Quran Universe
17:19

وَمَنۡ أَرَادَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ وَسَعَىٰ لَهَا سَعۡيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤۡمِنٞ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ كَانَ سَعۡيُهُم مَّشۡكُورٗا

Waman arada alakhirata wasaAAa laha saAAyaha wahuwa muminun faolaika kana saAAyuhum mashkooran

But whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a believer - it is those whose effort is ever appreciated [by Allah].

Word by word
  1. وَمَنۡAnd whoever
  2. أَرَادَdesires
  3. ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَthe Hereafter
  4. وَسَعَىٰand exerts
  5. لَهَاfor it
  6. سَعۡيَهَاthe effort
  7. وَهُوَwhile he
  8. مُؤۡمِنٞ(is) a believer
  9. فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَthen those
  10. كَانَ[are]
  11. سَعۡيُهُمtheir effort
  12. مَّشۡكُورٗا(is) appreciated
Al-Isra · 17:19Makkah

Effort for the Hereafter is always noticed and thanked.

Wanting it, striving for it, believing

Three parts
wants itthe Hereafter
strives for itthe right way
believesfaith in the heart
so
appreciatedthe effort is thanked
Is it enough
wishing is enough
want, effort, faithall three together

Right after the one who wants only now, the verse describes the other person. Ibn Kathir explains the three parts: wanting the Hereafter, striving for it the right way by following the Messenger ﷺ, and having faith in the heart. Their effort is appreciated.

No one at work saw you hold your tongue in that meeting. No one in the family group chat knows about the money you sent quietly. You wonder if it counted. It was noticed, and it is thanked.

Small good efforts that no one sees probably do not matter much.

Effort made for Allah with faith is never wasted. He thanks it.

Try this

Do one good thing today that no one will ever know about.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 17:18)

Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein disgraced and rejected (18)And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it while he is a believer, then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (rewarded by Allah)(19)

The Reward of Those who desire this World and Those who desire the Hereafter

Allah tells us that not everyone who desires this world and its luxuries gets what he wants. That is attained by those whom Allah wants to have it, and they get what He wills that they should get. This Ayah narrows down the general statements made in other Ayat. Allah says:

عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَاءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ

(We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell) meaning, in the Hereafter,

يَصْلَاهَا 

(he will burn therein) means, he will enter it until it covers him on all sides,

مَذْمُومًا 

(disgraced) means, blamed for his bad behaviour and evil deeds, because he chose the transient over the eternal,

مَّدْحُورًا

(rejected.) means, far away (from Allah's mercy), humiliated and put to shame.

وَمَنْ أَرَادَ الْآخِرَةَ

(And whoever desires the Hereafter) wanting the Hereafter and its blessings and delights,

وَسَعَىٰ لَهَا سَعْيَهَا

(and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it) seeking it in the right way, which is following the Messenger ﷺ.

وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ

(while he is a believer,) means, his heart has faith, i.e., he believes in the reward and punishment,

فَأُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُورًا

(then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (rewarded by Allah).)