إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ 11
Translations
Except for those who are patient and do righteous deeds; those will have forgiveness and great reward.
Transliteration
Illa alladhina sabaru wa 'amilu assalihati ula'ika lahum maghfiratun wa ajrun kabir
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents an exception to the preceding statement about human nature's tendency toward haste and impatience—those who exercise patience (sabr) and perform righteous deeds are distinguished with forgiveness and a great reward from Allah. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this verse teaches that spiritual success comes through the combination of two essential qualities: steadfast patience in obedience and abstinence from sin, coupled with active performance of good deeds. The 'great reward' (ajr kabir) refers to Paradise and Allah's pleasure, indicating that such individuals attain the highest stations in the Hereafter.
Revelation Context
Surah Hud is a Meccan surah revealed during a period of intense persecution of the early Muslim community. This ayah appears within a passage describing human nature's inherent impatience and weakness, providing encouragement to believers undergoing trials. The verse serves as consolation and motivation for the persecuted Muslims in Mecca, assuring them that their patience and righteous deeds will not go unrewarded.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The greatest deed is patience' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Also relevant is the hadith: 'There is no better gift given to a person than patience' (Sahih Bukhari 5059), highlighting the supreme value of sabr in Islamic tradition.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that spiritual elevation and divine reward are attained not through wishful thinking but through the disciplined practice of patience in facing trials and continuous engagement in righteous actions. For modern believers, it emphasizes that enduring difficulties with faith and maintaining ethical conduct are the pathways to both worldly peace and eternal success.
Related Ayahs
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ فِيهَا وَهُمْ فِيهَا لَا يُبْخَسُونَ
Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments - We fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived.
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْـَٔلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِى وَتَرْحَمْنِىٓ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
[Noah] said, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I will be among the losers."
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ ۖ قُلْ فَأْتُوا۟ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِّثْلِهِۦ مُفْتَرَيَـٰتٍ وَٱدْعُوا۟ مَنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
Or do they say, "He invented it"? Say, "Then bring ten sūrahs like it that have been invented and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allāh, if you should be truthful."
وَقِيلَ يَـٰٓأَرْضُ ٱبْلَعِى مَآءَكِ وَيَـٰسَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِى وَغِيضَ ٱلْمَآءُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ وَٱسْتَوَتْ عَلَى ٱلْجُودِىِّ ۖ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًا لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And it was said, "O earth, swallow your water, and O sky, withhold [your rain]." And the water subsided, and the matter was accomplished, and it [i.e., the ship] came to rest on the [mountain of] Jūdiyy. And it was said, "Away with the wrongdoing people."