Surah Al Imran Tafseer

The True Value of This Earthly Life

Allah says;

زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاء وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَاطِيرِ الْمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالَانْعَامِ وَالْحَرْثِ

Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, Qanatir Al-Muqantarah of gold and silver, branded beautiful horses (Musawwamah), cattle and fertile land.

Allah mentions the delights that He put in this life for people, such as women and children, and He started with women, because the test with them is more tempting.

For instance, the Sahih recorded that the Messenger said,

مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدِي فِتْنَةً أَضَرَّ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ مِنَ النِّسَاء

I did not leave behind me a test more tempting to men than women.

When one enjoys women for the purpose of having children and preserving his chastity, then he is encouraged to do so.

There are many Hadiths that encourage getting married, such as,

وَإِنَّ خَيْرَ هذِهِ الاْإُمَّةِ مَنْ كَانَ أَكْثَرَهَا نِسَاء

Verily, the best members of this Ummah are those who have the most wives.

He also said,

الدُّنْيَا مَتَاعٌ وَخَيْرُ مَتَاعِهَا الْمَرْأَةُ الصَّالِحَة

This life is a delight, and the best of its delight is a righteous wife.

The Prophet said in another Hadith,

حُبِّبَ إِلَيَّ النِّسَاءُ وَالطِّيبُ وَجُعِلَتْ قُرَّةُ عَيْنِي فِي الصَّلَة

I was made to like women and perfume, and the comfort of my eye is the prayer.

Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said,

"Nothing was more beloved to the Messenger of Allah than women, except horses,"

and in another narration,

"...than horses except women."

The desire to have children is sometimes for the purpose of pride and boasting, and as such, is a temptation. When the purpose for having children is to reproduce and increase the Ummah of Muhammad with those who worship Allah alone without partners, then it is encouraged and praised.

A Hadith states,

تَزَوَّجُوا الْوَدُودَ الْوَلُودَ فَإِنِّي مُكَاثِرٌ بِكُمُ الاُْمَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة

Marry the Wadud (kind) and Walud (fertile) woman, for I will compare your numbers to the rest of the nations on the Day of Resurrection.

The desire of wealth sometimes results out of arrogance, and the desire to dominate the weak and control the poor, and this conduct is prohibited. Sometimes, the want for more money is for the purpose of spending it on acts of worship, being kind to the family, the relatives, and spending on various acts of righteousness and obedience; this behavior is praised and encouraged in the religion.

Scholars of Tafsir have conflicting opinions about the amount of the Qintar, all of which indicate that;

the Qintar is a large amount of money, as Ad-Dahhak and other scholars said.

Abu Hurayrah said

"The Qintar is twelve thousand Uwqiyah, each Uwqiyah is better than what is between the heavens and earth."

This was recorded by Ibn Jarir.

The desire to have horses can be one of three types.

Sometimes, owners of horses collect them to be used in the cause of Allah, and when warranted, they use their horses in battle. This type of owner shall be rewarded for this good action.

Another type collects horses to boast, and out of enmity to the people of Islam, and this type earns a burden for his behavior.

Another type collects horses to fulfill their needs and to collect their offspring, and they do not forget Allah's right due on their horses.

This is why in this case, these horses provide a shield of sufficiency for their owner, as evident by a Hadith that we will mention, Allah willing, when we explain Allah's statement,

وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُمْ مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ

And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war. (8:60)

As for the Musawwamah horses, Ibn Abbas said that;

they are the branded, beautiful horses.

This is the same explanation of Mujahid, Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abdur-Rahman bin Abdullah bin Abza, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi bin Anas and Abu Sinan and others.

Makhul said,

the Musawwamah refers to the horse with a white spotted faced, and the horse with white feet.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah said,

لَيْسَ مِنْ فَرَسٍ عَرَبِيَ إِلاَّ يُوْذَنُ لَهُ مَعَ كُلِّ فَجْرٍ يَدْعُو بِدَعْوَتَيْنِ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ خَوَّلْتَنِي مِنْ بَنِي ادَمَ فَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ أَحَبِّ مَالِهِ وَأَهْلِهِ إِلَيْهِ أَوْ أَحَبَّ أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ إِلَيْه

Every Arabian horse is allowed to have two supplications every dawn, and the horse supplicates, `O Allah! You made me subservient to the son of Adam. Therefore, make me among the dearest of his wealth and household to him, or,make me the dearest of his household and wealth to him.

Allah's statement,

وَالَانْعَامِ

Cattle,

means, camels, cows and sheep.

وَالْحَرْثِ

And fertile land,

meaning, the land that is used to farm and grow plants.

Allah then said,

ذَلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا

This is the pleasure of the present world's life,

meaning, these are the delights of this life and its short lived joys.

وَاللّهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَأبِ

But Allah has the excellent return with Him.

meaning, the best destination and reward.

The Reward of the Those Who Have Taqwa is Better Than All Joys of This World

This is why Allah said