Surah 45:23
Show Full Scripture Context (45:21-23) — 3 Verses
أَمۡ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱجۡتَرَحُواْ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن نَّجۡعَلَهُمۡ كَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ سَوَآءٗ مَّحۡيَاهُمۡ وَمَمَاتُهُمۡۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحۡكُمُونَ
Or do those who commit evil deeds think that We shall treat them as those who believe and do righteous deeds – alike in their life and their death? Evil is what they judge!
وَخَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلِتُجۡزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفۡسِۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ وَهُمۡ لَا يُظۡلَمُونَ
God created the heavens and the earth in truth, and so that each person may be paid for what he has earned – and they will not be done evil.
أَفَرَءَيۡتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٖ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِۦ وَقَلۡبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَٰوَةٗ فَمَن يَهۡدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ٱللَّهِۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
Have you seen the one who has taken his (vain) desire as his god? God has led him astray on (the basis of) knowledge, and set a seal on his hearing and his heart, and made a covering on his sight. Who will guide him after God? Will you not take heed?
Allah the Exalted states here that the believers and the disbelievers sire never equal. Allah said in another Ayah,
{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,
{Or do those who earn evil deeds think} those who commit and practice evil,
treat them equally in the present life of the world and in the Hereafter?
{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,
{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:
{Worst is the judgement that they make.} Allah said,
Allah has created the heavens and the earth with truths
meaning, in justice,
Allah the Exalted said,
{Have you seen him who takes his own lust as his god?}, who abides by his lust, and whatever his lust portrays as good he implements it, and whatever his lust portrays as evil, he abandons it! Allah's statement,
has two meanings. One of them is that Allah knew that this person deserves to be misguided, so He left him astray. The second meaning is that Allah led this person astray after knowledge reached him and the proof was established before him. The second meaning includes the first meaning, but not the opposite. Allah said,
so he does not hear what benefits him, understands not what would lead him to the guidance and sees not the evidence with which he can be enlightened. This is why Allah said,
{Who then will guide him after Allah? Will you not then remember?} Allah said in a similar Ayah,
{Whomsoever Allah sends astray, none can guide him; and He lets them wander blindly in their transgressions.} (7:186).
— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 9, Page 27-29)