وَوُفِّيَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا عَمِلَتْ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ 70
Translations
And every soul will be fully compensated [for] what it did; and He is most knowing of what they do.
Transliteration
Wa wuffiyat kullu nafsin ma amilat wa huwa a'lamu bima yaf'alun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Every soul will be fully recompensed for what it has done, whether good or evil, and Allah is the Most Knowing of all their deeds. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this ayah affirms Allah's perfect justice on the Day of Judgment, where no deed—no matter how small—will be overlooked or forgotten. The phrase 'wuffiyat' (fully paid/recompensed) conveys completeness and certainty, indicating that the accounting will be absolutely precise and fair.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Az-Zumar, a Meccan surah focused on themes of monotheism, resurrection, and the Day of Judgment. It comes in a passage (verses 69-75) describing the scenes of the Day of Judgment, where souls face the consequences of their earthly actions. The context emphasizes Allah's sovereignty and the inescapability of divine justice.
Related Hadiths
Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Tirmidhi 3895), reflecting the principle that deeds are accounted for. Also relevant: 'On the Day of Judgment, a man's shadow will be his deeds' (Tirmidhi 2417), emphasizing that actions directly determine one's outcome in the afterlife.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that every action is recorded and will be perfectly accounted for, which should inspire believers to be conscious of their deeds in this life. For modern readers, it emphasizes that authentic success lies not in worldly gain but in living ethically and purposefully, knowing that true justice will ultimately prevail.
Related Ayahs
ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ
Those who disbelieve will have a severe punishment, and those who believe and do righteous deeds will have forgiveness and great reward.
لِّيُعَذِّبَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَٱلْمُشْرِكَـٰتِ وَيَتُوبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًۢا
[It was] so that Allāh may punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women and the men and women who associate others with Him and that Allāh may accept repentance from the believing men and believing women. And ever is Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.
وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ
And whoever is on earth entirely [so] then it could save him.
هَـٰٓأَنتُمْ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ جَـٰدَلْتُمْ عَنْهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا فَمَن يُجَـٰدِلُ ٱللَّهَ عَنْهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ أَم مَّن يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكِيلًا
Here you are - those who argue on their behalf in [this] worldly life - but who will argue with Allāh for them on the Day of Resurrection, or who will [then] be their representative?