وَأَن لَيسَ لِلإِنسانِ إِلّا ما سَعىٰ

That nothing belongs to man except what he strives for.

EXEGESIS

Saʿā (strives) means to walk quickly; it is used to mean being serious about doing something, whether that thing is good or bad.^{‎[1]Raghib, p. 411.}

EXPOSITION

Continuing from the principle presented in the last verse, God declares that every person can only have what he strives for. The previous verse told us that no one can take on another’s sins, and here we are told that no one can earn good deeds for another. Every person is responsible only for their own actions.

That means that even if a person, for example, calls another person to do good, and that person accepts and then does good, the caller will be rewarded not because of the deeds of the other person per se, but rather because of his own action, which was to inspire goodness in the other one.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 9/435; Tabrisi, 9/272.}

Additionally, there are many verses in the Quran that promise a person a multiple reward for what good he has done, Whoever brings virtue shall receive ten times its like (6:160). Therefore, the verse should not be understood as meaning that a person is only rewarded for the actions that they performed, but rather that they will be rewarded based on everything that they strove to achieve and aspired to. So that Allah may reward them by the best of what they have done, and enhance them out of His grace, and Allah provides for whomever He wishes without any reckoning (24:38). See also 10:26.

This concept is further explained in a hadith narrated from Imam al-Bāqir (a), that the Prophet said: ‘When a believer is overcome with the weakness of old age, God – mighty and glorious – orders an angel to write for him the same reward of that which he used to do when he was a healthy young man, full of energy. This is also done if he happens to become ill, [where] God will appoint over him an angel to write down whatever goodly obedience he used to perform while healthy, until God then raises him and takes his soul. Similarly, a faithless person, if he is withheld [from doing evil] because of some physical fault, God will record for him what evil he used to do while healthy.’^{‎[3]Kafi, 3/113. Kulaynī also reports several other similar traditions.}

This hadith should be understood in a careful manner. As a matter of fact, true aspiration begets action. In this case, the desire to do good is coupled with actions that one committed, as is the desire to do evil. In both cases the hadith explicitly mentions that there has been preceding action. The believer is rewarded for his continued love for that good which he used to do, whilst the evildoer is accountable for his unrepentant attitude and love for evil. See the commentary on the next verse for more.

Hence, even things like intercession are not contradicted by this verse, because intercession also only benefits a person who has entered into faith and followed its teachings (at least to some degree) through his own effort.^{‎[4]Mizan, 19/46.}

Furthermore, the effects and responsibility of actions should never be thought of as only the immediate consequence; rather, a person is responsible for all the results of his actions. In a famous report from the Prophet, he states: ‘Whoever establishes a good custom will have the reward of it and the reward of anyone who acts upon it until the Day of Judgement, without the rewards of others being diminished in any way.’^{‎[5]Kafi, 5/9; Tahdhib, 6/124. See also Ahmad, 4/361; Darimi, 1/130; Ibn Majah, 1/74; Bayhaqi, 4/176. In these latter versions the narration continues: ‘And whoever establishes an evil custom upon which people act, he will have his own burden and the burden of those who acted upon it, without either their burdens being reduced in any way.’}

This report clarifies that when someone inspires good in others, or gives them means necessary to do that, he is also rewarded for the good that they then do. The same applies to evil; if one establishes an evil practice or expends efforts to make sins acceptable, they will be taken to task for the actions of those who follow their path, That they may bear their entire burdens on the Day of Resurrection, along with some of the burdens of those whom they lead astray without any knowledge (16:25). In this case, a believer who may inspire others to do good, such as his children or friends, will also be rewarded by that. See also the commentary on verse 36:12.

Finally, it should be noted that the li in lil-insān (belongs to man) is to indicate ownership. This ownership is a real ownership and not simply conventional. Conventional ownership is, for example, a person’s ownership of a house or a car, and is based on social convention. If one were to die, those goods would not follow that person to the afterlife. However, ownership of actions is very much real and they become part of a person, following them even beyond death. From this we can understand That nothing belongs to man except what he strives for means man is in ownership of nothing but his actions. If what he owns is good he will see it, and if it is bad he shall also see it.^{‎[6]Mizan, 19/46-47.}

This point is important to keep in mind, as it forms a subtheme of the surah that will be explored further in the final verses of this chapter. This is all connected to the idea that everything is under God’s command, and we may consider this verse to be the answer to the earlier verse that asked, Shall man have whatever he yearns for? (verse 24).

