أَفَحَسِبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنْ يَتَّخِذُوا عِبَادِي مِنْ دُونِي أَوْلِيَاءَ إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ نُزُلًا
Do they who are bent on denying the truth think, perchance, that they could take [any of] My creatures for protectors against Me? Verily, We have readied hell to welcome all who [thus] deny the truth! (102)
قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا
Say: "Shall we tell you who are the greatest losers in whatever they may do? (103)
الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا
"[It is] they whose labour has gone astray in [the pursuit of no more than] this world's life, and who none the less think that they are doing good works: (104)
أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَائِهِ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا
it is they who have chosen to deny their Sustainer's messages and the truth that they are destined to meet Him." Hence, all their [good] deeds come to nought, and no weight shall We assign to them on Resurrection Day. (105)
ذَٰلِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ بِمَا كَفَرُوا وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَرُسُلِي هُزُوًا
That will be their recompense – [their] hell – for having denied the truth and made My messages and My apostles a target of their mockery. (106)
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا
[But,] verily, as for those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds – the gardens of paradise will be there to welcome them; (107)
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلًا
therein will they abide, [and] never will they desire any change therefrom. (108)
قُلْ لَوْ كَانَ الْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ الْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْفَدَ كَلِمَاتُ رَبِّي وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِ مَدَدًا
SAY: "If all the sea were ink for my Sustainer's words, the sea would indeed be exhausted ere my Sustainer's words are exhausted! And [thus it would be] if We were to add to it sea upon sea." (109)
قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا
Say [O Prophet]: "I am but a mortal man like all of you. It has been revealed unto me that your God is the One and Only God. Hence, whoever looks forward [with hope and awe] to meeting his Sustainer [on Judgment Day], let him do righteous deeds, and let him not ascribe unto anyone or anything a share in the worship due to his Sustainer!" (110)
- "Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works?"2449
- 2449 Many people have such a smug sense of self-righteousness that while they go on doing wrong, they think that they are acquiring merit. So, in charity, all the elements that make for outward show or selfishness (as to get some worldly advantage) nullify the deed of charity. In the same way, hypocrites sometimes affect to be surprised that their declared effort for somebody's good is not appreciated, when they are really seeking some hidden gain or false glory for themselves. The sincere are only those who believe in their spiritual responsibility and act in Allah's sight.
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"Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works?"
— Abdullah Yusuf Ali -
Those whose effort goeth astray in the life of the world, and yet they reckon that they do good work.
— Marmaduke Pickthall -
(These are) they whose labor is lost in this world's life and they think that they are well versed in skill of the work of hands.
— M. Habib Shakir -
"Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds!
— Taqiuddin Hilali and M. Mohsin Khan -
They are those whose effort is wasted in the life of the world, and they deem that they are doing well in performance.
— Abdul-Majid Daryabadi -
(They are) those whose striving in this world go astray, while they think that what they are doing are good deeds.
— Hasan Qaribullah and Ahmed Darwish -
Those whose effort in the present life went astray, and they think that they are doing good works.
— Ayub Khan -
Those whose labour is all lost in pursuit of the life of this world, and yet they imagine that they are doing good works.'
— Sher Ali -
"[It is] they whose labour has gone astray in [the pursuit of no more than] this world's life, and who none the less think that they are doing good works:
— Muhammad Asad -
Those whose striving goes astray in the present life, while they think that they are working good deeds.
— Arthur Arberry -
It will be those whose effort went astray{{76}} in the life of the world and who believe nevertheless that they are doing good.
— Abu'l Ala Maududi