۞ يَوْمَ تَأْتِى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ تُجَـٰدِلُ عَن نَّفْسِهَا وَتُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا عَمِلَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ 111
Translations
On the Day when every soul will come disputing [i.e., pleading] for itself, and every soul will be fully compensated for what it did, and they will not be wronged [i.e., treated unjustly].
Transliteration
Yawma ta'ti kullu nafsun tujadilu 'an nafsihā wa-tuwafffā kullu nafsun mā 'amilat wa-hum lā yuzlamūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the Day of Judgment when every soul will come forward to defend itself, unable to shift blame onto others, and each soul will receive full recompense for its deeds without any injustice. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this ayah refutes the false hope that intercession or others' deeds can substitute for one's own accountability, establishing the principle of individual moral responsibility before Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah An-Nahl's broader discussion of Allah's signs, divine justice, and the reality of the afterlife. The surah, revealed in Mecca during a period of intense opposition to the Prophet's message, repeatedly emphasizes monotheism and the certainty of the Day of Judgment to strengthen the believers' conviction and warn the disbelievers.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Each soul will know what it has sent forward and kept back' (Quran 82:5), and in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet clarified that on the Day of Judgment, a person's deeds are presented to them and they recognize them as their own work. Additionally, 'No soul will benefit from the intercession of another except by Allah's permission' (Sahih Bukhari) relates to the inability to shift responsibility.
Themes
Key Lesson
Each person bears sole responsibility for their actions and cannot evade accountability by blaming others or relying on external help; this should motivate believers to consciously cultivate righteous deeds and be mindful of their choices in this life, knowing they will face their record with complete clarity and honesty before Allah.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوا۟ وَّٱلَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ
Indeed, Allāh is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good.
خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ تَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
He created the heavens and earth in truth. High is He above what they associate with Him.
وَٱللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُم مِّنۢ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْـًٔا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَـٰرَ وَٱلْأَفْـِٔدَةَ ۙ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
And Allāh has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect] that perhaps you would be grateful.
وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۢ بُيُوتِكُمْ سَكَنًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّن جُلُودِ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ بُيُوتًا تَسْتَخِفُّونَهَا يَوْمَ ظَعْنِكُمْ وَيَوْمَ إِقَامَتِكُمْ ۙ وَمِنْ أَصْوَافِهَا وَأَوْبَارِهَا وَأَشْعَارِهَآ أَثَـٰثًا وَمَتَـٰعًا إِلَىٰ حِينٍ
And Allāh has made for you from your homes a place of rest and made for you from the hides of the animals tents which you find light on your day of travel and your day of encampment; and from their wool, fur and hair is furnishing and enjoyment [i.e., provision] for a time.