Is it permissible to apply the Almighty’s saying: "And for that let the competitors compete" to cultural competitions, or is it restricted to acts of worship?

The noble verse, "And for this let the competitors compete," encourages competition and racing towards the delights of Paradise, and its counterpart is, "For the like of this let the workers toil." Other Quranic texts also encourage initiating good deeds, such as, "Race to forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden." Accordingly, there is no impediment to applying the phrase "competition" to every beneficial contest that brings one closer to Allah Almighty, such as competitions in acts of worship or cultural contests, provided they are free from forbidden elements. This method is called quotation, and there is no harm in it as long as it is not intended to belittle the Quranic words.