الزهدConceptAsceticism in the QuranالزهدSpirituality5Verses4Surahs14Connections#569of 828

Key Verses

1. 28:60Al-QasasPromise
   وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّن شَيۡءٖ فَمَتَٰعُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَزِينَتُهَاۚ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَيۡرٞ وَأَبۡقَىٰٓۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ
   And whatsoever ye have been given is a comfort of the life of the world and an ornament thereof; and that which Allah hath is better and more lasting. Have ye then no sense?
   In context

   Whatever your Lord has given you, it is of what you enjoy and adorn yourselves with in this worldly life, then it will finish. And the great reward which is with Allah in the afterlife is better and more lasting than the enjoyment and adornment in this world. Do you not understand that so that you prefer what is everlasting over what is going to finish?

2. 57:20Al-Hadid
   ٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا لَعِبٞ وَلَهۡوٞ وَزِينَةٞ وَتَفَاخُرُۢ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَتَكَاثُرٞ فِي ٱلۡأَمۡوَٰلِ وَٱلۡأَوۡلَٰدِۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيۡثٍ أَعۡجَبَ ٱلۡكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصۡفَرّٗا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَٰمٗاۖ وَفِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ عَذَابٞ شَدِيدٞ وَمَغۡفِرَةٞ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضۡوَٰنٞۚ وَمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلۡغُرُورِ
   Know that the life of the world is only play, and idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as the likeness of vegetation after rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the husbandman, but afterward it drieth up and thou seest it turning yellow, then it becometh straw. And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but matter of illusion.
   In context

   Know that the life of the world is only a pastime that the bodies play with; futility that the hearts engage in; beauty that you adorn yourselves with; boasting with one another over possessions and power, and taking pride in abundance of wealth and offspring.

3. 87:16Al-Ala
   بَلۡ تُؤۡثِرُونَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا
   But ye prefer the life of the world
   In context

   But, you give preference to the worldly life and prefer it over the afterlife despite the huge disparity between them.

4. 87:17Al-Ala
   وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ خَيۡرٞ وَأَبۡقَىٰٓ
   Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting.
   In context

   The Hereafter is indeed, better and superior to the world and the enjoyments and pleasures it contains, and it is more lasting, because the bliss it contains does not ever end.

5. 12:20YusufWarning
   وَشَرَوۡهُ بِثَمَنِۭ بَخۡسٖ دَرَٰهِمَ مَعۡدُودَةٖ وَكَانُواْ فِيهِ مِنَ ٱلزَّـٰهِدِينَ
   And they sold him for a low price, a number of silver coins; and they attached no value to him.
   In context

   The water-drawer and his companions sold him in Egypt for a petty amount of a few silver coins that could be easily counted due to their small number. They sold him cheaply because they wanted to get rid of him quickly. They had realised from his condition that he was not a slave and they were afraid of his family. Allah was Merciful to him by not keeping him with them for very long.