لِّسَعْيِهَا رَاضِيَةٌ 9
Translations
With their effort [they are] satisfied
Transliteration
Li-sa'yiha radiyyah
Tafsir (Explanation)
This phrase describes the soul (nafs) of the righteous believer as being 'pleased' or 'satisfied' with her deeds and efforts in this life. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this refers to a soul that is content with its righteous actions and finds peace in its obedience to Allah. The satisfaction mentioned here is a sign of a soul that has achieved spiritual tranquility through proper conduct, contrasting with the regretful soul described in the preceding verse (88:8).
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Ghashiyah is a Meccan surah that describes the Day of Judgment and the contrasting states of the blessed and the condemned. This ayah appears in the section describing the people of Paradise (Ashab al-Jannah), depicting their contentment and the rewarding nature of their earthly efforts. The context emphasizes that righteous deeds in this life lead to eternal satisfaction in the Hereafter.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The soul at peace will return to its Lord pleased and pleasing' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). This hadith reflects the concept of the satisfied soul (nafs al-mutmaina) achieving closeness to Allah through righteous deeds.
Themes
Key Lesson
Our efforts and obedience to Allah in this life are not futile but bring lasting spiritual peace and contentment to our souls. Believers should strive to reach a state of nafs al-mutmaina (the satisfied soul) through consistent righteous conduct, which brings harmony between our actions and our inner peace, both in this world and the next.