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التكاثر · العصر · الهُمَزة
Surahs 102, 103 & 104 — Key Word Definitions
Session 13 · Tadabur Guide · Saturday, August 8, 2026
أَلْهَاكُمAlhakumAt-Takathur 1 — "Vying for more distracted you."
Light Definition
شغلكم وصرفكم عمّا يهمّكم من أمر الآخرةIt occupied and diverted you from what truly matters
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[لهو]
اللَّهْوُ: ما يشغل الإنسان عمّا يعنيه ويهمّه. قال تعالى: أَلْهاكُمُ التَّكاثُرُ [التكاثر/ ١]، أي: شغلكم التكاثر عن طاعة الله وذكر الآخرة. وقال: رِجالٌ لا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجارَةٌ وَلا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ [النور/ ٣٧]. فاللهو ليس محرّمًا في ذاته، لكنّ الذمّ حين يصرف عن الواجب.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: l-h-w]

Al-lahw is whatever occupies a person away from what concerns and matters to him. Allah says: "At-Takathur alhakum (distracted you)" [At-Takathur/1], meaning: the rivalry occupied you away from obeying Allah and remembering the Hereafter. He also says: "Men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah" [An-Nur/37]. Lahw is not blameworthy in itself, but only when it diverts from one's duty.
التَّكَاثُرAt-TakathurAt-Takathur 1 — "Vying for more distracted you."
Light Definition
التباري في كثرة المال والولد والجاهCompeting to amass more wealth, children, and status
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[كثر]
الكَثْرَةُ: خلاف القلّة. والتَّكاثُرُ: تفاعل من الكثرة، وهو تباري الناس في الاستكثار من متاع الدنيا ومباهاة بعضهم بعضًا. قال تعالى: أَلْهاكُمُ التَّكاثُرُ [التكاثر/ ١]. وقال: وَتَكاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوالِ وَالْأَوْلادِ [الحديد/ ٢٠]. فصيغة التفاعل تدلّ على أنّ الأمر تحوّل إلى منافسة ومباهاة بين الناس.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: k-th-r]

Al-kathrah is the opposite of scarcity. At-takathur follows the reciprocal tafa'ul pattern: people competing to accumulate more worldly goods and boasting over one another. Allah says: "At-Takathur (rivalry for increase) distracted you" [At-Takathur/1], and: "And rivalry in wealth and children" [Al-Hadid/20]. The reciprocal form shows the matter became mutual competition and boasting among people.
📝The Surah opens without naming the object of the rivalry, leaving it open: wealth, status, followers, achievements. Whatever we compete over endlessly, if it diverts us from Allah, is the takathur being warned against.
الْمَقَابِرAl-MaqabirAt-Takathur 2 — "Until you visited the graves."
Light Definition
جمع مقبرة؛ كناية عن الموت وبلوغ نهاية العمرThe graveyards; a metonym for death overtaking the distracted
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[قبر]
القَبْرُ: مقرّ الميّت. والمَقابِرُ: جمع مقبرة. قال تعالى: حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقابِرَ [التكاثر/ ٢]. وفي التعبير بـ«زُرتم» لطيفة: أنّ الزائر لا يقيم، فكأنّ الإنسان في الدنيا زائر عائد، وفي القبر مسافر مرتحل إلى الآخرة. وقيل: بلغ بهم التكاثر أن تفاخروا حتّى بعدد موتاهم في المقابر.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: q-b-r]

Al-qabr is the resting place of the deceased. Al-maqabir is its plural. Allah says: "Until you zurtum (visited) al-maqabir (the graves)" [At-Takathur/2]. There is a subtlety in the word "visited": a visitor does not stay, so man in this world is a visitor passing through, and in the grave a traveller moving on to the Hereafter. It is also said: their rivalry reached the point of boasting even about the number of their dead in the graves.
عِلْمَ الْيَقِينIlm al-YaqinAt-Takathur 5 — "If only you knew with the knowledge of certitude."
Light Definition
اليقين الحاصل بالدليل والبرهانCertainty attained through evidence and proof
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[يقن]
اليَقِينُ: سكون الفهم مع ثبات الحكم، وهو فوق المعرفة والدراية. ومراتبه ثلاث: عِلْمُ الْيَقِينِ (بالاستدلال)، وعَيْنُ الْيَقِينِ (بالمشاهدة)، وحَقُّ الْيَقِينِ (بالمباشرة والذوق). قال تعالى: كَلَّا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ [التكاثر/ ٥]، ثمّ قال: ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّها عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ [التكاثر/ ٧].
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: y-q-n]

