Surah Al-An'am — Verse 160

Word Meanings:

• Al-Hasanah (الحسنة): A righteous deed performed sincerely for the sake of Allah, in accordance with His commands.
• Al-Sayyi’ah (السيئة): A sinful or evil deed that violates Allah’s commands.
• Yujza (يُجزى): To be recompensed or requited.
• Yuzlamun (يُظلمون): To be wronged or treated unjustly, even to the slightest degree.

Explanation of the Verse:

This noble verse reveals the boundless generosity and perfect justice of Allah. On the Day of Judgment, whoever comes before their Lord with a single good deed—whether it be a word of kindness, a prayer, an act of charity, or any righteous action—will receive ten rewards for it, as a pure favor and blessing from Allah. This multiplication is not because the deed itself is equal to ten, but because Allah’s bounty knows no limits; He magnifies the reward of His servants out of His mercy and grace.

In contrast, whoever comes with a single evil deed will not be punished except with an equivalent recompense—no more, no less. There is no multiplication of punishment, no escalation of penalty. A single sin brings a single consequence, proportionate to its nature and weight, without any addition. And on that Day, no soul will be wronged in the slightest—not by having their good deeds diminished, nor by having their sins increased beyond what they deserve. Allah’s justice is absolute, and His mercy prevails over His wrath.

This verse is a profound source of hope and encouragement for every believer. It teaches us that Allah’s generosity toward good deeds is immense—multiplying them tenfold and beyond—while His justice toward sins is measured and fair. So race toward good deeds, no matter how small they may seem, for Allah does not let even a speck of good go to waste. And if you stumble into sin, do not despair; repent and return to your Lord, for His mercy is vast, and His accounting is just. Let this knowledge fill your heart with optimism and drive you to fill your life with acts of goodness, knowing that every single one is treasured and rewarded by the Most Merciful.