مَن جَآءَ بِٱلْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُۥ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهَا ۖ وَمَن جَآءَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجْزَى ٱلَّذِينَ عَمِلُوا۟ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ 84
Translations
Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have better than it; and whoever comes with an evil deed - then those who did evil deeds will not be recompensed except [as much as] what they used to do.
Transliteration
Man jaa'a bil-hasanati falahu khayrun minha wa man jaa'a bis-sayyiati fala yujza alladhina amiloo as-sayyiati illa ma kanoo ya'maloon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the principle of divine justice in reward and punishment: whoever performs a good deed receives a reward greater than the deed itself, while whoever commits an evil deed receives punishment equivalent to their action. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir emphasize that Allah's mercy extends to good deeds by multiplying their reward, while justice in punishment is exact and proportionate, with no excess or diminishment.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Qasas, which discusses stories of divine justice and Allah's dealings with His servants. It comes near the end of the surah (ayah 84) and reinforces the broader theme of how Allah governs the universe with perfect justice—rewarding the righteous abundantly while holding the wrongdoers accountable for their actions. The context emphasizes that no one is wronged in Allah's judgment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'When Allah intends good for His servant, He grants him understanding of the Deen' (Sahih Bukhari 3116), relating to the reward of good deeds. Additionally, the hadith 'The best of you are those with the best character' (Sunan Ibn Majah 4212) reinforces the principle that good actions bring greater blessings.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Allah's justice is perfectly balanced—He multiplies rewards for good deeds while ensuring punishment is exactly proportionate to wrongdoing, with no injustice. It should inspire confidence in Allah's justice and encourage righteous action, knowing that even small good deeds are magnified in reward, while also warning against evil with the assurance that one will face the consequences of one's actions.