۞ وَقِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ مَاذَآ أَنزَلَ رَبُّكُمْ ۚ قَالُوا۟ خَيْرًا ۗ لِّلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌ ۚ وَلَدَارُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ ۚ وَلَنِعْمَ دَارُ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ 30
Translations
And it will be said to those who feared Allāh, "What did your Lord send down?" They will say, "[That which is] good." For those who do good in this world is good; and the home of the Hereafter is better. And how excellent is the home of the righteous -
Transliteration
Wa qīla lilladhīna ittaqaw mādhā anzala rabbukum qālū khayran lillilladhīna ahsanū fī hādhihi ad-dunyā hasanah wa ladāru al-ākhirah khayrun wa lani'ma dāru al-muttaqīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
When the pious believers are asked what their Lord has revealed, they respond with 'goodness' (khayran), affirming the divine revelation without hesitation. The ayah emphasizes that for those who do good in this world, there is goodness in both this life and the next, with the Hereafter being superior. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi note this demonstrates the believer's unwavering faith and the promise of reward in both worlds, establishing the principle that righteousness yields immediate and eternal benefits.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period within Surah An-Nahl, which addresses fundamental Islamic beliefs and the signs of Allah's creation. The context follows a discussion of those who reject Allah's signs, contrasting them with the believers (al-muttaqūn) whose certainty and faith remain steadfast regardless of opposition or skepticism from disbelievers.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent' (Sahih Bukhari 6018), which relates to the believers' affirmation of divine goodness. Additionally, 'The best among you are those who have the best manners and character' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895) relates to doing good (ihsan) in this world.
Themes
Key Lesson
True believers recognize Allah's revelation as inherently good and maintain unwavering confidence in His guidance, knowing that righteous conduct yields blessings in both this life and the eternal afterlife. This ayah teaches that faith combined with good deeds creates a complete spiritual victory that transcends worldly concerns.