Tafseer of The Star · An-Najm · 53:31
And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth - that He may recompense those who do evil with [the penalty of] what they have done and recompense those who do good with the best [reward] -
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of His exalted word: wa-li-llāhi mā fī al-samāwāti wa-mā fī al-arḍi li-yajziya alladhīna asāʾū bimā ʿamilū wa-yajziya alladhīna aḥsanū bi-l-ḥusnā (31) alladhīna yajtanibūna kabāʾira al-ithmi wa-l-fawāḥisha illā al-lamam ("And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, that He may recompense those who did evil according to what they did, and recompense those who did good with the best (31) — those who avoid the major sins and the immoralities, except the minor faults").
The Exalted, whose praise is proclaimed, says: wa-li-llāhi ("and to Allah belongs") the dominion over mā fī al-samāwāti wa-mā fī al-arḍi ("whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth") of any thing. And He leads astray whom He wills, and He knows them best. li-yajziya alladhīna asāʾū bimā ʿamilū ("that He may recompense those who did evil according to what they did") — He says: that He may recompense those of His creatures who disobeyed Him and, through their disobedience to Him, did evil; He will give them the Fire as their recompense for that. wa-yajziya alladhīna aḥsanū bi-l-ḥusnā ("and recompense those who did good with the best") — He says: and that He may recompense those who obeyed Him and, through their obedience to Him in this world, did good, with the best, and that is Paradise (janna); He will give them that as their recompense.
It has been said: by this are meant the people of associating partners (shirk) and the people of faith.
* Mention of who said that:
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAyyāsh informed me, saying: Zayd ibn Aslam said concerning Allah's word li-yajziya alladhīna asāʾū bimā ʿamilū wa-yajziya alladhīna aḥsanū ("that He may recompense those who did evil according to what they did, and recompense those who did good"): they are the believers.
