مَن جَآءَ بِٱلْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُۥ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا ۖ وَمَن جَآءَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجْزَىٰٓ إِلَّا مِثْلَهَا وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ 160
Translations
Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit], and whoever comes with an evil deed will not be recompensed except the like thereof; and they will not be wronged.
Transliteration
Man jaa'a bil-hasanati falahu ashru amthaalihaa wa man jaa'a bis-sayyi'ati fala yujzaa illaa mithluhaa wa hum laa yuzlamoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the principle of divine reward and punishment: whoever performs a good deed receives ten times its reward, while whoever commits a sin receives only an equivalent punishment. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this demonstrates Allah's infinite mercy—He multiplies goodness abundantly while limiting punishment to its exact measure. The clause 'wa hum laa yuzlamoon' (and they will not be wronged) affirms that this divine justice is absolute and equitable, protecting the sinner from excessive punishment and assuring the believer of adequate reward.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period and is part of Surah Al-An'am's broader discourse on divine justice and accountability on the Day of Judgment. It comes within a passage addressing the resurrection and reckoning, emphasizing that Allah's justice operates on principles of mercy for the righteous and fairness for the wrongdoer, providing both warning and consolation to the early Muslim community.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever intends to do a good deed but does not do it, Allah records it for him as a complete good deed. If he intends to do it and does it, Allah records it for him as ten good deeds up to seven hundred times or more.' (Sahih Muslim 131). Additionally, the Quran at 10:26 complements this with: 'For those who have done good is the best [reward] and additional [bounty].'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Allah's system of justice is fundamentally merciful—He rewards goodness abundantly (tenfold or more) while limiting punishment to its equivalent measure. For modern readers, this serves as powerful motivation to perform good deeds while encouraging repentance, knowing that Allah's justice is balanced with infinite compassion toward those who strive to please Him.