يَوْمَ تَرَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ يَسْعَىٰ نُورُهُم بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَـٰنِهِم بُشْرَىٰكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ جَنَّـٰتٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ 12
Translations
On the Day you see the believing men and believing women, their light proceeding before them and on their right, [it will be said], "Your good tidings today are [of] gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein you will abide eternally." That is what is the great attainment.
Transliteration
Yawma tara al-mu'minina wa-al-mu'minat yasʿa nuruhum bayna aydihim wa-bi-aymanihim bushrakum al-yawma jannat tajri min tahtiha al-anhar khalidina fiha, dhalikahuwa al-fawz al-ʿazim
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah depicts the Day of Judgment when believers—both men and women—will see their light (nur) proceeding before them and to their right, illuminating their path toward Paradise. The 'light' represents their deeds of faith and righteousness in the worldly life. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this light will guide them across the Sirat (bridge over Hell), while Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that the intensity of one's light corresponds to the degree of one's righteous deeds. The ayah concludes with the glad tidings of eternal gardens with rivers flowing beneath, representing the ultimate success (al-fawz al-ʿazim) promised to the faithful.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Hadid is a Medinan chapter that addresses both the spiritual and material dimensions of Islamic life. This particular ayah fits within the surah's broader theme of preparation for the Hereafter and the consequences of belief and disbelief, encouraging believers to invest in righteous deeds that will benefit them on the Day of Resurrection.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The believer's shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity' (Tirmidhi 1987). Additionally, Aisha narrated that the Prophet mentioned the light of believers on the Day of Judgment in relation to their deeds (related themes in Sahih Muslim regarding the questioning in the grave and the Path).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that every righteous deed performed in this life becomes a source of light and guidance in the Hereafter, motivating us to consciously invest in our spiritual development today. It emphasizes that both men and women share equally in God's promise of reward, reflecting Islam's egalitarian approach to faith and accountability.