Every soul has to taste death.

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَۗ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ

Every soul has to taste death. It is on the Day of Judgement that you shall be paid your rewards in full. So, whoever has been kept away from the Fire and admitted to Jannah has really succeeded. The worldly life is nothing but an illusionary enjoyment.

Allah issues a general and encompassing statement that every living soul shall taste death.

In another statement, Allah said,

كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ
وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلْـلِ وَالاِكْرَامِ
[Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of majesty and honor will remain forever. (55:26-27)]

Therefore, Allah Alone is the Ever-Living Who never dies, while the Jinn, mankind and angels, including those who carry Allah’s Throne, shall die. The Irresistible One and Only, will alone remain for ever and ever, remaining Last, as He was the First.

This Ayah comforts all creation, since every soul that exists on the earth shall die. When the term of this life comes to an end and the sons of Adam no longer have any new generations, and thus this world ends, Allah will command that the Day of Resurrection commence. Allah will then recompense the creation for their deeds, whether minor or major, many or few, big or small. Surely, Allah will not deal unjustly with anyone, even the weight of an atom, and this is why He said,

وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
[And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full.]

Allah said,
فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ
[And whoever is moved away from the Fire and admitted to Jannah, he indeed is successful.]

Meaning, whoever is kept away from the Fire, saved from it and entered into Jannah, will have achieved the ultimate success.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَوْضِعُ سَوْطٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا اقْرَأُوا إِنْ شِيْتُمْ
[A place in Jamnah as small as that which is occupied by a whip is better than the world and whatever is on its surface.]

Read if you will,

فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ
[And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Jannah, he indeed is successful].

This was collected in the Two Sahihs, but using another chain of narration and without the addition of Ayah. Abu Hatim Ibn Hibban recorded it in his Sahih without the addition as did Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak.

Allah said,

وَما الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ
[The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception.]

Belittling the value of this life and degrading its importance. This life is short, little and finite, just as Allah said,

بَلْ تُوْثِرُونَ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا
وَالاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى
[Nay, you prefer the life of this world. Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting. (87:16-17)]

and,

وَمَأ أُوتِيتُم مِّن شَىْءٍ فَمَتَـعُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتُهَا وَمَا عِندَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى
[And whatever you have been given is an enjoyment of the life of (this) world and its adornment, and that (Hereafter) which is with Allah is better and will remain forever. (28:60)]

A Hadith states,

وَاللهِ مَا الدُّنْيَا فِي الاْاخِرَةِ إِلاَّ كَمَا يَغْمِسُ أَحَدُكُمْ أُصْبُعَهُ فِي الْيَمِّ فَلْيَنْظُرْ بِمَ تَرْجِعُ إِلَيْه
[By Allah! This life, compared to the Hereafter, is just as insignificant as when one of you dips his finger in the sea; let him contemplate what his finger will come back with.]

Qatadah commented on Allah’s statement,

وَما الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ
[The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception].

Life is a delight. By Allah, other than Whom there is no deity, it will soon fade away from its people. Therefore, take obedience to Allah from this delight, if you can. Verily, there is no power except from Allah.

#Aal_e_Imran : 185 #Quran #Tafseer_IbneKaseer