سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 97
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُۥ حَيَوٰةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿97﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Whoever works righteousness - whether male or female - while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islâmic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
مَنْ
man
Whoever
عَمِلَ
ʿamila
does
صَـٰلِحًۭا
ṣāliḥan
righteous deeds
مِّن
min
whether
ذَكَرٍ
dhakarin
male
أَوْ
aw
or
أُنثَىٰ
unthā
female
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
while he
مُؤْمِنٌۭ
mu'minun
(is) a believer
فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُۥ
falanuḥ'yiyannahu
then surely We will give him life
حَيَوٰةًۭ
ḥayatan
a life
طَيِّبَةًۭ ۖ
ṭayyibatan
good
وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ
walanajziyannahum
and We will pay them
أَجْرَهُم
ajrahum
their reward
بِأَحْسَنِ
bi-aḥsani
to (the) best
مَا
mā
of what
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they used (to)
يَعْمَلُونَ
yaʿmalūna
do
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah97) ➊ The word {مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّنْ ذَكَرٍ اَوْ اُنْثٰى :} ({’’ مَنْ ‘‘}) includes both men and women, but then both are mentioned specifically and separately, so that women do not consider themselves inferior or deprived, nor does anyone else think of them as such. Nowhere except Islam has a woman received this honor.
➋ In { حَيٰوةً طَيِّبَةً:}, a pure life includes lawful sustenance, contentment (being happy with whatever condition Allah has kept one in), true honor, peace and tranquility, richness of heart, Allah’s love, and the sweetness of faith—all these things are included, which are attained through faith and righteous deeds. Those deprived of faith or righteous deeds, or both, never attain these things. The meaning is that through faith and righteous deeds, not only the life of the Hereafter but also the worldly life will pass with great comfort and peace. Mahaimi (may Allah have mercy on him) said that such a person finds such pleasure in his deeds in this world that is far greater than the pleasure of wealth and status, because Allah makes him content with his destiny and grants him contentment, as a result of which the greed to hoard and increase wealth decreases. The life of a disbeliever, despite wealth and status, is not pleasant, because both his greed and the fear of losing his wealth keep increasing. The people of faith will be given a much better reward in the Hereafter in return. Thus, it will not be said to them: «{اَذْهَبْتُمْ طَيِّبٰتِكُمْ فِيْ حَيَاتِكُمُ الدُّنْيَا }» [ الأحقاف : ۲۰ ] “You have already received the reward for your good deeds in your worldly life.” Rather, even their smallest deeds will be completed and joined with the highest ones.
➋ In { حَيٰوةً طَيِّبَةً:}, a pure life includes lawful sustenance, contentment (being happy with whatever condition Allah has kept one in), true honor, peace and tranquility, richness of heart, Allah’s love, and the sweetness of faith—all these things are included, which are attained through faith and righteous deeds. Those deprived of faith or righteous deeds, or both, never attain these things. The meaning is that through faith and righteous deeds, not only the life of the Hereafter but also the worldly life will pass with great comfort and peace. Mahaimi (may Allah have mercy on him) said that such a person finds such pleasure in his deeds in this world that is far greater than the pleasure of wealth and status, because Allah makes him content with his destiny and grants him contentment, as a result of which the greed to hoard and increase wealth decreases. The life of a disbeliever, despite wealth and status, is not pleasant, because both his greed and the fear of losing his wealth keep increasing. The people of faith will be given a much better reward in the Hereafter in return. Thus, it will not be said to them: «{اَذْهَبْتُمْ طَيِّبٰتِكُمْ فِيْ حَيَاتِكُمُ الدُّنْيَا }» [ الأحقاف : ۲۰ ] “You have already received the reward for your good deeds in your worldly life.” Rather, even their smallest deeds will be completed and joined with the highest ones.
