إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ {Indeed, those who disbelieve}: We previously talked about the meaning of takfir (An Arabic word used to means accusing others of disbelief) and kufr (disbelieve), and we said that Takfir, which the enemies made a title for Islam, is different from the Takfir that mentioned in the holy Qur’an.
They made the word kufr (disbelief) corresponding to killing, while the meaning of (kufr) in the Arabic language is (to cover), and the Holy Qur’an was revealed in Arabic language, Therefore, the meanings of the Book of Allah (swt), are not understood well to those who do not know the meanings of Arabic words, for knowing the grammars and conditions of the Arabic language is a prerequisite for those dealing with the sciences of Quran interpretation. However, the previous verses were talking about those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture from among the Jews, the ones who disbelieved, that is, they hide what came in the Torah about the tiding concerning the Messenger of Allah (swt), and they disbelieved in what was revealed to him of the holy Qur’an.
لَن تُغْنِيَ عَنْهُمْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلاَدُهُم مِّنَ اللّهِ شَيْئًا{never will their wealth or their children avail them against Allah at all}: In other verse, allah (swt) says:
وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلاَدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَأَنَّ اللّهَ عِندَهُ أجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ
{ And know that your properties and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a great reward.} [Al-Anfaal: 28]
Money may lead a person to do good, if it is not used for monopoly, greed, and harming others, and the children may be righteous, it is what the Prophet (saws), mentioned by saying:
“When a man dies all his good deeds come to an end except three: Ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge and a righteous son who prays for him.”[1]
This righteous child leads to salvation from falling into this trail. Consequently, if the father and mother raise the children in a correct manner, this will be reflected on them, and the opposite is true because Allah (swt) says in Surat Al-Kahf:
وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَالِحًا
{and their father had been righteous} (Al-Kahf: 82)
The righteousness of the fathers extends to the children, and the child may be bad if his parents didn’t not take care of him, as such, the parents will fail this test. So, children and money are a trial (test), and here Allah (swt) says:
لَن تُغْنِيَ عَنْهُمْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلاَدُهُم مِّنَ اللّهِ شَيْئًا {never will their wealth or their children avail them against Allah at all}: That is, it will not be a reason for their salvation or their preference by Allah (swt), as some people think that these two basic elements in life, which are children and money, may benefit a person in his afterlife, for that Allah (swt) makes it clear that they have no value to Him unless they are as commanded by Him, meaning that; the child is righteous and the money is used in doing good.
﴿وَأُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ﴾ {and those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.}: Why did Allah (swt) called them companions whereas the companion is the one who chooses his companion?! Because they are the ones who chose the fire by their deeds.
Allah (swt) says:
وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَى (39) وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَى (40) ثُمَّ يُجْزَاهُ الْجَزَاء الْأَوْفَى
{(39) And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives. (40) And that his effort is going to be seen (41) Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense} (An-Najm: 39-41).
And He (swt) also says:
وَنَضَعُ الْمَوَازِينَ الْقِسْطَ لِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ فَلَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئًا وَإِن كَانَ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ أَتَيْنَا بِهَا وَكَفَى بِنَا حَاسِبِينَ .
{And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all. And if there is [even] the weight of a mustard seed, we will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountant} [Al-Anbiyaa: 47]
[1] Sunan at-Tirmidhi: Book of rulings, Hadith No. 1376.