سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 185
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ ﴿185﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
كُلُّ
kullu
Every
نَفْسٍۢ
nafsin
soul
ذَآئِقَةُ
dhāiqatu
(will) taste
ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ
l-mawti
[the] death
وَإِنَّمَا
wa-innamā
and only
تُوَفَّوْنَ
tuwaffawna
you will be paid in full
أُجُورَكُمْ
ujūrakum
your reward
يَوْمَ
yawma
(on the) Day
ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۖ
l-qiyāmati
(of) [the] Resurrection
فَمَن
faman
Then whoever
زُحْزِحَ
zuḥ'ziḥa
is drawn away
عَنِ
ʿani
from
ٱلنَّارِ
l-nāri
the Fire
وَأُدْخِلَ
wa-ud'khila
and admitted
ٱلْجَنَّةَ
l-janata
(to) Paradise
فَقَدْ
faqad
then surely
فَازَ ۗ
fāza
he is successful
وَمَا
wamā
And not
ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ
l-ḥayatu
(is) the life
ٱلدُّنْيَآ
l-dun'yā
(of) the world
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَتَـٰعُ
matāʿu
enjoyment
ٱلْغُرُورِ
l-ghurūri
(of) delusion
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.
Every soul shall taste death, and you will be paid in full your rewards on the Day of Resurrection. So whoever is saved from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he is indeed successful [183]. And the life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion [184].
[183]
The Criterion of Success in the Hereafter:
That is, death will certainly come to everyone, and on the Day of Resurrection, these Jews will definitely receive the recompense for their deeds. And there is a hadith:
«مَنْ مَاتَ فَقَدْ قَامَتْ قَيَامَتُهُ»
That is, whoever has died, his Resurrection has been established. In this regard, punishment and reward begin in the realm of Barzakh immediately after death, and the criterion of success is that a person is saved from the torment of Hell and is admitted into Paradise. In this verse, there is a refutation of those Sufis who say that we should neither fear the torment of Hell nor desire Paradise, but rather worship Allah solely with His pleasure in mind. Whereas the Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself used to seek refuge from the torment of the grave and the torment of Hell for himself, and used to pray for Paradise.
[184]
In What Sense is the World a Deceptive Provision?
That is, the showering of blessings upon someone in this world cannot be taken as proof that he is upon the truth and is an accepted servant in the sight of Allah. Similarly, someone being afflicted with hardships and difficulties cannot be taken as proof that Allah is displeased with him or that he is upon falsehood. Rather, often the final outcomes are contrary to these. Therefore, no one should remain in this deception. And its second meaning is that the temporary spring and apparent adornment of the world are so attractive and so deceptive that, being engrossed in them, a person often becomes heedless of the Hereafter and remains heedless. Until, when death comes, then his eyes are opened as to what he should have done while living in the world and what he actually kept doing. Accordingly, there is a hadith with this same theme:
«الناس نيام اذا ماتوا انتبهوا»
"That is, people are asleep; when they die, they will become alert."
The World is a Place of Test and Every Moment of It is Precious:
This is one aspect of the world's deception, and the other aspect is that this world is a place of test for every person. Whether his life is passing in luxury and comfort or in hardship and difficulty, whether he himself is healthy or sick, whether he is learned or ignorant—whatever state a person may be in, he is passing through a period of test. The final time of this period of test or examination paper is his death. With death, he will automatically come to know whether he has succeeded or failed in this test. Along with this, the effects of his success or failure will begin to manifest upon him. And in the Hereafter, he will definitely receive a good or bad recompense according to his deeds. In this regard, the world and its life, rather every single moment of it, is extremely precious. And every person should make full use of the moments of his life.
[183]
The Criterion of Success in the Hereafter:
That is, death will certainly come to everyone, and on the Day of Resurrection, these Jews will definitely receive the recompense for their deeds. And there is a hadith:
«مَنْ مَاتَ فَقَدْ قَامَتْ قَيَامَتُهُ»
That is, whoever has died, his Resurrection has been established. In this regard, punishment and reward begin in the realm of Barzakh immediately after death, and the criterion of success is that a person is saved from the torment of Hell and is admitted into Paradise. In this verse, there is a refutation of those Sufis who say that we should neither fear the torment of Hell nor desire Paradise, but rather worship Allah solely with His pleasure in mind. Whereas the Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself used to seek refuge from the torment of the grave and the torment of Hell for himself, and used to pray for Paradise.
[184]
In What Sense is the World a Deceptive Provision?
That is, the showering of blessings upon someone in this world cannot be taken as proof that he is upon the truth and is an accepted servant in the sight of Allah. Similarly, someone being afflicted with hardships and difficulties cannot be taken as proof that Allah is displeased with him or that he is upon falsehood. Rather, often the final outcomes are contrary to these. Therefore, no one should remain in this deception. And its second meaning is that the temporary spring and apparent adornment of the world are so attractive and so deceptive that, being engrossed in them, a person often becomes heedless of the Hereafter and remains heedless. Until, when death comes, then his eyes are opened as to what he should have done while living in the world and what he actually kept doing. Accordingly, there is a hadith with this same theme:
«الناس نيام اذا ماتوا انتبهوا»
"That is, people are asleep; when they die, they will become alert."
The World is a Place of Test and Every Moment of It is Precious:
This is one aspect of the world's deception, and the other aspect is that this world is a place of test for every person. Whether his life is passing in luxury and comfort or in hardship and difficulty, whether he himself is healthy or sick, whether he is learned or ignorant—whatever state a person may be in, he is passing through a period of test. The final time of this period of test or examination paper is his death. With death, he will automatically come to know whether he has succeeded or failed in this test. Along with this, the effects of his success or failure will begin to manifest upon him. And in the Hereafter, he will definitely receive a good or bad recompense according to his deeds. In this regard, the world and its life, rather every single moment of it, is extremely precious. And every person should make full use of the moments of his life.
