Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Jathiyah Verse 21

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Do those who have committed evils assume that We will make them like those who believe and do righteous deeds, so as their life and death becomes equal? Evil is what they judge.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Or do those who commit evil deeds ˹simply˺ think that We will make them equal—in their life and after their death—to those who believe and do good? How wrong is their judgment!

Ruwwad Translation Center

Do those who commit evil deeds think that We will make them equal to those who believe and do righteous deeds, in this life and after their death? How poorly they judge!

A. J. Arberry

Or do those who commit evil deeds think that We shall make them as those who believe and do righteous deeds, equal their living and their dying? How ill they judge!

Abdul Haleem

Do those who commit evil deeds really think that We will deal with them in the same way as those who believe and do righteous deeds, that they will be alike in their living and their dying? How badly they judge!

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Deem those who commit ill deeds that We shall make them as those who believe and work righteous Works? Equal is their life and their death! How ill they judge!

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

What! Do those who seek after evil ways think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous deeds,- that equal will be their life and their death? Ill is the judgment that they make.

Abul Ala Maududi

Do the evil-doers imagine that We shall make them equal to those who believe and do good, making their lives and deaths alike? How vile is their judgement!

Ahmed Ali

Do those who seek evil think that We shall make them equal in life and death to those who believe and do good? How bad is the judgement that they make!

Ahmed Raza Khan

Do those who commit evil assume that We will make them equal to those who believe and do good deeds, therefore both becoming equal in life and death? What an evil judgement they impose!

Ali Quli Qarai

Do those who have perpetrated misdeeds suppose that We shall treat them like those who have faith and do righteous deeds, their life and death being equal? Evil is the judgement that they make!

Ali Ünal

What? Do those who commit evil deeds think that We hold them equal with those who believe and do good, righteous deeds – equal in respect of their life and their death? How evil is their judgment!

Amatul Rahman Omar

Do those who commit evil deeds think that We will treat them like those who believe and (accordingly) do deeds of righteousness so that their lives and deaths be alike? How ill they judge!

English Literal

Or (did) those who earned/committed the sins/crimes think/suppose that (E) We make/put them as those who believed and made/did the correct/righteous deeds, equal/alike (in) their life and (in) their death/time of death? It is bad what they judge/rule.

Faridul Haque

Do those who commit evil assume that We will make them equal to those who believe and do good deeds, therefore both becoming equal in life and death? What an evil judgement they impose!

Hamid S. Aziz

What! Do those who have wrought evil deeds think that We will make them like those who believe and do good - that their life and their death shall be equal? Ill is their judgment!

Hilali & Khan

Or do those who earn evil deeds think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, in their present life and after their death? Worst is the judgement that they make.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

These are clear proofs for men, and a guidance and a mercy for a people who are sure.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Nay! do those who have wrought evil deeds think that We will make them like those who believe and do good-- that their life and their death shall be equal? Evil it is that they judge.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Or do those who commit ill-deeds suppose that We shall make them as those who believe and do good works, the same in life and death? Bad is their judgment!

Muhammad Sarwar

Do the people who commit evil think that We shall make their life and death like that of the righteously striving believers? How terrible is their Judgment!

Qaribullah & Darwish

Do those who commit evil deeds think that We will make them (equal) to the believers who do good works, so that in life and death they shall be alike? How evil they judge!

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Or do those who earn evil deeds think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous good deeds, in their present life and after their death Worst is the judgement that they make.

Wahiduddin Khan

Do those who commit evil deeds imagine that We shall deal with them in the same way as We deal with those who have attained to faith and do righteous deeds, that they will be alike in their living and their dying? How badly they judge!

Talal Itani

Do those who perpetrate the evil deeds assume that We will regard them as equal to those who believe and do righteous deeds, whether in their life or their death? Evil is their judgment!

Tafsir jalalayn

Or (am has the significance of the [rhetorical] hamza of denial) do those who have perpetrated evil acts, [such as] disbelief and disobedience, suppose that We shall treat them as those who believe and perform righteous deeds, equally (saw'an is the predicate) in their life and in their death? (mahyhum wa- mamtuhum, [this clause] constitutes the subject and a supplement; the sentence [itself] is a substitution for the kf [of ka'lladhna, `as those'], and both [suffixed] pronouns [-hum] refer to the disbelievers). The meaning is; do they suppose that in the Hereafter We will assign them [a] good [fate] like believers, [that they will enjoy] a life of plenty, one equal to their life in this world, as when they said to the believers; `Surely if we were to be resurrected, we will be given the same good things that you will be given!' God, exalted be He, says, in accordance with His denial [implicit] in the [rhetorical interrogative] hamza; How evil is that judgement which they make! In other words, it will not be so, for in the Hereafter they will be [suffering] in the chastisement, in contrast to their lives in this world; the believers, on the other hand, will be [delighting] in the Reward in the Hereafter because of their righteous deeds in this world, such as [their observance of] prayers, [their] alms-giving, fasting and otherwise (the m, `that ... which', relates to the verbal action, that is to say, ba'isa hukman hukmuhum hdh, `awful as a judgement is this judgement of theirs').

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Life and the Death of the Believers and the Disbelievers are not Equal

Allah the Exalted states here that the believers and the disbelievers are never equal. Allah said in another Ayah,

لَا يَسْتَوِى أَصْحَـبُ النَّارِ وَأَصْحَـبُ الْجَنَّةِ أَصْحَـبُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمُ الْفَأيِزُونَ

Not equal are the dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of the Paradise. It is the dwellers of Paradise that will be successful. (59;20)

Allah said here,

أًمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّيَاتِ

Or do those who earn evil deeds think,

those who commit and practice evil,

أّن نَّجْعَلَهُمْ كَالَّذِينَ امَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ

سَوَاء مَّحْيَاهُم وَمَمَاتُهُمْ

that We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous good deeds, in their life and their death,

i.e. treat them equally in the present life of the world and in the Hereafter

سَاء مَا يَحْكُمُونَ



Worst is the judgement that they make.

`worst is the thought that they have about Us and about Our justice, thinking that We will ever make the pious and the wicked equal in the Hereafter or this life.'

At-Tabarani recorded that Shubah said that Amr bin Murrah narrated that Abu Ad-Duha said that Masruq said that;

Tamim Ad-Dari once stood in voluntary prayer through the night until the morning only reciting this Ayah,

أًمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّيَاتِ

أّن نَّجْعَلَهُمْ كَالَّذِينَ امَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ

Or do those who earn evil deeds think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous good deeds...

Allah said in reply;
سَاء مَا يَحْكُمُونَ
(Worst is the judgement that they make.)

Allah said