إِنَّهُ كانَ في أَهلِهِ مَسرورًا

Indeed he used to be joyful among his folk.

EXPOSITION

This verse comes in stark contrast to verse 9, which described the joyous meeting of one’s folks in heaven. Here we are told how, in the worldly life, the wicked used to enjoy their time with their family and friends without showing any gratitude to God. The description evokes the bounties that so many of the wicked have enjoyed in this life without the slightest sense of appreciation. The Quranic descriptions of the people condemned to hell consistently highlight this aspect: Leave Me [to deal] with him whom I created alone, and furnished him with extensive means, [gave him] sons to be at his side, and facilitated [all matters] for him. Still he is eager that I should give him more … Soon I shall cast him into saqar (74:11-26); Seize him and drag him to the middle of hell … ‘Taste! Indeed you are the [self-styled] mighty and noble!’ (44:47-49).

It is reported from Prophet Muhammad (s) that he said: ‘This world is the prison of the believer and the paradise of the disbeliever.’^{‎[1]Razi, 31/100. See also Khisal, p. 109; Maani, p. 289; Faqih, 4/353-363, h. 5762.} Whereas the believer is taken from the toil and difficulty of this world to the joy and ease of paradise, the wicked will be taken from the comfort they enjoyed in this life to the unrelenting torture of hell.^{‎[2]See Tabrisi, 10/700.}

Naturally, simply enjoying spending time with family and friends is not something forbidden or reprehensible.^{‎[3]Tibyan, 10/311.} What is forbidden is to busy oneself with enjoying worldly pleasures resulting in not paying any heed to the hereafter.^{‎[4]Tabrisi, 10/700.} This type of enjoyment is deemed ‘undue exultation (faraḥun bi ghayr al-ḥaqq)’ as described in the verse, That is because you used to exult unduly on the earth and because you used to walk exultantly (40:75).^{‎[5]Mizan, 20/243.}

Having said all that, joy (surūr) in this verse can also be understood as the sort of mockery and laughing that the disbelievers would direct at the believers, especially when gathered with their folks, Indeed the guilty used to laugh at the faithful, and when they passed them by they would wink at each other, and when they returned to their folks they would return rejoicing (83:29-31), swaggering to his family (75:33).

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. ‘But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are filled, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.’^{‎[6]Luke 6:24-25.}
2. ‘Come now, you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten … You have lived in pleasure on the earth and have been wayward.’^{‎[7]James 5:1-5.}
3. ‘You who brush off the day of disaster, but bring on a session of lawlessness; who lie upon beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches, eating lambs from the flock and calves from the stall … who drink from bowls of wine and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the destruction of Joseph.’^{‎[8]Amos 6:3-6.}

[1] Razi, 31/100. See also Khisal, p. 109; Maani, p. 289; Faqih, 4/353-363, h. 5762.
[2] See Tabrisi, 10/700.
[3] Tibyan, 10/311.
[4] Tabrisi, 10/700.
[5] Mizan, 20/243.
[6] Luke 6:24-25.
[7] James 5:1-5.
[8] Amos 6:3-6.