Today, in our series of posts on the faith in Allah and reward for those who act righteously for a reason. The reason behind sharing the 97th verse of Surah 16 An Nahal is two fold. In fact this verse was revealed to remove the wrong notions of both the Muslims and the disbelievers who are of the opinion that those who adopt a just honest and pious attitude, are most surely losers in this world, though they might be gainers in the Hereafter. Secondly, many liberals today and many in the West make a lot of hue and cry that Qur'an on mentions glad tidings and rewards for men only and women specifically are never mentioned, thus proponent of gender inequality.
We have already shared many verses from Qur'an which addresses both men and women or where women are mentioned side by side men. Let us explain this verse to clear misconceptions about the gender issue and the reward for the righteous not only in the Hereafter, but also in our earthly world too:
مَنۡ عَمِلَ صَالِحًـا مِّنۡ ذَكَرٍ اَوۡ اُنۡثٰى وَهُوَ مُؤۡمِنٌ فَلَـنُحۡيِيَنَّهٗ حَيٰوةً طَيِّبَةً ۚ وَلَـنَجۡزِيَـنَّهُمۡ اَجۡرَهُمۡ بِاَحۡسَنِ مَا كَانُوۡا يَعۡمَلُوۡنَ
(16:97) Whosoever acts righteously - whether a man or a woman - and embraces belief, We will surely grant him a good life; and will surely grant such persons their reward according to the best of their deeds.
As mentioned in the premise, in this verse Allah removes the misunderstanding, as if to say: This presumption of yours is wrong. The righteous attitude not only leads to a happy life in the Hereafter, but it also guarantees, by Allah’s grace, a pure and happy life even in this world. And this is a fact that those people who are sincerely righteous, honest, pure and fair in their dealings enjoy a much better life in this world. For they enjoy that confidence and real honor and respect because of their spotless character, which is not enjoyed by those who lack these virtues. They obtain such pure and outstanding success as are denied to those who employ dirty and disgusting ways to win success. Above all, they enjoy, even though they might be living in poor houses, that peace of mind and satisfaction of conscience which is denied to the wicked dwellers of mansions and palaces.
Let us expand the meaning of this verse:
- Righteous deeds and belief: The verse begins by emphasizing that both men and women can attain reward from Allah when they combine two essential qualities:
- Iman (Faith): Belief in Allah and the teachings of Islam.
- Amal Saleh (Righteous deeds): Good deeds, which can include acts of worship, kindness, charity, justice, or anything that aligns with Islamic principles.
- Equality between genders: The verse makes a significant point by clearly stating that both men and women are equally rewarded for their righteous actions if they have faith in Allah. This was a revolutionary message in the time the Quran was revealed, as it elevated the status of women in society and highlighted their equal potential for spiritual success and reward.
- A good life in this world: Allah promises that those who believe and do good deeds will be granted a "good life" (Hayatan Tayyibah). This "good life" is interpreted in various ways:
- Physical well-being: A life of peace, security, and provision.
- Spiritual fulfillment: Inner contentment, peace of mind, and tranquility.
- Blessings in this world: A life where a person finds joy, success, and satisfaction, regardless of external circumstances, as long as they remain faithful and righteous.
- Reward in the Hereafter: The verse concludes with the assurance that such individuals will be rewarded in the Hereafter with even greater rewards than they can imagine, commensurate to the best of their deeds. This is a reference to the eternal and perfect rewards in Paradise, which will be given to the believers in accordance with the quality of their actions on earth.
This verse serves as both a motivation and a reminder for believers to consistently strive for righteousness and maintain their faith, knowing that both their earthly and eternal well-being are secured through these efforts. The verse speaks of two rules which we still like to explain and expand:
The First Rule:
The first item in this rule is that the two sexes, male and female, are equal with regard to their actions and the reward they receive for them. They enjoy the same relationship with God and the same standing in His regard. Hence, He rewards them equally, applying one measure to both of them. Although the term, ‘whoever’, with which the verse opens, includes both men and women, the Qur’ānic statement emphasizes this by stating it very clearly: “Whoever does righteous deeds, whether man or woman.” This equality is stressed emphatically in the same sūrah that gives us an image of how Arab jāhiliyyah society looked upon women.
It tells us how society looked down upon women, and the extent of the depression a father felt when he was given the news of the birth of a girl, leading him to hide away from his friends and acquaintances, because of the shame he felt.
The Second Rule:
Another aspect of this general rule is that good action must have a strong foundation, which must be faith. Without it, good action cannot be cemented into a well built structure. It remains haphazard, and it soon becomes like ashes blown in every direction by a strong wind. Faith provides the axis around which all bonds turn. It gives good action a motive and an aim. Thus it gives goodness a strong foundation so that it is not swayed by fleeting desires.
The Third Rule:
The rule also establishes that when good action is coupled with faith, it is rewarded by a goodly life in this world. It need not be a life of affluence and riches. It may be a goodly life with or without plenty of money. There are many things in life, other than money, which provide a goodly feeling and happiness. A strong bond with God and a feeling of trust in Him and His abounding grace make life happy indeed. Life may also be blessed with good health, a peaceful and blessed living, love and compassion. It may have the rejoice generated by good action and its effects on oneself and society. Money is only one aspect, and little of it is sufficient when one looks up to what is more blessed and longer lasting.
This general rule also makes clear that a goodly life in this world will not reduce in any way one’s good reward in the life to come. Indeed the reward is based on the best actions believers do in this world. This implies, as we have stated earlier, that God will forgive them their sins. This is indeed the best reward to which human beings may aspire.
So let believers, whether men or women, be rest assured of the rewards if the act righteously and do not deviate from the path prescribed for them, the Siraat e Mustaqeem or the righteous path. And let those women who have any reservations about being left out of rewards, bounties and blessings of Allah be rest assured as promise of Allah can never go wrong.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Compiled verses from Qur'an on specific subjects: Faith in Allah and Divine Rewards
For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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