Al-yaqin is the stillness of understanding with firmness of judgment; it is above mere knowledge and awareness. It has three ranks: ilm al-yaqin (certainty by inference), ayn al-yaqin (certainty by witnessing), and haqq al-yaqin (certainty by direct experience). Allah says: "If only you knew with ilm al-yaqin (knowledge of certainty)" [At-Takathur/5], then: "You will surely see it with ayn al-yaqin (the eye of certainty)" [At-Takathur/7].
📝The Surah moves us through the ranks of certainty: from knowing about the Hereafter by proof (ilm al-yaqin) to actually seeing it with our own eyes (ayn al-yaqin). The distracted person who ignores the first will be forced to face the second.
النَّعِيمAn-Na'imAt-Takathur 8 — "You will certainly be asked about bliss."
Light Definition
كلّ ما تنعّم به الإنسان في الدنيا من نعمEvery worldly comfort and blessing one enjoys
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[نعم]
النِّعْمَةُ: الحالة الحسنة. والنَّعِيمُ: النعمة الكثيرة. قال تعالى: ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ [التكاثر/ ٨]، أي: عن كلّ ما تنعّمتم به من الصحّة والأمن والطعام والشراب والماء البارد. قال عليه السلام لمّا أكل تمرًا وشرب ماءً بارِدًا: «هذا من النعيم الذي تُسألون عنه».
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: n-'-m]

An-ni'mah is a good state. An-na'im is abundant blessing. Allah says: "Then you will surely be asked that Day about an-na'im (bliss)" [At-Takathur/8], meaning: about every blessing you enjoyed of health, security, food, drink, and cool water. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) ate dates and drank cool water, he said: "This is from the bliss you will be asked about."
الْعَصْرAl-'AsrAl-'Asr 1 — "By time."
Light Definition
الدهر والزمان الذي تقع فيه أعمال الإنسانTime; the age in which all human deeds unfold
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[عصر]
العَصْرُ: الدهر والزمان. وأصله من العَصْر وهو الضغط لاستخراج ما في الشيء، كعصر العنب. فكأنّ الزمان يُعصر فيه الإنسان فتُستخرج أعماله. قال تعالى: وَالْعَصْرِ. إِنَّ الْإِنْسانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ [العصر/ ١-٢]. وأقسم الله بالزمن لأنّه ظرف الأعمال ورأس مال الإنسان الذي لا يعود.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: '-s-r]

Al-'asr is the age and time. Its root is al-'asr, meaning to press and squeeze out what is within something, like pressing grapes. It is as if man is squeezed within time and his deeds are pressed out of him. Allah says: "By al-'asr (time). Indeed, mankind is in loss" [Al-'Asr/1-2]. Allah swears by time because it is the vessel of deeds and man's capital that never returns.
📝The imagery ties the three surahs together: time (al-'asr) literally "squeezes" us, just as the theme of the session describes waking up "before time is squeezed out." Every passing moment presses life from us; the question is what we produce with it.
خُسْرKhusrAl-'Asr 2 — "Indeed, mankind is in loss."
Light Definition
نقصان رأس المال والهلاكLoss; the depletion of one's capital and ruin
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[خسر]
الخُسْرُ والخُسْرانُ: انتقاص رأس المال. ويُنسب إلى الإنسان فيقال: خَسِرَ فلانٌ. قال تعالى: إِنَّ الْإِنْسانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ [العصر/ ٢]. و«في» تفيد الظرفيّة، أي: الإنسان مغمور في الخسران محاط به، إلّا من استثناهم الله بالإيمان والعمل الصالح والتواصي بالحقّ والصبر.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: kh-s-r]

Al-khusr and al-khusran mean the diminishing of one's capital. It is attributed to a person: so-and-so incurred loss. Allah says: "Indeed, mankind is fi khusr (in loss)" [Al-'Asr/2]. The preposition "fi" (in) denotes immersion: man is submerged in loss, surrounded by it, except those Allah excludes through faith, righteous deeds, and mutually enjoining truth and patience.
تَوَاصَوْاTawasawAl-'Asr 3 — "Enjoined one another to truth and patience."
Light Definition
أوصى بعضهم بعضًا، تبادلوا النصيحةTo mutually enjoin, advise, and remind one another
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[وصي]
التَّوَاصِي: أن يوصي بعضهم بعضًا، على وزن تفاعل الدالّ على المشاركة. قال تعالى: وَتَواصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَواصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ [العصر/ ٣]. فلا يكفي أن يؤمن الإنسان ويعمل صالحًا لنفسه، بل عليه أن يوصي غيره ويُذكّره، فالنجاة جماعيّة لا فرديّة.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: w-s-y]

