Of course. Here is the detailed explanation of Surah Ar-Ra’d, Verse 26 from Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi’s “Tafheem-ul-Quran”.

This verse addresses a core point of contention raised by the disbelievers of Mecca regarding the distribution of wealth and worldly provisions, contrasting it with the true and lasting provisions of the Hereafter.

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Verse 13:26 (Surah Ar-Ra’d)

Arabic Text:
ٱللَّهُ يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُۚ وَفَرِحُواْ بِٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا فِى ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعٌۭ

Transliteration:

Allāhu yabsuṭur-rizqa liman yashā’u wa yaqdir, wa fariḥū bil-ḥayātid-dunyā, wal-ḥayātud-dunyā fil-ākhirati illā matā’.

Translation (Maududi’s Meaning):

Allah gives abundantly to whom He will and sparingly to whom He pleases. They (the disbelievers) rejoice in the life of this world, although the life of this world is but a paltry thing and a temporary provision compared with the Hereafter.

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Tafseer (Explanation) from Tafheem-ul-Quran by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi

Maududi explains that this verse tackles the misunderstanding of the disbelievers who used their worldly wealth as an argument against the truth of Islam.

1. The Disbelievers’ Fallacious Argument & Its Refutation

The pagan elites of Mecca, such as Abu Jahl, Walid ibn Mughirah, and ‘As ibn Wa’il, were wealthy and powerful. When the Quran warned them of a coming punishment and called them to accountability before Allah, they would mockingly respond:

“Look at Muhammad and his followers! They are poor, weak, and have no status in society. If what he preaches were truly from God, wouldn’t God have blessed them with wealth and power instead of us?”

Allah’s response to this argument begins with a fundamental principle of divine wisdom:

“Allah gives abundantly to whom He will and sparingly to whom He pleases.”

Maududi elaborates that this means:

• Wealth is not a Proof of Truth: Worldly provisions (rizq) are a test from Allah, not a badge of honor or a sign of His pleasure. A person might be given abundant wealth as a test of their gratitude and how they use it, while another might be given little as a test of their patience and trust in Allah.
• It is a Temporary Decree: The distribution of wealth in this world is based on Allah’s transient wisdom for this temporary life. It has no direct correlation with a person’s status in the eternal Hereafter.

2. The Folly of Their Rejoicing

The verse then diagnoses the spiritual disease of the disbelievers:

“They rejoice in the life of this world…”

Maududi states that this “rejoicing” (farihoo) refers to their arrogance and pride in their material possessions. They were deluded into believing that their wealth and status made them superior and immune to any consequences, leading them to reject the message of the Hereafter.

3. The True Value of the Worldly Life

The verse delivers the decisive judgment on the actual worth of this worldly life in the grand scheme of things:

“…although the life of this world is but a paltry thing and a temporary provision compared with the Hereafter.”

Maududi provides a powerful explanation for the key term “Mata'” (مَتَاعٌ):

• It does not mean something utterly worthless, but rather a temporary, fleeting, and trivial enjoyment.
• He uses the analogy of a traveler on a long journey who stops for a brief rest under the shade of a tree. The shade, water, and brief respite are a “provision” (mata’) for that short stop, but they are utterly insignificant compared to the final destination and the permanent home that awaits.

Thus, the disbelievers are fools because they are boasting about and becoming arrogant over the “shade and water” of a brief rest stop, completely ignoring the eternal life that comes after it. They have mistaken the temporary testing ground for the final, everlasting abode.

Summary of Maududi’s Tafseer in Key Points:

• Refutation of a Materialistic Argument: The verse shatters the fallacy that worldly success is an indicator of truth or divine favor.
• Sovereignty of Divine Will: The distribution of wealth is entirely in Allah’s hands and is part of His transient wisdom and test for humanity.
• A Diagnosis of Arrogance: The disbelievers’ pride in their material possessions was the primary cause of their rejection of the truth.
• A Reality Check: The entire worldly life, with all its riches and pleasures, is nothing more than a fleeting, insignificant provision when placed next to the immense and eternal reality of the Hereafter.

In essence, Verse 13:26 reorients the reader’s perspective, teaching that one should never judge the truth of a message or a person’s ultimate destiny by the temporary and deceptive standards of worldly wealth. The real success is in the Hereafter.

IBN KATHEER

Surah Ar-Ra’d (13:26)

Arabic Text:
ٱللَّهُ يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ ۚ وَفَرِحُوا۟ بِٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ إِلَّا مَتَٰعٌۭ

English Translation:
Allâh increases the provision for whom He wills, and straitens (it for whom He wills), and they rejoice in the life of the world, whereas the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter is but a brief passing enjoyment.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir:
Increase and Decrease in Provision is in Allah’s Hand 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, أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُم بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ – نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِي الْخَيْرَتِ بَل لاَّ يَشْعُرُونَ (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, وَمَا الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَا فِي الاٌّخِرَةِ إِلاَّ مَتَـعٌ (whereas the life of this world compared to the Hereafter is but a brief passing enjoyment.) Allah said in other Ayat, قُلْ مَتَـعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ اتَّقَى وَلاَ تُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلاً (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, بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَةَ الدُّنْيَا – وَالاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى (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 ﷺ said, «مَا الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا كَمَا يَجْعَلُ أَحَدُكُمْ إصْبَعَهُ هَذِهِ فِي الْيَمِّ، فَلْيَنْظُرْ بِمَ تَرْجِع» (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.) and he pointed with the index finger. Imam Muslim also collected this Hadith in his Sahih. In another Hadith, the Prophet passed by a dead sheep, whose ears were small, and said, «وَاللهِ لَلدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللهِ مِنْ هَذَا عَلَى أَهْلِهِ حِينَ أَلْقَوه» (By Allah! The life of this present world is as insignificant to Allah as this sheep was to its owners when they threw it away.) 13