إِنّا جَعَلنا ما عَلَى الأَرضِ زينَةً لَها لِنَبلُوَهُم أَيُّهُم أَحسَنُ عَمَلًا
Indeed We have made whatever is on the earth an adornment for it that We may test them [to see] which of them is best in conduct.
EXEGESIS
Zīnah (adornment) is that which is beautiful and beautifies other things when attached to them, in a way that makes one attracted to it and desirous to attain or possess it because of that.
EXPOSITION
The pronoun God uses about Himself now switches to the first person plural, which aside from some brief exhortations in the third person, continues until the end of the surah. This verse now turns its attention to give the ‘true account’ of what the world is and describes its reality.
Indeed We have made whatever is on the earth an adornment for it: the term whatever is wide in its scope and includes everything on the earth: human beings, animals, plants, and all inorganic matter. Everything that exists in this physical realm is part of God’s grand plan and the system which He has designed to test human beings.
God has ascribed the placing of this adornment to Himself because He wishes us to utilise the bounties at our disposal, And He has disposed for you[r benefit] whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth; all is from Him (45:13). Being a Muslim or an ascetic does not mean resigning oneself to live in a monastery, devoid of worldly joys; rather it means to untie one’s heart from these things. Therefore, no one should prohibit those good things which God has made permissible: Say: ‘Who has forbidden the adornment (zīnah) of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants, and the good things of [His] provision?’ (7:32). Albeit this is conditional to them being used in a just, fair, and good manner, otherwise they become the adornment of Satan. That is when they are utilised in a satanic manner, in greed, avarice, and injustice, and they become the objective of one’s life. Such a lifestyle and mentality is to follow in the footsteps of man’s most ancient foe, who threatened the Creator: My Lord! As You have consigned me to perversity, I will surely glamorise (uzayyinanna) [evil] for them on the earth (15:39).
That We may test them: as the human being is comprised of a soul which innately is drawn towards God and the metaphysical, God has placed upon this earth adornments and enjoyments to create a connection with this world in order to try man to see if he is distracted by these things and whether he tends to disobedience or not. However, once man has reached his appointed term, that connection will be severed and he will have to come and face judgement without any possessions, just as his state was when he was created. This acts as a reminder to the Prophet that God has not imposed upon him the duty that he should make all people believe, but rather that God has created this system in order to try man and to clear the impurities of his soul to be able to receive the utmost blessing and mercy from his Lord. Those who do not wish to comply will be deprived of His mercy. There is a lesson for the Muslims as well here, that they should not think they can force anyone to believe or to impose the faith on others, or that this is a desirable or even permissible thing to do.
The concept of God testing His servants also presents a theological issue. If God knows beforehand what is the outcome of things in full detail, why does He need to test His servants? The brief answer is that the testing is not in order for God to find out, but for things to unfold. The purpose of the trial is to let those who can conduct themselves righteously to proceed with that, and this is something that cannot be acquired by mere theoretical knowledge; rather it requires experiential trial. It must be practiced and experienced in order to truly benefit and become part of a person. One cannot simply claim to be good, and expect to actually be so. As each person understands full well, knowing what is right and actually doing it are two very different things. Do the people suppose that they will be let off because they say: ‘We have faith,’ and they will not be tested? (29:2) It is only through experiencing it and acting on it that things like patience, wisdom, charity, worship, and so on, find any real meaning.
In addition, reward and punishment are earned through actions and are in fact a consequence of those actions. Hell and heaven are a manifestation or taʾwīl of evil and good, as we are told at the end of the surah. It is thus not possible for reward or punishment to be acquired before actions have been done. Furthermore, if God were to punish us before testing us, that would be an injustice.
Finally, these tests present an opportunity for growth (or for downfall). Those who have faith are given opportunities in the form of tests and trials for them to show their faith, allowing them to become stronger and purer, thus bringing them closer to God and righteousness (and vice versa for the rebellious faithless). This is one of the most important subthemes of the surah and one that is revisited in the stories.
Which of them is best in conduct: the purpose of this earthly life is not to gather wealth, construct structures, or leave some sort of legacy of one’s name or anything like that, but rather to conduct oneself in a manner pleasing to God. What is meant by best in conduct is explained in a report from Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah, that Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said regarding the similar verse in Sūrat al-Mulk: ‘It does not mean “who has the most deeds (aktharu ʿamalan)”, but rather “whose deeds are the most righteous (aṣwabu ʿamalan)”. Righteousness means fear of God and good and sincere intention.’
The expression aṣwabu means the closest to the truth (ṣawāb), in other words the actions that are the closest to God’s beautiful names and good attributes. Hence the criterion is not quantitative but qualitative. For example, it is not important to God how much money one gives as charity, but rather the intention, one’s own situation when giving, how he gives it, and suchlike.
INSIGHTS FROM HADITH
- From Ismāʿīl ibn Muslim, that Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said: ‘Asceticism (zuhd) with regards to this world is not that you abandon all wealth or prohibit that which is permissible, but rather asceticism with regards to this world is that you do not rely more on that which is in your hand than that which is with God, mighty and glorious.’
- From ʿAbd-Allāh ibn ʿUmar, that the Prophet recited this verse and he asked him concerning its meaning, to which he replied: ‘To test you – which one of you is the best in using his reason, the most careful to avoid that which God has forbidden, and the quickest to obey God.’
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Rāzī relates that the verse is reminding that adornments of this world are for everyone to use, whether believers or disbelievers, and God does not stop giving access to His blessings if someone disbelieves. This is then said to be a reminder for the Holy Prophet, that he should not turn away and cut off his people because they have disbelieved. This is a good thought, but perhaps not related directly to this verse, as the concept of zīnah is not just blessings, but all material things acting as a veil that blinds one to reality.
Some have said that zīnah refers to the scholars and prophets, or the rulers and caliphs. This does not fit the verse though, since it talks about everything that is on the earth.
Contrary to that, some have said that people should not be included in zīnah because they are the ones being tested and the one that is being tested is not included in what he is being tested with. Abū Ḥayyān argues that it should mean all non-rational beings, as does Ālūsī. Others have suggested that it cannot mean animals or plants because there is no beauty in them, and it should mean things like gems, precious stones, and rare metals. This is contrary to the general scope of whatever and a misunderstanding of what is intended by zīnah in this verse, as well as the verse later in this surah, Wealth and children are an adornment (zīnah) of the life of the world (verse 46), which explicitly states that people can also be zīnah. Ālūsī tries to get around this by saying that children are an adornment to their family members and not for the earth. There is no need for such distinctions though, if one is going to argue that such things are zīnah anyways.
INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS
- Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions – is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
[1] Mizan, 13/240.
[2] Tibyan 7/9; Tabrisi, 6/695; Tabari, 15/129-130.
[3] Mizan, 13/240. For something similar see also Qurtubi, 10/354; Muhit, 7/139.
[4] Kafi, 2/16.
[5] Kafi, 5/70.
[6] Suyuti, 4/211; Mizan, 13/242.
[7] See for example the commentary on 7:32.
[8] Razi, 21/426.
[9] As related by Tabrisi, 6/695.
[10] As related by Qurtubi, 10/353.
[11] Razi, 21/427.
[12] Muhit, 7/139.
[13] Alusi, 8/197.
[14] Muhit, 7/139-140.
[15] Nemuneh, 12/350.
[16] Alusi, 8/198.
[17] 1 John 2:15-17.