ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاكَ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلَّـٰمٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِ 10
Translations
"That is for what your hands have put forth and because Allāh is not ever unjust to [His] servants."
Transliteration
Dhālika bimā qaddamat yadāka wa-anna Allāha laysa bi-ẓallāmin lil-ʿabīd
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes that the punishment or hardship one faces is a direct consequence of one's own deeds and actions, while affirming that Allah is never unjust to His servants. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as a profound statement of divine justice—Allah does not punish anyone beyond what they deserve, nor does He punish anyone for the sins of another. The phrase 'what your hands have sent forward' metaphorically refers to one's intentional actions and moral choices in this life.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan surah Al-Hajj, which addresses various aspects of faith, pilgrimage, and divine justice. It comes in a section discussing the consequences of disbelief and the Day of Judgment, reminding believers that Allah's justice is absolute and that every soul is accountable for its own deeds.
Related Hadiths
Related to the concept of personal accountability: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'Each of you is a guardian and each of you will be asked about those under his guardianship' (Sahih Bukhari). Also relevant: 'No soul bears the burden of another' (17:15), emphasizing individual responsibility before Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that we are fully responsible for our choices and their consequences, offering both warning and comfort—warning that we cannot blame others for our sins, and comfort that Allah's judgment is perfectly just and will never be arbitrary or excessive toward His servants.