Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-'Imran -> The Honest and Dishonest are Not Similar |
Allah said, ﴿أَفَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَنَ اللَّهِ كَمَن بَآءَ بِسَخْطٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَمَأْوَاهُ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ ﴾ (Is then one who follows (seeks) the pleasure of Allah like the one who draws on himself the wrath of Allah His abode is Hell, and worse indeed is that destination!) ﴿3:162﴾, This refers to those seeking what pleases Allah by obeying His legislation, thus earning His pleasure and tremendous rewards, while being saved from His severe torment. This type of person is not similar to one who earns Allah's anger, has no means of escaping it and who will reside in Jahannam on the Day of Resurrection, and what an evil destination it is. There are many similar statements in the Qur'an, such as, ﴿أَفَمَن يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَبِّكَ الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَى﴾ (Shall he then who knows that what has been revealed unto you (O Muhammad ) from your Lord is the truth be like him who is blind) ﴿13:19﴾, and, ﴿أَفَمَن وَعَدْنَـهُ وَعْداً حَسَناً فَهُوَ لاَقِيهِ كَمَن مَّتَّعْنَاهُ مَتَـعَ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا﴾ (Is he whom We have promised an excellent promise (Paradise) which he will find true, like him whom We have made to enjoy the luxuries of the life of (this) world) ﴿28:61﴾. Allah then said, ﴿هُمْ دَرَجَـتٌ عِندَ اللَّهِ﴾ (They are in varying grades with Allah, ) ﴿3:163﴾ meaning, the people of righteousness and the people of evil are in grades, as Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Muhammad bin Ishaq said. Abu `Ubaydah and Al-Kisa'i said that this Ayah refers to degrees, meaning there are various degrees and dwellings in Paradise, as well as, various degrees and dwellings in the Fire. In another Ayah, Allah said, ﴿وَلِكُلٍّ دَرَجَـتٌ مِّمَّا عَمِلُواْ﴾ (For all there will be degrees (or ranks) according to what they did) ﴿6:132﴾. Next, Allah said, ﴿وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ﴾ (and Allah is All-Seer of what they do), and He will compensate or punish them, and will never rid them of a good deed, or increase their evil deeds. Rather, each will be treated according to his deeds.
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