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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
Whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer, We will surely grant them a pure life, and We will certainly reward them [101] according to the best of what they used to do.
[101]
How is a Pure Life Attained?
Three points are understood from this verse. First, although due to the division of labor, man has superiority over woman in this world, in terms of reward in the Hereafter, the status of both is equal. There, the only criterion will be faith and righteous deeds. If, according to this criterion, a woman surpasses a man, then she can certainly be granted a better rank than men. Second, by adopting faith and righteous deeds, a believer’s worldly life is also improved, as well as the Hereafter. And the common notion that a faithful, honest, and upright person will surely be rewarded in the Hereafter but will always remain at a loss in this world is completely wrong. In fact, those who are upright, true to their word, steadfast in their promises, and sincere in their intentions, the credibility, true honor, and inner peace they attain compared to the immoral, promise-breakers, and self-interested people, can never be attained by those who are insincere, deceitful, and untrustworthy. Moreover, even in worldly terms, upright people ultimately remain at an advantage, and this is the clear meaning of “hayaatan tayyibah” (pure life). Third, the rank that such faithful and righteous people will receive in the Hereafter will be determined according to their better deeds. For example, if a person has performed all kinds of small and great good deeds in his life, he will be granted that high status for which he is deserving according to his greatest good deed.
[101]
How is a Pure Life Attained?
Three points are understood from this verse. First, although due to the division of labor, man has superiority over woman in this world, in terms of reward in the Hereafter, the status of both is equal. There, the only criterion will be faith and righteous deeds. If, according to this criterion, a woman surpasses a man, then she can certainly be granted a better rank than men. Second, by adopting faith and righteous deeds, a believer’s worldly life is also improved, as well as the Hereafter. And the common notion that a faithful, honest, and upright person will surely be rewarded in the Hereafter but will always remain at a loss in this world is completely wrong. In fact, those who are upright, true to their word, steadfast in their promises, and sincere in their intentions, the credibility, true honor, and inner peace they attain compared to the immoral, promise-breakers, and self-interested people, can never be attained by those who are insincere, deceitful, and untrustworthy. Moreover, even in worldly terms, upright people ultimately remain at an advantage, and this is the clear meaning of “hayaatan tayyibah” (pure life). Third, the rank that such faithful and righteous people will receive in the Hereafter will be determined according to their better deeds. For example, if a person has performed all kinds of small and great good deeds in his life, he will be granted that high status for which he is deserving according to his greatest good deed.
