Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-'Imran -> Who Shall Gain Ultimate Victory

Allah said,

﴿فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ﴾

(And whoever is moved away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful.) meaning, whoever is kept away from the Fire, saved from it and entered into Paradise, will have achieved the ultimate success.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

«مَوْضِعُ سَوْطٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا، اقْرَأُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ »

(A place in Paradise as small as that which is occupied by a whip is better than the world and whatever is on its surface. Read if you will),

﴿فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ﴾

(And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful). This was collected in the Two Sahihs, but using another chain of narration and without the addition (the Ayah.) Abu Hatim Ibn Hibban recorded it in his Sahih without the addition as did Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak.

Allah said,

﴿وَما الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ مَتَـعُ الْغُرُورِ﴾

(The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception. ) belittling the value of this life and degrading its importance. This life is short, little and finite, just as Allah said,

﴿بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا - وَالاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى ﴾

(Nay, you prefer the life of this world. Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting.) ﴿87:16,17﴾, and,

﴿وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّن شَىْءٍ فَمَتَـعُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتُهَا وَمَا عِندَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى﴾

(And whatever you have been given is an enjoyment of the life of (this) world and its adornment, and that (Hereafter) which is with Allah is better and will remain forever) ﴿28:60﴾. A Hadith states,

«وَاللهِ مَا الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا كَمَا يَغْمِسُ أَحَدُكُمْ أُصْبُعَهُ فِي الْيَمِّ، فَلْيَنْظُرْ بِمَ تَرْجِعُ إِلَيْه»

(By Allah! This life, compared to the Hereafter, is just as insignificant as when one of you dips his finger in the sea; let him contemplate what his finger will come back with.)

Qatadah commented on Allah's statement,

﴿وَما الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ مَتَـعُ الْغُرُورِ﴾

(The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception.) "Life is a delight. By Allah, other than Whom there is no deity, it will soon fade away from its people. Therefore, take obedience to Allah from this delight, if you can. Verily, there is no power except from Allah.''