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الآية رقم (69) - كَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ كَانُواْ أَشَدَّ مِنكُمْ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرَ أَمْوَالاً وَأَوْلاَدًا فَاسْتَمْتَعُواْ بِخَلاقِهِمْ فَاسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِخَلاَقِكُمْ كَمَا اسْتَمْتَعَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ بِخَلاَقِهِمْ وَخُضْتُمْ كَالَّذِي خَاضُواْ أُوْلَـئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الُّدنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

(69) - ([You disbelievers are] like those before you; they were stronger than you in power and more abundant in wealth and children. They enjoyed their portion [of worldly enjoyment], and you have enjoyed your portion as those before you enjoyed their portion, and you have engaged [in vanities] like that in which they engaged in. [It is] those whose deeds have become worthless in this world and in the Hereafter, and it is they who are the losers.)

(كَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ كَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنكُمْ قُوَّةً…) (You disbelievers are] like those before you; they were stronger than you,): Strength comes from the development of civilization and the progress of knowledge. A country that has embraced its share of civilization and possesses knowledge becomes more powerful than other states. Knowledge and civilization are two means to achieve strength in any society.

… فَاسْتَمْتَعُوا بِخَلَاقِهِمْ…  (…They enjoyed their portion [of worldly enjoyment]): They enjoyed their share and portion of this civilization and knowledge.

…فَاسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِخَلَاقِكُمْ كَمَا اسْتَمْتَعَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُم بِخَلَاقِهِمْ…  (and you have enjoyed your portion as those before you enjoyed their portion.): They went for worldly enjoyments and forgot all about the life to come, like people before you

…وَخُضْتُمْ كَالَّذِي خَاضُوا ۚ…)) (and you have engaged [in vanities] like that in which they engaged in.): In the same manner, the hypocrites rebelled against the guidance of Allah (swt) and against His prophets (saws). This is the disbeliever’s behaviour, which the Prophet’s all faced.  

…أُولَٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ…  (those whose deeds have become worthless in this world and in the Hereafter,): Their deeds have no value or weight. Allah (swt) says:

  وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاءً مَّنثُورًا 

(And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed) (Al-Furqan: 23)

These deeds are futile in this world and the Hereafter. How did their deeds have become worthless in this world, despite this great civilization? To answer that, consider where they are now; where is Pharaoh? Where is Iram? Where are these civilizations? Thus, their works have come to naught in this world and have not lasted because no matter how advanced one becomes in knowledge and civilization, they are subject to the transient nature of human life.

…وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ)) (and it is they who are the losers.): They are losers because they lost the worldly life and the Hereafter. In this worldly life, they may get glitter and enjoyment that some people perceive as a gain. However, the happiness, tranquility, and peace of a believer outweigh it.