سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ
Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 37
وَمَآ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَلَآ أَوْلَـٰدُكُم بِٱلَّتِى تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِندَنَا زُلْفَىٰٓ إِلَّا مَنْ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَآءُ ٱلضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَهُمْ فِى ٱلْغُرُفَـٰتِ ءَامِنُونَ ﴿37﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And it is not your wealth, nor your children that bring you nearer to Us (i.e. please Allâh), but only he who believes (in the Islâmic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds (will please Us); as for such, there will be twofold reward for what they did, and they will reside in the high dwellings (Paradise) in peace and security.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَآ
wamā
And not
أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ
amwālukum
your wealth
وَلَآ
walā
and not
أَوْلَـٰدُكُم
awlādukum
your children
بِٱلَّتِى
bi-allatī
[that]
تُقَرِّبُكُمْ
tuqarribukum
will bring you close
عِندَنَا
ʿindanā
to Us
زُلْفَىٰٓ
zul'fā
(in) position
إِلَّا
illā
but
مَنْ
man
whoever
ءَامَنَ
āmana
believes
وَعَمِلَ
waʿamila
and does
صَـٰلِحًۭا
ṣāliḥan
righteousness
فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
fa-ulāika
then those
لَهُمْ
lahum
for them
جَزَآءُ
jazāu
(will be) reward
ٱلضِّعْفِ
l-ḍiʿ'fi
two-fold
بِمَا
bimā
for what
عَمِلُوا۟
ʿamilū
they did
وَهُمْ
wahum
and they
فِى
fī
(will be) in
ٱلْغُرُفَـٰتِ
l-ghurufāti
the high dwellings
ءَامِنُونَ
āminūna
secure
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.
37. Your wealth and your children are not the things that bring you near to Us [55]. But whoever believes and does righteous deeds—those are the ones who will have a double reward [56] for what they did, and they will dwell in lofty chambers in peace and security [57].
[55] This sentence has two meanings: one is that wealth and children are not things that can become a means of nearness to Allah. Rather, these very things often become, for most people, a cause of Allah’s anger and wrath instead of nearness to Him, and they lead a person to ruin. Instead, the standard for nearness to Allah is faith and righteous deeds. The second meaning is that if a person has faith and also performs righteous deeds, then this very wealth and children can become a means of nearness to Allah for him. This is because he spends his wealth in the way of Allah and gives his children proper education and upbringing, making them obedient to Allah.
[56] ﴿ضعف﴾ (the opposite of half, i.e., double) means something equal to it, as much again (Mufradat al-Qur’an). Then, this word is also used in the sense of many times over. According to the explicit statements of the Book and Sunnah, this can be ten times, seven hundred times, or even more than that.
[57] There is also a subtle indication in this that the believers will reside in those lofty chambers of Paradise permanently and eternally. Because if a dwelling is temporary, a person cannot attain peace, tranquility, and satisfaction.
[55] This sentence has two meanings: one is that wealth and children are not things that can become a means of nearness to Allah. Rather, these very things often become, for most people, a cause of Allah’s anger and wrath instead of nearness to Him, and they lead a person to ruin. Instead, the standard for nearness to Allah is faith and righteous deeds. The second meaning is that if a person has faith and also performs righteous deeds, then this very wealth and children can become a means of nearness to Allah for him. This is because he spends his wealth in the way of Allah and gives his children proper education and upbringing, making them obedient to Allah.
[56] ﴿ضعف﴾ (the opposite of half, i.e., double) means something equal to it, as much again (Mufradat al-Qur’an). Then, this word is also used in the sense of many times over. According to the explicit statements of the Book and Sunnah, this can be ten times, seven hundred times, or even more than that.
[57] There is also a subtle indication in this that the believers will reside in those lofty chambers of Paradise permanently and eternally. Because if a dwelling is temporary, a person cannot attain peace, tranquility, and satisfaction.
