English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Glorify Allah by declaring His perfection, and exalt Him with His beautiful Names and attributes—especially His absolute highness over all creation.

Pure glorification is to affirm Allah’s perfection and deny any نقص from Him.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

He created everything, then made each creation well-formed and balanced—giving it the shape and ability that suits it perfectly.

Perfect creation points to perfect Wisdom and Mercy.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

He decreed the measures and destinies of all things, then guided each creation to what benefits it—by instinct, reason, and revelation.

Allah’s decree and guidance cover both الدنيا and الدين.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

He brings forth vegetation and pasture from the earth—sustenance for people and animals, as a clear sign of His provision.

The One who provides in this life can provide guidance for the next.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Then He turns that fresh pasture into dry, dark debris—showing how Allah gives life, then causes change and decay with perfect control.

A reminder: الدنيا blossoms, then fades—so do not be deceived by it.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah promises His Messenger ﷺ that He will make him recite (the Qur’an) and preserve it—so he will not forget it.

This is a عظيمة نعمة: preservation of revelation for the الأمة.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Except what Allah wills—He is fully capable over all matters. He knows what is spoken openly and what is hidden in hearts and secrets.

His knowledge surrounds your ظاهر and باطن—so purify both.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Allah will make the path of goodness easy for His Messenger ﷺ—guiding him to what is most upright and easiest in bringing people to guidance.

From Allah’s رحمة: facilitating obedience and the call to it.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

So remind—because reminders benefit those who are ready to accept truth and seek guidance.

The believer loves تذكير because it increases faith and action.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

The one who fears Allah will take heed, because خشية opens the heart to قبول الحق.

Fear of Allah is the key that makes reminder effective.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

But the most wretched avoids the reminder—turning away from guidance and refusing to benefit.

True misery is to flee from the very thing that saves.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

That wretched one will enter and burn in the greatest Fire—punishment for rejecting guidance after it came clearly.

Turning away from reminder leads to the gravest end.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

There he will neither die to be relieved, nor live a life of comfort—rather a painful existence with no escape.

No death that ends pain, and no life that brings peace.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

Successful is the one who purifies himself—cleansing his soul from shirk and sins, and growing it through faith and righteous deeds.

True success begins with تزكية النفس.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

“And remembers the name of his Lord and prays” — meaning he is characterized by remembrance of Allah, which leads him to actions that please Allah, especially الصلاة which is the scale of faith. As for explaining “tazakka” as paying zakat al-fitr and “prays” as the Eid prayer, that is included in the wording but is not the only meaning.

Remembrance that fills the heart naturally produces الصلاة and obedience.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

{ بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا } — You put this worldly life ahead of the Hereafter, choosing its troubled, fleeting enjoyment over the next life.

Important: Preferring dunya over akhirah is the root of many losses.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

{ وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى } — The Hereafter is better than this world in every desirable way, and it lasts forever, while the world perishes. The wise believer does not choose the worse over the better, nor sell a moment’s pleasure for eternal misery; loving and preferring dunya over akhirah is the head of every sin.

What is lasting deserves priority.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

{ إِنَّ هَذَا } — what has been mentioned in this blessed surah of good commands and beautiful truths { لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الْأُولَى } — is found in the earlier scriptures.

Core guidance is consistent across Allah’s revelations.

English Tafsir (Al-Sa‘di):

{ صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى } — the scriptures of Ibrahim and Musa, who are among the greatest messengers (after Prophet Muhammad ﷺ). These commands are present in every shari‘ah because they return to the welfare of both worlds, and they are beneficial in every time and place.

Timeless guidance: good for every era and every land.

Summary of the Meanings:

Glorify Allah—The Most High—who created and proportioned, decreed and guided, and brings forth provision, reminding us of His perfect power and care.

Reminders benefit the one who fears Allah, while the most wretched avoids them and faces the greatest Fire—no relief by death and no life of comfort.

Success is purification, remembrance, and prayer—yet many prefer the fleeting dunya, while the Hereafter is better and lasting; this message is found in the earlier scriptures.