Al-A'laa 87:16

What It Means: Reading in Context

This verse is a rebuke about preferring worldly life. It should be read with the following verse, 87:17, which supplies the contrast with the Hereafter. The complete verse is shown even though Pickthall’s English sentence continues across the verse boundary. This entry presents Qur’an 87:16 from Surah Al-A'laa, with Arabic text and Marmaduke Pickthall’s English translation. The translation conveys meaning in English; it is not a replacement for the Arabic Qur’an. Read the linked passage with the verses before and after it, particularly when a sentence continues across verse boundaries. The topics shown here are editorial reading aids rather than an exhaustive interpretation of the passage. Our short reflection offers a possible practical response, clearly separated from scripture. It should not be repeated as a verse, hadith or authoritative tafsir. For detailed interpretation or questions about religious practice, consult qualified scholarship and the complete source.