سُوْرَةُ النَّجْمِ
Surah An-Najm (53) — Ayah 39
وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ ﴿39﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And that man can have nothing but what he does (good or bad).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَأَن
wa-an
And that
لَّيْسَ
laysa
is not
لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ
lil'insāni
for man
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَا
mā
what
سَعَىٰ
saʿā
he strives (for)
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.
(Ayah 39) {وَ اَنْ لَّيْسَ لِلْاِنْسَانِ اِلَّا مَا سَعٰى:} That is, just as the burden of someone else's sins will not be placed upon him, in the same way, he will only receive reward and recompense for the deeds he himself has done. Here, a question arises that it is proven from the Quran and Hadith that a person benefits from the good deeds of others, for example, the intercession of the Prophets, angels, and righteous for sinners, the prayers of the living for the dead (see Al-Mu’min: 8,7; Al-Hashr: 10), and the elevation of the ranks of children due to the deeds of the father is proven from the Quran (see At-Tur: 21), and the benefit of charity, fasting, and Hajj, etc., on behalf of the deceased is proven from Hadith. So how will this be reconciled with this verse? The answer is that all of this will only benefit the one who has brought faith; none of these things will benefit a disbeliever. After faith, the benefit of these things is due to his own striving, that is, the blessing of faith itself and its result, just as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Abu Talib: [ أَيْ عَمِّ! قُلْ لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ اللّٰهُ، كَلِمَةً أُحَاجُّ لَكَ بِهَا عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ ] [ بخاري، مناقب الأنصار، باب قصۃ أبي طالب : ۳۸۸۴ ] "O uncle! Say 'La ilaha illallah,' I will argue for you before Allah with this word." And Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said: « يَوْمَ لَا يَنْفَعُ مَالٌ وَّ لَا بَنُوْنَ (88) اِلَّا مَنْ اَتَى اللّٰهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيْمٍ» [ الشعراء : 89،88 ] "The Day when neither wealth nor sons will benefit, except he who comes to Allah with a sound heart." The children of the one whose heart is sound from disbelief and polytheism will benefit him there, who continued to do righteous deeds after him and prayed for him, and his wealth too, which continued to be recorded in his book of deeds in the form of ongoing charity. The believing offspring who possess the blessing of faith, regardless of their rank, will be joined with their believing parents of higher rank. See the commentary of Surah At-Tur (21).
