1. Home

Surah al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2 : 96

وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ حَيَوٰةٍ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۚ يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ أَن يُعَمَّرَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ

Translations

 
 Muhsin Khan
 Pickthall
 Yusuf Ali
Quran Project
And you will surely find them the most greedy of people for life - [even] more than those who associate others with Allāh. One of them wishes that he could be granted life a thousand years, but it would not remove him in the least from the [coming] punishment that he should be granted life. And Allāh is Seeing of what they do.

Qur'an Dictionary

Click word/image to view Qur'an Dictionary
Word Arabic word
(2:96:1)
walatajidannahum
And surely you will find them
(2:96:2)
aḥraṣa
(the) most greedy
(2:96:3)
l-nāsi
(of) [the] mankind
(2:96:4)
(2:96:5)
ḥayatin
life
(2:96:6)
(2:96:7)
alladhīna
those who
(2:96:8)
ashrakū
associate[d] partners (with Allah)
(2:96:9)
yawaddu
Loves
(2:96:10)
aḥaduhum
(each) one of them
(2:96:11)
(2:96:12)
yuʿammaru
he could be granted a life
(2:96:13)
alfa
(of) a thousand
(2:96:14)
sanatin
year(s)
(2:96:15)
(2:96:16)
(2:96:17)
bimuzaḥziḥihi
(will) remove him
(2:96:18)
(2:96:19)
l-ʿadhābi
the punishment
(2:96:20)
(2:96:21)
yuʿammara
he should be granted life
(2:96:22)
wal-lahu
And Allah
(2:96:23)
baṣīrun
(is) All-Seer
(2:96:24)
(2:96:25)
yaʿmalūna
they do

1. Lessons/Guidance/Reflections/Gems

[ edit ]

Explanatory Note

Each of them would wish to live a thousand years because they do not believe in a future life, after this present one is over. When one accepts that one’s days on earth are numbered but supposes that life here does not lead to a future life, this life would then seem very short, no matter how many years it lasts. Therefore, to believe in life after death is a blessing and a source of inspiration that brings hope, since man naturally entertains hopes that go far beyond his numbered years of life. To discard the hopes of an immortal and happy existence reflects a lack of appreciation for the very meaning of life.

Besides being a belief in God’s absolute justice and His most gracious reward, belief in the hereafter is an expression of the value and vigour of life itself, not confined to, or restricted by, the limits of this world. It links man’s existence to a life that goes far beyond this one, to reach spheres and realms the edges of which are known only to God Almighty.

  • Hasan al-Basri compares the attitude of the Jews to the Hypocrites from amongst the Muslims. He said, "The Hypocrite is [also] [more] greedy [ahras] for the life of this world than the polytheist..." [Ibn Kathir]

2. Linguistic Analysis

[ edit ]
The data for this section is awaiting to be be uploaded. Be the first to contribute.


Frequency of Root words in this Ayat used in this Surah *


3. Surah Overview

4. Miscellaneous Information

[ edit ]
The data for this section is awaiting to be be uploaded. Be the first to contribute.

5. Connected/Related Ayat

[ edit ]
  • The usage of the word زُحْزِحَ 

    كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ "Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion." (3:185)

6. Frequency of the word

[ edit ]
The data for this section is awaiting to be be uploaded. Be the first to contribute.

7. Period of Revelation

[ edit ]

The scholars are unanimous that Surah al-Baqarah is Madani and that it was the first Surah revealed in Madinah. [Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Fath al-Bari no. 160/8].

Despite it being the first Surah to be revealed in Madinah, it contains Ayaat from a later period also. In fact, according to Ibn Abbas [as mentioned in Ibn Kathir] the last Ayat revealed to the Prophet was Ayat no. 281 from Surah al-Baqarah and this occurred 8 days or so before his death [which corresponds to the year 11 Hijri].

8. Reasons for Revelation

[ edit ]

At-Tabari said, "The scholars of Tafsir agree that this Ayah (2: 97-98) was revealed in response to the Jews who claimed that Jibril (Gabriel) is an enemy of the Jews and that Mika'il (Michael) is their friend.' [Ibn Kathir]

9. Relevant Hadith

[ edit ]
The data for this section is awaiting to be be uploaded. Be the first to contribute.

10. Wiki Forum

Comments in this section are statements made by general users – these are not necessarily explanations of the Ayah – rather a place to share personal thoughts and stories…

11. Tafsir Zone

 

12. External Links

[ edit ]
The data for this section is awaiting to be be uploaded. Be the first to contribute.