Surah Saba Tafseer

وَمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُم بِالَّتِي تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِندَنَا زُلْفَى

And it is not your wealth, nor your children that bring you nearer to Us,

meaning, `these things are not a sign that We love you or care for you.'

Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:

إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ إِنَّمَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُم

Allah does not look at your outward appearance or your wealth, rather He looks at your hearts and your deeds.

Muslim and Ibn Majah also recorded this.

Allah says:

إِلاَّ مَنْ امَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا

but only he who believes, and does righteous deeds;

meaning, `only faith and righteous deeds will bring you closer to Us.'

فَأُوْلَيِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَاء الضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا

as for such, there will be multiple rewards for what they did,

means, the reward will be multiplied for them between ten and seven hundred times.

وَهُمْ فِي الْغُرُفَاتِ امِنُونَ

and they will reside in the high dwellings in peace and security.

means, in the lofty dwellings of Paradise, safe from all misery, fear and harm, and from any evil they could fear.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:

إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَغُرَفًا تُرَى ظُهُورُهَا مِنْ بُطُونِهَا وَبُطُونُهَا مِنْ ظُهُورِهَا

In Paradise there are lofty rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside and whose inside can be seen from the outside.

A Bedouin asked, "Who are they for?"

He said:

لِمَنْ طَيَّبَ الْكَلَمَ وَأَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ وَأَدَامَ الصِّيَامَ وَصَلَّى بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَام

For those who speak well, feed the hungry, persist in fasting and pray at night while people are asleep