Surah Al-Mu'minun, Ayah 116

Allah tells them how much they wasted in their short lives in this world by failing to obey Allah and worship Him Alone.

If they had been patient during their short stay in this world, they would have attained victory just like His pious close friends.

قَـلَ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ عَدَدَ سِنِينَ

(He will say: "What number of years did you stay on earth") means, how long did you stay in this world

قَالُواْ لَبِثْنَا يَوْماً أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ فَاسْأَلِ الْعَآدِّينَ

(They will say: "We stayed a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep account.") meaning, those who keep the records.

قَالَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً

(He will say: "You stayed not but a little...") meaning, it was only a short time, no matter how you look at it.

Commentary

The last few verses of this Surah Al-Mu'minun from verse 115 to verse 118 have special merit. Baghawi and Thalabi have related from Sayyidna Ibn Masud ؓ that he came across a person who was very ill. He recited the above verses into the sick man's ears and he was cured immediately. The Holy Prophet ﷺ asked him what he had whispered in the sick man's ears to which Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ replied that he had recited these verses (115 to 118) in his ears. Thereupon the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "I swear by Him Who has power over my life that if a person with genuine faith were to recite these verses on a mountain, the mountain itself may move from its place". (Qurtubi and Mazhari)

That joy which is everlasting is the real joy. Fleeting moments of joy have no meaning. In the life of this world, man is forgetful of this fact. But in the Hereafter, it will become abundantly clear to him. Truth manifests itself to a man in this world, but he does not want to disturb his status quo, so he does not accept it. He is not prepared to forego the already available present gain for the sake of any promised future gain. The comforts and the considerations of this world appear valuable to him and he is unable to understand why he should ignore them all and attach himself to a ‘non-thing,’ or abstract promise.