لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَآ أَتَوا۟ وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُوا۟ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُوا۟ فَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّهُم بِمَفَازَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ 188
Translations
And never think that those who rejoice in what they have perpetrated and like to be praised for what they did not do - never think them [to be] in safety from the punishment, and for them is a painful punishment.
Transliteration
Lā tahsabanna alladhīna yafrahūna bimā ataw wa-yuhihhūna an yuhmadū bimā lam yaf'alū falā tahsabannnahum bimafāzatin min al-'adhāb wa-lahum 'adhābun alīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns those who rejoice in their deeds and love to be praised for actions they did not perform, warning them not to think they will escape punishment. Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that this refers to those who boast about their wealth, knowledge, or charity while simultaneously accepting false praise or misrepresenting their accomplishments. The ayah emphasizes that such arrogance and deception are grave spiritual diseases that will result in painful punishment in the Hereafter.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ali 'Imran's broader discussion of character and spiritual attributes revealed in Medina. The context relates to warnings against hypocrisy (nifāq) and vanity among the Muslim community, addressing those who perform good deeds for show and worldly recognition rather than sincere devotion to Allah. It connects to the surah's broader theme of distinguishing between sincere believers and those with deficient faith.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever does a deed seeking show and reputation, Allah will expose him on the Day of Judgment' (Sahih Bukhari 6494). Additionally, the Prophet warned: 'The most feared thing I fear for you is minor shirk (hidden polytheism)—showing off' (Sunan Ahmad).
Themes
Key Lesson
True righteousness is judged by sincere intention and honest conduct, not by outward appearance, boasting, or the validation others give us. Believers must examine their hearts to ensure they perform good deeds solely for Allah's pleasure, not for worldly praise or self-aggrandizement.
Related Ayahs
قُلِ ٱللَّهُمَّ مَـٰلِكَ ٱلْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِى ٱلْمُلْكَ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتَنزِعُ ٱلْمُلْكَ مِمَّن تَشَآءُ وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَآءُ ۖ بِيَدِكَ ٱلْخَيْرُ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Say, "O Allāh, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent.
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰٓ ءَادَمَ وَنُوحًا وَءَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَءَالَ عِمْرَٰنَ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
Indeed, Allāh chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of ʿImrān over the worlds -
فَلَمَّا وَضَعَتْهَا قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّى وَضَعْتُهَآ أُنثَىٰ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعَتْ وَلَيْسَ ٱلذَّكَرُ كَٱلْأُنثَىٰ ۖ وَإِنِّى سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ وَإِنِّىٓ أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ
But when she delivered her, she said, "My Lord, I have delivered a female." And Allāh was most knowing of what she delivered, and the male is not like the female. "And I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of Allāh]."
لَـٰكِنِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ رَبَّهُمْ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا نُزُلًا مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِّلْأَبْرَارِ
But those who feared their Lord will have gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein, as accommodation from Allāh. And that which is with Allāh is best for the righteous.