Section 1: Verses 1–8
Thematic progression across verses 1–8
أَلۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ 1
Al haaku mut takathur
Abundance distracts you
حَتَّىٰ زُرۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَقَابِرَ 2
Hatta zurtumul-maqaabir
Until you visit the graveyards
كَلَّا سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ 3
Kalla sawfa ta'lamoon
Indeed, you will know
ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ 4
Thumma kalla sawfa ta'lamoon
Certainly, you will know
كَلَّا لَوۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ عِلۡمَ ٱلۡيَقِينِ 5
Kalla law ta'lamoona 'ilmal yaqeen
If you knew with knowledge of certainty
لَتَرَوُنَّ ٱلۡجَحِيمَ 6
Latara-wun nal jaheem
You would see the Inferno
ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيۡنَ ٱلۡيَقِينِ 7
Thumma latara wunnaha 'ainal yaqeen
Then you will see it with the eye of certainty
ثُمَّ لَتُسۡـَٔلُنَّ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَنِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ 8
Thumma latus alunna yauma-izin 'anin na'eem
Then, on that Day, you will be questioned about the Bliss
Quran-Anchored Prophetic Context
Authentic narrations in the active corpus that explicitly cite, name, or explain verses in Surah At-Takaathur.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ الْغَسِيلِ، عَنْ عَبَّاسِ بْنِ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ بِمَكَّةَ فِي خُطْبَتِهِ يَقُولُ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَقُولُ " لَوْ أَنَّ ابْنَ آدَمَ أُعْطِيَ وَادِيًا مَلأً مِنْ ذَهَبٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ ثَانِيًا، وَلَوْ أُعْطِيَ ثَانِيًا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ ثَالِثًا، وَلاَ يَسُدُّ جَوْفَ ابْنِ آدَمَ إِلاَّ التُّرَابُ، وَيَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَنْ تَابَ ".
I heard Ibn Az-Zubair who was on the pulpit at Mecca, delivering a sermon, saying, "O men! The Prophet used to say, "If the son of Adam were given a valley full of gold, he would love to have a second one; and if he were given the second one, he would love to have a third, for nothing fills the belly of Adam's son except dust. And Allah forgives he who repents to Him." Ubai said, "We considered this as a saying from the Qur'an till the Sura (beginning with) 'The mutual rivalry for piling up of worldly things diverts you..' (102.1) was revealed."
وعن عبد الله بن الشخير " بسكر الشين والخاء المشددة المعجمتين" رضي الله عنه، أنه قال: أتيت النبي ، صلى الله عليه وسلم، وهو يقرأ: { ألهاكم التكاثر} قال: " يقول ابن آدم: مالي، وهل لك يا ابن آدم من مالك إلا ما أكلت فأفنيت، أو لبست فأبليت، أو تصدقت فأمضيت؟ !" ((رواه مسلم)).
I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was reciting (Surat At-Takathur 102):"The mutual rivalry (for hoarding worldly things) preoccupy you. Until you visit the graves (i.e., till you die). Nay! You shall come to know! Again nay! You shall come to know! Nay! If you knew with a sure knowledge (the end result of hoarding, you would not have been occupied in worldly things). Verily, you shall see the blazing Fire (Hell)! And again, you shall see it with certainty of sight! Then (on that Day) you shall be asked about the delights (you indulged in, in this world)!" (102:1-8)(After reciting) he (ﷺ) said, "Son of adam says: 'My wealth, my wealth.' Do you own of your wealth other than what you eat and consume, and what you wear and wear out, or what you give in Sadaqah (charity) (to those who deserve it), and that what you will have in stock for yourself.".