Quran Universe
17:18

مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلۡعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلۡنَا لَهُۥ فِيهَا مَا نَشَآءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَا لَهُۥ جَهَنَّمَ يَصۡلَىٰهَا مَذۡمُومٗا مَّدۡحُورٗا

Man kana yureedu alAAajilata AAajjalna lahu feeha ma nashao liman nureedu thumma jaAAalna lahu jahannama yaslaha mathmooman madhooran

Whoever should desire the immediate - We hasten for him from it what We will to whom We intend. Then We have made for him Hell, which he will [enter to] burn, censured and banished.

Word by word
  1. مَّنWhoever
  2. كَانَshould
  3. يُرِيدُdesire
  4. ٱلۡعَاجِلَةَthe immediate
  5. عَجَّلۡنَاWe hasten
  6. لَهُۥfor him
  7. فِيهَاin it
  8. مَاwhat
  9. نَشَآءُWe will
  10. لِمَنto whom
  11. نُّرِيدُWe intend
  12. ثُمَّThen
  13. جَعَلۡنَاWe have made
  14. لَهُۥfor him
  15. جَهَنَّمَHell
  16. يَصۡلَىٰهَاhe will burn
  17. مَذۡمُومٗاdisgraced
  18. مَّدۡحُورٗاrejected
Al-Isra · 17:18Makkah

Want only the quick world, and you may get some of it.

The person whose whole aim is now

The fast lane
wants the immediatethis world only
gets
what Allah willsnot what he wants
then
loss laterblamed, far from mercy
What the chase delivers
chase it, get iteffort guarantees results
some get someonly what He wills, to whom He wills

Ibn Kathir points out a detail: not everyone who wants this world gets it. Allah gives what He wills to whom He wills. The person who chose the passing over the lasting is left, in the Hereafter, blamed and far from mercy.

The side hustle that takes every evening. The follower count you check before prayer. The promotion that has become the whole point of your life. Plenty of people chase it and still do not get it. And the ones who do still find it ends.

If I work hard enough, this world will give me what I want.

Even the world is given, not taken, and it is a poor thing to want only that.

Try this

Look at your plans for this week. Add one thing that only counts for the Hereafter.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein disgraced and rejected (18)And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it while he is a believer, then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (rewarded by Allah)(19)

The Reward of Those who desire this World and Those who desire the Hereafter

Allah tells us that not everyone who desires this world and its luxuries gets what he wants. That is attained by those whom Allah wants to have it, and they get what He wills that they should get. This Ayah narrows down the general statements made in other Ayat. Allah says:

عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَاءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ

(We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell) meaning, in the Hereafter,

يَصْلَاهَا 

(he will burn therein) means, he will enter it until it covers him on all sides,

مَذْمُومًا 

(disgraced) means, blamed for his bad behaviour and evil deeds, because he chose the transient over the eternal,

مَّدْحُورًا

(rejected.) means, far away (from Allah's mercy), humiliated and put to shame.

وَمَنْ أَرَادَ الْآخِرَةَ

(And whoever desires the Hereafter) wanting the Hereafter and its blessings and delights,

وَسَعَىٰ لَهَا سَعْيَهَا

(and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it) seeking it in the right way, which is following the Messenger ﷺ.

وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ

(while he is a believer,) means, his heart has faith, i.e., he believes in the reward and punishment,

فَأُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُورًا

(then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (rewarded by Allah).)