قُل لَّا يَسْتَوِى ٱلْخَبِيثُ وَٱلطَّيِّبُ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ كَثْرَةُ ٱلْخَبِيثِ ۚ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ يَـٰٓأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ 100
Translations
Say, "Not equal are the evil and the good, although the abundance of evil might impress you." So fear Allāh, O you of understanding, that you may be successful.
Transliteration
Qul lā yastawī al-khabīth wa-al-ṭayyib wa-law a'jabaka kathratu al-khabīth. Fattaqū Allāh yā ulī al-albāb la'allakum tuflihūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes that the evil (khabīth) and the good (ṭayyib) can never be equal, regardless of how abundant or appealing the evil may appear. Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note this applies to both literal matters (like lawful and unlawful foods) and spiritual matters (like believers and disbelievers, truth and falsehood). The ayah calls believers to piety and sound reasoning, warning against being deceived by the prevalence or glamour of corruption.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in Surah Al-Ma'idah (a Medinan surah dealing with lawful and unlawful matters). It appears in the context of dietary laws and moral distinctions, addressing believers who must maintain discernment between what is permissible and impermissible, especially when societal pressures or abundance of forbidden things might tempt them.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The example of the believer is like a date-palm tree, and the example of a bad person is like a bitter tree (Ar-Raqqah)' (Sahih Bukhari). This emphasizes the distinction between good and evil hearts. Additionally, the hadith about the lawful being clear and the unlawful being clear (Sahih Muslim 1599) complements this ayah's message.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must not be swayed by the prevalence, abundance, or apparent attractiveness of evil or forbidden things; true wisdom lies in recognizing inherent differences in quality and righteousness regardless of worldly circumstances. Using sound intellect guided by taqwa (God-consciousness) is essential for distinguishing between what truly benefits and what harms.
Related Ayahs
فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ غُرَابًا يَبْحَثُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيُرِيَهُۥ كَيْفَ يُوَٰرِى سَوْءَةَ أَخِيهِ ۚ قَالَ يَـٰوَيْلَتَىٰٓ أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْغُرَابِ فَأُوَٰرِىَ سَوْءَةَ أَخِى ۖ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ ٱلنَّـٰدِمِينَ
Then Allāh sent a crow searching [i.e., scratching] in the ground to show him how to hide the disgrace of his brother. He said, "O woe to me! Have I failed to be like this crow and hide the disgrace [i.e., body] of my brother?" And he became of the regretful.
لَوْلَا يَنْهَىٰهُمُ ٱلرَّبَّـٰنِيُّونَ وَٱلْأَحْبَارُ عَن قَوْلِهِمُ ٱلْإِثْمَ وَأَكْلِهِمُ ٱلسُّحْتَ ۚ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَصْنَعُونَ
Why do the rabbis and religious scholars not forbid them from saying what is sinful and devouring what is unlawful? How wretched is what they have been practicing.
فَمَن تَابَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ظُلْمِهِۦ وَأَصْلَحَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms, indeed, Allāh will turn to him in forgiveness. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
فَإِنْ عُثِرَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنَّهُمَا ٱسْتَحَقَّآ إِثْمًا فَـَٔاخَرَانِ يَقُومَانِ مَقَامَهُمَا مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَحَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَوْلَيَـٰنِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِٱللَّهِ لَشَهَـٰدَتُنَآ أَحَقُّ مِن شَهَـٰدَتِهِمَا وَمَا ٱعْتَدَيْنَآ إِنَّآ إِذًا لَّمِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
But if it is found that those two were guilty of sin [i.e., perjury], let two others stand in their place [who are] foremost [in claim] from those who have a lawful right. And let them swear by Allāh, "Our testimony is truer than their testimony, and we have not transgressed. Indeed, we would then be of the wrongdoers."