سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 69
كَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ كَانُوٓا۟ أَشَدَّ مِنكُمْ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرَ أَمْوَٰلًا وَأَوْلَـٰدًا فَٱسْتَمْتَعُوا۟ بِخَلَـٰقِهِمْ فَٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِخَلَـٰقِكُمْ كَمَا ٱسْتَمْتَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُم بِخَلَـٰقِهِمْ وَخُضْتُمْ كَٱلَّذِى خَاضُوٓا۟ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ ﴿69﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Like those before you: they were mightier than you in power, and more abundant in wealth and children. They had enjoyed their portion (awhile), so enjoy your portion (awhile) as those before you enjoyed their portion (awhile); and you indulged in play and pastime (and in telling lies against Allâh and His Messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) as they indulged in play and pastime. Such are they whose deeds are in vain in this world and in the Hereafter. Such are they who are the losers.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
كَٱلَّذِينَ
ka-alladhīna
Like those
مِن
min
before you
قَبْلِكُمْ
qablikum
before you
كَانُوٓا۟
kānū
they were
أَشَدَّ
ashadda
mightier
مِنكُمْ
minkum
than you
قُوَّةًۭ
quwwatan
(in) strength
وَأَكْثَرَ
wa-akthara
and more abundant
أَمْوَٰلًۭا
amwālan
(in) wealth
وَأَوْلَـٰدًۭا
wa-awlādan
and children
فَٱسْتَمْتَعُوا۟
fa-is'tamtaʿū
So they enjoyed
بِخَلَـٰقِهِمْ
bikhalāqihim
their portion
فَٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم
fa-is'tamtaʿtum
and you have enjoyed
بِخَلَـٰقِكُمْ
bikhalāqikum
your portion
كَمَا
kamā
like
ٱسْتَمْتَعَ
is'tamtaʿa
enjoyed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those
مِن
min
before you
قَبْلِكُم
qablikum
before you
بِخَلَـٰقِهِمْ
bikhalāqihim
their portion
وَخُضْتُمْ
wakhuḍ'tum
and you indulge
كَٱلَّذِى
ka-alladhī
like the one who
خَاضُوٓا۟ ۚ
khāḍū
indulges (in idle talk)
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
ulāika
Those
حَبِطَتْ
ḥabiṭat
worthless
أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ
aʿmāluhum
(are) their deeds
فِى
fī
in
ٱلدُّنْيَا
l-dun'yā
the world
وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ
wal-ākhirati
and (in) the Hereafter
وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
wa-ulāika
And those
هُمُ
humu
they
ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ
l-khāsirūna
(are) the losers
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.
69. They are like those who came before you. They were stronger than you in power and greater in wealth and children. They enjoyed their share of worldly pleasures, and you have enjoyed your share just as those before you enjoyed theirs. And you have indulged in the same things they indulged in [83]. Such are the people whose deeds will be ruined in this world and the Hereafter, and they are the ones who are the losers.
[83] That is, the people of ‘Ad, Thamud, Nuh, Ibrahim, and others were such nations whose grandeur and glory surpassed yours. They lived lives of much greater luxury and ease than you. In terms of strength, they were also mightier than you, and in terms of wealth and offspring, they were far ahead of you. Those people too, intoxicated by the world, forgot the signs, became rebellious in disobedience, and began to mock and amuse themselves with the signs of Allah. And today, you are doing exactly the same. The result of forgetting Allah is that even if someone has done good deeds in the world, in the Hereafter all of them will go to waste, because the reward for deeds is given only when there is faith in Allah and the Day of Judgment, and when this very foundation is missing, then how can there be any reward? And what greater loss can there be than for a person not to receive the fruit of his own labor?
[83] That is, the people of ‘Ad, Thamud, Nuh, Ibrahim, and others were such nations whose grandeur and glory surpassed yours. They lived lives of much greater luxury and ease than you. In terms of strength, they were also mightier than you, and in terms of wealth and offspring, they were far ahead of you. Those people too, intoxicated by the world, forgot the signs, became rebellious in disobedience, and began to mock and amuse themselves with the signs of Allah. And today, you are doing exactly the same. The result of forgetting Allah is that even if someone has done good deeds in the world, in the Hereafter all of them will go to waste, because the reward for deeds is given only when there is faith in Allah and the Day of Judgment, and when this very foundation is missing, then how can there be any reward? And what greater loss can there be than for a person not to receive the fruit of his own labor?
