Surah 13

Surah 13:26

"God extends (His) provision to whomever He pleases, and restricts (it). They gloat over this present life, but this present life is nothing but a (fleeting) enjoyment in (comparison to) the Hereafter."
Increase and Decrease in Provision is in Allah's Hand Verses 13:26
Show Full Scripture Context (13:26) — 1 Verse
Verse 26

ٱللَّهُ يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُۚ وَفَرِحُواْ بِٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ إِلَّا مَتَٰعٞ

God extends (His) provision to whomever He pleases, and restricts (it). They gloat over this present life, but this present life is nothing but a (fleeting) enjoyment in (comparison to) the Hereafter.

Allah states that He alone increases the provisions for whom He wills and decreases it for whom He wills, according to His wisdom and perfect justice. So, when the disbelievers rejoice with the life of the present world that was given to them, they do not know that they are being tested and tried. Allah said in other Ayat,
{Do they think that in wealth and children with which We enlarge them. We hasten unto them with good things. Nay, but they perceive not.} [23:55-56]
Allah belittled the life of the present world in comparison to what He has prepared for His believing servants in the Hereafter,
{whereas the life of this world compared to the Hereafter is but a brief passing enjoyment.}

Allah said in other Ayat,
{Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world. The Hereafter is (far) better for him who has Taqwa, and you shall not be dealt with unjustly even equal to the amount of a Fatila."} [4:77]
and,
{Nay, you prefer the life of this world, although the Hereafter is better and more lasting.} [87:16-17]
Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Mustawrid, from Bani Fihr, said that the Messenger of Allah said,
"The life of the present world, compared to the Hereafter, is just like when one of you inserts his finger in the sea, so let him contemplate how much of it will it carry."

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.