Verse 3
يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُۥٓ أَخْلَدَهُۥ
“He supposes his wealth will make him immortal!”
The Big Illusion: Living Forever?
Remember the person we met in Verses 1 and 2? The Humazah and Lumazah who whispered mean things behind people’s backs, made fun of others to their faces, and spent all their time piling up money and counting it over and over again?
Have you ever wondered what makes someone act like that? The Quran shows us exactly what drives all of that behaviour.
Deep down, this person has a strange and wrong belief: they think their money will make them live forever.
What Does “Immortal” Really Mean?
The Arabic word used here is akhladah (أَخْلَدَهُۥ), which means “made him immortal.” Here’s something interesting: it’s written in the past tense as if this person already feels like they’ll live forever. They’re not just hoping for it, they already act like it’s true!
But wait, does that mean they actually believe they’ll never die? Not exactly. Even very rich people know that one day, their life will end. So what does “immortal” really mean here?
This isn’t really about believing in a magic potion. It’s about how money makes this person feel:
- Total Safety — “As long as I have money, nothing bad can ever happen to me. I have everything I need – it will never run out”
- Answer to Everything — “Money will take care of everything — illness, problems, hard times. It’s all sorted.”
- No Need for God — “My wealth is everything. I don’t need God, and I don’t want what He has to offer. This life is all there is!”
- Better Than Everyone — “I have more than the people around me, so I must be more important than them too.”
Money has become their idol, the thing they trust most in the whole world. And when someone’s heart is so attached to money, they completely forget about the Hereafter.
It All Connects The Three Verses Together
Here’s something amazing about the Quran: the verses fit together like puzzle pieces!
Let’s look at how all three verses of Surah Humaza connect:
- Verse 1 warns: “Woe to every scandal-monger and slanderer” the person who mocks and hurts others with their words
- Verse 2 explains: “Who amasses wealth and counts it over” this person is obsessed with collecting money
- Verse 3 reveals why: “He supposes his wealth will make him immortal!” their love of money gives them a false sense of power
So the three verses work backwards like a chain:
The root cause of all the bad behaviour the slandering, the hoarding, the arrogance is this one wrong belief: “My wealth will protect me forever.”
It’s Not Just About Money
While this verse talks specifically about wealth, the same dangerous feeling can come from other things too:
- Someone with a lot of power might feel untouchable
- Someone with fame might feel like they’ll be remembered forever
- Someone with a high status might look down on everyone else
The Quran highlights money in this surah because that was the trap the people around it fell into. But the lesson is for all of us, no matter what our “treasure” is.
The Lesson for Us
The Quran is reminding us: don’t let money and possessions take over your heart. When they do, they lead to some of the worst behaviours of all.
This post is part of our ongoing series on Surah Al-Humazah (Surah 104) for kids. Check out our previous posts on Verse 1 and Verse 2 to follow along from the beginning!
