مَّنْ عَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا فَلِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَنْ أَسَآءَ فَعَلَيْهَا ۗ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِظَلَّـٰمٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِ 46
Translations
Whoever does righteousness - it is for his [own] soul; and whoever does evil [does so] against it. And your Lord is not ever unjust to [His] servants.
Transliteration
Man 'amila salihan falinnafsihi wa man asa fa 'alayha wa ma rabbuka bidhallamin lil-'abid
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the principle of personal accountability: whoever performs righteous deeds does so for their own benefit, and whoever commits evil does so to their own detriment. The final clause emphasizes Allah's perfect justice, affirming that He is never unjust to His servants—each soul bears only the consequences of its own actions. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi highlight this as a foundational principle of Islamic theology, negating any notion that Allah holds people accountable for others' sins or acts unjustly.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during the early Islamic period, this ayah is part of Surah Fussilat's broader theme of divine wisdom and clarity in revelation. It addresses the Meccan polytheists' objections and reinforces the concept of individual moral responsibility before Allah, which is central to Quranic monotheism. This doctrine contrasts with pre-Islamic Arabian beliefs about inherited guilt and collective punishment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Each of you is a guardian, and each of you will be asked about those under your guardianship' (Sahih Bukhari 893), emphasizing personal responsibility. Additionally, 'No soul will bear the burden of another' (Quran 17:15) aligns thematically with this ayah's message, supported by numerous ahadith on individual accountability on the Day of Judgment.
Themes
Key Lesson
Each person is solely responsible for their own actions and will answer to Allah individually on the Day of Judgment; we cannot benefit from others' good deeds nor be punished for their sins. This encourages believers to focus on self-improvement and righteous conduct while trusting in Allah's perfect justice.