The Quran

سورة آل عِمرَان

Surah Al-i-‘Imrân 3:14

Family of Amran · Verse 14 of 200

زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَاطِيرِ الْمُقَنْطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ وَالْحَرْثِ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَآبِ

Abdul Mannan Omar

It has been made fairseeming to the people the love of the desired things comprising women, sons, stored up heaps of gold and silver, well-bred horses, cattle and tilth. That is the provision of the present life. Whereas with Allâh is the fairest goal (of life).

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: Women and sons; Heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world's life; but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals (To return to).

Ahmed Ali

Enamoured are the people of the lust of (earthly) pleasures, of women and of children and hoarded heaps of gold and silver, well-bred horses, and tilled land and cattle, all (vain) goods and chattels of the life of this world, while the best of abodes is with God.

12 more translations

Ali Unal

Made innately appealing to men are passionate love for women, children, (hoarded) treasures of gold and silver, branded horses, cattle, and plantations. Such are enjoyments of the present, worldly life; yet with God is the best of the goals to pursue.

Daryabadi

Fair-seeming is made unto men the love of pleasurable things from women and children and talents heaped-up of gold and silver and horses branded up and cattle and tilth. All that is the enjoyment of the life of the World, and Allah! with Him is the best resort.

Faridul Haque

Beautified is for mankind the love of these desires - women, and sons, and heaps of gold and piled up silver, and branded horses, and cattle and fields; this is the wealth of the life of this world; and it is Allah, with Whom is the excellent abode.

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Fair-seeming to men is made the love of desires, of women and sons and hoarded treasures of gold and silver and well-bred horses and cattle and tilth. This is the provision of the life of this world. And Allah -- with Him is the good goal (of life).

Maulvi Sher Ali

Fair-seeming to men is made the love of desired things -women and children, and stored up heaps of gold and silver, and horses of mark and cattle and crops. That is the provision of the present life; but it is ALLAH with Whom is an excellent home.

Muhammad Asad

ALLURING unto man is the enjoyment of worldly desires through women, and children, and heaped-up treasures of gold and silver, and horses of high mark, and cattle, and lands. All this may be enjoyed in the life of this world - but the most beauteous of all goals is with God.

Muhammad Musin Khan

Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, much of gold and silver (wealth), branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present world's life; but Allah has the excellent return (Paradise with flowing rivers, etc.) with Him.

Muhammad Pickthall

Beautified for mankind is love of the joys (that come) from women and offspring; and stored-up heaps of gold and silver, and horses branded (with their mark), and cattle and land. That is comfort of the life of the world. Allah! With Him is a more excellent abode.

Muhammad Sarwar

Worldly desires, wives, children, accumulated treasures of gold and silver, horses of noble breed, cattle, and farms are all made to seem attractive to men. All these are the bounties of the worldly life but in the life to come God has the best place for people to dwell.

Muhammed ali Shakir

The love of desires, of women and sons and hoarded treasures of gold and silver and well bred horses and cattle and tilth, is made to seem fair to men; this is the provision of the life of this world; and Allah is He with Whom is the good goal (of life).

Rashad Khalifa

Adorned for the people are the worldly pleasures, such as the women, having children, piles upon piles of gold and silver, trained horses, livestock, and crops. These are the materials of this world. A far better abode is reserved at GOD.

Shabbir Ahmed

Beautiful seem to people the joys that come from women and children, heaps of gold and silver, branded horses, cattle and well-tilled land. These are comforts of the life of the world. But with God is a more excellent abode.

Commentary 3:14 Some of the pleasures of this world are enumerated here. It is because of their inordinate interest in these worldly things that many have been led astray…

زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَاطِيرِ الْمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ وَالْحَرْثِ ۗ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَاللَّهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَآبِ

3:14 Some of the pleasures of this world are enumerated here. It is because of their inordinate interest in these worldly things that many have been led astray from the “Right Path” (- Sirât al-Mustaqîm). Islam does not prohibit seeking or benefiting from the good things of the world, but it condemns the actions of those who become engrossed in them and make them the sole object of their life. Elsewhere the Holy Qur’ân refers to those whose efforts are all lost in the life of this world (18:104). The beautifier referred to here is satan who endows the things of the world with the engrossing beauty that monopolizes the attention paid to them (cf. 16:63; 49:7).