Surah Al-Kahf 18:36

The Example of the Rich Idolators and the Poor Muslims

After mentioning the idolators who were too arrogant to sit with the poor and weak among Muslims, showing off before them with their wealth and noble lineage, Allah then gives a parable for them of two men, one of whom Allah gave two gardens of grapes, surrounded with palm trees and cultivated with crops throughout. All of the trees and plants were abundantly fruitful, providing readily accessible, good quality produce. Allah says:

(Each of those two gardens brought forth its produce,) meaning, produced its fruits,

(and failed not in the least therein,) meaning, nothing at all was diminishing.

(and We caused a river to gush forth in the midst of both.) means, rivers were flowing through them here and there.

(And he had Thamar,) It was said that what was meant here was wealth, and it was said that what was meant were fruits, which is the more apparent meaning here. This is also supported by the alternative recitation, Thumr, which is the plural of Thamrah (fruit) just as Khushb is the plural of Khashab (wood). Others recite it as Thamar.

(and he said) the owner of the two gardens

(to his companion in the course of discussion) means, while he was disputing with him and boasting to him and showing off,

(I am greater than you in wealth and have a mightier entourage.) meaning, `I have more servants, attendants and children.' Qatadah said, "This, by Allah, is the wish of the immoral to have a lot of wealth and a large entourage. R

(And he went into his garden having been unjust to himself.) meaning, in his disbelief, rebellion, arrogance and denial of the Hereafter.

(He said: "I do not think this will ever perish.") Thus he was allowing himself to be deceived because of the plants, fruits and trees that he saw, and the rivers flowing through the different parts of his gardens. He thought that it could never come to an end or cease or be destroyed. This was because of his lack of understanding and the weakness of his faith in Allah, and because he was enamored with this world and its adornments, and because he disbelieved in the Hereafter. So he said:

("And I do not think the Hour will ever come...") meaning, will ever happen

(and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord, I surely shall find better than this when I return to Him.) meaning, `if there is a Hereafter and a return to Allah, then I will have a better share than this with my Lord, for if it were not that I am dear to Him, He would not have given me all this.' As Allah says elsewhere:

(But if I am brought back to my Lord, surely there will be for me the best with Him.) 41:50

(Have you seen him who disbelieved in Our Ayat and said: "I shall certainly be given wealth and children if I will be alive again).")19:77 He took it for granted that Allah would give him this, without any sound evidence for that. The reason why this Ayah was revea- led was because of Al-`As bin Wa'il, as we will explain in the appropriate place, if Allah wills. In Allah we put our trust.

Ayat ini mengungkapkan ucapan pemilik kebun itu kepada saudaranya yang mukmin tentang ketidakpercayaannya bahwa hari kiamat itu akan datang. Sekiranya hari kiamat itu datang dan dia dikembalikan kepada Tuhan, dia tentu akan kembali mendapatkan yang lebih baik daripada kebun-kebun yang dimilikinya di dunia ini.

Sikap pemilik kebun itu menunjukkan keingkaran akan adanya hari kiamat (hari akhir). Dugaannya bahwa akan mendapatkan kebun-kebun yang lebih baik daripada kebun-kebunnya di dunia ini pada hari kiamat didasarkan atas pengalamannya bahwa kedua kebun yang dimilikinya dan dipercayakan Tuhan kepadanya terus berbuah dan berkembang hanya karena kesanggupan dan usaha yang memilikinya. Oleh karena itu, dimana dan kapan saja, kemusnahan itu selalu menyertainya. Allah swt menggambarkan pula sifat orang kafir ini dalam ayat yang lain dengan firman-Nya:

"¦Dan jika aku dikembalikan kepada Tuhanku maka sesungguhnya aku akan memperoleh kebaikan di sisi-Nya....." (Fushshilat/41: 50)

Ucapan yang membawa kepada kekafiran ialah: pertama, pengakuannya tentang keabadian alam; kedua, tentang tidak adanya kebangkitan manusia dari kubur; dan ketiga, anggapannya bahwa ganjaran di akhirat dicerminkan oleh keadaan di dunia. Pandangan terhadap keabadian alam ini meniadakan keputusan dan kehendak Tuhan Pencipta Alam. Keingkarannya terhadap kebangkitan manusia dari kubur menunjukkan bahwa dia meniadakan kekuasaan Allah untuk mengembalikan manusia ke bentuk aslinya. Pandang-an bahwa ganjaran di akhirat dicerminkan oleh kehidupan dunia, misalnya bilamana seseorang di dunia hidup sebagai pemilik kebun, maka ganjaran di akhirat pun baginya sebagai pemilik kebun. Ini adalah kepercayaan primitif, atau kepercayaan yang berdasarkan kebudayaan. Kepercayaan seperti itu berlawanan dengan agama yang bersumber pada wahyu Allah swt yang mempunyai kebijaksanaan dalam memberikan ganjaran kepada hamba-hamba-Nya.