Surah 20

Surah 20:132

"Command your family (to observe) the prayer, and be patient in it. We do not ask you for provision. We provide for you, and the outcome (is) for the guarding (of yourself)."
Do not look at the Enjoyment of the Wealthy, be patient in the worship of Allah Verses 20:131-132
Show Full Scripture Context (20:131-132) — 2 Verses
Verse 131

وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيۡنَيۡكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعۡنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزۡوَٰجٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ زَهۡرَةَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا لِنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِيهِۚ وَرِزۡقُ رَبِّكَ خَيۡرٞ وَأَبۡقَىٰ

Do not yearn after what We have given classes of them to enjoy – the flower of this present life – that We may test them by means of it. The provision of your Lord is better and more lasting.

Verse 132

وَأۡمُرۡ أَهۡلَكَ بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱصۡطَبِرۡ عَلَيۡهَاۖ لَا نَسۡـَٔلُكَ رِزۡقٗاۖ نَّحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُكَۗ وَٱلۡعَٰقِبَةُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰ

Command your family (to observe) the prayer, and be patient in it. We do not ask you for provision. We provide for you, and the outcome (is) for the guarding (of yourself).

Allah, the Exalted, says to His Prophet Muhammad, “Do not look at what these people of luxury and their likes and peers have of nice comforts. For verily, it is only short-lived splendor and a feeble bounty, which We are using to test them with And very few of My servants are truly thankful.” Mujahid said

{various groups of them}, “This means the wealthy people.”

This means, “Verily, We have given you (O Muhammad) better than that which We have given them.” This is just as Allah says in another Ayah,

{And indeed, We have bestowed upon you seven repeatedly recited verses, and the Grand Qur'an. Look not with your eyes ambitiously.} [15:87-88]

Likewise, that which Allah has stored for His Messenger in the Hereafter is something extremely great. It is an unlimited reward that cannot be described. This is as Allah says,

{And verily, your Lord will give you so that you shall be well-pleased.} [93:5]

For this reason, Allah says,

Quoted Scripture
"But the provision of your Lord is better and more lasting."

In the Sahih it is recorded that ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab entered upon the Messenger of Allah while he was in the small room in which he had separated himself from his wives after he had vowed to stay away from them. When he came in, he saw him (the Prophet) lying down upon a sandy straw mat. There was nothing in the house except a pile of sant tree pods and some hanging equipment. Umar's eyes filled with tears (upon seeing this), so the Messenger of Allah said to him,

{that We may test them thereby.} “So that We may put them to trial.”

Concerning Allah’s statement,

Quoted Scripture
"And enjoin the Salah on your family, and be patient in offering them."

This means to save them from the punishment of Allah by the establishment of the prayer, and you also be patient in performing it. This is as Allah says,

{O you zoho believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell).} [66:6]

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Zayd bin Aslam reported from his father that he and Yarfa’ would sometimes spend the night at ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab’s. ‘Umar had a certain time of night that he would get up and pray. However, sometimes he would not get up for it. Then, we would say, “He is not going to get up like he usually does.” When he would awaken, he would make his family get up as well. He would say,

“And enjoin the Salah on your family, and be patient in offering them;”

Allah said;

Quoted Scripture
"We ask not of you a provision: We provide for you."

This means that if you establish the prayer, your sustenance will come to you from where you did not expect. This is as Allah says,

{And whosoever has Taqwd of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine} [65:2-3]

Allah also says,

{And I (AlldJ i) created not the Jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).} until, {Verily, Allah is the All-Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong.} [51:56-58]

Thus, Allah says,

Quoted Scripture
"We ask not of you a provision: We provide for you."

Verily, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

“Allah, the Exalted, says, "O son o/ Adam, perform My worship and 1 will fill your chest with wealth and fulfill your needs. If you do not do so, then 1 will fill your chest with toil and I will not fulfill your needs."”

It is also reported from Zayd bin Thabit that he heard the Messenger of Allah saying,

“Whoever makes the worldly life his major concern, then Allah will scatter his situation for him (i.e. make it difficult) and his poverty will be placed between his eyes. He will not get from this world anything except that which has already been written for him. Whoever makes the Hereafter his intention, then his situation will be gathered for him (i.e. made easy) and his wealth will be placed in his heart. The worldly life will come to him anyway (in spite of his not seeking)”

Concerning Allah’s statement,

Quoted Scripture
"And the good end is for those ivho have Taqwa"

This means the good end in this life and in the Hereafter. In the Hereafter the good end will be Paradise for whoever feared Allah. In the Sahih it is reported that the Messenger of Allah said,

“I saw in my dream tonight a vision as if we were in the home of ‘Uqbah bin Rafi‘ and we were given fresh Ibn Tab dates. Therefore, I interpreted this dream to mean that the good final outcome (’Aqibah) is for us in this world along with lofty (Rifa'ah) positions, and that our religion is good (Tab).”

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.