Tafseer of The Stories · Al-Qasas · 28:83
That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الآخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الأَرْضِ وَلا فَسَادًا وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (28:83) (That is the House of the Hereafter; We assign it to those who desire no exaltation upon the earth, nor corruption. And the final outcome is for the God-fearing.)
The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: That House of the Hereafter — We assign its felicity to those who desire no arrogance over the truth upon the earth, and no tyranny against it, nor corruption. He says: and no wronging of people without right, and no acting upon the acts of disobedience toward Allah therein.
In accordance with what we have said about this, the people of interpretation (tafsīr) have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Mubārak related to us, on the authority of Ziyād ibn Abī Ziyād, who said: I heard ʿIkrima say concerning لا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الأرْضِ وَلا فَسَادًا (they desire no exaltation upon the earth, nor corruption): he said: The exaltation (al-ʿuluww) is tyranny.
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Muslim al-Baṭīn concerning تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الآخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الأرْضِ وَلا فَسَادًا: he said: The exaltation is arrogance toward the truth, and the corruption is taking without right.
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: My father related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Muslim al-Baṭīn: لِلَّذِينَ لا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الأرْضِ (for those who desire no exaltation upon the earth): he said: Arrogance upon the earth without right. وَلا فَسَادًا (nor corruption): the taking of property without right.
He said: Ibn Yamān related to us, on the authority of Ashʿath, on the authority of Jaʿfar, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr: لِلَّذِينَ لا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الأرْضِ (for those who desire no exaltation upon the earth): he said: Wrongful domination (al-baghy).
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: Al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, his saying: لِلَّذِينَ لا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الأرْضِ (for those who desire no exaltation upon the earth): he said: Deeming oneself great and being tyrannical. وَلا فَسَادًا (nor corruption): acting upon the acts of disobedience.
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: My father related to us, on the authority of Ashʿath al-Sammān, on the authority of Abū Salmān al-Aʿraj, on the authority of ʿAlī — may Allah be pleased with him — who said: Indeed, it may please a man that the strap of his sandal be better than the strap of his companion, and then he falls under His saying: تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الآخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الأرْضِ وَلا فَسَادًا وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (That is the House of the Hereafter; We assign it to those who desire no exaltation upon the earth, nor corruption. And the final outcome is for the God-fearing).
And His saying: وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (And the final outcome is for the God-fearing): the Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: the Garden (janna) is for the God-fearing, and they are those who feared the acts of disobedience toward Allah and fulfilled His obligations.
In accordance with what we have said about the meaning of "the final outcome" (al-ʿāqiba), the people of interpretation have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (And the final outcome is for the God-fearing): that is, the Garden is for the God-fearing.
