Quran Universe
16:97

مَنۡ عَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوۡ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤۡمِنٞ فَلَنُحۡيِيَنَّهُۥ حَيَوٰةٗ طَيِّبَةٗۖ وَلَنَجۡزِيَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡرَهُم بِأَحۡسَنِ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

Man AAamila salihan min thakarin aw ontha wahuwa muminun falanuhyiyannahu hayatan tayyibatan walanajziyannahum ajrahum biahsani ma kanoo yaAAmaloona

Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.

Word by word
  1. مَنۡWhoever
  2. عَمِلَdoes
  3. صَٰلِحٗاrighteous deeds
  4. مِّنwhether
  5. ذَكَرٍmale
  6. أَوۡor
  7. أُنثَىٰfemale
  8. وَهُوَwhile he
  9. مُؤۡمِنٞ(is) a believer
  10. فَلَنُحۡيِيَنَّهُۥthen surely We will give him life
  11. حَيَوٰةٗa life
  12. طَيِّبَةٗۖgood
  13. وَلَنَجۡزِيَنَّهُمۡand We will pay them
  14. أَجۡرَهُمtheir reward
  15. بِأَحۡسَنِto (the) best
  16. مَاof what
  17. كَانُواْthey used (to)
  18. يَعۡمَلُونَdo
An-Nahl · 16:97Makkah

Man or woman, a believer who does good gets a good life.

A promise for this world and the next

The promise
male or femaleno difference
faith plus good deedsthe condition
brings
a good lifehere
best rewardhereafter
What a good life is
lots of moneyluxury
contentmentlawful provision, peace

Ibn Kathir says this is a promise to the children of Adam, male or female, who do righteous deeds with belief. Scholars explained the good life as lawful provision, contentment, happiness, and joy in obeying Allah; the correct view is that it includes all of these. He cites the hadith: successful is the one who submits, has enough, and is made content with what he is given.

Your friend has the bigger car and the bigger salary and still can't sleep. Your aunt has a small flat, prays on time, and laughs easily. A good life is not measured in square meters.

A good life means having a lot.

A good life is faith, good deeds, and being content with what Allah gives.

Try this

Say tonight, out loud: I am content with what Allah has given me today.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Whoever does righteous deeds - whether male or female - while he (or she) is a believer; then We will certainly give them a good life, and We will certainly grant them their rewards in proportion to the best of what they used to do (97)

Righteous Deeds and their Reward

This is a promise from Allah to those Children of Adam, male or female, who do righteous deeds - deeds in accordance with the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ, with a heart that believes in Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, while believing that these deeds are commanded and enjoined by Allah. Allah promises that He will give them a good life in this world and that He will reward them according to the best of their deeds in the Hereafter. The good life includes feeling tranquillity in all aspects of life. It has been reported that Ibn 'Abbas and a group (of scholars) interpreted it to mean good, lawful provisions. It was reported that 'Ali bin Abi Talib interpreted as contentment. This was also the opinion of Ibn 'Abbas, 'Ikrimah and Wahb bin Munabbih. 'Ali bin Abi Talhah recorded from Ibn 'Abbas that it meant happiness. Al-Hasan, Mujahid and Qatadah said: "None gets [this] good life [mentioned] except in Paradise." Ad-Dahhak said: "It means lawful provisions and worship in this life". Ad-Dahhak also said: "It means working to obey Allah and finding joy in that." The correct view is that a good life includes all of these things. as found in the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad from 'Abdullah bin 'Amr that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ، وَرُزِقَ كَفَافًا، وَقَنَّعَهُ اللهُ بِمَا آتَاهُ

(He who submits [becomes a Muslim] has succeeded, is given sufficient provisions, and is content with Allah for what he is given.) It was also recorded by Muslim.