إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا ۚ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعْدُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ لِيَسُـۥٓـُٔوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا۟ مَا عَلَوْا۟ تَتْبِيرًا 7
Translations
[And said], "If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, [you do it] to them [i.e., yourselves]." Then when the final [i.e., second] promise came, [We sent your enemies] to sadden your faces and to enter the masjid [i.e., the temple in Jerusalem], as they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they had taken over with [total] destruction.
Transliteration
In ahsantum ahsantum li-anfusikum wa-in asa'tum fa-laha fa-itha ja'a wa'du al-akhirati li-yasuu'u wujuhakum wa-li-yadkhulu al-masjida kama dakhaluh awwala marratin wa-li-yutabbiru ma 'alau tatbira
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the principle of personal accountability before Allah: goodness benefits oneself and evil harms oneself. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that the ayah then references the promised destruction of Jerusalem and desecration of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar II (the first time) and subsequent enemies, as divine punishment for the transgressions of Banu Isra'il. The verse emphasizes that consequences of deeds are inevitable and tied to Divine justice.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during the Meccan period, this ayah is part of Surah Al-Isra's broader narrative about the journey of the Prophet Muhammad (Isra' and Mi'raj) and warnings to Banu Isra'il. It follows the discussion of the covenant given to the Children of Israel and warns them of the consequences of breaking their covenant with Allah, specifically referencing historical destructions of Jerusalem.
Related Hadiths
The principle is reinforced in a hadith from Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock.' This relates to personal accountability for one's actions. Additionally, hadiths on the destruction of Bayt al-Maqdis by Nebuchadnezzar are mentioned in various Islamic history sources.
Themes
Key Lesson
Every deed has consequences that return to the doer—good or evil—reminding us that Allah's justice is absolute and that we are ultimately responsible for our choices. We should strive for righteousness knowing that our actions define our spiritual standing before Allah, not external circumstances or excuses.