[You disbelievers are] like those before you; they were stronger than you in power and more abundant in wealth and children. They enjoyed their portion [of worldly enjoyment], and you have enjoyed your portion as those before you enjoyed their portion, and you have engaged [in vanities] like that in which they engaged. [It is] those whose deeds have become worthless in this world and in the Hereafter, and it is they who are the losers.(69)
Surah At-Tawbah, Ayah 69 (9:69)
ٱلتَّوْبَة
كَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ كَانُوٓا۟ أَشَدَّ مِنكُمْ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرَ أَمْوَٰلًا وَأَوْلَٰدًا …
Quran 9:69 is ayah 69 of Surah At-Tawbah (“The Repentance”), a Medinan surah of 129 ayahs. It is in Juz 10, on page 198 of the Madani Mushaf.
- Juz 10
- Hizb 20
- Page 198
- Ruku 9
- Revealed Medina
Word by word
- كَٱلَّذِينَka-alladhīnaLike those
- مِنminbefore you
- قَبْلِكُمْqablikumbefore you
- كَانُوٓا۟kānūthey were
- أَشَدَّashaddamightier
- مِنكُمْminkumthan you
- قُوَّةًquwwatan(in) strength
- وَأَكْثَرَwa-aktharaand more abundant
- أَمْوَٰلًاamwālan(in) wealth
- وَأَوْلَٰدًاwa-awlādanand children
- فَٱسْتَمْتَعُوا۟fa-is'tamtaʿūSo they enjoyed
- بِخَلَٰقِهِمْbikhalāqihimtheir portion
- فَٱسْتَمْتَعْتُمfa-is'tamtaʿtumand you have enjoyed
- بِخَلَٰقِكُمْbikhalāqikumyour portion
- كَمَاkamālike
- ٱسْتَمْتَعَis'tamtaʿaenjoyed
- ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnathose
- مِنminbefore you
- قَبْلِكُمqablikumbefore you
- بِخَلَٰقِهِمْbikhalāqihimtheir portion
- وَخُضْتُمْwakhuḍ'tumand you indulge
- كَٱلَّذِىka-alladhīlike the one who
- خَاضُوٓا۟ ۚkhāḍūindulges (in idle talk)
- أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَulāikaThose
- حَبِطَتْḥabiṭatworthless
- أَعْمَٰلُهُمْaʿmāluhum(are) their deeds
- فِىfīin
- ٱلدُّنْيَاl-dun'yāthe world
- وَٱلَْٔاخِرَةِ ۖwal-ākhiratiand (in) the Hereafter
- وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَwa-ulāikaAnd those
- هُمُhumuthey
- ٱلْخَٰسِرُونَl-khāsirūna(are) the losers
Tafsir (commentary) of 9:69
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بِخَلَـقِهِمْ
(their portion), means, they mocked their religion, according to Al-Hasan Al-Basri. Allah's statement,
وَخُضْتُمْ كَالَّذِي خَاضُواْ
(and you indulged in play and pastime as they indulged in play and pastime), indulged in lies and falsehood,
أُوْلَـئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ
(Such are they whose deeds are in vain), their deeds are annulled; they will not acquire any rewards for them because they are invalid,
فِي الدنْيَا وَالاٌّخِرَةِ وَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْخَـسِرُونَ
(in this world and in the Hereafter. Such are they who are the losers.) because they will not acquire any rewards for their actions. Ibn `Abbas commented, "How similar is this night to the last night,
كَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ
(Like those before you...) These are the Children of Israel, with whom we were compared. The Prophet said,
«وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَتَّبِعُنَّهُمْ حَتَّى لَوْ دَخَلَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْهُمْ جُحْرَ ضَبَ لَدَخَلْتُمُوه»
(By He in Whose Hand is my life! You will imitate them, and even if a man of them entered the den of a lizard, you will enter it likewise!)" Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَتَّبِعُنَّ سَنَنَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ شِبْرًا بِشِبْرٍ وَذِرَاعًا بِذِرَاعٍ، وَبَاعًا بِبَاعٍ حَتَّى لَوْ دَخَلُوا جُحْرَ ضَبَ لَدَخَلْتُمُوه»
قالوا: ومن هم يا رسول الله، أهل الكتاب؟ قال:
«فَمَنْ؟»
(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! You will follow the traditions of those who were before you a hand span for a hand-span and forearm's length for forearm's length, and an arm's length for an arm's length. And even if they enter the den of a lizard, you will also enter it.) They asked, "Who, O Allah's Messenger, the People of the Book" He said, (Who else)" This Hadith is similar to another Hadith collected in the Sahih.