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. From Muhammad ibn Marwān, that Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said: ‘What prevents a man from among you to honour his parents, whether they are alive or dead? He can pray, give charity, perform pilgrimage, and fast on their behalf, and what he has performed will count for them and he will have the like of it, and God – glorious and mighty – will increase him [in reward] plenty of good because of his kindness and doing good to his kin.’^{‎[7]Kafi, 2/159. The emphasis in the beginning of the hadith is probably because some famous scholars of the time – such as Mālik ibn Anas, who was then followed in this by al-Shāfiʿī – had claimed that the reward for any such actions would not reach the dead person. See Alusi, 14/66.}
2. From ʿUmar ibn Yazīd, that he asked Imam al-Ṣādiq (a): ‘Is it permissible to pray on behalf of the deceased?’ He said: ‘Yes, so that if he is distressed then God would remove that distress. Then they will come to him and tell him: “God has removed your distress due to the prayer of your brother so-and-so.”’ He then asked: ‘Can I combine between two different people in two units [of prayer]?’ The Imam said: ‘Yes,’ then he (a) continued, ‘the deceased is delighted by someone supplicating for him and seeking God’s forgiveness for his sake, just like a living person might be delighted by receiving a gift.’^{‎[8]Faqih, 1/183. The final portion of this hadith is also reported from the Prophet, see ʿAynī, ʿUmdat al-Qārī, 8/222.}
3. In another hadith also from ʿUmar ibn Yazīd, that Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said: ‘There are six things that will reach a believer after his death: a child that seeks forgiveness on his behalf, a book that he has left behind, a tree that he has planted, the charity paid for water that is still running, an old well that he has dug …’^{‎[9]Faqih, 1/185.}

Note: There are a couple of additional points that we may learn from these narrations. Firstly, the mercy of God is vast, and He gives rewards to both the one praying and the one on whose behalf the prayer is said without diminishing the rewards of either. This is a manifestation of the earlier verse, your Lord is expansive in [His] forgiveness (verse 32). Secondly, the faith that a person has in good things will comfort them after death as well. For example, when the soul of a person who loved prayer senses that a prayer is said on their behalf, this will naturally comfort that deceased person. However, if they had no faith or love for these things, then certainly it will not bring them any bliss.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

It has been attributed to Ibn Abbas^{‎[10]And a similar opinion to ʿIkramah, who is the more likely candidate for this, and likely Ibn Abbas is a false attribution.} that this verse has been abrogated in the Islamic shariah, because ‘children will enter paradise due to the goodness of their parents’ as per the supposed meaning of the verse, the faithful and their descendants who followed them in faith – We will make their descendants join them, and We will not stint anything from [the reward of] their deeds. Every man is a hostage to what he has earned (52:21).^{‎[11]Tabrisi, 9/273; Tabari, 27/44; Thalabi, 9/153.} This kind of understanding is wrong for many reasons:

1. Abrogation (naskh) can only apply to legal rulings that may no longer be necessary due to a change of circumstance; it cannot apply to theological realities such as responsibility for actions, intercession, etc.
2. Why would the previous verse say Has he not been informed if what is then quoted has been abrogated and no longer valid?
3. As 52:21 clearly says, the meaning of joining the descendants to the faithful in paradise is not that the unrighteous or evildoing descendants will join them (their descendants who followed them in faith), but rather if they are both of those who have been granted entry into paradise due to their faith and deeds, that they can be reunited therein and will find each other there. This is a blessing of God to grant them the company of those whom they love and care about.
4. 52:21 also ends by mentioning Every man is a hostage to what he has earned to emphasise that this is no exception to personal responsibility so no one should misunderstand the purport of what is being said.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. And You will render to each according to his conduct, for You know their hearts.^{‎[12]2 Chronicles 6:30.}
2. Just like I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble, reap the same.^{‎[13]Job 4:8.}
3. He will repay a man for his work, and cause every man to find what is according to his ways.^{‎[14]Job 34:11.}
4. For many nations and great kings will make slaves of them, even them. And I will recompense them according to their deeds and according to the works of their hands.^{‎[15]Jeremiah 25:14.}

[1] Raghib, p. 411.
[2] Tibyan, 9/435; Tabrisi, 9/272.
[3] Kafi, 3/113. Kulaynī also reports several other similar traditions.
[4] Mizan, 19/46.
[5] Kafi, 5/9; Tahdhib, 6/124. See also Ahmad, 4/361; Darimi, 1/130; Ibn Majah, 1/74; Bayhaqi, 4/176. In these latter versions the narration continues: ‘And whoever establishes an evil custom upon which people act, he will have his own burden and the burden of those who acted upon it, without either their burdens being reduced in any way.’
[6] Mizan, 19/46-47.
[7] Kafi, 2/159. The emphasis in the beginning of the hadith is probably because some famous scholars of the time – such as Mālik ibn Anas, who was then followed in this by al-Shāfiʿī – had claimed that the reward for any such actions would not reach the dead person. See Alusi, 14/66.
[8] Faqih, 1/183. The final portion of this hadith is also reported from the Prophet, see ʿAynī, ʿUmdat al-Qārī, 8/222.
[9] Faqih, 1/185.
[10] And a similar opinion to ʿIkramah, who is the more likely candidate for this, and likely Ibn Abbas is a false attribution.
[11] Tabrisi, 9/273; Tabari, 27/44; Thalabi, 9/153.
[12] 2 Chronicles 6:30.
[13] Job 4:8.
[14] Job 34:11.
[15] Jeremiah 25:14.