At-tawasi means mutually advising one another, on the reciprocal tafa'ul pattern. Allah says: "And they tawasaw (enjoined upon one another) truth and tawasaw (enjoined upon one another) patience" [Al-'Asr/3]. It is not enough for a person to believe and act righteously for himself; he must also advise and remind others. Salvation is communal, not individual.
هُمَزَة لُمَزَةHumazah LumazahAl-Humazah 1 — "Woe to every scorner and mocker."
Light Definition
كثير الطعن والعيب في الناس بالفعل واللسانA habitual slanderer and faultfinding mocker
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[همز / لمز]
الهَمْزُ: أصله الكسر والعصر. والهُمَزَةُ: الطعّان في أعراض الناس. واللَّمْزُ: الاغتياب والعيب. واللُّمَزَةُ: العيّاب. وصيغة «فُعَلَة» تدلّ على أنّها عادة ثابتة. قال تعالى: وَيْلٌ لِكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُمَزَةٍ [الهمزة/ ١]. وقيل: الهمز بالفعل والإشارة والعين، واللمز باللسان والقول.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: h-m-z / l-m-z]

Al-hamz originally means to break and press. Al-humazah is one who stabs at people's honour. Al-lamz is backbiting and faultfinding. Al-lumazah is a persistent faultfinder. The fu'alah form indicates an ingrained habit. Allah says: "Woe to every humazah lumazah (scorner and mocker)" [Al-Humazah/1]. It is said: hamz is by action, gesture, and the eye, while lamz is by the tongue and words.
عَدَّدَهAddadahuAl-Humazah 2 — "Amasses wealth and counts it."
Light Definition
أحصاه وجعله عُدّة، وكرّر عدّه شغفًا بهCounts it over and over, hoarding it as a store
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[عدد]
العَدُّ: إحصاء الشيء. وعَدَّدَهُ (بالتشديد) يدلّ على التكثير والتكرار. قال تعالى: الَّذِي جَمَعَ مالاً وَعَدَّدَهُ [الهمزة/ ٢]. أي: أحصاه مرّة بعد مرّة وجعله عُدّةً لنوائب الدهر، فشغله عدُّه وإحصاؤه عن إنفاقه في سبيل الله. وقيل: جعله عدّةً يتّكل عليها من دون الله.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: '-d-d]

Al-'add means to count something. 'Addadahu (with emphasis) indicates repetition and multiplication. Allah says: "Who amasses wealth and 'addadahu (counts it repeatedly)" [Al-Humazah/2], meaning: he counts it over and over and stores it as provision against the calamities of time, so counting and tallying it distracts him from spending it in Allah's cause. It is also said: he makes it a store he relies upon instead of Allah.
أَخْلَدَهAkhladahuAl-Humazah 3 — "Thinking his wealth will make him immortal."
Light Definition
يظنّ أنّ ماله يُبقيه حيًّا خالدًا لا يموتDeludes him into believing wealth grants immortality
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[خلد]
الخُلُودُ: البقاء الدائم من غير انقطاع. قال تعالى: يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ [الهمزة/ ٣]، أي: يظنّ أنّ ماله يجعله خالدًا في الدنيا لا يموت. وهذا وهمٌ باطل، فإنّ المال لا يدفع الموت ولا يمنع الفناء. والإخلاد إلى الشيء: الركون إليه والميل الدائم نحوه.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: kh-l-d]

Al-khulud is permanent, uninterrupted continuance. Allah says: "He thinks that his wealth akhladahu (made him immortal)" [Al-Humazah/3], meaning: he imagines his wealth renders him eternal in this world, never to die. This is a false delusion, for wealth cannot repel death nor prevent perishing. Al-ikhlad toward something is to lean on it and incline toward it permanently.
📝Here is the deep link across the triad: the takathur (endless accumulation) breeds the illusion that wealth makes us immortal (akhladahu). Both forget the graves and the reckoning. The cure, from Al-'Asr, is faith, good deeds, and mutual reminders of truth and patience.
الْحُطَمَةAl-HutamahAl-Humazah 4-5 — "He will be thrown into the Crusher."
Light Definition
من أسماء النار؛ التي تحطم وتكسر كلّ ما يُلقى فيهاA name of the Fire; the Crusher that shatters all cast in it
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[حطم]
الحَطْمُ: كسر الشيء اليابس. والحُطَمَةُ: اسم من أسماء النار، سُمّيت بذلك لأنّها تحطم كلّ ما يُلقى فيها وتكسّره. قال تعالى: كَلَّا لَيُنْبَذَنَّ فِي الْحُطَمَةِ. وَما أَدْراكَ مَا الْحُطَمَةُ. نارُ اللَّهِ الْمُوقَدَةُ. الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الْأَفْئِدَةِ [الهمزة/ ٤-٧]. وخصّ الأفئدة (القلوب) لأنّها موضع العقائد والنيّات الفاسدة.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: h-t-m]

Al-hatm is the breaking of something dry and brittle. Al-hutamah is one of the names of the Fire, so named because it crushes and shatters everything thrown into it. Allah says: "He will surely be thrown into al-hutamah (the Crusher). And what can make you realize what the Crusher is? The fire of Allah, eternally kindled, which rises over the hearts" [Al-Humazah/4-7]. The hearts (al-af'idah) are singled out because they are the seat of corrupt beliefs and intentions.