Allah tells us how insignificant and transient this world is, and how it will soon end. All that it is, is amusement and play:
[وَإÙÂنَّ الدَّارَ الاٌّخÙÂرَةَ لَهÙÂىَ الْØÂَيَوَانÙÂ]
(Verily, the home of the Hereafter -- that is the life indeed,) means, the true everlasting life that will never end, but will continue forever and ever.
[لَوْ كَانÙÂواْ يَعْلَمÙÂونَ]
(if they but knew.) means, they would prefer that which will last over that which will pass away. Then Allah says that at times of calamity, the idolators call upon Him alone, with no partner or associate, so why do they not do that all the time
[ÙÂَإÙÂذَا رَكÙÂبÙÂواْ ÙÂÙÂى الْÙÂÙÂلْك٠دَعَوÙÂاْ اللَّهَ مÙÂخْلÙÂصÙÂينَ لَه٠الدّÙÂينَ]
(And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allah, making their faith pure for Him only,) This is like the Ayah,
[وَإÙÂذَا مَسَّكÙÂم٠الْضّÙÂرّ٠ÙÂÙÂى الْبَØÂْر٠ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعÙÂونَ Ø¥ÙÂلاَ Ø¥ÙÂيَّاه٠ÙÂَلَمَّا نَجَّـكÙÂمْ Ø¥ÙÂلَى الْبَرّ٠أَعْرَضْتÙÂمْ]
(And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon vanish from you except Him (Allah Alone). But when He brings you safely to land, you turn away) (17:67). Allah says here:
[ÙÂَلَمَّا نَجَّاهÙÂمْ Ø¥ÙÂلَى الْبَرّ٠إÙÂذَا هÙÂمْ يÙÂشْرÙÂكÙÂونَ]
(but when He brings them safely to land, behold, they give a share of their worship to others.) Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from `Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl that when the Messenger of Allah conquered Makkah, he (`Ikrimah) ran away, fleeing from him. When he was on the sea, headed for Ethiopia, the ship started to rock and the crew said: "O people, pray sincerely to your Lord alone, for no one can save us from this except Him.'' `Ikrimah said: "By Allah, if there is none who can save us on the sea except Him, then there is none who can save us on land except Him either, O Allah, I vow to You that if I come out of this, I will go and put my hand in the hand of Muhammad and I will find him kind and merciful.'' And this is what indeed did happen.
[لÙÂيَكْÙÂÙÂرÙÂواْ بÙÂمَآ ءَاتَيْنَـهÙÂمْ وَلÙÂيَتَمَتَّعÙÂواْ]
(So that they become ingrate for that which We have given them, and that they take their enjoyment,)
[أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّا جَعَلْنَا ØÂَرَماً ءامÙÂناً وَيÙÂتَخَطَّÙÂ٠النَّاس٠مÙÂنْ ØÂَوْلÙÂهÙÂمْ أَÙÂَبÙÂالْبَـطÙÂل٠يÙÂؤْمÙÂنÙÂونَ وَبÙÂنÙÂعْمَة٠اللَّه٠يَكْÙÂÙÂرÙÂونَ - وَمَنْ أَظْلَم٠مÙÂمَّنْ اÙÂْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّه٠كَذÙÂباً أَوْ كَذَّبَ بÙÂالْØÂَقّ٠لَمَّا جَآءَه٠أَلَيْسَ ÙÂÙÂى جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لّÙÂلْكَـÙÂÙÂرÙÂينَ - وَالَّذÙÂينَ جَـهَدÙÂواْ ÙÂÙÂينَا لَنَهْدÙÂيَنَّهÙÂمْ سÙÂبÙÂلَنَا وَإÙÂنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمÙÂØÂْسÙÂنÙÂينَ ]
(67. Have they not seen that We have made a secure sanctuary, while men are being snatched away from all around them Then do they believe in falsehood, and deny the graces of Allah) (68. And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or denies the truth, when it comes to him Is there not a dwelling in Hell for the disbelievers) (69. As for those who strive hard for Us, We will surely guide them to Our paths. And verily, Allah is with the doers of good.)
