Sūrat al-Takāthur
102
The saying of the Exalted: "Competition in worldly increase diverts you."
19451 - My father narrated to us, Zakariyya ibn Yaḥyā al-Waqqār al-Miṣrī narrated to us, Khālid ibn ʿAbd al-Dāʾim narrated to me, from Ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, from his father, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Competition in worldly increase diverts you from obedience, until you visit the graves; [it continues] until death comes to you."
19452 - From Saʿīd ibn Hilāl, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to call [the surah] "Competition in worldly increase" (Alhākum al-Takāthur) "Al-Mughīrah" (The Diverter).
19453 - Abū Saʿīd al-Ashajj narrated to us, Abū Usāmah narrated to us, he said: Ṣāliḥ ibn Ḥayyān narrated to me, from Ibn Buraydah, regarding His saying: "Competition in worldly increase diverts you," he said: It was revealed concerning two tribes of the Anṣār, the Banū Ḥārithah and the Banū al-Ḥārith. They vied and competed. One of them said: "Is there among you anyone like so-and-so, son of so-and-so?" And the others said the same. They vied with [the deeds of] the living, then they said: "Come with us to the graves." So one of the two parties began to say: "Is there among you anyone like so-and-so?" pointing to a grave, "and like so-and-so?" And the others did the same. Allah then revealed: "Competition in worldly increase diverts you. Until you visit the graves." There was a lesson and a distraction for you in what you saw.
19454 - Abū Zurʿah narrated to us, Muḥammad ibn Saʿīd al-Aṣbahānī narrated to us, Ḥakkām ibn Salam al-Rāzī informed us, from ʿAmr ibn Abī Qays, from al-Ḥajjāj, from al-Minhāl, from Zirr ibn Ḥubaysh, from ʿAlī, who said: We never ceased to doubt the punishment of the grave until "Competition in worldly increase diverts you. Until you visit the graves" was revealed.
19455 - My father narrated to us, Salamah ibn Dāwūd al-ʿAraḍī narrated to us, Abū al-Mulayḥ al-Raqqī narrated to us, from Maymūn ibn Mihrān, who said: I was sitting with ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, and he recited, "Competition in worldly increase diverts you. Until you visit the graves." He paused for a moment then said: "O Maymūn, I see the graves as nothing but a visit, and a visitor must inevitably return to his home."
(1) Ibn Kathīr 8/492 (2) Al-Durr 8/609 (3) Ibn Kathīr 8/493-494 (4) Ibn Kathīr 8/493-494. [.....]