousand years. But the grant of such life will not save him even a little from (due) punishment. And Allâh is All-Seer of what they do.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ
walatajidannahum
And surely you will find them
أَحْرَصَ
aḥraṣa
(the) most greedy
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) [the] mankind
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
for
حَيَوٰةٍۢ
ḥayatin
life
وَمِنَ
wamina
and (greedier) than
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۚ
ashrakū
associate[d] partners (with Allah)
يَوَدُّ
yawaddu
Loves
أَحَدُهُمْ
aḥaduhum
(each) one of them
لَوْ
law
if
يُعَمَّرُ
yuʿammaru
he could be granted a life
أَلْفَ
alfa
(of) a thousand
سَنَةٍۢ
sanatin
year(s)
وَمَا
wamā
But not
هُوَ
huwa
it
بِمُزَحْزِحِهِۦ
bimuzaḥziḥihi
(will) remove him
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلْعَذَابِ
l-ʿadhābi
the punishment
أَن
an
that
يُعَمَّرَ ۗ
yuʿammara
he should be granted life
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
بَصِيرٌۢ
baṣīrun
(is) All-Seer
بِمَا
bimā
of what
يَعْمَلُونَ
yaʿmalūna
they do
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.
96. (But the reality is quite the opposite.) You will find them the most eager of all people for life—even more eager than those who associate others with Allah. Each one of them wishes that he could be granted a life of a thousand years. But even if he were granted such a life, it would not save him from the punishment. And Allah is All-Seeing of what they do.
[113]
The Jews’ Greed for Life:
The polytheists neither believed in the Hereafter, nor in reward and punishment, nor in Paradise and Hell; therefore, they saw no danger after death. Whereas the Jews believed in the Day of Judgment and were well aware of their own misdeeds. Therefore, they were much more eager than the polytheists to live long in this world, and from the phrase “a life” (ʿalā ḥayātin) in the verse, it is understood that the Jews are simply greedy for worldly life, whether that life is honorable or humiliating—it does not matter to them. Whereas this very long life will not save them in the Hereafter; on the contrary, it will become a greater cause of punishment for them.
[113]
The Jews’ Greed for Life:
The polytheists neither believed in the Hereafter, nor in reward and punishment, nor in Paradise and Hell; therefore, they saw no danger after death. Whereas the Jews believed in the Day of Judgment and were well aware of their own misdeeds. Therefore, they were much more eager than the polytheists to live long in this world, and from the phrase “a life” (ʿalā ḥayātin) in the verse, it is understood that the Jews are simply greedy for worldly life, whether that life is honorable or humiliating—it does not matter to them. Whereas this very long life will not save them in the Hereafter; on the contrary, it will become a greater cause of punishment for them.
