Quran Universe
12:57

وَلَأَجۡرُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ خَيۡرٞ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَكَانُواْ يَتَّقُونَ

Walaajru alakhirati khayrun lillatheena amanoo wakanoo yattaqoona

And the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believed and were fearing Allah.

Word by word
  1. وَلَأَجۡرُAnd surely (the) reward
  2. ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ(of) the Hereafter
  3. خَيۡرٞ(is) better
  4. لِّلَّذِينَfor those who
  5. ءَامَنُواْbelieve
  6. وَكَانُواْand are
  7. يَتَّقُونَGod conscious
Yusuf · 12:57Makkah

Power in Egypt, but the Hereafter's reward is better.

The bigger prize after the worldly one

Two rewards
this lifeauthority in Egypt
less than
the Hereafterfor belief and taqwa
Where success ends
the throne roomthe happy ending
what is with Allahgreater still

Right after Yusuf's rise, Allah adds: the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believe and are mindful of Him. Ibn Kathir says what Allah prepared for Yusuf there is greater and more honored than the authority he had here.

The promotion comes. The house is bought. The degree is framed. For a week you feel you have arrived. This verse says: good, and there is more. The best part is not on this side.

Worldly success is the final proof that I made it.

Even the best success here is smaller than what Allah keeps for the mindful.

Try this

After your next small win, add one deed meant only for the Hereafter.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 12:56)

Thus did We give full authority to Yusuf in the land, to take possession therein, when or where he likes. We bestow of Our mercy on whom We will, and We make not to be lost the reward of the good doers (56)And verily, the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believed and had Taqwa (57)

Yusuf's Reign in Egypt

Allah said next,

وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِي الْأَرْضِ

(Thus did We give full authority to Yusuf in the land), in Egypt,

يَتَبَوَّأُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ يَشَاءُ

(to take possession therein, when or where he likes.) As-Suddi and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that this part of the Ayah means, "To do whatever he wants therein." Ibn Jarir at Tabari said that it means, "He used to move about freely in the land after being imprisoned, suffering from hardship and the disgrace of slavery." Allah said next,

نُصِيبُ بِرَحْمَتِنَا مَن نَّشَاءُ ۖ وَلَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(We bestow of Our mercy on whom We will, and We make not to be lost the reward of the good doers.) Allah says here, We did not let the patience of Yusuf, from the harm his brothers exerted on him and being imprisoned because of the wife of the 'Aziz, to be lost. Instead, Allah the Exalted and Most Honored rewarded him with His aid and victory,

وَلَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ - وَلَأَجْرُ الْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ

(And We make not to be lost the reward of the good doers. And verily, the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believed and had Taqwa.) Allah states that what He has prepared for His Prophet Yusuf, peace be upon him, in the Hereafter is much greater, substantial and honored than the authority He gave him in this life. Allah said about His Prophet Sulayman (Solomon), peace be upon him,

هَٰذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ - وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ

("This is Our gift, so spend or withhold, no account will be asked of you." And verily, for him is a near access to Us, and a good (final) return (Paradise).)[38:39-40] Yusuf, peace be upon him, was appointed minister of finance by Ar-Rayyan bin Al-Walid, king of Egypt at the time, instead of the 'Aziz who bought him and the husband of she who tried to seduce him. The king of Egypt embraced Islam at the hands of Yusuf, peace be upon him, according to Mujahid.