Quran Universe
9:69

كَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ كَانُوٓاْ أَشَدَّ مِنكُمۡ قُوَّةٗ وَأَكۡثَرَ أَمۡوَٰلٗا وَأَوۡلَٰدٗا فَٱسۡتَمۡتَعُواْ بِخَلَٰقِهِمۡ فَٱسۡتَمۡتَعۡتُم بِخَلَٰقِكُمۡ كَمَا ٱسۡتَمۡتَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكُم بِخَلَٰقِهِمۡ وَخُضۡتُمۡ كَٱلَّذِي خَاضُوٓاْۚ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ حَبِطَتۡ أَعۡمَٰلُهُمۡ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡخَٰسِرُونَ

Kaallatheena min qablikum kanoo ashadda minkum quwwatan waakthara amwalan waawladan faistamtaAAoo bikhalaqihim faistamtaAAtum bikhalaqikum kama istamtaAAa allatheena min qablikum bikhalaqihim wakhudtum kaallathee khadoo olaika habitat aAAmaluhum fee alddunya waalakhirati waolaika humu alkhasiroona

[You disbelievers are] like those before you; they were stronger than you in power and more abundant in wealth and children. They enjoyed their portion [of worldly enjoyment], and you have enjoyed your portion as those before you enjoyed their portion, and you have engaged [in vanities] like that in which they engaged. [It is] those whose deeds have become worthless in this world and in the Hereafter, and it is they who are the losers.

Word by word
  1. كَٱلَّذِينَLike those
  2. مِنbefore you
  3. قَبۡلِكُمۡbefore you
  4. كَانُوٓاْthey were
  5. أَشَدَّmightier
  6. مِنكُمۡthan you
  7. قُوَّةٗ(in) strength
  8. وَأَكۡثَرَand more abundant
  9. أَمۡوَٰلٗا(in) wealth
  10. وَأَوۡلَٰدٗاand children
  11. فَٱسۡتَمۡتَعُواْSo they enjoyed
  12. بِخَلَٰقِهِمۡtheir portion
  13. فَٱسۡتَمۡتَعۡتُمand you have enjoyed
  14. بِخَلَٰقِكُمۡyour portion
  15. كَمَاlike
  16. ٱسۡتَمۡتَعَenjoyed
  17. ٱلَّذِينَthose
  18. مِنbefore you
  19. قَبۡلِكُمbefore you
  20. بِخَلَٰقِهِمۡtheir portion
  21. وَخُضۡتُمۡand you indulge
  22. كَٱلَّذِيlike the one who
  23. خَاضُوٓاْۚindulges (in idle talk)
  24. أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَThose
  25. حَبِطَتۡworthless
  26. أَعۡمَٰلُهُمۡ(are) their deeds
  27. فِيin
  28. ٱلدُّنۡيَاthe world
  29. وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۖand (in) the Hereafter
  30. وَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَAnd those
  31. هُمُthey
  32. ٱلۡخَٰسِرُونَ(are) the losers
At-Tawbah · 9:69Madinah

Stronger and richer people walked this road before.

Enjoying your share and losing the point

The same path
those beforemore powermore wealth, more children
enjoyed their share
youenjoying yours
both ended
deeds gonehere and hereafter
What protects you
more than themstrength, money, family
not repeating themlearning from their end

The hypocrites were compared to nations before them who had more strength, wealth, and children. They enjoyed their portion and indulged in lies and falsehood, and their deeds came to nothing. The Prophet ﷺ warned that people would follow those before them hand span by hand span.

You scroll through people who have more: the bigger house, the louder life. You copy the habits along with the look. Nobody decides to follow; it just happens one trend at a time. The verse asks you to notice whose footsteps you are in.

I am just living like everyone else around me.

Following the crowd step by step can lead me where they ended.

Try this

Notice one habit you picked up only because everyone does it. Drop it for a day.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
Like those before you: they were mightier than you in power, and more abundant in wealth and children. They had enjoyed their portion (a while), so enjoy your portion (a while) as those before you enjoyed their portion (a while); and you indulged in play and pastime as they indulged in play and pastime. Such are they whose deeds are in vain in this world and in the Hereafter. Such are they who are the losers (69)

بِخَلَاقِهِمْ 

(their portion), means, [they mocked] their religion, according to Al-Hasan Al-Basri. Allah's statement,

وَخُضْتُمْ كَالَّذِي خَاضُوا

(and you indulged in play and pastime as they indulged in play and pastime), indulged in lies and falsehood,

أُولَٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ

(Such are they whose deeds are in vain), their deeds are annulled; they will not acquire any rewards for them because they are invalid,

فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

(in this world and in the Hereafter. Such are they who are the losers.) because they will not acquire any rewards for their actions. Ibn 'Abbas commented, "How similar is this night to the last night,

كَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ

(Like those before you...) These are the Children of Israel, with whom we were compared. The Prophet ﷺ said,

وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَتَّبِعُنَّهُمْ حَتَّى لَوْ دَخَلَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْهُمْ جُحْرَ ضَبَ لَدَخَلْتُمُوهُ

(By He in Whose Hand is my life! You will imitate them, and even if a man of them entered the den of a lizard, you will enter it likewise!)"

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَتَّبِعُنَّ سَنَنَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ شِبْرًا بِشِبْرٍ وَذِرَاعًا بِذِرَاعٍ، وَبَاعًا بِبَاعٍ حَتَّى لَوْ دَخَلُوا جُحْرَ ضَبٍّ لَدَخَلْتُمُوهُ

قالوا: ومن هم يا رسول الله، أهل الكتاب؟ قال:

فَمَنْ؟

(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! You will follow the traditions of those who were before you a hand span for a hand-span and forearm's length for forearm's length, and an arm's length for an arm's length. And even if they enter the den of a lizard, you will also enter it.) They asked, "Who, O Allah's Messenger, the People of the Book?" He said, (Who else)?"

This Hadith is similar to another Hadith collected in the Sahih.