God created this earth for humans to live as per the guidelines contained in the Divine Scriptures that were sent from time to time on chosen prophets. In fact this earthly life is a test to see who abides by the restrictions imposed on man to strictly follow a life so Divinely desired, and also to see who disobey and live a life as they feel like living.
According to the Quran, life in this world is a trust from Allah and should be lived with faith, gratitude, integrity, and compassion. Believers are encouraged to worship Allah sincerely, seek lawful sustenance through honest effort, uphold justice, fulfill their responsibilities toward family and society, care for those in need, and act with kindness and humility. The Quran does not call for abandoning worldly life; rather, it teaches that worldly blessings should be enjoyed responsibly without allowing them to distract from remembrance of Allah or preparation for the Hereafter. A balanced life—one that combines spiritual devotion with ethical conduct, productive work, and service to others—is presented as the ideal way to fulfill the purpose of human existence and attain success in both this life and the next.
Surah Al-A'la, the 87th Surah / chapter of Qur'an dedicate its major portion towards how this life is to be lived. Before we give out a complete set of verses that become a passage on the same theme, let us first share the 16th verse:
The verse reads: "But you prefer the life of this world." (Quran 87:16, Sahih International)
It is immediately followed by 87:17: "While the Hereafter is better and more enduring."
One of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi explains these two verses by noting:
That is, "O man, all your thoughts and endeavors are only for the world, its ease and comforts, its benefits and enjoyments. You regard whatever you gain here as the real gain and whatever you lose here as your real loss"
The Hereafter is preferable to the world for two reasons: first, that its comforts and pleasures are far superior to all the blessings of the world; second, that the world is transitory and the Hereafter everlasting.
These two verses set the framework on how to live the life in this world in a way that would set the course for life in the Hereafter.
Context
Although, no specific event is related to the revelations of the above quoted verses, but these along with verse 14-15 and 18-90 for the concluding section of the surah for the guidance of the man:
87:14: "He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself,"
87:15: "And mentions the name of his Lord and prays."
87:16: "But you prefer the life of this world,"
87:17: "While the Hereafter is better and more enduring."
87:18–19: The message is said to be consistent with the earlier scriptures of Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Musa.
The flow of the passage contrasts the path to success (spiritual purification, remembrance of God, and prayer) with the human tendency to prioritize immediate worldly pleasures over lasting spiritual rewards.
Why was it revealed?
Classical Islamic sources generally do not report a specific occasion of revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl) for verse 87:16. Instead, it is understood as a general moral teaching, not a response to one particular incident.
Early commentators such as Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that these verse addresses a common human inclination: choosing immediate worldly benefits over the lasting good of the Hereafter. It serves as both a warning and an invitation to reassess one's priorities.
Are the 16-17 verses relevant today?
Many believers continue to find the verse relevant because the tension it describes remains familiar. Examples include:
- Prioritizing wealth, status, or entertainment while neglecting spiritual or ethical responsibilities.
- Choosing short-term gratification over long-term well-being or moral principles.
- Becoming so occupied with work, consumption, or social recognition that prayer, reflection, family, or service to others are pushed aside.
The verses do not teach that worldly life is inherently bad. Elsewhere, the Quran encourages people to seek lawful provision and benefit from the good things Allah has provided. Rather, the concern is making worldly life one's highest priority at the expense of one's relationship with Allah and accountability in the Hereafter.
In that sense, the message of Quran 87:16–17 is a reminder to keep worldly pursuits in balance with enduring spiritual values: "But you prefer the life of this world, while the Hereafter is better and more enduring." (Quran 87:16–17).
The surah thus addressees the real reason of the wretchedness, the failure which drives the disbelievers headlong into the great fire: “Yet you prefer this present life, while the life to come is better and longer lasting.” This short-sighted preference is the real reason for every misery which befalls man. It is indeed the cause of man’s taking no heed of the warnings given to him. The Qur’an calls the present life dunia which connotes both contempt and easy access. The life to come is better in kind and duration. Only the foolish who are deprived of sound judgement would, in the circumstances, prefer the present life to the next.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may refer to more Selected Verses from Surah 87 Al Ala الأعلى -The Most High, already published.
You may also refer to our exclusive reference pages:
- Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
- Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects
- Selected Verses from the Qur'an.
You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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