هُمْ دَرَجَـٰتٌ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ 163
Translations
They are [varying] degrees in the sight of Allāh, and Allāh is Seeing of whatever they do.
Transliteration
Hum darajatun 'inda-llahi wa-llahu baseerun bima ya'malun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that believers possess varying ranks and degrees (darajat) in the sight of Allah based on their deeds, knowledge, and sincerity. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that these distinctions in spiritual stations are determined by one's actions and intentions, while Allah's perfect sight (basir) encompasses and witnesses all deeds—rewarding each person according to their true merit. The ayah emphasizes both divine justice and the reality of accountability, as Allah's knowledge is all-encompassing and His judgment perfectly fair.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ali 'Imran's discussion of the Battle of Uhud and its aftermath. It comes within a passage addressing believers' different contributions and sacrifices in the path of Allah, establishing that variations in reward are based on sincere effort and proximity to Allah, not merely external circumstances.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'The best of you are those with the best character' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, 'Actions are judged by intentions, and each person will have what they intended' (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim), emphasizing that Allah judges based on both deeds and sincere intentions.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should strive for excellence in their actions while recognizing that Allah alone determines true worth and reward—not worldly status or appearances. This encourages sincere effort, humility before Allah's judgment, and trust that no good deed goes unnoticed by the All-Seeing.